Does anyone of you know how strong Scottish-Gaelic is in the Outer Hebrides, on Skye, Tiree and Islay? From what I know, the language is completely dead as a community language in mainland Scotland and most of the Inner Hebrides.

I have, however, heard very different suggestions about the position of the language in the Outer Hebrides. Some have said that it is much stronger there than Irish is; others have said that English is completely dominant and that no single place in the Outer Hebrides would be a fíor-ghaeltacht, and only some would qualify as breac-ghaeltachtaí (And, accordingly, some places would correspond to the "Official Gaeltacht")

Do you know anything about this? It would be particularly helpful if someone with a good knowledge of any Gaeltacht in Ireland (of which I know all quite well) good compare it / them to the Gaelic areas in Scotland.

The Scots Gælic speakers ought to be grateful that they haven't the equivalent of the unspeakably hypoctrical "Rialtas na hÉireann" to render insipid lip-service to the survival of the Gælic idiom, while gleefully making every effort to destroy the same.

DV, one day Irish-speakers will "wise-up" and forget about the TD phonies and rely on themselves alone for the preservation of this precious lecacy.

I agree and in the next election I'll vote for the person who will campaign for the language-usually Sinn Fein seem best but in the republic their party isn't as concerned about the language as in the six counties.It would be great to see a gaeltacht irish speaker or two being elected to the Dail and talking constantly in Irish. Maybe then the rest would have to learn Irish. Full credit to Caoimhín Ó Caoléain and Ó Cúiv for their efforts.

You forget that Trevor Sargent of the Green Party, made a public commitment to addressing all his Dáil questions in irish.Despite their use of Irish, neither Caoimhín Ó Caoláin or Ó Cuív made such a consistant action.

Agus d'eirigh Trevor as. Bhí daoine airithe ag cuir míbheasa ina leith, toisc nar thuig Bertie é.

An fadhb atá ann ná nach ligeann an cute hoorness a bhaineann le roinnt de lucht na Dála dóibh usaid a bhaint as an gcóras aistriúcháin ata ar fáil dóibh. Luath nó mall, bíonn ar gach Gaeilgeoir atá ag iarradh a dhualgas mar teachta a chomhlíonadh, Béarla a labhairt.

Jonas,

Nílim rochinnte ach tá an Gaeidhlig á labhairt sna Highlands i gcúpla bailtí agus amuigh ón nGaeltachtaí tá 3,000 cainteoirí in Edinburgh. Tá iarrachtaí á dhéanamh sna Highlands chun an teanga a úsáid go hoifigiúil i gnó agus i ngach páirt den saol.