European Language Equality Network

Tá an-bhrón orainn a chloisteáil go bhfuil Dónall Ó Riagáin imithe ar shlí na fírinne, iar-Uachtarán agus Ard-Rúnaí Bhiúró na hEorpa do Theangacha Neamhfhorleathana, réamhtheachtaí ELEN, ar an 22 Bealtaine.

Ba mheantóir, spreagadh agus cara é Dónall do mhórán againn agus táimid faoi chomaoin mhór aige as an obair shuntasach agus fhadtéarmach a rinne sé chun ár dteangacha a chosaint agus a fhorbairt le blianta fada.

B'abhcóide teanga, oideagus feachtasóir idirnáisiúnta clúiteach é Dónall ar son cosaint teangacha neamhfhorleathana. Rugadh é i mBaile Átha Cliath sa bhliain 1941, agus bhí sé ar dhuine de na guthanna ba mhó tionchar i ngluaiseacht na Gaeilge nua-aimseartha agus ina chosantóir gan staonadh ar éagsúlacht teanga.

D'oibrigh Dónall do Chomhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge mar eagraí náisiúnta Ghlór na nGael, comórtas chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn ag leibhéal an phobail áitiúil. Chaith sé na deich mbliana ina dhiaidh sin mar Bhainisteoir ar Roinn na gClár Oideachais agus Óige de chuid Gael-Linn.

Le linn leath dheireanach na 1970idí, chuir sé chun cinn an smaoineamh go mbeadh comhlacht comhordaithe Eorpach ann do phobail teangacha neamhfhorleathana i mballstáit an AE a chuirfeadh a leasanna chun cinn ar leibhéal an AE. D'oibrigh sé go dlúth le Feisirí Eorpacha ar spéis leo an tionscadal, go háirithe John Hume, chun go nglacfadh Parlaimint na hEorpa le Rún Arfé i 1982. Mar thoradh air seo, bunaíodh Biúró Eorpach na dTeangacha Neamhfhorleathana, agus toghadh é mar an chéad Uachtarán air agus ina dhiaidh sin mar Ard-Rúnaí. Faoina cheannaireacht, thug an eagraíocht aird Eorpach gan sárú ar theangacha i mbaol agus ar theangacha mionlaigh.

D'oibrigh sé ar chláir teanga éagsúla agus bhí sé ina bhall de CAHLR, Coiste Chomhairle na hEorpa a dhréachtaigh an Chairt Eorpach do Theangacha Réigiúnacha nó Mionlaigh. Tar éis dó imeacht ó EBLUL, d'oibrigh sé ar chur chun cinn na síochána agus na gceart teanga in Éirinn, agus bhí sé ar mhisin iomadúla chuig Cónaidhm na Rúise agus iar-stáit eile de chuid an APSS, m.sh. Kalmykia, Bashkortistan, Buryatia, Khakassia, an Mholdóiv agus an tSeoirsia. Lean sé leis a bheith gníomhach i ngluaiseacht na Gaeilge ina cheantar féin - Cill Dara leis an nGaeilge.

Cuirimid ár gcomhbhrón ó chroí in iúl dá bhaintreach Treasa agus dá iníonacha Íde agus Bébhin agus a dteaghlaigh. Braithfear uainn go mór é.

Beidh Aifreann Sochraide ar siúl i Séipéal Bhaile Chanáin, an Nás, Contae Chill Dara ag 2 i.n. Déardaoin, 28 Bealtaine.

Le haghaidh tuilleadh eolais féach: https://rip.ie/death-notice/donall-o-riagain-dublin-rathcoole-631690

Tá leabhar comhbhróin ar fáil ar líne freisin: https://rip.ie/death-notice/condolences/donall-o-riagain-dublin-rathcoole-631690?page=1&records=60&sortFields=a.createdAt&sortDirection=DESC

We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing on of Dónall Ó Riagáin, former President and Secretary-General of the European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages, predecessor of ELEN, on May 22nd.

Dónall was a mentor, inspiration and friend to many of us and we are deeply indebted to him for the significant and long-term contribution he made to the protection and development of our languages ​​over many years.

Dónall was a renowned language advocate, educator and international campaigner for the protection of lesser-used languages. Born in Dublin in 1941, he was one of the most influential voices in the modern Irish language movement and a tireless defender of linguistic diversity.

Dónall worked for Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge as the national organiser of Glór na nGael, a competition to promote the Irish language at local community level. He spent the next ten years as Manager of the Education and Youth Programmes Department of Gael-Linn.

During the latter half of the 1970s, he promoted the idea of ​​a European coordinating body for lesser-used language communities in EU member states that would promote their interests at EU level. He worked closely with interested MEPs, notably John Hume, to have the European Parliament adopt the Arfé Resolution in 1982. This led to the establishment of the European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages (EBLUL), of which he was elected its first President and later Secretary-General. Under his leadership, the organisation brought unprecedented European attention and progress for European endangered and minoritised languages.

He worked on various language programmes and was a member of the CAHLR, the Council of Europe Committee which drafted the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

After leaving EBLUL, he worked on the promotion of peace and language rights in Ireland, and was on numerous missions to the Russian Federation and other former USSR states, e.g. Kalmykia, Bashkortistan, Buryatia, Khakassia, Moldova and Georgia. He remained active in the Irish language movement in his own area of Kildare with the Irish language.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to his widow Treasa and to his daughters Íde and Bébhin and their families. He will be greatly missed.

A Funeral Mass will be held in Ballycanan Church, Naas, County Kildare at 2 p.m. on Thursday, 28th May.

For further information on the funeral service see: https://rip.ie/death-notice/donall-o-riagain-dublin-rathcoole-631690

A book of condolences is also available online: https://rip.ie/death-notice/condolences/donall-o-riagain-dublin-rathcoole-631690?page=1&records=60&sortFields=a.createdAt&sortDirection=DESC

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal - Kosk yn kres Dónall.