Irish lessons not learned yet as FG women seethe
Iúil 17, 2014
There’s a grim summer in prospect for poor Joe McHugh. The new junior minister with responsibility for the Gaeltacht isn’t very good at speaking Irish.
In fact, when Joe braved his ministerial debut in the Dáil yesterday morning, he made Gerry Adams sound like Seán Bán Bhreathnach. And that’s saying something. The Sinn Féin leader is very sensitive about his proficiency in the native tongue. He doesn’t take too kindly to criticism.
He’s known to be quite grumpy with journalists who poke fun at his occasionally painful attempts to engage in the cúpla focal with Enda. So he wasn’t going to be too hard yesterday on Joe or Heather Humphreys, who is the senior Minister in the department and also a bit of a duffer when it comes to speaking the teanga.
Nonetheless, Gerry is not happy with a state of affairs where the two with responsibility for the Irish language don’t have a very good grasp of it. Earlier, his colleague Peadar Tóibín steamrolled Humphreys and McHugh with a torrent of questions as Gaeilge which they found very difficult to understand. They apologised for their lack of fluency and promised they will work hard to get up to speed.
“I have no doubt about your commitment to learn the language at this stage, but the Ministry for the Gaeltacht is not an Irish language course,” said Peader, rather prissily.
He should tell that to his leader. At times, Gerry Adams has apologised in the chamber for his ability in this regard, pointing out that the only way he will improve is by learning as he goes along.
Where the two new Ministers are concerned, it might be said that Adams is that soldier too. Except this might imply active service of some kind and Gerry was never a member any army.
Journey of discovery
“I was asleep last night and I was thinking in Irish,” Donegal’s McHugh told the Dáil, in stuttering Irish. “I was thinking in the language for the first time in a long time” he added, in English. The new junior minister hoped people would follow him on his “journey” of discovery and learn along with him.
The Taoiseach has full confidence in his man. He said he’s advised him to go off and do a course at a very good school in Donegal, “cos he’s got the language inside of him, but it’s rusty”.
The Opposition thought this hilarious.
Michael Noonan wondered where Adams, who was enjoying this little exchange at McHugh’s expense, learned his Irish. Long Kesh, replied Adams, with no small amount of pride.
Crash course
One way or another, the Taoiseach confidently told the Dáil that Joe McHugh would be back in the chamber after the summer recess, a fluent speaker. Actually, it sounded more like an order than a challenge.
No pressure there so, Joe.
Miriam Lord
www.irishtimes.com
