Ulster-Scots Agency facts for kids
The Ulster-Scots Agency is a special group that works across the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Its main job is to help keep the Ulster-Scots language alive and growing. They also want to share the rich culture and history of the Ulster-Scots people with everyone. Think of them as champions for a unique language and way of life!
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What Does the Agency Do?
The agency's main goal is to make more people aware of and use Ullans, which is another name for the Ulster-Scots language. They also promote Ulster-Scots culture in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
What exactly is "Ullans"? It's a type of the Scots language that has been spoken for a long time in parts of Northern Ireland and County Donegal.
"Ulster-Scots cultural issues" are about the traditions of people in Northern Ireland and border areas who have Scottish family roots. It also looks at how their traditions have influenced others across the island of Ireland and around the world.
How the Agency Works
The Ulster-Scots Agency is part of a bigger organization called The North/South Language Body. This body was created after the Belfast Agreement in 1998, which helped bring peace to Northern Ireland.
The agency has a partner called Foras na Gaeilge. While the Ulster-Scots Agency promotes Ulster-Scots, Foras na Gaeilge works to promote the Irish language. Sometimes, these two groups even team up for events, like the National Ploughing Championships and the Balmoral Show.
The main office for the Ulster-Scots Agency is in Belfast, Northern Ireland. They also have another office in Raphoe, which is in County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland.
Who Runs the Agency?
The agency is guided by a board of eight people. These board members are chosen by the North/South Ministerial Council, which is a group of government ministers from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Agency Staff
The person in charge of the daily work is the CEO (Chief Executive Officer). Under the CEO, there are directors who manage different areas like education, language, community projects, and general operations. The agency has always had a small team, with about 16 staff members reported in 2015.
How the Agency Gets Money
The agency gets its money from two governments. The Department for Communities in Northern Ireland helps fund it. The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport in the Republic of Ireland also provides funding. This shows how both parts of Ireland support the agency's work.
What Projects Does the Agency Do?
The agency runs some projects itself, but it also gives money to other groups. These groups are often charities or community organizations that host events related to the Ulster-Scots language, music, and dance. They support both large events, like festivals and summer schools, and smaller local projects.
Visiting schools and attending fairs are also big parts of their work. They want to reach young people and share the Ulster-Scots culture.
Some of the projects they have completed include:
- Recording native speakers to capture how the language sounds.
- Creating a dictionary that translates between Ulster-Scots and English.
- Building a collection of written Ulster-Scots texts.
- Offering a special service to translate documents into Ulster-Scots.
Ulster-Scots Discovery Centre
In the same building as the agency's main office in Belfast, there's a special place called the Discovery Centre. It has its own entrance. Here, you can see exhibits about the Ulster-Scots language and its history. There's also space for groups to come and learn more.
Groups the Agency Supports
The agency provides funding to several important groups that help promote Ulster-Scots. These include the Ulster-Scots Language Society, the Ullans Speakers Association, and the Ulster-Scots Community Network.
Publications and Websites
The agency publishes a newsletter called The Ulster-Scot several times a year. It's mostly in English but includes some Ulster-Scots words. This newsletter is given out as a supplement with the Belfast News Letter and can also be requested for free. They also send out an e-bulletin by email. The agency plans to release more publications in the future.
Online Resources
Besides its main website, the agency also runs other websites. These sites cover topics like the historical settlement of Ulster, Ulster-Scots communities in the United States, and Rathlin Island.
See also
- Ulster Scots
- Languages in the United Kingdom
- List of language regulators
