Montreal’s Irish community is launching a campaign to establish the Gus O’Gorman Irish Language Scholarship to honour the central role Gus played in promoting Irish culture in Montreal for almost fifty years, and especially to acknowledge his passion in promoting the Irish language. 

The goal is to create an endowment fund sufficient enough to generate to send an Irish language student to the Gaeltacht summer school in Connemara, organized by the National University of Ireland-Galway. For example, an endowment of $40,000 would generate $1,600 annually, while $50,000 would generate $2,000. The summer school takes place in Carraroe, not far from Gus’s birthplace in Salthill.

Michael Kenneally, Principal of the School of Canadian Irish Studies, said this form of recognition fits perfectly with Gus O’Gorman’s efforts over the years to promote the preservation of the Irish language, most notably manifested in his founding of Comhrá, the Irish language group. Comhrá continues to thrive, meeting weekly at the School of Canadian Irish Studies and attracting approximately 35 students. Along with the 50 students who are enrolled in formal Irish language classes, this brings to approximately 85 the number of students currently taking weekly Irish language classes. This flourishing of the Irish language is a testament to Gus’s vision.

Donations to the Gus O’Gorman Irish Language Scholarship should be made payable to the Canadian Irish Studies Foundation, which will manage the endowment and issue a tax receipt.

His wife, Karin Austin, his daughter Aisling, and son Michael have expressed their grateful appreciation for this public form of commemoration of their beloved Gus.

Is mór an onóir le baill de chomhphobail na hÉireann anseo i Montreal a fhógairt go mbeidh siad ag bunú scoláireachta in ómós don Gus Ó Gormáin, mar aitheantas ar an ról lárnach a ghlac sé sa chomhphobal anseo i Montreal mar aon leis an dílseacht agus an tiomantas a léirigh sé don Ghaeilge agus do chultúr na hÉireann le breis is 50 bliain anuas.

An aidhm atá ann ná dearlaic a bhunú le mac léinn de chuid na Gaeilge a chur chun na Gaeltachta, go scoil samhraidh a bhíonn á reáchtáil i gConamara i gcomhpháirtíocht leis an National University of Ireland, Gaillimh. Mar eiseamláir, cruthóidh dearlaic de $40,000, $1.600 go bliantúil. Cruthóidh dearlaic de $50,000, $2,000 go bliantúil. Bíonn an scoil samhriadh ar siúl sa Cheathrú Rua, gar do bhaile dúchais Gus, Salthill.

Dúirt Michael Kenneally, Ceann na Scoile, gur aitheantas cuí í an scoláireacht seo don dílseacht a léirigh an Gus Ó Gormáin don Ghaeilge. Bhí an Gus Ó Gormáin díograiseach don Ghaeilge i rith a shaoil agus tá a thionchar le braith inniu i saol na Gaeilge anseo i Montreal. Bhunaigh an Gus Ó Gormáin an eagraíocht Comhrá, eagraíocht a chuireann ranganna agus imeachtaí as Gaeilge ar fáil d’éinne le suim acu sa Ghaeilge. Leag sé an bhunchloch don Ghaeilge anseo i Montreal. Inniu tá níos mó ná 35 mhac léinn ag déanamh staidéir ar an nGaeilge sa School of Canadian Irish Studies agus tá 50 duine ag foghlaim na Gaeilge mar chuid de ranganna Comhrá. Ar an iomlán tá thart ar 85 duine i mbun na Gaeilge anseo i Montreal, cruthú aislinge Uí Ghormáin.

Glacfar go fonnmhar le síntiúis do Scoláireacht Uí Ghormáin agus is féidir an síntiús a íoc chuig the Canadian Irish Studies Foundation, riarthóir na scoláireachta agus eiseofar admháil cánach don mhéid ar fad.

Ba maith lena bheanchéile Karin Austin, a mhac Michael agus a iníon Aisling a mbuíochas a ghabháil le gach duine as ucht a gcuid tacaíochta don scoláireacht seo. Tá siad faoi chomaoin as an gcomóradh poiblí seo ar Gus.