“Éirigí! Éirigí! Seachain an Béarla” is the clarion call of the bean an tí that will greet Irish language students across the various Gaeltachts as they arise this morning.
But somewhat like the corncrake, the numbers of mná tí have decreased substantially over recent years, especially in certain areas.
The bean an tí is the umbilical cord by which non-residential Irish language colleges survive, as she provides the accommodation, meals and other requirements of its students, mostly in her own home.
Kevin McCann is the recently appointed manager of Coláiste Pobail Chléire in Cape Clear Island, Co Cork but has been with the college for the past 30 years.
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“At the start there would have been eight, nine mná tí and two colleges. Now there is just one college and one bean an tí,” he says.
What is demanded of mná tí has gone up and the money that they are making is not equal to the effort that they are putting in. It’s not rocket science
— Kevin McCann, manager of ColáisSte Pobail Chléire, Cape Clear Island, Co Cork
Consequently, the number of students attending the college has reduced drastically, from 120 to 30, of which, 15 girls are accommodated in the bean an tí house. Furthermore, while the college previously provided three courses of three weeks’ duration each, it now provides only two courses of two weeks’ duration each.
“Naturally, there has been a knock-on effect to the local economy,” says McCann.
Over the past 20 years he has noticed a steady decline in the numbers of mná tí. “Some have been at it for many years and have come to a stage in their lives,” he says. “What is demanded of mná tí has gone up and the money that they are making is not equal to the effort that they are putting in. It’s not rocket science.”
A bean an tí receives €12 per student a night from the Government, which was increased by €2 last autumn, on top of a contribution from her respective college, which on average is about €15 per student.
There are also other “unquantifiable” factors, he feels.
“When I was a young fella, going to the Gaeltacht was a rite of passage, but now there is so much available to kids that wasn’t there before,” he says.
McCann believes the measures the Government has introduced to encourage new mná tí, such as the increase in the first-time bean an tí grant from €2,000 to €6,000, are not bearing fruit. “One or two colleges are doing very well, the rest are struggling,” he says.
Frank Mór Ó Maoláin, ard-mháistir of cúrsa E at Coláiste Bhríde in Ranafast, Co Donegal, believes that while the numbers of mná tí have improved slightly this year, “it still needs a fillip”.
Normally, Coláiste Bhríde would have about 300 students with 35 mná tí. The numbers fell to 25 mná tí in 2022 but now there are 28 or 29.
“This year is still challenging,” says Ó Maoláin. “There would be a natural fall-off in mná tí every year, but there were people approaching that age and the break over Covid fast-forwarded those retirements. Also some mná tí may have had close relatives staying with them and so were reluctant to take on students.
“So we were starting behind the eight ball when we came back last year but the colleges are trying to attract people into the business.”
If you don’t attract mná tí, students will look for other things, they won’t try again to get in, they won’t wait three or four years
— Frank Mór Ó Maoláin, ard-mháistir of cúrsa E at Coláiste Bhríde in Ranafast, Co Donegal
Starting off as a bean an tí is a financial, as well as a time, commitment. “That person will be making an investment for a number of years. Just in terms of getting started, the house has to be upgraded to a B&B standard; it’s not a quick fix,” Ó Maoláin says. “However, if people do join up, they tend to stay.”
Demand for places in Coláiste Bhríde has been very high. “We were fully booked, with waiting lists on every course, very early in the year which is good for business and good for mná tí wanting to come in,” he says.
“It was like a tsunami, the number of students looking to attend the college at the one time, with people being pent up over a number of years with Covid.”
However, Ó Maoláin, who is also chairman of Comhchoiste na gColáistí Samhraidh (Concos), a federation of almost 50 Irish language schools, sounds a note of caution.
“If you don’t attract mná tí, students will look for other things, they won’t try again to get in, they won’t wait three or four years. You have only a small window of opportunity,” he says.
“Every bean an tí counts. With five courses over the summer, she can take in 80 students altogether,” he says.
A bean an tí can take in 16 students at a time, an increase of four from the previous limit of 12 last year.
“The message is that the sector is coming out of the doldrums and going forward,” says Ó Maoláin.
“It’s now getting a boost with the number of students looking to attend Irish colleges and in the past week two houses here have come on board which makes a significant difference as it allowed us to take some students off the waiting lists,” he adds.
Maria Nic Dhonnacha, development executive with Concos, agrees that there has been a significant decline in recent years nationally in the numbers of mná tí.
“After Covid, we lost 30-40 per cent overall, with some having secured alternative employment. You always lose mná tí, but not to the same extent. Also, as mná tí are not coming in to replace at the same rate as those leaving, we won’t be able to fill the spaces that are left,” she says.
“Along with this, the demand for places at the colleges is high. All this has led to a perfect storm of not enough beds and too many students – with a lot of unhappy parents and students as a result.”
Reasons as to why people have stopped being or have not become mná tí are varied, she says, including issues with planning permission in some Gaeltachts. “While the first-time grant has been increased, it only covers bunk beds this year,” she says.
“There is a lot that it doesn’t cover like equipment, quilt covers, dishes – the bean an tí has to fork out money for that without knowing 100 per cent that she will be getting students, as the college can’t promise students from year to year.”
Seven colleges remained closed last year, says Nic Dhonnacha, with three of those reopening this year.
Seán de Paor, co-founder of Coláiste Chiaráin in Carraroe, Co Galway in 1984 with Cóilín Ó Domhnaill, has had a similar experience to the other colleges.
“We have 18 or 19 mná tí now. We would like to have another seven or eight, so we could look after the students on the waiting list,” he says. “We have one or two new mná tí this year, which is a sign of encouragement.”
Before Covid, Coláiste Chiaráin had about 260 students, falling to about 220 currently.
“So, it’s not a big drop really,” says De Paor. He notes the increases in money and grants provided to mná tí.
He says Fine Gael Minister of State Patrick O’Donovan, who has responsibility for the Gaeltacht, is “very much in favour of Irish colleges”.
This summer, the students have been blessed with glorious weather in which to improve their Irish and make lasting friendships. “The students are really enjoying themselves in this Mediterranean weather,” says Nic Dhonnacha.