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Lift language barrier

January 21, 2014

Language matters. It forms our thoughts and shapes our lives.

The Irish language, because of exclusion from public life, has gone from being the majority language in the early 1800s to being a minority language today. This was the greatest social change in Irish history. Imagine had England been conquered and its language replaced by Spanish, French or German. Imagine an English population unable to read Shakespeare except in translation and cut off from their own history. Imagine the effect this would have on the psyche, confidence and sense of self of any people. Our English-only mentality costs us export markets and jobs. The Danes learnt English without abandoning Danish and have a stronger economy than us. Speaking Irish makes Ireland sound and feel like a regular European country. It will recover our intellectual and cultural sovereignty and contribute to an inclusive Irish identity beyond colour or creed.

Dáithí Mac Cárthaigh BL

Baile Átha Cliath 7

www.independent.ie