http://www.gaelport.com/index.php?page=clippings&id=825

Good view on why debates happen the way they do.

Good article.

I think it's discracful, I really do, and I blame in on the Irish curriculum in School. They couldn't have made it more boring and out-of-date.

I did Irish for the leaving cert. That was 6 years ago, and I can't speak Irish. Neither can the majority of people I know.

My friends that do speak fluently went to Irish schools here in Dublin. I envy them for that.

I wish my parents had sent me to an Irish school. At the time, I didn't have a choice, nor did I realise the importance of it.

Ask ANY Irish person that can't speak Irish if they would like to speak fluently, and use Irish as their first language. They will all answer yes.


"My parents learned Irish when they were in their 20s and they sent everyone in my family to Irish-speaking schools. The language had been dead in my family for hundreds of years, now all of us can speak it. If it can be done with one family then it can be done with every family, it's as simple as that."

I shall also be sending my children to Irish schools so that they can have the opportunity that I missed.

Maith thú. But adults can (and do) learn fluent Irish.

Have a look at

http://www.oideas-gael.com

http://www.gaelchultur.com


Mary MacAleese spoke no Irish when she became President (she was educated in the 6 counties), but is now a fluent and confident speaker.

I have met Irish and foreigners who are fluent speakers - many have been to Oideas Gael.

Thanks for the support, Aonghus.

I haven't given up on Irish at all. In fact, for the next two years, I will have enough time to enroll in Irish courses. I will have a look at the links you sent. Of course, these forums are an invaluable asset to Irish learners too, and you'll most probably see me here from now on.

>Many of these arguments against speaking the language are still with us. The main ones are that we don't have to speak Irish, there is no practical reason for doing so and that it is useless in the real world.

Let me be the first Gaeilgeoir to state that these statements are completely and absolutely true. But they miss the point entirely.<

I don't think it's useless or impractical to be bilingual in any language …but he makes good points about national spirit.

I also like what he says abou the gaelscoileanna, but what impact will the schools have if there are more jobs and occupations out there don't start requiring Gaeilge as part of job description? I'd assume the vision of the Irish speakers is that whole country becomes essentially bilingual … but Irish also has to be a language of the goverment to do that, no?

I asked my 80 year old seanathair a few days ago, what his view was on the Irish language.

"There will always be a passion for one to speak one's own language, and because of that, Irish will grow and grow. It’s entirely up to the Irish government to stimulate this growth throughout the State.'

That was a nice thing to hear. :)

Anyway, as I said before, ask any Irish person 'do you want to be fluent and do you want Irish as the primary spoken language of The State?' The answer is always YES.

The passion is still there very much so. The Irish people WANT to speak Irish as their primary lingo and English as a secondary.

I guarantee you, the consensus amongst the younger Irish population is that they have a passion for Irish and they want to be able to speak it, but the curriculum is so completely wrong. Irish is the most boring and uninspiring subject because of the prehistoric nature of the curriculum.

IMO the problem is the lack of passion within the government. They have the power to change things.

So, the passion for Irish is there. How do we persuade the government to make is it easier for people to learn it?

Personally, I will do my part in enrolling my children in to Irish schools.

<"there>

Legend! He hit the nail on the head there!

I LOVE this thread a bit of positivity never goes astray!

O'Broin should be ina Aire Oideachais / Gaeltachta..

Gaelscoileanna are essential for the language but I also think naíonraí could be used to make everyone fluent. In the 20s, every kindergarten/montessori/whatever the hell they're called, was run through Irish, the scheme was unfortunately abandoned because there wasn't enough people who had irish to run/teach these places. Now, there's definitely enough people to teach, but will the gov take the step and what will happen if they do? Public outcry? Screams of 'indoctrination'? Mass protests? Government rebellion? Waves of joy? Huge praise for the government? Cross-party support?

But I don't think every Irish person really loves Irish, my two flat mates(FG, naturally), hate and despise Irish and would be fairly happy to see it die in my eyes. The main problem is they've never been to the Gaeltacht, they don't realise that Irish is a living language, how long have people been saying it's dead? That's because to them it is dead, no one has spoken in their areas for years, many often say it hasn't been spoken in Ireland for centuries. One person I know once said 'Irish died too soon to develop swearwords', I won't go into how incredibly wrong this statement is, but it shows people's lack of identity and connection with the language, we need to remedy that before we talk about grandiose Government schemes to banish English speakers to hell or Connaught.

>> my two flat mates(FG, naturally), hate and despise Irish and would be fairly happy to see it die in my eyes. .... One person I know once said 'Irish died too soon to develop swearwords', I won't go into how incredibly wrong this statement is, but ....

'... níl ionat ach eascaine
a dúirt an saol,
níl ionat ach cabaireacht
ó bhéal go béal ....' (Seán Ó Ríordáin)

A dhalta chóir, is í mo chomhairle duit, craith deann do chuarán orthu i do dhiaidh, fág iad agus bog isteach in aontíos le chomhaltaí atá ag iarraidh Gaeilge a labhairt!

'.. I bhfírinne na haigne
tá oileán séin
is tusa ar marthain ann
is triall fád dhéin,..
... ach is paidir fós an tusa sin
ar oileán séin,
a fhan go ciúin ag cogarnach
ar bheolaibh Dé
nuair do rincis-se go macnasach ar ghob an tsaoil....'
(Seán Ó Ríordáin)

Déan do leas, is ná buair do cheann lena leithéid choíche feasta.

Tá an tuairim céanna ag go leor Éireannaigh is atá ag ár gcomharsana béal dorais, sé sin dearcann siad anuas ar ár dteanga.Bhí Gaeilge láidir ar fud na tíre ag na Normanaigh agus a sliocht suas go dtí deire an seachtú aois déag.Níl daoine sásta Gaeilge a fhoghlaim muna bhfuil sé iontu agus meas acu ar a dtír féin.Tá Corsican /Fraincís ag beagnach gach duine i gCorsica mar tá bród acu as a n-oidhreacht agus a gcultúr.Tá rachmas agus saibhreas againn inniu ach tá ár gcultúr ar an meath.

A Sheosamh, bheadh mé i mo chonaí le Gaeilgeoirí, tá Ionad sa choláiste do Ghaeilgeoirí, ba mhaith liom dul ann ach ní raibh a fhios agam faoi go dtí go raibh sé ró-dhéanach, agus ní fógraíonn daoine gur Gaeilgeoir iad nuair atá siad ag fógrú arasán.

Ar phointe eile, nuair a insím le daoine gur Gaeilgeoir mé, tá ionadh orthu i gcónaí, go háirithe nuair a iním leo nach bhfuil mo thuismitheoirí as an nGaeltacht, níl mise as an nGaeltacht, fiú níor chuaigh mé go dtí Gaelscoil. Cad a deir sin daoibh?

"nach bhfuil mo thuismitheoirí as an nGaeltacht, níl mise as an nGaeltacht, fiú níor chuaigh mé go dtí Gaelscoil. Cad a deir sin daoibh?"

Deireann sé liom go bhfuil díreach cosúil liomsa.

Mac Léinn i UCD thú agus an scéim ag Bord na Gaeilge atá ar siúl ansin an ea?