A monument to our national failure
Márta 3, 2014
The Saturday Night Show (RTE1)
THE Irish language is a crucial national resource. There is no doubt about that. It stands there as the most towering monument of almost everything that has gone wrong in this country.
And if we could see it in that light, and if we studied how we managed to create such a thing, and if we resolved to do everything in a completely different way in future, it might nearly have been worthwhile.
In that sense, the recent resignation of the Irish Language Commissioner, mainly on the grounds that the State is no longer supporting the language, is obviously a good thing.
His objection to the way things are done these days, suggests that there has been a change of attitude on the part of the State. And any change is self-evidently bound to be good, or at least better than whatever was there before.
Unfortunately, the role of Irish Language Commissioner itself has not been abolished. But we are indebted to the old one for his complaint that due to the lack of civil servants who are fluent in Irish, it is now compulsory for most Irish speakers to speak English in their official dealings.
Yes we can carve that one on the monument, if we can find a bit of space. We who have had to do compulsory Irish or face the most serious consequences, are now invited to empathise with people forced into compulsory English on rare and relatively trivial occasions. Yes, it is a good one.
Undaunted by the immensity of this tragedy, Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh took the fight to Brendan O’Connor on The Saturday Night Show. Indeed quite a lot of people are taking their fights to Brendan O’Connor these days, with the result that The Saturday Night Show is becoming like The Late Late of ancient mythology, when everyone seemed to be fighting, and Ireland was the better for it.
Blathnaid went on a march recently, asking as an Irish speaker to be supported, “because I’m supposed to be supported”.
O’Connor mentioned little tokens of support such as the education system and the TV station, but Blathnaid still felt that she wasn’t being supported as she’s supposed to be supported.
It seems to have escaped her attention that these measures which she feels might ameliorate the situation, such as giving people jobs in the civil service because they speak Irish, have been tried. Dear God, they’ve been tried – indeed way back the Irish language movement came close enough to destroying RTE itself, with its efforts to make it an Irish-only service.
While that would have involved an element of positive discrimination, it would have been positive only for the privileged few, the Irish-speakers who did well for themselves, if not for the language that they espouse. For Ireland in general, this form of institutionalised discrimination has not been positive. It has been negative.
Just about everything that the Irish State has done about the Irish language has had a negative outcome, resulting in a failure so colossal, it is becoming apparent even to the language enthusiasts, who respond by urging the State to keep doing the things it used to do, only more so – Blathnaid would like the entire primary school system to be converted to Irish.
And yet we have such an opportunity here, to teach the world the lessons of this catastrophe – not just the superhuman scale of the failure in itself, but the way that the official bullshit in this area has flowed freely into so many other areas, feeding our sense of self-delusion, our ability to tolerate the ridiculous on an enormous scale.
If we can engage in a solemn process to ascertain the number of Irish speakers in this country, and we arrive at an official figure of roughly 1.7 million, it is hardly surprising that our numeracy skills in general and our maturity in dealing with certain unavoidable realities, have been found wanting. Yes we have created a monument here.
And if Blathnaid wants to chip away at that mighty structure, she might start by organising another march, starting in Parnell Square with a call for the abandonment of compulsory Irish in every conceivable form.
Perhaps then we can feel the agony of our gaeltacht brethren forced into paying their property tax in English – we don’t know how they do it.
www.independent.ie
Oíche Eolais ag Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha, Cill Dara
Márta 3, 2014
Tá oíche eolais ag Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha, Radharc an Túir, Baile Chill Dara, sa scoil ar Mháirt 11ú Márta 7.30pm.
Fáilte roimh chách.
Bua seachas cúlú siar
Márta 3, 2014
Ciarán Dunbar
“Aon uair a labhraím le daoine in Albain nó in Éirinn bíonn siad diúltach faoi rudaí i gcónaí… Ba bhreá liom dá mbeadh na fadhbanna atá acu againne. Má tá daoine in Éirinn in ísle brí, nó má cheapann siad go bhfuil rudaí fíor-dheacair, ba cheart dóibh a theacht go hOileán Mhanainn.” Adrian Cain ag caint le Colm Ó Broin – Gaelscéal, 24/10/12
Tá Seachtain na Gaeilge buailte linn agus go leor daoine go fóill lán misnigh mar gheall ar Lá Mór na Gaeilge a bhí ar siúl i mBaile Átha Cliath cúpla seachtain ó shin.
Mar sin féin mothaím go bhfuil díomá agus éadóchas áirithe fós le mothú i measc an phobail. Pointe é sin a thóg iar-Ard-Mhéara Bhéal Feirste Niall Ó Donnghaile ó Shinn Féin le déanaí agus é ar chlár Cormac ag a Cúig – dúirt sé nár thuig sé cén fáth a bhfuil an ghruaim seo ar Ghaeilgeoirí i gcónaí nuair ba cheart go mbeadh siad lán dóchais.
Chuir mé spéis sa phointe sin óir is ábhar é a bhfuil mé féin ag déanamh imní faoi le tamall. Is minic a smaoiním ar an rud a dúirt Adrian Cain – ba bhreá linn bhur bhfadhbanna a bheith againn. Anois, ná bíodh aon amhras faoi – bhí bliain uafásach ag an Ghaeilge.
D’éirigh an Coimisinéir Teanga as ar an ábhar nach féidir leis aon rud a dhéanamh chun iachall a chur ar státseirbhísigh sa Phoblacht géilleadh do dhlíthe an stáit a fhaomhadh go daonlathach.
Tá an Ghaeilge faoi bhrú ó rialtas nach bhfuil spéis dá laghad aige inti nó atá naimhdeach don teanga fiú.
Thiocfadh liom dul ar aghaidh, ach ba mhaith liom eisceacht a dhéanamh an uair seo agus an taobh eile den scéal a thabhairt. Má tá roinnt de phobal na Gaeilge in ísle brí – faoi ghruaim fiú – cuirim an cheist, an bhfuil rudaí chomh dona sin?
Labhraíonn 100,000 duine an Ghaeilge gach lá in Éirinn amháin agus tá tuairim ar 120,000 duine a labhraíonn í uair sa tseachtain – ní beag an méid é sin.
Bhí na mílte amuigh ar shráideanna na príomhchathrach chun a dtacaíocht a léiriú don teanga agus beidh an scéal amhlaidh i mBéal Feirste i mí Aibreáin.
Agus ba cheart dúinn cuimhneamh go bhfuil na mílte daoine fásta ar fud na hÉireann ag foghlaim Gaeilge i ranganna oíche.
Muise is ollghuaiseacht í gluaiseacht na Gaeilge i gcónaí – gluaiseacht ar féidir leis a bheith níos láidre arís dá mbeadh aontacht agus chomh-fhís ann. Ach ag éisteacht linn ag caint eadrainn féin, shílfeá nach bhfuil ionainn ach cúpla chéad duine atá ar mire glan.
Tá an Ghaeilge á teagaisc mar ábhar riachtanach i scoileanna ó dheas go fóill – rud a chiallaíonn go bhfuil líon na ndaoine a bhfuil Gaeilge acu ag ardú i gcónaí – d’ainneoin na mbréag a léann tú sna meáin. Agus tá meáin de scoth againn féin.
D’ainneoin gur gearradh siar ar bhuiséad RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta agus TG4 tá siad ann i gcónaí – níl mé ag rá nach bhfuil aon bhaol ann dá dtodhchaí – ach tá siad ann inniu.
Agus tá dhá stáisiún raidió eile againn – agus ceann eile ar a bhealach. Tá páipéar nuachtáin, ‘Seachtain’, a théanns amach leis an ‘Irish Independent’ – sin tuairim ar 120,000 cóip sa tseachtain ag dul i gcló. Tá ‘Seachtain gan aon mhaoiniú agus maireann sé ar chúiseanna tráchtála. Tá leathanach Gaeilge ag an ’Irish Times’ chomh maith, arís gan mhaoiniú. Ó thuaidh, tá ‘Meon Eile’ againn ar ndóigh agus déanann an BBC cláracha Gaeilge leis.
Agus tá ‘Goitse’, ‘Nuacht 24’, ‘iGaeilge’ agus ‘An Tuairisceoir’ againn atá ag feidhmiú gan mhaoiniú. Ná déanaimis dearmad ar an iris mhíosúil ‘NÓS’ a thosaigh mar ghnó tráchtála agus tá anois á maoiniú. Agus tá ‘Comhar’, ‘An tUltach’, ‘Feasta’ agus ‘beo.ie’. ann. Cinnte tá bearnaí ann ach níl a fhios agam fútsa ach ní bhíonn an t-am agam na meáin Ghaeilge ar fad a léamh!
Agus beidh seirbhís úr nuachta á maoiniú ag Foras na Gaeilge go luath chomh maith.
Cearta
Ar ndóigh, ní aithnítear an coincheap cearta teanga go forleathan in Éirinn – thuaidh nó theas. Ní scéal maith é sin ach fiú ansin feicimse dóchas ann nuair a mhothaíonn namhaid na Gaeilge go bhfuil sí láidir go leor go gcaithfidh siad gníomhú ina coinne i gcónaí.
Gaelscoileanna
Níl mé ag maíomh gur réiteach gach aon fhadhb iad na Gaelscoileanna ach is cinnte go bhfuil fás sna Gaelscoileanna. Agus tá siad ag fás i gcónaí – go dtí an pointe arís go bhfuil namhaid na Gaeilge ag panic-eáil fá dtaobh dóibh.
Páistí
Is í an fhadhb is mó atá againn inniu maidir leis an teanga ná go bhfuil Gaeilgeoirí sa Ghalltacht agus cainteoirí dúchais sa Ghaeltacht ag roghnú gan a gcuid páistí a thógáil mar Ghaeil. Seans dá mba rud é gur roghnaigh muid a bheith níos dearfaí faoin Ghaeilge go dtógfadh níos mó daoine a bpáistí leis an teanga?
Ach fiú sa réimse seo, tá dóchas ann, mar a deir an Coimisinéir Teanga níor rugadh an cainteoir dúchais deireanach go fóill – tá páistí á dtógáil le Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht go fóill agus is beag paróiste in Éirinn nach bhfuil páistí á dtógáil le Gaeilge ann.
Tá ábhar dóchais eile ann ar cheart go mbeadh muid dearfach faoi ach ní fiú dul ró-dhomhain sa teangeolaíocht. Ach caithfidh mé seo a rá – éistfidh daoine áirithe leis seo agus ní amháin nach n-aontóidh siad leis an tuairim seo ach a bheas naimhdeach de.
Tá daoine den tuairim go bhfuil an t-éadóchas anois ina tréith dhúchasach ghaelach. Breast é sin mar sheafóid. Agus táthar ann a ghlacann mar mhasla gach focal dearfach faoin teanga ar an ábhar go n-íslíonn stádas na Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht dar leo.
Cha dtuigim faoin spéir cén dóigh a mbaineann an Ghaeilge á labhairt i gCathair Chorcaí de Ghaeltacht Mhúscraí caithfidh mé a rá.
Cinnte, tá cathanna le troid, troidfear iad – ach caithfidh muid foghlaim cén chaoi bua a shamhlú seachas cúlú siar. Caithfidh muid dul ar an ionsaí go dána agus mí-náireach seachas a bheith i gcónaí ar an chosaint.
Tá todhchaí na Gaeilge i lámha na nGael – mar a bhíodh i gcónaí i ndeireadh na dála – glacaimis an fhreagracht sin orainn féin agus glacaimis misneach as. Ná bímis faoi ghruaim – bímis trodach ach bímis ag gaire linn agus muid ag troid.
www.meoneile.ie
Lá Dearg i mBéal Feirste
Márta 3, 2014
Ag leanúint ó ‘Lá Mór na Gaeilge’ i mBaile Átha Cliath agus léirsiú ‘Slán le Seán’ i gConamara, tá beartaithe ‘Lá Dearg’ a eagrú ó thuaidh ar an Satharn, 12 Aibreán, i mBéal Feirste.
Shiúil suas go 10,000 duine ó cheann ceann na tíre, thuaidh agus theas, ar shráideanna Bhaile Átha Cliath coicís ó shin chun a gcearta teanga agus comhionannas don Ghaeilge a éileamh.
Tús feachtais a tugadh ar ‘Lá Mór na Gaeilge’ agus is cinnte go bhfuil dlús curtha leis an ngluaiseacht ó shin leis an léirsiú a reáchtáladh sa Spidéal an tseachtain seo caite, agus an mórshiúil a bheas ar siúl mí Aibreán.
Deir eagraithe An Lá Dearg á eagrú “chun Cearta, Cothromas agus Cóir a bhaint amach don Ghaeilge agus dá lucht labhartha”.
I mí Eanáir, chinn tuairisc de chuid Choiste na Saineolaithe ar Chairt na hEorpa do Theangacha Réigiúnacha nó Mionlaigh go bhfuil bac ar an nGaeilge ó thuaidh. Thuairiscigh an Coiste Saineolaithe go maireann dearcadh naimhdeach i leith na Gaeilge i Stormont agus cé gur moladh i dtuairisc dheiridh an Choiste i 2009 go gcuirfí polasaí cuimsitheach Gaeilge i bhfeidhm, tuairiscíodh nár glacadh céim ar bith i dtreo bheartais ó shin agus gur ábhar thar a bheith conspóideach é fós cur chun cinn na Gaeilge sna sé chontae.
Tá lucht an fheachtais ag éileamh ar Thionól Thuaisceart Éireann:
- Acht Gaeilge cuimsitheach ceart-bhunaithe a achtú ó thuaidh
- Go gcomhlíonann an Stát ó thuaidh a ndualgas reachtúil le go bhforbrófar Córas Gaeloideachais Cuimsitheach
- Go gcuirfear acmhainní cuí ar fáil d’fhorbairt Phobal na Gaeilge
Ag labhairt thar cheann an Grúpa Oibre Feachtasaíochta, dúirt Caoimhe Ní Chatháil, “Creideann muid go láidir go gcaithfear an deis agus an ceart a thabhairt do na daoine a roghnaíonn an Ghaeilge í a úsáid. Beidh cruinnithe poiblí ar fud an oileáin chun tacaíocht a mhealladh don mhórshiúil seo agus tá muid ag iarraidh teachtaireacht diongbháilte, láidir a thabhairt do na hÚdaráis”.
“Iarrann muid ar Phobail na hÉireann, áitiúla agus ar fud an oileáin seasamh linn don LÁ DEARG. Tá fáilte roimh gach saoránach a chreideann i dtodhchaí na Gaeilge agus i gcearta daonna i gcoitinne”.
Fágfaidh an mórshiúil, Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiach ar an Satharn 12 Aibreán 2pm le dul chuig Cearnóg Theach an Chustaim, i lár na Cathrach i mBéal Feirste.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Ná bac leis na hOscair, seo chugaibh buaiteoirí Scléip 2014!
Márta 3, 2014
Amharclann an Axis, Baile Átha Cliath, 1 Márta 2013
Bhí lá den scoth againn san Axis, le 14 scoil ag dul in iomaíocht sa chraobh agus ag cur siamsaíocht agus spreagadh ar stáitse romhainn. Bhí ríméad orainn roinnt de bhaill Kìla a bheith linn don lá; bhí Rossa Ó Snodaigh mar fhear a’ tí agus Rónán Ó Snodaigh i mbun moltóireacht in éineacht le Fionntán Fitzgerald agus Aonghus Ó Lochlainn. Bhí dúshlán acu buaiteoirí a roghnú toisc feabhas agus ard-chaighdeán na léirithe ar fad agus thug siad ard-mholadh do na rannpháirtithe uile as an muinín agus tallann a léirigh siad os comhar an tslua. Tá moladh ag dul don slua chomh maith, na tuismitheoirí, múinteoirí agus comhscoláirí a thug tacaíocht iontach do na hiomaitheoirí i rith na bliana agus ar lá na craoibhe féin; go raibh maith agaibh as bheith linn agus tá bualadh bos mór tuilte agaibh!
Seo thíos na scoileanna a bhí linn ar an lá:
- Coláiste an Phiarsaigh, Corcaigh
- Coláiste Cois Life, Baile Átha Cliath
- Coláiste de hÍde, Baile Átha Cliath
- Coláiste Feirste, Co. Aontroma
- Coláiste Íosagáin, Baile Átha Cliath
- Coláiste Oiriall, Muineacháin
- Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí
- Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh
- Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG, Corcaigh
- Meánscoil Gharman, Loch Garman
- Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne, Ciarraí
- Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair, Tír Chonaill
- Scoil Chaitríona , Baile Átha Cliath
- Scoil Iosaf, Tír Eoghain
Seolfar CD leis na grianghraif amach chuig na scoileanna go luath, agus beidh siad le feiceáil ar an suíomh anseo chomh maith. Coinnigh súil ar Saol na míosa seo – bhí Colm Ó Torna ann lena cheamara ar an lá!
Ba mhór linn buíochas ó chroí a ghabháil le gach éinne a chabhraigh linn Scléip a chur ar stáitse i mbliana; na scoileanna, na múinteoirí, na daltaí agus a dtuismitheoirí, na moltóirí agus láithreoirí, foireann na hamharclann, Kìla, Niamh Spain (a rinne na duaiseanna) agus Foras na Gaeilge. Táimid ag súil le bheith ar ais arís an bhliain seo chugainn le Scléip 2015!
Seo thíos liosta na mbuaiteoirí, comhghairdeas mór libh uilig.
Ceol nua-aimseartha (aonair):
- Emily Downey, Meánscoil Gharman (sóisear)
- Aoife Nic Artain, Coláiste Íosagáin (sinsear)
Ceol nua-aimseartha (grúpaí):
- An Smugairle Róin Leictreach, Scoil Chaitríona (sóisear)
- Chewie agus an Bhuíon, Meánscoil Gharman (sinsear)
Rince cruthaitheach (aonair):
- Sarah Ní Mheilbhín, Coláiste Cois Life (sóisear)
Rince cruthaitheach (grúpaí):
- An Cogadh, Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh (sóisear)
- Beo le Ceol, Coláiste de hÍde (sinsear)
- Easaontas Ceoil, Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne (sóisear)
- Filleann an Feall ar an bhFeallaire, Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair (sinsear)
- Laura Ní Dhuibhir, Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair (sóisear)
- Ceithleann Ní Dhuibhir Ní Dhualacháin, Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair (sinsear)
Duais an Spotsholais: Bronnta ar an ngrúpa go bhfeiceann na moltóirí cumas iontu; nach bhfuil an duais rannóige buaite acu i mbliana ach gur fiú faire amach dóibh sna todhchaí
- Cailíní Óga, Scoil Iosaf
- Cian Ó Maoláin, giotáraí le Flúirse Fonn, Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG
- Filleann an Feall ar an bhFeallaire, Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair
Lascainí do scoileanna le Scoil FM
Márta 1, 2014
Tá lascaine ag Scoil F.M. le ‘Paperpunch’ – tá liosta do na praghasanna thíos – agus feicfidh tú go bhfuil na praghasanna ar an liosta an-mhaith.
Sa bhreis, is féidir 750g Nescafe a fháil saor in aisce i gcomhair seomra na múinteoirí – chun iad a choiméad ina dhúiseacht! Tá luach € 44.00 ar an gcaife. (Sin le haon ordú thar € 150). Tá praghasanna maithe ag Scoil F.M. ar cartúis printéara chomh maith. Déan teagmháil le Mark ar 087 383 0990.
Libraries celebrate as Gaeilge
Feabhra 28, 2014
Libraries around the county have a full programme of events line-up to mark this year’s Seachtain na Gaeilge (Irish week) in the first two weeks of March.
They are inviting anyone with an interest in Irish, whether as a fluent speaker or just thinking about learning a little, to view the programme, which has juggling workshops, storytelling, puppet shows, music, and more. Visit www.mayolibrary.ie for further information.
www.advertiser.ie/galway
Seachtain na Gaeilge – Gaelfest
Feabhra 28, 2014
Seachtain na Gaeilge – Gaelfest celebrates the language that St Patrick had to learn to make himself understood to the Gaels and gives the green light to events organized in the Mid-Ulster area for Ireland’s national day.
There will be opportunities throughout Seachtain na Gaeilge – Gaelfest for anyone with no knowledge of the language to become familiar with basic phrases and structures.
Anyone who is free at lunch-time on Wednesdays can call into Ranfurly House in Dungannon, where a series of talks introducing the Irish language will be held over the fortnight. Irish language officer, Séamus mac Giolla Phádraig will give the introductory talks about the language to try to explain why we speak the way we do.
The children haven’t been forgotten. Seal Spraoi children’s clubs in Cookstown, Dungannon and Coalisland provide Irish language after-schools activities and there will be an emphasis on song, music and dance over the fortnight during and after school hours. A special storytime Seal Spraoi will be held in Cookstown’s Burnavon Centre on Friday 7 March from 4.30pm until 6.00pm with Gearóidín Bhreathnach. The Burnavon will also host a family céilí in on Sunday, 9 March between 2pm and 4pm, with music by Raymond Loney.
Gearóidín Bhreathnach, twice winner of Corn Uí Riada, the ultimate prize in Irish sean-nós singing, will be in the Square Box Theatre on Friday night, 7 March. Gearóidín has a clear, easy singing style. She explains the events behind the songs she sings and puts them in context by telling something of the lives of those who composed them.
Regular Irish language events, such as the Ciorcal Comhrá conversation club, on the first Saturday of the month and Léigh Leat reading club are held in conjunction with Dungannon Library. These and their counterparts in Cookstown will be making special efforts to welcome people who would like to try out Irish words and phrases they know. Details are available at www.guthonline.org.
A fund-raising relay run the length of Ireland, called Rith 2014, will arrive in Dungannon from Cookstown on Thursday afternoon, 13 March before making its way to Coalisland. Runners will have completed the relay from Strabane to Cookstown the night before. Rith 2014 provides clubs with the means to raise funds for their own small Irish language projects. Groups can ‘buy’ a kilometre and find details of the route at www.rith.ie.
Throughout the month of March, Dungannon Library will host an exhibition which has Irish writing systems as its theme. Examples of Ogham, the manuscript tradition, the invention of the printing press and modern computer fonts will be presented and discussed.
Dr Malachy Ó Néill will give a talk on the Ó Néill kingship on Thursday night, 13 March at 8.30pm in the Square Box Theatre. Dr Ó Néill examines Irish language sources for the O’Neill family story, reflecting the events which preceded the coming of Patrick to Ireland right up to and beyond the Plantation of Ulster, a period of some twelve hundred years. Máirín Hurndall will bring the official Seachtain na Gaeilge-Gaelfest celebrations to a conclusion with a talk the following evening at 8.00pm in the Burnavon Theatre, Cookstown, about the Gaelic Heritage of Protestants.
www.tyronetimes.co.uk
Irish language under threat
Feabhra 28, 2014
Sir, – I live part of the year in Wales, where you can hear more Welsh in five minutes than Irish in a year in nearly every part of Ireland (this is no exaggeration).
The unwelcome truth is that very few of us have any intention of ever speaking Irish. Instead we have long ago opted for cuplafocalarism, This consists of putting road signs, notices, documents and all the rest of it into Irish (even better if it can be done at European level) regardless of whether it is used or not.
Meanwhile, we blithely continue to speak our real native language, English. It shouldn’t fool a 10-year-old. But we are quite content with this nonsense and woe betide anyone who questions the emperor’s attire.
– Yours, etc,
DAVID HERMAN,
Meadow Grove
Sir, – In the course of my work, over many years, I travelled the entire island of Ireland. I know very little Irish, but that was never a problem. No one I ever met had any difficulty in speaking to me in English.
In fact, everyone I met or did business with spoke English. This also applied to shops, theatres and pubs. The only other languages to be heard, mostly in the high season, were, Spanish, French, German and some East European languages.
So I would like to challenge any one of the letter writers who accept the accuracy of the 2011 Census (which states 1.77 million speak Gaeilge on a daily basis), to stand with me on the main street of any large town or city in Ireland (apart from Galway) to hold a short conversation with passers by, as Gaeilge. Any takers?
– Yours, etc,
NIALL GINTY,
The Demesne,
Killester, Dublin 5.
A chara, – I agree with Revd Patrick G Burke (Letters, February 25th) that “the so-called financial experts” destroyed the Irish economy. And they were ably aided and abetted by a lot of our politicians and developers. In fact its arguable whether we own our country any more. We own the Irish language, but it seems a lot of our people do not value it very highly. Maybe our new immigrants – the Poles, the Lithuanians, the Nigerians – might succeed where we have failed. “Níl tír gan teanga”.
– Is mise,
BEAIRTLE O CONGHAILE,
Cúirt an Choláiste,
Dún Dealgan, Co Lú.
www.irishtimes.com
Normalise our native language, or lose it
Feabhra 28, 2014
Myles Duffy (Letters, Febraury 26) miss-es the point. The Irish language has never been nurtured by the State. On the whole, the language has been an ornament atop a monoglot anglophone system.
Where a language is excluded from pub-lic or official business, that language goes into decline. This has nothing to do with the survival of the fittest, but is a matter of policy .The Dutch language has thrived in Belgium since the normalisation of its use in public life there was achieved. The same Dutch language is dying out just across the border in Dunkirk, where it was the ma-jority language for centuries, because of its being banned from official spaces by the French state.
Seán Ó Cuirreáin, the Official Languages Ombudsman, resigned in December in frustration at the lack of progress on end-ing the systemic marginalisation of Irish. We need to normalise our language. The comparison with the GAA is not well made. Languages need active speakers with am-ple opportunities to use the language and pass it on to their children. There is no comparison with training for an hour once a week or cheering on from the sidelines.
Dáithí Mac Cárthaigh BL
An Leabharlann Dlí
Baile Átha Cliath 7
www.irishexaminer.com
