91Èȱ¬

The series begins in Belfast, as Paddy Barnes spends time in the local park with his family. He is passionate about the Irish language and would like to speak fluently. His children are surrounded by Gaeilge, as their childminder speaks Irish to them, and Paddy is keen to learn.

Paddy is acutely aware that he ‘can’t box forever’ and has been working on adding to his professional skillset through education. At the suggestion of his fellow boxer and friend Seán McComb, Paddy decides to go for a ‘Silver Fáinne’ – an oral exam that rewards successful students with a silver-ring pin that symbolises a reasonable level in spoken Irish. Never one to shirk a challenge, Paddy gets ‘stuck in’ to the Irish language.

Paddy admits that school was never his strong point, only attending Irish class because his friend fancied the teacher! In a short visit to Scoil an Droichid in South Belfast, Paddy has great craic with the children and is impressed by their bilingualism at such a young age.

Realising that he has a challenge on his hands to get ready for the exam, Paddy takes every opportunity to learn what he can. We see him train as Gaeilge as well as collect his children from their childminder Clíodhna, who also helps Paddy with some of the questions on the Fáinne exam, with mixed results. We conclude with Paddy just 4 weeks from the exam, and while never lacking in confidence, he has a lot to do to make the grade.

Is i mBéal Feirste a thosaíonn an tsraith, agus Paddy Barnes ag caitheamh ama sa pháirc áitiúil lena theaghlach. Tá Paddy an-tugtha don Ghaeilge agus ba mhaith leis bheith ábalta comhrá a dhéanamh go líofa i nGaeilge lá éigin amach anseo. Tá páistí Paddy cleachtaithe leis an Ghaeilge, mar bíonn a bhfeighlí páistí, Clíodhna, ag labhairt leo i nGaeilge, agus tá Paddy ar bís leis an teanga a fhoghlaim fosta.

Tuigeann Paddy go rí-mhaith nach dtig leis ‘bheith ag dornálaíocht go deo’ agus bíonn sé gnóthach ag cur lena chuid scileanna gairmiúla tríd an oideachas. Ar chomhairle a chomhdhornálaí agus a chara Seán McComb, shocraigh Paddy iarracht a dhéanamh ‘Fáinne Airgid’ a fháil. Is é is Fáinne Airgid ann, suaitheantas airgid ar dhéanamh fáinne a bhronntar ar an duine a n-éiríonn leis i scrúdú béil agus is siombail é go bhfuil leibhéal réasúnta den Ghaeilge labhartha ag duine. Níor dhiúltaigh Paddy do dhúshlán riamh, agus cromann sé ar an Ghaeilge a fhoghlaim.

Tá Paddy sásta a admháil nach raibh sé riamh go hiontach ar scoil agus gurbh é an t-aon fháth ar fhreastail sé ar an rang Gaeilge riamh ná cionn is go raibh nóisean ag a chara don mhúinteoir. Tugann sé cuairt bheag ar Scoil an Droichid i nDeisceart Bhéal Feirste, mar a bhfuil an-chraic aige leis na páistí agus téann sé i bhfeidhm go mór air go bhfuil páistí atá chomh hóg sin dátheangach.

Tá a fhios aige go bhfuil a sháith le déanamh aige lena ullmhú féin don scrúdú, agus tapaíonn Paddy gach deis le cur lena chuid eolais - feictear Paddy ag traenáil as Gaeilge. Ní hamháin sin, ach téann sé leis na páistí a thógáil óna bhféighlí páistí, Clíodhna. Cuidíonn sise le Paddy fosta, ag dul trí chuid de na ceisteanna ar scrúdú an Fháinne, le torthaí atá maith i dtaca le holc … nó olc i dtaca le maith …

I ndeireadh Chlár 1, tá sé ceithre seachtaine roimh an scrúdú, agus cé nach dtiocfadh le duine ar bith easpa muinín a chur i leith Paddy, tá a lán oibre le déanamh aige leis an ghradam a bhaint.

Léiritheoir/Producer: Sian Nic an Bheatha
Stiúrthóir/Director: Gavin Halpin