THE west Belfast Glor na nGael group has won the overall prize in the annual awards for promoting Irish at a local level. It is the second time the prize has gone to west Belfast.
In the early 1990s the British government withdrew annual funding worth £90,000 from the group on suspicion of paramilitary connections.
The allegation was angrily denied by the group and its supporters. Funding was restored in 1992 following a sustained campaign.
This year's results were announced at a reception in Dublin last night by the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Mr Higgins. The west Belfast group wins a total of £9,000 from a prize find worth more than £32,000.
Among the group's achievements were an employment initiative designed to create jobs for Belfast's growing number of Irishspeakers. It was also praised for its efforts in supporting Irish medium education. Almost 1,500 children are attending all Irish schools in the city.
It also supported training schemes in the media and computing, as well as the development of the first Irish language CDROM and the strengthening of existing ventures such as An Caife Glas on the Falls Road.
In the provincial awards section Gaeltacht communities swept the boards for the first time with £1,000 awards going to Gaoth Dobhair, Co Donegal; Inis Oirr Co Galway; Rath Cairn Co Meath and Duinin, Co Kerry.
Other prizewinners include Ennis, Co Clare; Nenagh, Co Tipperary; Newcastle West, Co Limerick and Glor Oirthear Dhuibhneach, Co Kerry. They each receive £1,000.
The prizes will be formally presented at a ceremony in May.