THE value and importance of the Irish cultural festival, Slogadh, for young people is the opposite side of the coin to the current crime culture of drugs and "joyriding".
This point was made by the broadcaster, Cynthia Ni Mhurchu, when she officially opened this year's event in Carlow town last night.
Up to 10,000 young people from all over the country will participate in this year's Slogadh, with competitions starting this morning at a number of locations throughout the town. Slogadh will continue until Saturday.
Ms Ni Mhurchu said that given the current culture of violence and drugs among young people, it was vitally important for them to have outlets such as Slogadh to keep them occupied in a beneficial way.
The former Eurovision Song Contest presenter said it was a great tribute that Carlow had been selected to host the 28th annual Slogadh.
When she was growing up in the town and was asked where she came from, her reply of "Carlow" was often mistakenly taken up by her listener as "Cama", Co Galway.
"That whole scene has now changed. In fact, in terms of the Irish language, Carlow was way ahead of the `pro Gaeilge' vibes," she said.
It was tremendously encouraging that Carlow people were so favourably disposed towards the Irish language, and Ms Ni Mhurchu compared the promotion of Irish in the town to the manner in which it had been promoted in areas of Dublin such as Tallaght and Ballymun.
Mr Herman O Briain, chief executive of Gael Linn, said Carlow town had proved itself in terms of culture and language development in recent years.
He spoke of the tremendous benefit from a cultural viewpoint of having 8,000 to 10,000 young Slogadh competitors in the town for four days and an influx of up to 25,000 visitors.