Applicants have until March 5 to apply for a number of teaching assistantships, funded by the Ireland Canada University Foundation, at universities that offer courses in Irish.

The third-level institutions involved are Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, and St. Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

In addition, the Foundation, which is funded by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, is calling for applications for a Visiting Irish Language Professorship at the Department of Celtic Studies at the University of Toronto.

Gaeltacht Minister Éamon Ó Cuív said:

“This new programme began last year and was a huge success. The feedback from the successful candidates has been extremely positive, so I am delighted that my Department will be providing funding for these awards again this year.

"I would strongly encourage students and academics with Irish to apply for these exchange scholarships. This is an excellent opportunity for graduates to travel, to gain valuable teaching practice, to experience living in Canada and to use their Irish in a new and exciting environment.

"Ireland and Canada have strong historical links, particularly since the Great Famine. Some four million Canadians (12.5% of the population) claim Irish heritage today and Irish communities can be found across the country.

"Indeed, last year, for the first State commemoration of the Great Famine, our overseas event was held at the island of Grosse Île near Quebec, a quarantine station that became known by locals as ‘L’Île des Irlandais’ – the Island of the Irish."

The Minister added that the programme would help to raise awareness of the Irish language amongst the academic community in Canada and would place the language on a par with other European languages being taught abroad.

Further information is available at www.icuf.ie