132-457: TG4 ( / ˌ t iː dʒ iː ˈ k æ h ər / ; Irish : TG Ceathair , pronounced [ˌtʲeːɟeː ˈcahəɾʲ] ) is an Irish free-to-air public service television channel. It launched on 31 October 1996 and is available online and through its on-demand service TG4 Player in Ireland and beyond. TG4 was initially known as Teilifís na Gaeilge (TnaG) , before being renamed in 1999. TG4
264-540: A unique dialect of Irish developed before falling out of use in the early 20th century. With a writing system , Ogham , dating back to at least the 4th century AD, which was gradually replaced by Latin script since the 5th century AD, Irish has one of the oldest vernacular literatures in Western Europe . On the island, the language has three major dialects: Connacht , Munster and Ulster Irish . All three have distinctions in their speech and orthography . There
396-736: A Bachelor of Science Open (either with or without honours), a Master of Arts Open or a Master of Science Open. The Open degree is the most popular qualification at the university, followed by BSc (Hons) Psychology; Cert of HE in Psychology; Bachelor of Laws (Hons); and BA (Hons) Business Management. Around 20,000 students are enrolled on the Open degree, which makes the Open University the UK's largest multidisciplinary education provider. As of 2018, over 236,000 alumni have graduated with an Open degree, and in 2019,
528-536: A Half Men up to the departure of Charlie Sheen , when RTÉ Two began airing the series. All of TG4's news and current affairs programming is provided by RTÉ free of charge to the channel. In 1996, Nuacht TnaG started broadcasting from the TnaG Newsrooms in Baile na hAbhann. From 13 July 2009, all television broadcasts of Nuacht RTÉ broadcast from the Baile na hAbhann studios. The main news anchor for Nuacht RTÉ
660-528: A Trace , Carnivàle , Curb Your Enthusiasm , Eve , Everwood , Invasion , Lipstick Jungle , The O.C. , and Survivor . TG4 often premieres such shows before other European broadcasters. TG4 previously held a long-term agreement with HBO to air the majority of their programmes on the channel. With the launch of Sky Atlantic in 2011, they now hold first rights to European (Ireland, UK, Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland) broadcasts of HBO shows. This means TG4 now broadcasts HBO programming at
792-697: A bargaining chip during government formation in Northern Ireland, prompting protests from organisations and groups such as An Dream Dearg . Irish became an official language of the EU on 1 January 2007, meaning that MEPs with Irish fluency can now speak the language in the European Parliament and at committees, although in the case of the latter they have to give prior notice to a simultaneous interpreter in order to ensure that what they say can be interpreted into other languages. While an official language of
924-560: A better future for Ireland and all her citizens." The Strategy was produced on 21 December 2010 and will stay in action until 2030; it aims to target language vitality and revitalization of the Irish language. The 30-page document published by the Government of Ireland details the objectives it plans to work towards in an attempt to preserve and promote both the Irish language and the Gaeltacht. It
1056-440: A book describing their campaign for a separate Irish-language television service. Bob Quinn is a film director who produced many documentaries and fiction films through the Irish language on limited budgets, including the first Irish-language feature film Poitín starring Niall Tóibín , Cyril Cusack and Donal McCann . The three writers proposed small temporary buildings for Gaeltacht regional television services broadcasting
1188-581: A business school. In 1988, the Open University Business School (OUBS) was founded by the Faculty of Management department, for which professor Andrew Thomson was appointed to head. Thomson's main goal was the offering of an MBA programme, which was eventually funded through a grant from the DES. In 1989, the first class of MBA students were enrolled. The Open University Business School is accredited by
1320-765: A choice between a UniSIM or OUUK degree. The OU has used a variety of methods for teaching, including written and audio materials, the Internet, disc-based software and television programmes on DVD . Course-based television broadcasts by the BBC , which started on 3 January 1971, ceased on 15 December 2006. Materials comprise originally authored work by in-house and external academic contributors, and from third-party materials licensed for use by OU students. For most modules, students are supported by tutors ("associate lecturers") who provide feedback on their work and are generally available to them at face-to-face tutorials, by telephone, and/or on
1452-636: A commemorative stamp. The station published a book entitled TG4@10: Deich mBliana de TG4 (Ten Years of TG4). On 1 April 2007, Teilifís na Gaeilge became an independent statutory corporation . Former Gaelic Athletic Association president Peter Quinn became first chairman of the corporation. The other members appointed to the authority were Joe Connolly, Pádraig MacDonnacha, Eilís Ní Chonghaile, Méabh Mhic Ghairbheith, Méadhbh Nic an Airchinnigh, Bríd Ní Neachtáin, Feargal Ó Sé, and Regina Culliton. Coinciding with TG4's independence from RTÉ, TG4 began broadcasting news from France 24 instead of Euronews . RTÉ holds
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#17328546340601584-472: A cultural and social force. Irish speakers often insisted on using the language in law courts (even when they knew English), and Irish was also common in commercial transactions. The language was heavily implicated in the "devotional revolution" which marked the standardisation of Catholic religious practice and was also widely used in a political context. Down to the time of the Great Famine and even afterwards,
1716-472: A day of Irish-language programming. The remainder of the TG4 schedule is made up of acquisitions from other broadcasters particularly from US broadcasters. Operating as a publisher and broadcaster, TG4 invests up to €20m annually in original indigenous programming from the independent production sector in Ireland. The Irish-language soap opera Ros na Rún is one of its most popular programmes, and it also commissions
1848-541: A degree course in the NUI federal system to pass the subject of Irish in the Leaving Certificate or GCE / GCSE examinations. Exemptions are made from this requirement for students who were born or completed primary education outside of Ireland, and students diagnosed with dyslexia . NUI Galway is required to appoint people who are competent in the Irish language, as long as they are also competent in all other aspects of
1980-522: A distinction), 2 (70–84%), 3 (55–69%) & 4 (40–54%), and fail (below 40%). This grade is calculated as the lower of the overall continuous assessment score (OCAS) and overall examination score (OES). These grades can be weighted according to their level, and combined to calculate the classification of a degree. An undergraduate degree will weigh level 3 modules twice as much as level 2, and in postgraduate programmes, all M-level modules are equally weighted. Open University modules have associated with them
2112-565: A fresh schedule which included more imported programming. Highly critically acclaimed US programming such as Oz , Nip/Tuck and The Wire aired on the channel. During this time, they extended out their range of adult and children's programming. Cúla4 na n-Óg began airing from 07:00 for pre-school children with programmes such as Tar ag Spraoi Sesame , Dora the Explorer and Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! , Cúla4 airs SpongeBob SquarePants , Ben 10 , The Muppet Show , and others. In 2006
2244-460: A fully recognised EU language for the first time in the state's history. Before Irish became an official language it was afforded the status of treaty language and only the highest-level documents of the EU were made available in Irish. The Irish language was carried abroad in the modern period by a vast diaspora , chiefly to Great Britain and North America, but also to Australia , New Zealand and Argentina . The first large movements began in
2376-414: A limited number of CertHE (120 CATS) and DipHE (240 CATS). The Open University provides the opportunity to study for a PhD on a part-time distance, or a full-time basis (on-site for science subjects and most social sciences, off-site with some supervisions on-site for arts) in a wide range of disciplines as well as an EdD for professionals in education. Since 2019 the Open University has also offered
2508-452: A limited number of hours each night with programming coming from each of the Gaeltacht regions around the country. RTÉ and the Irish government had sought to improve the availability of Irish-language programming on RTÉ services. In 1972, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta (RnaG) was set up to provide Irish-language radio services across the country. All radio and television services provided by RTÉ provided some Irish-language programming. In 1980,
2640-462: A much later date than in the past. TG4 held first rights to The Wire , Oz , Deadwood , Generation Kill , Six Feet Under , True Blood . They also held an agreement with AMC to air Breaking Bad until the series concluded. The channel later signed a deal with USA Network for exclusive rights to Mr. Robot . In Autumn 2013, the broadcaster started moving away from US imports instead focusing on successful European drama series from
2772-411: A new group called Coiste ar son Teilifís Gaeltachta (The Committee for Irish-Language Television) was set up. In 1987 they set up the pirate television station Teilifís na Gaeltachta , after years of delays, including the sudden death of their technician who was to build the transmitter. Eighteen hours of live and pre-recorded programming was broadcast between 2 and 5 November 1987. The transmitter
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#17328546340602904-694: A number of Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS) credits – usually 30 or 60 – depending on the quantity of the material in the module and a level (1, 2, 3, or 4) corresponding to the complexity, with 120 credits roughly equating to the year of study for a full-time student. The OU offers a large number of undergraduate qualifications, including certificates, diplomas, and bachelor's degrees, based on both level and quantity of study. An OU undergraduate degree requires 300 (or 360 for honours) CATS credits. Students are generally advised not to undertake more than 60 credits per year, meaning that an undergraduate degree will take typically six years to complete. With
3036-574: A paper suggested that within a generation, non-Gaeltacht habitual users of Irish might typically be members of an urban, middle class, and highly educated minority. Parliamentary legislation is supposed to be available in both Irish and English but is frequently only available in English. This is notwithstanding that Article 25.4 of the Constitution of Ireland requires that an "official translation" of any law in one official language be provided immediately in
3168-554: A pass in Leaving Certificate Irish or English, and receive lessons in Irish during their two years of training. Official documents of the Irish government must be published in both Irish and English or Irish alone (in accordance with the Official Languages Act 2003, enforced by An Coimisinéir Teanga , the Irish language ombudsman). The National University of Ireland requires all students wishing to embark on
3300-611: A professional doctorate for healthcare workers. The university offers a range of Master's levels modules such as the MBA and MPA , MSc , MA and MEd , and MRes , and a number of postgraduate diplomas and certificates including innovative practice-based modules and postgraduate computing qualifications for professionals. Postgraduate certificates are awarded for 120 credits of study on specified modules; postgraduate diplomas are awarded for 240 credits of study on specified modules. The university offers "Advanced Diplomas" that involve 60 credits at
3432-399: A relatively large number of documentaries. During the first two years of TnaG, the service provided a "blocked" schedule. A distinct language schedule was created in line with their commitment to provide two hours of Irish-language television each day. Children's television ran from 17:00 to 18:00, while the prime time Irish-language block began at 20:00 and ended at 22:30 each night. In 1998,
3564-611: A religious context. An Irish translation of the Old Testament by Leinsterman Muircheartach Ó Cíonga , commissioned by Bishop Bedell , was published after 1685 along with a translation of the New Testament. Otherwise, Anglicisation was seen as synonymous with 'civilising' the native Irish. Currently, modern day Irish speakers in the church are pushing for language revival. It has been estimated that there were around 800,000 monoglot Irish speakers in 1800, which dropped to 320,000 by
3696-488: A result of linguistic imperialism . Today, Irish is still commonly spoken as a first language in Ireland's Gaeltacht regions, in which 2% of Ireland's population lived in 2022. The total number of people (aged 3 and over) in Ireland who declared they could speak Irish in April 2022 was 1,873,997, representing 40% of respondents, but of these, 472,887 said they never spoke it and a further 551,993 said they only spoke it within
3828-427: A round up of all the major stories of the week. During the summer months they provide Féilte presented by Sinéad Ní Loideáin and Bríd Richardson. It takes a similar format to RTÉ's Nationwide, reporting on Festivals around Ireland during the summer months. Irish language Irish ( Standard Irish : Gaeilge ), also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic ( / ˈ ɡ eɪ l ɪ k / GAY -lik ),
3960-654: A share in Euronews , meaning TG4 could no longer broadcast the service. On 1 July 2007, TG4 became a member of the European Broadcasting Union . In 2008, TG4 became a founding member of World Indigenous Television Broadcasters Network (WITBN). On 12 July 2009, the Broadcasting Act 2009 was enacted. Many of the provisions of the Act relating to RTÉ also apply to TG4, with the station being subject to regulation from
4092-456: A similar organisation in the capital called Feachtas Náisiúnta Teilifíse (FTN). FTN outlined their demands: It was also suggested that the cap on advertising on RTÉ be removed and the additional funds be designated for the new services. Ray Burke had limited the advertising minutes on RTÉ a few years previously. Hence, there would be no cost to the Exchequer, and funding would also come from
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4224-399: A strand called Ponc began airing with teen programming such as Pimp My Ride , MTV Cribs , 8 Simple Rules , America's Next Top Model , What I Like About You and South Park . Other series aired on the channel include Army Wives , Cold Case , Gossip Girl , One Tree Hill , The Starter Wife , True Blood , Two and a Half Men , Vampire Diaries , Without
4356-553: A stronger audience-driven schedule, with key audiences delivered at key times. TG4 aims to be a mainstream channel for a niche audience. This new scheduling provided TG4 with a strong increase in audience share during the first six months of the newly re-branded channel, rising from 1% to 2% and, by 2005, TG4 had become the eighth most watched television channel with 2.4% audience share, just below BBC Two and Channel 4, and well ahead of Sky One . The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources reduced TG4's grant-in-aid from
4488-537: A wider meaning, including the Gaelic of Scotland and the Isle of Man , as well as of Ireland. When required by the context, these are distinguished as Gaeilge na hAlban , Gaeilge Mhanann and Gaeilge na hÉireann respectively. In English (including Hiberno-English ), the language is usually referred to as Irish , as well as Gaelic and Irish Gaelic . The term Irish Gaelic may be seen when English speakers discuss
4620-472: Is Siún Nic Gearailt , who was the main news anchor for TG4 from 2002 to 2004, before moving to RTÉ. Nuacht TnaG initially was broadcast at 22:00 each night, later moving to 20:00 and finally to 19:00 where it currently remains. From 1996 to 1998, Gráinne Seoige was the main news anchor for the channel, in 1998 she moved to TV3 to launch their main evening news where she remained until 2004. In 1998, Ailbhe Ó Monachain became TG4's main news anchor. With
4752-584: Is a Celtic language of the Indo-European language family . It is a member of the Goidelic language group of the Insular Celtic sub branch of the family and is indigenous to the island of Ireland . It was the majority of the population's first language until the 19th century, when English gradually became dominant, particularly in the last decades of the century, in what is sometimes characterised as
4884-571: Is a public research university and the largest university in the United Kingdom by number of students . The majority of the OU's undergraduate students are based in the United Kingdom and principally study off- campus ; many of its courses (both undergraduate and postgraduate ) can also be studied anywhere in the world. There are also a number of full-time postgraduate research students based on
5016-448: Is also An Caighdeán Oifigiúil , a standardised written form devised by a parliamentary commission in the 1950s. The traditional Irish alphabet , a variant of the Latin alphabet with 18 letters , has been succeeded by the standard Latin alphabet (albeit with 7–8 letters used primarily in loanwords ). Irish has constitutional status as the national and first official language of
5148-511: Is divided into four separate phases with the intention of improving 9 main areas of action including: The general goal for this strategy was to increase the number of daily speakers from 83,000 to 250,000 by the end of its run. By 2022, the number of such speakers had fallen to 71,968. Before the partition of Ireland in 1921, Irish was recognised as a school subject and as "Celtic" in some third level institutions. Between 1921 and 1972, Northern Ireland had devolved government. During those years
5280-567: Is only in Gaeltacht areas that Irish continues to be spoken as a community vernacular to some extent. According to data compiled by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht , Sport and Media , only 1/4 of households in Gaeltacht areas are fluent in Irish. The author of a detailed analysis of the survey, Donncha Ó hÉallaithe of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology , described
5412-412: Is still spoken daily to some extent as a first language . These regions are known individually and collectively as the Gaeltacht (plural Gaeltachtaí ). While the fluent Irish speakers of these areas, whose numbers have been estimated at 20–30,000, are a minority of the total number of fluent Irish speakers, they represent a higher concentration of Irish speakers than other parts of the country and it
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5544-459: Is the largest academic institution in the United Kingdom (and one of the largest in Europe) by student number, and qualifies as one of the world's largest universities . Since it was founded, more than 2.3 million students have achieved their learning goals by studying with the Open University. The Open University is one of only two United Kingdom higher education institutions to gain accreditation in
5676-442: Is usually an invigilated three-hour paper regardless of the size of the module (although on some modules it can be up to three three-hour papers), but an increasing number of modules instead have an EMA (End of Module Assessment) which is similar to a TMA, in that it is completed at home, but is regarded as an exam for grading purposes. Modules results are sometimes issued on a graded basis, consisting of pass grades 1 (threshold 85%,
5808-659: The Fíor-Ghaeltacht (true Gaeltacht ), a term originally officially applied to areas where over 50% of the population spoke Irish. There are Gaeltacht regions in the following counties: Gweedore ( Gaoth Dobhair ), County Donegal, is the largest Gaeltacht parish in Ireland. Irish language summer colleges in the Gaeltacht are attended by tens of thousands of teenagers annually. Students live with Gaeltacht families, attend classes, participate in sports, go to céilithe and are obliged to speak Irish. All aspects of Irish culture and tradition are encouraged. The Act
5940-702: The BBC . The first students enrolled in January 1971. The university administration is now based at Walton Hall, but has administration centres in other parts of the United Kingdom. It also has a presence in other European countries. The university awards undergraduate and postgraduate degrees , as well as non-degree qualifications such as diplomas and certificates or continuing education units. It also offers unique Open Degrees, in which students may study any combination of modules across all subjects. With around 200,000 students including around 34% of new undergraduates aged under 25 and more than 8,599 overseas students, it
6072-639: The Financial Conduct Authority and the PRA. Ultimately, like the banks and building societies, members’ savings are protected against business failure by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme . In 2016, the university reorganised its departments and now operates with the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences (FASS); the Faculty of Business and Law (FBL); the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); and
6204-619: The Republic of Ireland , and is also an official language of Northern Ireland and among the official languages of the European Union . The public body Foras na Gaeilge is responsible for the promotion of the language throughout the island. Irish has no regulatory body but An Caighdeán Oifigiúil , the standard written form, is guided by a parliamentary service and new vocabulary by a voluntary committee with university input. In An Caighdeán Oifigiúil ("The Official [Written] Standard ")
6336-563: The University Chancellor or his/her representative. Open University graduates normally graduate in absentia at a joint meeting of the university's council and senate ("congregation") which takes place at a meeting entirely separate from the degree ceremony. The university's degree ceremonies occur throughout the year at various prestigious auditorium venues located throughout England, as well as in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and
6468-611: The 17th century, largely as a result of the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland , which saw many Irish sent to the West Indies . Irish emigration to the United States was well established by the 18th century, and was reinforced in the 1840s by thousands fleeing from the Famine . This flight also affected Britain. Up until that time most emigrants spoke Irish as their first language, though English
6600-712: The 1998 Good Friday Agreement , the language gradually received a degree of formal recognition in Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom, and then, in 2003, by the British government's ratification in respect of the language of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages . In the 2006 St Andrews Agreement the British government promised to enact legislation to promote the language and in 2022 it approved legislation to recognise Irish as an official language alongside English. The bill received royal assent on 6 December 2022. The Irish language has often been used as
6732-468: The 2012 TG4 Ladies Gaelic Football Championship final. TG4 HD, similar to RTÉ Two HD , broadcasts mainly sporting programming from national to international events, documentaries, movies and US programming in high-definition where available. It is anticipated that TG4 will itself start broadcasting its own programming produced in high-definition in the future. Format In 1969, Lelia Doolan , Jack Dowling and Bob Quinn published Sit down and Be Counted ,
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#17328546340606864-433: The 2021–22 academic year, almost 5,000 work for the OU. There are also 1,427 (mostly full-time) salaried academic employees (central academics based at Walton Hall and staff tutors based in a variety of regional locations) who are research active and responsible for the production and presentation of teaching materials, 2,502 who are academic-related and 1,905 support staff (including secretaries and technicians). Salaries are
6996-449: The 45-hectare (110-acre) university campus at Walton Hall , Milton Keynes , Buckinghamshire , where they use the staff facilities for research, as well as more than 1,000 members of academic and research staff and over 2,500 administrative, operational and support staff. The OU was established in 1969 and was initially based at Alexandra Palace , north London, using the television studios and editing facilities which had been vacated by
7128-403: The 6th century, used the Latin alphabet and is attested primarily in marginalia to Latin manuscripts. During this time, the Irish language absorbed some Latin words, some via Old Welsh , including ecclesiastical terms : examples are easpag (bishop) from episcopus , and Domhnach (Sunday, from dominica ). By the 10th century, Old Irish had evolved into Middle Irish , which
7260-517: The Act all detailing different aspects of the use of Irish in official documentation and communication. Included in these sections are subjects such as Irish language use in official courts, official publications, and placenames. The Act was recently amended in December 2019 in order to strengthen the already preexisting legislation. All changes made took into account data collected from online surveys and written submissions. The Official Languages Scheme
7392-551: The All-Ireland Finals in the AIB Club Championships on TG4 achieved very high audience ratings for the channel. Twenty five percent of afternoon television viewers on St. Patrick's Day were tuned into TG4. Over 1.1m viewers tuned on TG4 during the day, giving it an overall 8.2% national daily share and placing it in third place in the national daily viewing table for the first time ever. Other major ratings successes for
7524-657: The BA and BSc may be named (following a specified syllabus) or unnamed (constructed of courses chosen by the student) degrees. Many OU faculties have now introduced short modules worth ten credits. Most of these modules are taught online and start at regular intervals throughout the year. They typically provide an introduction to a broader subject over a period of ten weeks, these are generally timed during vacations at conventional universities in order to take advantage of their facilities. Some science modules, which require only home study, are complemented by residential courses, in order to allow
7656-463: The European Union , only co-decision regulations were available until 2022, due to a five-year derogation, requested by the Irish Government when negotiating the language's new official status. The Irish government had committed itself to train the necessary number of translators and interpreters and to bear the related costs. This derogation ultimately came to an end on 1 January 2022, making Irish
7788-468: The Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies (WELS). It also runs Open and Access programmes via PVC-Students, and programmes from the Institute of Educational Technology (IET) via WELS. In 1982, Open University offered a course titled, "The Effective Manager", developed by a team that was led by Charles Handy . After the reported success of the course, Derek S. Pugh proposed the establishment of
7920-471: The Gaeltacht and responsibility for broadcasting was given to this department. This government left office in 1994 and was replaced by the Rainbow Coalition . Michael D. Higgins was re-appointed as Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht under Taoiseach John Bruton . The new programme for government also sought to launch TnaG as the 3rd channel. TnaG launched in 1996. The total cost in establishing
8052-590: The Internet. A number of short courses worth ten credits are now available that do not have an assigned tutor but offer an online conferencing service ( Internet forum ) where help and advice are offered through conferencing "moderators". Some modules have mandatory day schools. Nevertheless, it is possible to be excused on the basis of ill health (or other extenuating circumstances) and many courses have no mandatory face-to-face component. Similarly, some modules have traditionally offered week-long summer schools offering an opportunity for students to remove themselves from
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#17328546340608184-536: The Irish language policy followed by Irish governments as a "complete and absolute disaster". The Irish Times , referring to his analysis published in the Irish language newspaper Foinse , quoted him as follows: "It is an absolute indictment of successive Irish Governments that at the foundation of the Irish State there were 250,000 fluent Irish speakers living in Irish-speaking or semi Irish-speaking areas, but
8316-503: The National Lottery and the television Licence. FTN suggested two hours of programming each day, with the rest of the broadcast hours used for Open University type programming. In the early 1990s, Irish language programmes amounted to only 5% of total programming broadcast by RTÉ, and was reduced significantly during the summer months. Programmes included Echo Island for children, and current affairs programme Cursaí . Before
8448-551: The Nordic countries. On 28 August 2013, TG4 announced its new schedule for autumn/winter 2013. which relied on imports from internationally acclaimed Nordic dramas such as Arne Dahl from Sweden , The Bridge co-produced in Sweden and Denmark and Danish drama Borgen . US imports include new seasons of Nashville , Breaking Bad (final season), True Blood and new dramas Justified and Boss . TG4 continued to air Two and
8580-485: The OU announced it was to stop its late-night programmes on BBC Two , and the last programme was broadcast at 5.30 am on 16 December 2006. The OU now plans to focus on semi-academic television programmes, such as many now broadcast on BBC Four . The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education review published in December 2015 found five areas of good practice and made three recommendations for improvement. The English national survey of student satisfaction has twice put
8712-525: The OU produced television and radio programmes aimed at bringing learning to a wider audience. In its early years, most of these were in the form of documentaries or filmed lectures. Latterly, most OU-associated programming was mainstream and broadcast in peak hours, including series such as Rough Science and "Battle of the Geeks", while older-style programming was carried in the BBC Learning Zone . In 2004
8844-661: The OU's main cost—over £598 million for the 2021–22 academic year. In 2010 the OU became one of the Sunday Times ' Best Places to Work in the Public Sector. Open University Employees Credit Union is a savings and loans co-operative established by the university for staff in 1994. A member of the Association of British Credit Unions , it is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by
8976-406: The Open University are not graduation ceremonies as such (the occasion on which degrees are formally conferred on those who have achieved substantive degrees)—although honours degrees are also normally conferred on these occasions. The Open University degree ceremony is officially known as a "Presentation of Graduates" at which those who have already had a degree bestowed on them are presented to
9108-541: The Open University celebrated its 50th anniversary; as did its flagship Open Programme. The Open University grants undergraduate Certificates (abbreviated Cert) typically awarded after 120 completed credits at Level 1 (where each credit corresponds to roughly 10 hours of study, therefore 120 credits represent about 1200 hours of effort), Diplomas (abbreviated Dip) after 240 credits – typically 120 credits at Level 1 and 120 credits at Level 2. Open University also awards Foundation degrees (abbreviated FD). OU also offers
9240-478: The Open University in first place. In October 2006, the OU joined the open educational resources movement with the launch of OpenLearn . A growing selection of current and past distance learning course materials will be released for free access, including downloadable versions for educators to modify (under the Creative Commons BY-NC-SA licence), plus free collaborative learning-support tools. In
9372-489: The Open University is based on the colours blue and gold (yellow). No headwear is worn at degree ceremonies. Master of Mathematics Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Engineering Bachelor of Laws In the year 2000, the Open University was the first to host an online "virtual" graduation ceremony in the United Kingdom together with an audience at the OU's campus in Milton Keynes. Twenty-six students in eight countries, from
9504-597: The Republic of Ireland ), new appointees to the Civil Service of the Republic of Ireland , including postal workers , tax collectors , agricultural inspectors, Garda Síochána (police), etc., were required to have some proficiency in Irish. By law, a Garda who was addressed in Irish had to respond in Irish as well. In 1974, in part through the actions of protest organisations like the Language Freedom Movement ,
9636-491: The Republic of Ireland, including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Ely, Glasgow, Cardiff, Belfast and Dublin. In the year 2018 the OU held 29 degree ceremonies in total. These ceremonies are presided over by a senior academic at the Pro-Vice-Chancellor level or higher, and have the normal formal rituals associated with a graduation ceremony, including academic dress , procession and university mace . Academic dress for
9768-531: The United States by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education . It also produces more CEOs than any other UK university. Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown , astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell , broadcaster Anna Ford and actress Glenda Jackson are among those who have tutored for the OU. The Open University was founded by the Labour government under Prime Minister Harold Wilson . Wilson
9900-625: The United States of America to Hong Kong , were presented for their master's degrees in online graduation, including, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – Tim Berners-Lee , one of the founders of the World Wide Web , who was conferred an honorary doctorate . The university is included in major world university rankings such as Times Higher Education World University Rankings , U.S. News & World Report and Academic Ranking of World Universities . The OU ranked in
10032-670: The Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) with their own team deploying custom plugins. In 2013, the OU began a massive open online course (MOOC) platform called FutureLearn , which is the UK's largest provider of free online courses. Open University modules are often assessed using an equal weighting of examinations and coursework. The coursework component normally takes the form of between two and seven tutor-marked assignments (TMAs), and may also include up to six multiple-choice or "missing word" 10-question interactive computer-marked assignments (iCMAs). The examinable component
10164-727: The backing of TG4) apply for the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland 's Sound and Vision Fund. The Irish Language Broadcasting Fund (ILBF) also provides some funding to programmes made for the channel; the fund is administered by Northern Ireland Screen . TG4 has had a share of the Irish television market of some 2-3%. TG4 provide their viewing figures each week on their website. Currently TG4's top ten programmes have ranged from 10,000 to 100,000 viewers, but their top shows have reached as high as 250,000. Like other television services TG4 achieves their highest viewing figures with sporting events. On Saint Patrick's Day 2009, live coverage of
10296-731: The beginning of the following academic year. For a number of years there has been vigorous debate in political, academic and other circles about the failure of most students in English-medium schools to achieve competence in Irish, even after fourteen years of teaching as one of the three main subjects. The concomitant decline in the number of traditional native speakers has also been a cause of great concern. In 2007, filmmaker Manchán Magan found few Irish speakers in Dublin , and faced incredulity when trying to get by speaking only Irish in Dublin. He
10428-531: The birth of TG4, RTÉ had suggested the use of RTÉ Two's prime-time schedule for Irish-language programming. The outgoing coalition parties of Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats called for the establishment of an Irish language television station in their 1989 manifestos . Fianna Fáil stated that they would set up an Irish language television service in the Galway Gaeltacht that would service
10560-521: The channel and the nightly audience had risen to 250,000 viewers. Three months later, in May 1997, independent research revealed that the station was able to attract audiences of 500,000, or 68% of television sets in Ireland, for at least one hour's viewing per week. Very significant assistance in non-monetary terms comes from RTÉ which is required to provide over 360 hours of programming annually at no cost to TG4. TnaG did not come on air until 1996. The initial aim
10692-419: The channel began experimenting with their prime time schedule (due to low audience figures and pressure from independent producers). The prime time block was reduced by 30 minutes, ending at 22:00, while they tested Irish-language programming in late night slots after English-language programming, this schedule increased the audience for Irish programmes that followed English programmes. A new "hammocking" schedule
10824-616: The channel include the All Ireland Ladies Football Final with 21% of all viewers tuned to that broadcast. A series of Westerns has also proven very popular. On 25 April 2010, TG4's coverage of the Allianz Football League Finals in Croke Park saw them become the most watched channel, with 650,000 viewers watching some of the games. The Division One final had an average audience of 220,000 viewers. Some of
10956-541: The early 2000s, the OU researched the use of virtual worlds in teaching and learning, and had two main islands in Second Life . In May 2009 these regions formed the basis of a case study by Linden Lab, the company which owns Second Life. In mid-2010, the university led the list of contributing universities in the number of downloads of its material from the educational resources site iTunes U , with downloads of over 20 million. Open University continues to adopt Moodle as
11088-713: The education system. Linguistic analyses of Irish speakers are therefore based primarily on the number of daily users in Ireland outside the education system, which in 2022 was 20,261 in the Gaeltacht and 51,707 outside it, totalling 71,968. In response to the 2021 census of Northern Ireland , 43,557 individuals stated they spoke Irish on a daily basis, 26,286 spoke it on a weekly basis, 47,153 spoke it less often than weekly, and 9,758 said they could speak Irish, but never spoke it. From 2006 to 2008, over 22,000 Irish Americans reported speaking Irish as their first language at home, with several times that number claiming "some knowledge" of
11220-468: The end of the famine, and under 17,000 by 1911. Irish is recognised by the Constitution of Ireland as the national and first official language of Republic of Ireland (English being the other official language). Despite this, almost all government business and legislative debate is conducted in English. In 1938, the founder of Conradh na Gaeilge (Gaelic League), Douglas Hyde , was inaugurated as
11352-466: The exception of some degrees in fast-moving areas (such as computing), there is generally no limit on the time that a student may take. Students need special permission to take more than 120 credits (equivalent to full-time study) at any time; such permission is not usually granted. Originally the BA was the only undergraduate degree, and it was unnamed. The modern OU grants degrees of Bachelor of Arts (BA), Science (BSc), Laws (LLB) and Engineering (BEng);
11484-890: The exchequer to €32.25m for 2010. In 2008, the Teilifís na Gaeilge authority received a budget of €38m for and co-funded productions with the BAI 's sound and vision fund received €4.6m. The Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources reduced their budget from the exchequer to €35m for 2009. In 2007, TG4 earned €3,596,000 in advertising revenue and had state funding of €24,914,000. The station spent €17,716,000 on programming. In 2006, TG4 spent €15,469,000 on commissioned programming and €7.5 million on acquired shows. The latter consisted mainly of children's programmes which are dubbed into Irish. The table below shows TG4's commissioned programming by genre in 2006: RTÉ provide TG4 with their news service Nuacht TG4 . Independent producers (with
11616-545: The first President of Ireland . The record of his delivering his inaugural Declaration of Office in Roscommon Irish is one of only a few recordings of that dialect. In the 2016 census, 10.5% of respondents stated that they spoke Irish, either daily or weekly, while over 70,000 people (4.2%) speak it as a habitual daily means of communication. From the foundation of the Irish Free State in 1922 (see History of
11748-438: The general distractions of their life and focus on their studies for a short time. The university has separated residential modules from full-time distance-taught modules. Exemption from attendance at residential schools, always as an Alternative Learning Experience (ALE), is sometimes available for disabled students and others who find it impossible to attend in person (See "Qualifications-Undergraduate" section.) For many years
11880-760: The international accrediting bodies AACSB , AMBA , and EQUIS , known as triple accreditation . Some selected rankings: From 1992 to 2005, the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) ran the Open University Degree Programme (OUDP), in collaboration with The Open University, United Kingdom (OUUK), which was renamed the Singapore Institute of Management's Open University Centre (SIM-OUC) as one of SIM's autonomous entity. In 2005, after SIM formed SIM University (UniSIM), it took over SIM-OUC students and granted those who graduated in 2006
12012-698: The language family, is derived from the Old Irish term. Endonyms of the language in the various modern Irish dialects include: Gaeilge [ˈɡeːlʲɟə] in Galway, Gaeilg / Gaeilic / Gaeilig [ˈɡeːlʲəc] in Mayo and Ulster , Gaelainn / Gaoluinn [ˈɡeːl̪ˠən̠ʲ] in West/Cork, Kerry Munster , as well as Gaedhealaing in mid and East Kerry/Cork and Waterford Munster to reflect local pronunciation. Gaeilge also has
12144-410: The language was in use by all classes, Irish being an urban as well as a rural language. This linguistic dynamism was reflected in the efforts of certain public intellectuals to counter the decline of the language. At the end of the 19th century, they launched the Gaelic revival in an attempt to encourage the learning and use of Irish, although few adult learners mastered the language. The vehicle of
12276-472: The language. For most of recorded Irish history , Irish was the dominant language of the Irish people , who took it with them to other regions , such as Scotland and the Isle of Man , where Middle Irish gave rise to Scottish Gaelic and Manx . It was also, for a period, spoken widely across Canada , with an estimated 200,000–250,000 daily Canadian speakers of Irish in 1890. On the island of Newfoundland ,
12408-431: The lead up to the transmissions of TnaG in the autumn of 1996, RTÉ tested transmissions with airings of Fawlty Towers . The TnaG service provided little in the way of imports except for children's programming. TnaG provided airings of QVC during daytime hours. TnaG aired Northern Exposure . They also dubbed into Irish a number of European, Welsh and Scottish programmes. TnaG re-branded in 1999 as TG4 and with this came
12540-563: The mid-18th century, English was becoming a language of the Catholic middle class, the Catholic Church and public intellectuals, especially in the east of the country. Increasingly, as the value of English became apparent, parents sanctioned the prohibition of Irish in schools. Increasing interest in emigrating to the United States and Canada was also a driver, as fluency in English allowed
12672-520: The most popular programmes included: Glór Tíre ( country and western reality competition) – 90–110,000; Rásaí na Gaillimhe (political comedy drama); Ros na Rún (soap opera), GAA Beo (GAA sport) – 50–100,000; Fíorscéal , Cogar (documentary); Seacht (university drama); Nuacht TG4 (news); 7 Lá (weekly review); Paisean Faisean (dating programme), Feirm Factor (reality television); and An Jig Gig . These have had an audience reach of 3% to 12% of
12804-771: The name of the language is Gaeilge , from the South Connacht form, spelled Gaedhilge prior the spelling reform of 1948, which was originally the genitive of Gaedhealg , the form used in Classical Gaelic . The modern spelling results from the deletion of the silent ⟨dh⟩ in Gaedhilge . Older spellings include Gaoidhealg [ˈɡeːʝəlˠəɡ] in Classical Gaelic and Goídelc [ˈɡoiðʲelɡ] in Old Irish . Goidelic , used to refer to
12936-536: The national television market in Northern Ireland. The daily Irish-language programme schedule is its core service: seven hours of programming in Irish supported by a wide range of material in other languages, mostly English and French. TG4 HD launched on 2 October 2012, exclusively on UPC Ireland (now rebranded as Virgin Media) , and later on Sky in August 2016 and Saorview on 1 December 2022. The first HD broadcast featured
13068-779: The new Broadcasting Authority of Ireland once the relevant provisions are commenced. The Act also changed the English-language title of the Chief Executive of TG4 to "Director General" in line with that of the head of RTÉ, and in the Irish language from " Ceannasaí " to " Ardstiúrthóir ". There have been three Chief Executives of TG4: Cathal Goan ( Director General of RTÉ from 1996 to 2000), Pól Ó Gallchóir (2000–2016), and Alan Esslemont (2016 to present). The Irish language enthusiast Seán Tadhg Ó Gairbhí wrote Súil eile (published by Cois Life in 2017). The Irish Times selected it as one of its best Irish language books of
13200-463: The new immigrants to get jobs in areas other than farming. An estimated one quarter to one third of US immigrants during the Great Famine were Irish speakers. Irish was not marginal to Ireland's modernisation in the 19th century, as is often assumed. In the first half of the century there were still around three million people for whom Irish was the primary language, and their numbers alone made them
13332-639: The number now is between 20,000 and 30,000." In the 1920s, when the Irish Free State was founded, Irish was still a vernacular in some western coastal areas. In the 1930s, areas where more than 25% of the population spoke Irish were classified as Gaeltacht . Today, the strongest Gaeltacht areas, numerically and socially, are those of South Connemara , the west of the Dingle Peninsula , and northwest Donegal, where many residents still use Irish as their primary language. These areas are often referred to as
13464-498: The other official language, if not already passed in both official languages. In November 2016, RTÉ reported that over 2.3 million people worldwide were learning Irish through the Duolingo app. Irish president Michael D. Higgins officially honoured several volunteer translators for developing the Irish edition, and said the push for Irish language rights remains an "unfinished project". There are rural areas of Ireland where Irish
13596-539: The political party holding power in the Stormont Parliament , the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), was hostile to the language. The context of this hostility was the use of the language by nationalists. In broadcasting, there was an exclusion on the reporting of minority cultural issues, and Irish was excluded from radio and television for almost the first fifty years of the previous devolved government. After
13728-559: The public through its involvement in space missions. In October 2006, the Cassini-Huygens mission including 15 people from the OU received the 2006 "Laurels for Team Achievement Award" from the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA). Cassini-Huygens' successful completion of its seven-year, two billion-mile journey in January 2005 to Saturn ended with Huygens landing farther away from Earth than any previous probe or craft in
13860-469: The rebranding of TnaG as TG4 the news service also renamed Nuacht TG4. In 2004, Eimear Ní Chonaola became TG4's main news anchor. Since September 2010, Nóiméad Nuachta (News Minute) has broadcast each week day at 13:55. Each Tuesday Night Páidí Ó Lionáird hosts their Current Affairs flagship show 7 Lá (7 Days), the name derives from RTÉ's original Current Affairs programme 7 Days . Every Sunday night, Eimear Ní Chonaola presents Timpeall na Tíre ,
13992-487: The relationship between the three Goidelic languages (Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Manx). Gaelic is a collective term for the Goidelic languages, and when the context is clear it may be used without qualification to refer to each language individually. When the context is specific but unclear, the term may be qualified, as Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic or Manx Gaelic. Historically the name "Erse" ( / ɜːr s / URS )
14124-432: The requirement for entrance to the public service was changed to proficiency in just one official language. Nevertheless, Irish remains a required subject of study in all schools in the Republic of Ireland that receive public money (see Education in the Republic of Ireland ). Teachers in primary schools must also pass a compulsory examination called Scrúdú Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge . As of 2005, Garda Síochána recruits need
14256-625: The revival was the Gaelic League ( Conradh na Gaeilge ), and particular emphasis was placed on the folk tradition, which in Irish is particularly rich. Efforts were also made to develop journalism and a modern literature. Although it has been noted that the Catholic Church played a role in the decline of the Irish language before the Gaelic Revival, the Protestant Church of Ireland also made only minor efforts to encourage use of Irish in
14388-465: The student to gain practical laboratory experience in that field; typically, an award of a degree or diploma will require completion of both. Different modules are run at different times of the year, but, typically, a 30 or 60-credit undergraduate module will run from October to June, with some dual-presentation modules also running from February to October. Assessment is by both continual assessment (with, normally, between four and eight assignments during
14520-609: The time James Redmond , had obtained most of his qualifications at night school , and his natural enthusiasm for the project did much to overcome the technical difficulties of using television to broadcast teaching programmes. Wilson envisaged The Open University as a major marker in the Labour Party's commitment to modernising British society. He believed that it would help build a more competitive economy while also promoting greater equality of opportunity and social mobility. The planned use of television and radio to broadcast its courses
14652-625: The top third of UK universities in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 using the Times Higher Education Power Score. The Open University ranked third in National Student Survey 2021 achieving 88.24% for overall student satisfaction. Like other UK universities, the OU actively engages in research. The OU's Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute has become particularly well known to
14784-450: The total viewing audience, or 40,000 to 100,000 viewers. TG4 has nurtured a reputation for innovative programming in film, arts, drama, documentaries, and sports. Much of TG4's programming is subtitled in English. The station has a teletext service called Téacs TG4 . Programmes broadcast on Saorview (not Sky or internet) are at times also subtitled in Irish. TG4 broadcasts many popular US shows ranging from dramas to comedies. In
14916-489: The transmission and links networks, and the construction of the station's headquarters in the Connemara Gaeltacht , was IR£16.1 million (€20.4 million). Annual running costs increased from IR£10.2 million (€12.95 million) in 1996 to IR£16 million (€20.3 million) in 2001, and €30 million in 2006. In fewer than six months from the launch of Teilifís na Gaeilge, almost 65% of Ireland's television sets were able to receive
15048-408: The undergraduate level and 60 credits at the postgraduate level – these are designed as "bridges" between undergraduate and postgraduate study. Its master's degrees in the field of engineering are accredited to support registration as a Chartered Engineer , the highest level of engineering professional registration in the United Kingdom. Unlike most United Kingdom universities, degree ceremonies at
15180-655: The vacancy to which they are appointed. This requirement is laid down by the University College Galway Act, 1929 (Section 3). In 2016, the university faced controversy when it announced the planned appointment of a president who did not speak Irish. Misneach staged protests against this decision. The following year the university announced that Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh , a fluent Irish speaker, would be its 13th president. He assumed office in January 2018; in June 2024, he announced he would be stepping down as president at
15312-456: The whole country. The PDs also looked for the setting up of what they called " Teilifís na Gaeltacha " (TnaG). The Green Party 's manifesto from 1987 also called for the establishment of such a channel. Fianna Fáil entered into coalition with The Labour Party in 1993 and as part of their programme for government they included the setting up of TnaG. Taoiseach Albert Reynolds appointed Michael D. Higgins as Minister for Arts, Culture and
15444-594: The work of such writers as Geoffrey Keating , is said to date from the 17th century, and was the medium of popular literature from that time on. From the 18th century on, the language lost ground in the east of the country. The reasons behind this shift were complex but came down to a number of factors: The change was characterised by diglossia (two languages being used by the same community in different social and economic situations) and transitional bilingualism (monoglot Irish-speaking grandparents with bilingual children and monoglot English-speaking grandchildren). By
15576-401: The year and described it as "the standard book for anyone wanting to take a súil eile at the history of the station for years to come". The daily Irish-language programme schedule is its central service, broadcasting approximately 2.5 hours a day of new Irish-language programming, with an estimated 2.5 hours a day of repeated Irish-language programmes. Currently, RTÉ supplies TG4 with one hour
15708-415: The year) and, for most, a major assignment or, on some modules, a final examination. As well as degrees in named subjects, the Open University also grants multidisciplinary "Open" degrees. Open degrees provide students with access to a wide variety of subjects to develop a personalised curriculum to meet their vocational needs and personal interests. The Open degree may be awarded as a Bachelor of Arts Open,
15840-495: Was a strong advocate, using the vision of Michael Young . Planning commenced in 1965 under Minister of State for Education Jennie Lee , who established a model for the OU as one of widening access to the highest standards of scholarship in higher education, and set up a planning committee consisting of university vice-chancellors, educationalists and television broadcasters, chaired by Sir Peter Venables. The British Broadcasting Corporation ( BBC ) Assistant Director of Engineering at
15972-523: Was also sometimes used in Scots and then in English to refer to Irish; as well as Scottish Gaelic. Written Irish is first attested in Ogham inscriptions from the 4th century AD, a stage of the language known as Primitive Irish . These writings have been found throughout Ireland and the west coast of Great Britain. Primitive Irish underwent a change into Old Irish through the 5th century. Old Irish, dating from
16104-562: Was also supposed to link The Open University to the technological revolution under way, which Wilson saw as a major ally of his modernisation schemes. However, from the start, Lee encountered widespread scepticism and even opposition from within and without the Labour Party, including senior officials in the Department of Education and Science (DES), her departmental head Anthony Crosland , the Treasury, ministerial colleagues, such as Richard Crossman and commercial broadcasters. The Open University
16236-427: Was built at a cost of IR£4,000 through donations from local Gaeltacht communities. In December 1988, further broadcasts were transmitted from three different sites, broadcasting pre-recorded programming. The movement for a national Irish-language television service continued to gain momentum afterwards. In 1989, Ciarán Ó Feinneadha, one of the members of Coiste ar son Teilifís Gaeltachta, moved to Dublin and set up
16368-643: Was enacted 1 July 2019 and is an 18-page document that adheres to the guidelines of the Official Languages Act 2003 . The purpose of the Scheme is to provide services through the mediums of Irish and/or English. According to the Department of the Taoiseach, it is meant to "develop a sustainable economy and a successful society, to pursue Ireland's interests abroad, to implement the Government's Programme and to build
16500-513: Was establishing itself as the primary language. Irish speakers had first arrived in Australia in the late 18th century as convicts and soldiers, and many Irish-speaking settlers followed, particularly in the 1860s. New Zealand also received some of this influx. Argentina was the only non-English-speaking country to receive large numbers of Irish emigrants, and there were few Irish speakers among them. Open University The Open University ( OU )
16632-460: Was introduced. "Hammocking" is a term used in public service broadcasting meaning that shows with low audience appeal are placed between programmes with high appeal, thus increasing audience share for weaker programming. In 1999, the channel was renamed as TG4. The main aim of its new schedules was to provide "national resonance" and to compete with BBC Two and Channel 4 for Irish audiences. TG4 lost its language-driven schedule and replaced it with
16764-465: Was passed 14 July 2003 with the main purpose of improving the number and quality of public services delivered in Irish by the government and other public bodies. Compliance with the Act is monitored by the An Coimisinéir Teanga (Irish Language Commissioner) which was established in 2004 and any complaints or concerns pertaining to the Act are brought to them. There are 35 sections included in
16896-542: Was realised due to Lee's unflagging determination and tenacity in 1965–67, the steadfast support from Wilson, and the fact that the anticipated costs, as reported to Lee and Wilson by Arnold Goodman, seemed very modest. By the time the actual, much higher costs became apparent, it was too late to scrap the fledgling university. The university was granted a royal charter by the Privy Council on 23 April 1969. The majority of staff are part-time associate lecturers and, as of
17028-627: Was spoken throughout Ireland, Isle of Man and parts of Scotland . It is the language of a large corpus of literature, including the Ulster Cycle . From the 12th century, Middle Irish began to evolve into modern Irish in Ireland, into Scottish Gaelic in Scotland, and into the Manx language in the Isle of Man . Early Modern Irish , dating from the 13th century, was the basis of the literary language of both Ireland and Gaelic-speaking Scotland. Modern Irish, sometimes called Late Modern Irish, as attested in
17160-477: Was the third national station to be launched in Ireland, after RTÉ One in 1961 (as Teilifís Éireann ) and RTÉ Two in 1978. It was followed by a fourth channel, TV3 (now called Virgin Media One ), in 1998. On average 1.2m people watch TG4 in the Republic of Ireland every week. 650,000 viewers tune into the channel each day. It has a 2% share of the national television market in the Republic of Ireland and 3% of
17292-515: Was to show one hour of Irish-language programming each night, increasing to two hours by 1999. Initial criticisms of the planned station came from journalist Kevin Myers who derided TnaG as a white elephant , calling it ' Teilifís De Lorean ', in a reference to the ill-fated DeLorean Motor Company . In 2006, the Irish postal service, An Post , marked ten years of the Irish-language station with
17424-442: Was unable to accomplish some everyday tasks, as portrayed in his documentary No Béarla . There is, however, a growing body of Irish speakers in urban areas, particularly in Dublin. Many have been educated in schools in which Irish is the language of instruction. Such schools are known as Gaelscoileanna at primary level. These Irish-medium schools report some better outcomes for students than English-medium schools. In 2009,
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