TIOCFAIDH'S BACK!

Chucky an La agus mise, debating compulsory Gaelic in Irish schools

CHUCKY: The Irish language represents the single strongest marker of our ethnic identity and the clearest manifestation of our peoplehood. While alternative expressions of our identity have been advanced, none of them is comparable with language as a defining national characteristic. Public support for Irish in this respect is very strong -- 65% feel the Irish is a vital part of our culture.

ME: I don't identify with it nor with the culture that goes with it. I believe this Irish identity crap should be left in the final decision to the individual soul. It's like freedom of religion. The Irish-identity totalitarians should not be permitted to foist it on my children.

CHUCKY: The curriculum of schools is a distillation of the most important cultural elements which society wishes to impart to its young people. In Ireland, the Irish language is highly prized and its place on the curriculum is a reflection of the public will that all children learn Irish and learn it well.

ME: If 65% of the population want an hour, or half an hour, of Irish per school day, every year of school, for every child over the age of six, alright. But there's no justification for imposing Irish on the other 35% who in all good conscience and well-informed due respect find it irrelevant and brain dead and want their children to study a continental language or computer programming language instead.

CHUCKY: This argument is flawed because it assumes that only language is being taught when Irish is in question. Some of the most technologically advanced schools are also schools where pupils have high standards of Irish. Computers and much also can be harnessed towards the better teaching of Irish while broadening children's education at the same time.

ME: Partition and union is virtuous. Ulster was right, is right, and will be right.

http://www.into.ie/intouch/items/irishaoc.htm
http://www.struct.net/Compulsory_Irish.htm

Why teach the kids a computer language that will be dead before they can grow up to use it?

A Sheosamh, ní fiú bacadh le mo dhuine Sean Furlong. Níl sé toilteanach éisteacht le h-argóintí reasúnta. Agus níl ann ach éin corr atá ina chonaí i San Fransisco.
Is eagal liom go bhfuil sé as a mheabhar beagán.
Tá sé cuíosach réasunta anseo, ach tá sé ag fagáint teachtaireachtaí baoithe ar Chlár phlé chumasc.
Bhí Muintir Ionad labhartha na Gaeilge ag géarán freisin go raibh sé ag seoladh ríomhphoisteanna drochbhéasach chuchu freisin.

As I said before, Mr. Furlong has a bee in his bonnet, and is best ignored. I regret taking up swords with him (again) since he ignores any pertinent argument whioch does not fit his skewed statistics.

I think that fella has a real problem, as he is obviously he is most probably riddled with mixed up colonial hangups.


I wonder if he would object if the Ulster Scots language was taught in schools, I wouldn't.

The Irish language is not political it does not belong to any specific culture in Ireland. Every ethnic group that has come into Ireland has added to the language and adopted it, It is for all people in Ireland.

I am an American of Irish decent living in Miami Florida.Trying to learn the Irish language here is very difficult because there are no native speakers around and I must resort to cassette tapes.After reading Mr.Furlongs arrogant comments I would like to make an offer to trade places with him.He can come down to this banana republic and have his children learn Spanish(a continental language).I in turn will go up to Ulster and revel in the language and culture that the Brits and loyalists have been oppressing for ages.

Richard --
Shawn Furlong is in Santa Clara, CA. Based on what I know of him from what I read on the web, he despises Ireland and the Irish. It may be self-loathing, and whatever it is, it isn't healthy. Ignore him.

If your computer is capable, you can listen to about 2 1/2 Irish language feeds per day, and may soon be able to hear RnaG for all of the hours it's on the air in Ireland. Network with people on the net, subscribe to Gaeilge-B and don't give up. There are new learning materials under development, and new opportunities to learn coming over the horizon. Don't give up!