Is comhlacht neamhspleách é ‘Spraoi!’ a chuireann áiseanna teagaisc ar fáil do dhaoine atá ag iarraidh earraí oideachasúla as Gaeilge atá chomh tarraingteach agus den ardchaighdeán céanna is atá áiseanna atá ar fáil i dteangacha eile.
Is í Paula Nic Cionnaith a bhunaigh an comhlacht sa bhliain 1993. Agus í i mbun ranganna Gaeilge do pháistí tar éis am scoile, faoi choimirce Chonradh na Gaeilge, thug sí faoi ndeara an ganntanas ollmhór áiseanna teagaisc as Gaeilge a bhí tarraingteach, lándaite agus spraíúil.
Tar éis di cúrsa BATP (Start Your Own Business - FÁS) a dhéanamh agus le cúnamh airgeadais ó Údarás na Gaeltachta, sheol Íte Ní Chionnaith an comhlacht nua go hoifigiúil ag Oireachtas na Gaeilge i 1993.
Ag tarraingt ar an taithí a bhí aici mar mhúinteoir TEFL (ag múineadh an Bhéarla mar theanga iasachta) agus ag úsáid a cuid samhlaíochta agus a cuid scileanna ealaíne féin, thosnaigh Paula ag dearadh póstaer agus cluichí as Gaeilge. Agus anois, 12 bliain níos déanaí, tá réimse leathan de phóstaeir, cairteanna agus leabhair ar díol ag ‘Spraoi!’ agus tá cáil nach beag ar na hearraí céanna ar fud na tíre.
Tá sé tábhachtach do ‘Spraoi!’ a bheith i dteangmháil go minic agus go rialta ar léibhéal pearsanta le daoine a bhíonn ag plé leis an nGaeilge - idir thuismitheoirí, mhúinteoirí, dhaoine a bhíonn ag plé go proifisiúnta le cúram leanaí agus saineolaithe teanga.
Tá tábhacht faoi leith, freisin, leagtha ar theangmháil rialta a bheith ag ‘Spraoi!’ le páistí atá ag foghlaim na Gaeilge mar phríomhtheanga nó mar ábhar scoile.
Tá ‘Spraoi!’ lonnaithe i nGaeltacht Chonamara. Tá an obair ar fad - an dearadh, an obair ealaíne agus an phriondáil - déanta in Iarthar na hÉireann. Agus aithnítear an buntáiste ollmhór a bhaineann le bheith i gceartlár pobail a bhfuil an Ghaeilge mar phríomhtheanga ann.
Is comhlacht sainiúil é ‘Spraoi!’ le cáil atá lántuillte aige de bheith ag táirgeadh earraí áille d’ardchaighdeán. Tá pleananna forbartha faoi lánseol agus tá súil go mór le ‘Spraoi!’ leanúint air ag táirgeadh earraí oideachsúla do phobal na Gaeilge atá dul ó neart go neart gach lá.
‘Spraoi!’ is an independent company based in Conamara producing teaching resources for people wanting educational goods in Irish which are as colourful and produced to as high a standard as resources available in other languages.
The company was founded by Paula Nic Cionnaith in 1993. Paula was teaching Irish to children after school for Conradh na Gaeilge when she realized how few resources were available in Irish which were attractive, full-colour and fun.
On completion of a BATP Course (Start Your Own Business - FÁS) and with financial start-up help from Údarás na Gaeltachta, the company ‘Spraoi!’ was officially launched by Íte Ní Chionnaith at Oireachtas na Gaeilge in 1993.
Drawing on her experience as a TEFL teacher (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and making full use of her imagination and artistic talents, Paula began designing charts and games in Irish. And now, 12 years on, ‘Spraoi!’ has a large range of posters, charts and books available, coupled with a wide reputation for imaginative and original products.
‘Spraoi!’ places great importance on being in touch regularly and on a personal level with people who are involved with the Irish language, including parents, teachers, childcare professionals and language experts. Important, too, is the contact ‘Spraoi!’ maintains with children of all ages who are learning Irish both as a mother tongue or as a subject at school.
‘Spraoi!’ is based in the Conamara Gaeltacht. All the work, from design to illustration to printing is carried out in the West of Ireland. ’Spraoi!’ recognises the huge advantage there is to belonging to a strong Irish-speaking community.
A unique company with a fine reputation, ‘Spraoi!’ looks forward positively to the further development of the company and the continuing production of high quality teaching resources in Irish.