The matter was held in so-called “restricted items” at City Hall
MLA Deirdre Hargey and Councillor Conor McKay at An Droichead
Belfast City Council has agreed to give a one-off £100,000 “stabilisation” grant to an Irish language and cultural organisation based in South Belfast.
Minutes from a City Hall committee, published for the full July council meeting, show that in a secret meeting behind closed doors and away from the public and press, elected representatives agreed to give £100,000 to An Droichead, which has its headquarters at Cooke Street, off Ormeau Road.
The brevity of the minutes give no indication as to whether the money amounts to a full rescue package for the organisation. By agreeing the committee minutes at the full July council meeting, the chamber sealed the £100,000. There was no discussion at the full council on the matter.
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At a June meeting of the council’s important Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, the minutes state the chamber agreed to “provide one-off financial assistance of £100,000 from specified reserves on a restricted, time-limited and conditional basis, with phased drawdown and enhanced monitoring arrangements.”
They state: “The Director of Finance provided an update on the request which had previously been received from An Droichead for a stabilisation grant to support essential childcare, community, cultural and Irish language services while it implemented a financial recovery and restructuring programme.”
The committee noted the findings of the review of An Droichead’s 2024/25 audited accounts, together with the April 2026 and May 2026 management accounts and May 2026 recovery plan. None of these details have been published for the public, and the committee minutes give no indication of any debate on the matter.
Council officers were tasked to “complete further due diligence, convene a meeting with other funders, and report back on any detailed funding proposal, including proposed terms, conditions, milestones and monitoring requirements, prior to any payment being released.”
An Droichead, meaning “the bridge,” focuses on education, arts, community family services, and promoting traditional Irish music.
It provides Irish language classes for all levels, and is widely recognized as one of the premier live traditional music venues in Northern Ireland. It also operates a local daycare and offers family support programs, parent workshops, and summer schemes.
South Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Deirdre Hargey said after the full council meeting, in a Facebook post: “An Droichead is the heart of An Ghaeilge here in South Belfast and it’s so important we support them so they can continue to thrive here in this part of the city.
“Sinn Féin has been working with An Droichead over these past few months. We proposed the funding at council so we are delighted it was approved at council this evening.”
She added: “Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam” which translates as “A country without a language is a country without a soul.”
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