Have some indigenous Gaelic moles crept into the hallowed Hibernophobe halls of Independent House, publishers of the Indo stable of newspapers? A couple of weeks ago we witnessed some atypically discrimination-free commentary on the rights of Irish-speaking citizens from Clare Cullen in the Irish Independent. Now we have radio reviewer Darragh McManus offering some more sane opinions in the same publication. Should we stand by for the Night of the Anglophone Long Knives on Talbot Street?
“The Pat Kenny Show had a discussion about the Irish language: should we continue to support and promote it. Debating were secretary general of Conradh na Gaeilge, Julian de Spáinn (in favour) and writer Declan Lynch (against).
According to a recent survey, 7pc of the population “wouldn’t mind seeing Irish die off”, which in itself is bizarre. But the whole thing – having this debate at all – is bizarre.
…the fact that Irish people argue the Irish language shouldn’t be accorded special status – in Ireland – yeah, that’s weird.
I mean, all Basques speak Spanish as their lingua franca; a smallish minority (of a tiny population) speak Basque.
But I doubt they’re having these endless, tortured discussions about “what’s the point” and doling out that old canard about “being forced to learn it at school” (as if there aren’t 100 other, equally “useless” things we’re taught anyway).
People aspiring to know their own language? For some of us, that’s a good thing. If nothing else, in this increasingly homogenised world, it enriches the global culture.
Declan said at one point: “Nobody is against the language.” I disagree: I think some Irish people are ideologically opposed to it, on a bone-deep level.
Why this is, I couldn’t tell you – like I say, it’s all very strange to me.
We forget that, while there is “official” promotion of Irish, there’s also an “unofficial” push against it.
This strangeness was encapsulated on Late Date when host Fiachna Ó Braonáin read out a listener’s text, asking him why he didn’t change his name! Too difficult to pronounce, apparently.
The texter added insult to injury by suggesting “Jack Brennan” as an alternative, which doesn’t even make linguistic sense.
The former Hothouse Flower responded with good grace – too much of a gentleman to ask something like I would have: “Would you ask the same question of a Frenchman or Italian?””
As I said before. The opposition to Irish is not just about opposition to the language itself – it is about opposition to those who speak the language. Kill the former and you kill the latter. Something our government and state has been practicing for ninety odd years. And the British before them…
AN SIONNACH FIONN 
well spotted there, sionnach – don’t bother myself with review section of sunday rag: heard conversation in passing (last tuesday ?) – criticism of irish becomes white noise after a time unfortunately – but you’re right and very surprised myself with mcmanus, given from independent house (don’t know if he is regular radio reviewer) — sometimes hear your man from the flowers before 2am and fair play to him in that he’s not shy in reading messages in irish or those critical of him – have to have thick skin, i guess.. @
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I notice the Indo is back to normal with its latest ravings and conspiratorial stuff about SF. If I get a chance I’m going to deconstruct one of their articles, examine the language and key codewords used.
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Dia Duit, An Sionnach Fionn.
“it is about opposition to those who speak the language…Something our government and state has been practicing for ninety odd years.”
I’m afraid I don’t understand this statement. If the Irish government and
state has been opposed to people who speak the Irish language for
“ninety odd years”,then how do you explain:
*Irish being a mandatory subject in primary & secondary schools since the
1920s;
*Proficiency in Irish as a requirement for civil servants;
*The Free State Government giving support to Gaeltacht areas;
* Minister for Education Thomas Derrig reducing the school time given
to science and maths, and English in order to give more attention
to Irish teaching (see “The Irish Experience Since 1800” by Thomas E. Hachey,
and Lawrence J. McCaffrey)
* Government supported Irish-language broadcasters (Raidió na Gaeltachta,
TG Ceathair ).
Now, you could argue things like the teaching of Irish in schools were executed
badly, but in general I believe Irish language speakers have had it pretty
good in the 26 counties.
If you told the average Irish person that there
was a policy of “opposition” to those who speak Irish for “ninety odd years”,
they would probably be puzzled.
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If you look through the archive for ASF you can find numerous articles supporting my statements, including tangible evidence here and here. However when I get a chance I will deal with your points in more detail 🙂
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I should point out that I know many Irish speakers are unhappy with the
the current government’s stance on the language (McHugh lacking fluency
in Irish, etc).
My point was discussing the implication that the Irish State had
been consistently unsympathetic to Irish speakers since its creation.
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What should these gardai have done instead?
They, like most of Dubliners, do not speak Irish.
And in the end that guy got to speak to an Irish speaking garda – so where’s the problem?
As I said – just by writing “Irish is the national language of Ireland” in the constitution does not make it so.
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All Gardaí are expected to have a basic fluency in Irish. That this is not the case highlights a problem with the force. Furthermore the arresting Gardaí were of the opinion that Irish-speakers should be “treated like foreigners”. Not a good opinion whatever way you take it. Remember the person arrested had committed no offence nor was suspected of doing so. It was a random event yet he was arrested and taken to a station and held there for answering in Irish to a question put to him in English. In the early 20th century that would be the norm (indeed the law) but in the early 21st century?
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All Gardaí are expected to have a basic fluency in Irish
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It’s unreasonable to expect that in a country where 90%+ do not speak the language.
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Why so? Gardaí are expected to learn the law and regulations relating to it as part of their job. Is it unreasonable to expect them to understand someone when they reply …is ainm dom “My name is…”? What of gardaí born in Ireland, and from ethnic minorities or born outside of Ireland, who are expected to have fluent written and oral English and are tested for such? Recently we’ve had incidences of gardaí being posted to Irish-speaking communities with zero ability in the language and who have behaved in quite an intimidating manner with locals because of the communications issue. That despite promises that such would not happen.
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it unreasonable to expect them to understand someone when they reply …is ainm dom “My name is…”?
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It’s unreasonable to expect that they’ll be fluent in an area where almost nobody speaks Irish.
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Recently we’ve had incidences of gardaí being posted to Irish-speaking communities with zero ability in the language
————-
Why is that happening?
Because of a lack of Irish speaking Gardai in those areas?
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what is the legal position with irish and the guards anyway, sionnach? i’m guessing now with new recruits in the garda college white elephant in templemore that students have irish on curriculum but do they required to pass irish language exam(s) in order to graduate?
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From the days of first Gaelscoileanna to now, there has always been push against the language. How else do you explain that though it is the “first language,” it is slowly disappearing. Have you tried to get any public service by speaking Irish lately? They look at you like you are an unwanted immigrant. Non-speakers as the representatives for the language? The list goes on and on. If there was any real push to really implement it as the first language, the majority of Ireland would be speaking Irish, just like the majority of Israel speaks Hebrew and not Russian or English. As to why, it is a mix of lack of commitment and laziness. I have little hope that ‘relics’ like myself will prevail. When looking at papers like the Indo, you always have to consider who owns them. Like in most Western countries, the press has certain liberties that were meant for a national press, not for one owned by parties often diametrically opposite in ideals and from another country. Naturally, a British-owned press is not too sympathetic to the Irish language cause, similar to foreign-owned press and media in the United States (where I have spent considerable time) consistently stirring anti-government suspicion and ire. The venture for Scottish independence is solid evidence of this. No one but the Scots want it, so you have to look to Internet resources to get your real news. The rest of the media is almost completely devoid of real information, aside from the Prime Minister to go “up there” and support “unity.” I hope, once independent, the Scots are stubborn enough to champion our language over English. It is still the language of the “Invader.” Croi Croga!
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“. If there was any real push to really implement it as the first language, the majority of Ireland would be speaking Irish, just like the majority of Israel speaks Hebrew and not Russian or English. As to why, it is a mix of lack of commitment and laziness. ”
Whatever about the current government’s poor record on the Irish language services,
it strikes me there was no lack of “push” for the Irish language in the first few years.
As for why the Irish language is declining nowadays…difficult question. Maybe in our market-driven society, the Irish language is dismissed because it isn’t seen as instantly
profitable.
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So how come that other market-driven societies do not throw away their own languages?
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