Although I do now live in VA, we keep very much intouch with friends, family etc over in Ireland. I was talking to my old teacher in Ireland, and we got to talking about Irish, this is what he has to say.
"There is no fear of Irish dying out, nearly every household in Ireland has an Irish speaker. It will live forever as a second, occasionally used language. Irish is in the very early stages of becoming a commercial(widely used) language like French or Spanish. If there was a bigger push for more Irish language tv channels, papers, and radio stations Irish could become more than a second, occasionally used language."

I think he is right. What with technology like the internet and TG4 to help, Irish, if enough people wanted it too, could really become a widely used language and not just an oddity.
I also agree that Irish will never die out, its just at a turning piont. It could stay forever as a small language, or it could really take off.

What do you guys think?

Interesting. Mary Hanafin's plans for the teaching of Irish in primary schools is very encouraging as well. She plans on putting more of an emphasis on the spoken language.

A chairde,

I think that Irish is really very important, (I guess that's a given since I write on this forum). This sounds fine except for one thing. It is my truthfully sincere hope that Irish doesn't become a language like Latin, which people used to learn but which didn't have native speakers (in the time period I'm thinking of). I think it is really vital to the health of the language that there are native speakers who've heard and spoke it since the earliest time. At the same time, there needs to continue to be places whare one can speak it as a community language as there are today, (it would be grand if someday the whole of the Gaeltacht were that way instead of just pieces of it.

Beir bua agus beannacht.

That's really encouraging to hear from a teacher. I'm interested if others here are so optimistic.

heh...if Irish can gain the popularity of Klingon (!!!) it would be a step in the right direction.

My own prediction? It will eventually cease to be a community language in the Gaeltacht, but will *become* a community language in places in the Galltacht where it is today either not spoken or spoken in limited fashion. I think gaelscoils will gain in popularity and become the household language of a number of those who currently attend. I see there being gaelscoil universities, and an increasing number of fluent speakers outside Ireland (especially in the US), many of whom will use it in the home and raise fluent children.

I see a bright future for the language, even if it isn't so bright for the language in its traditional rural setting (not that it will *entirely* die out there, but it won't be like it is today...).

We all want Irish to gain ground all over the island, I think that's a given. But I don't want it to vanish from community use in the Gaeltacht. At present that is one of the saddest things that I can think of and I dearly wish for it not to happen. And don't even get me started about Klingon, I wouldn't be surprised if more people in America know its a language than those who know Irish is a language.

My prediction is that Irish will die out completely in the Republic of Ireland. Immigration in the South will reduce Irish people to a minority of the population, and newcomers will not be so interested in Irish. The Irish language will come to be seen as a relic of Irish identity prized only by those who don't want to fully accept the globalized new Ireland, and so gradually people will be made to feel ashamed for studying it. Official Irish will be terminated. The last redoubt of Irish - Northern Ireland, where it will be revived as a spoken language, and Irish people will remain the dominant section of the population.

DJW,

I think you are wrong. There is no less immigration in the north than it is in the south. Second thing - almost all immigrants (from Eastern Europe) are bilingual already (not counting English), so they will learn Irish if there is Irish spoken in the area they live. And of course they won't if natives don't do. So I wouldn't assume immigration is a considerable factor in this equation

Say-so,
Is there still a Northern Va television station that does lots of foreign language news and language learning programs? I've always wondered would they run Irish language programming, even if it's only in the wee hours. Like the station in Philly that runs Ros na Rún. It would be worth a call to them.

DJW,
Is the above statement your prediction or your hope? Immigrants with Irish, as well as Irish speakers and learners outside of Ireland will continue to validate Irish speakers in Ireland who understand that acceptance of the globalized new Ireland doesn't require abandoning all traces of Irish language, history or culture.

Ríona,
One of my first and most favorite teachers, Brad Wilson, when explaining the phonetic system compared the ch sounds to a klingon sound. I always feel like Whorf when I emphasize my ch-es! An bhfuil a fhios ag éinne an bhfuil Brad fós ag obair ar a fhoclóir Gaeilge-Klingon???
: )

Riona, that is exactly the case with Klingon. And it's not that I *want* to see it die out there, I just think it will as they seem (in general, there are some in the gaeltact who really, really care) to be the least concerned.

perhaps it's a case of not knowing what you have until you've lost it. many of the galltacht areas and academic circles are waking up to this.

A chairde:

I'd have to say I'm more hopeful these days than I used to be.

One thing: why can't TG4 be all-Irish-speaking all the time?
Are they still doing that business where they show some creaky ol' Lee Marvin movie or some such as Béarla smack in the middle of prime time?

Ar aon nós, chaith mé seal timpeall 15 bliain ó shin ag profáil cóipe ar gach sort tionscadal, agus uair amháin d'obair mé ar fhoclóir Klingon-Béarla.

Beir bua and prosper, Paul

My comments were my prediction, not my hope. I am afraid Roman is wrong. Immigration in Northern Ireland is very, very low. Immigrants are less than 1% of the Northern population, but in the south...it is preceding at nation-destroying levels. The dockers went on strike when they found that thousands of people had been brought in to replace them at lower wages!!!!!! All with Sinn Féin's blessing, by the way. It is not just East Europeans. Nigerians, Indians and all sorts are arriving in Ireland, and quickly transforming urban communities. By the way, these people are dubbed by the media "the New Irish". Most Irish people are not happy about it, and if you think that it will have no eventual impact on language politics, your head is in the clouds. What's the second language of Dublin? Polish, I believe, with major newspapers running Polish language supplements. Chinese and Hindi and Arabic are all there in the mix too. Gaelic is the last thing the Irish elite are into.

Well, about the rise of immigrants in Ireland, in a bizzare perhaps unseen way, I can almost see this benefitting the language. The muslims are translating the Koran into Irish, and they have created a organisation promoting the Irish language in muslim communities. Why? Aparently Ireland has been kind to the muslim population since post-911, and they respect the Irish identity and want to assimilate.
I have a feeling that other immigrants will want to do this too.
Also, remember how the Irish language was boosted when Ireland was under UK occupation? Well maybe the Irish people will see that their culture may be in danger, and they'll revive it themselves.

Cailindoll-
There arnt any that Im aware of unfortunetly; Ive typed into Tivo various Irish-language programs, but I may phone-in and ask a question about it sometime to get official verification. Itd be great to have a program like Ros Na Rún to watch once in a while. I could always get one of my friends in Ireland to video-tape it, but PAL doesnt play over here :(

(Message edited by sayitaintso on April 20, 2006)

First of all, what is say is explicitly my prediction and 100% contrary to my hope.

Irish will die out. Saying that nearly every household in Ireland has an Irish speaker is almost equal to saying that every household in Germany has a Hindi speaker. A bit exaggerated, yes, but not as exagerated as the claim that every household would have an Irish speaker.

Today, there are more native speakers of Polish alone than on Irish in Ireland. I don't know how many speakers of other languages there are, I just know that the number of Poles exceeds the number of people who have been brought up speaking Irish. Immigration in itself is no threat to a language. In my own hometown, we have Vietnamese, Albanians, Indians, Russian, Serbs and some other foreigners. I know people from all of these groups and they are very nice and contribute a lot to the town. The thing is that Swedish is the spoken language in the town, so every newcomer learns Swedish. Immigration in itself would be no threat whatsoever to Irish if the people of Ireland would be speaking Irish. As we all know, most of them don't.

Unfortunately, Irish will die out. Not as a result of immigration but as a result of the Irish population favouring English over Irish in practice.

Once again, this is my predidction, not my hope.

Well, when my teacher said 'every household has an Irish speaker," I believe that could mean a child that goes to school in Ireland and is learning Irish. Millions of kids my age and younger learn Irish every day in normal non-gaelscoileanna schools; and alot dont like it, but they do end up learning the language to a certain degree.
There is too much invested in the Irish language for it to die out now. The government has spent hundreds of millions on it, and there are too many resources for the language to just dry up without hope.
Thats what I think at least.

Jonas,

(Message edited by ceolmhar on April 20, 2006)

While the elites can get policies enacted, it's the grassroots who, feeling beseiged by the massive immigration that 'they don't like' may turn to the language in an effort to exclude newcomers and as a mark of native-ness.

Many times 'disaster' can spark a return to patriotism and nationalism. Sometimes this comes in the form of foreign invasion (the effects of the last one wearing off now after three generations)...this may actually be just the kick in the butt the language needs to gain ground again

Sadly though, it would come in the form of intolerance.

In reference to the below posts:

Unfortunately, Irish will die out. Not as a result of immigration but as a result of the Irish population favouring English over Irish in practice.

- The most important point any Irish person interested in Irish should remember. If Irish dies out, it won't be because of the immigrants, but because of native Irish attitudes.

As for the below:

"While the elites can get policies enacted, it's the grassroots who, feeling beseiged by the massive immigration that 'they don't like' may turn to the language in an effort to exclude newcomers and as a mark of native-ness.

Many times 'disaster' can spark a return to patriotism and nationalism. Sometimes this comes in the form of foreign invasion (the effects of the last one wearing off now after three generations)...this may actually be just the kick in the butt the language needs to gain ground again

Sadly though, it would come in the form of intolerance"

This is precisely the reason myself and another immigrant from the Netherlands set up iMeasc in April 2005 - a voluntary informal network of fluent Irish-speaking immigrants and Irish-speakers of mixed background. We foresaw this very danger and have been interacting with a wide range of media over the last year to get the message out that there are highly-fluent Irish-speaking immigrants in Ireland today, many of whom are making extremely significant, beneficial and innovative contributions to the promotion and development of the Irish language. As co-founder of iMeasc, I have actually been invited to speak at the Young Progressive Democrats' seminar at the National Convention on Saturday regarding the Irish language. While immigrants can, are and will continue to make significant contributions to the Irish language, most particularly the children of immigrant parents who will grow up Irish, it is ultimately up to persons of ethnically Irish background, still the vast majority of people on this island, to lead the way with regards to the speaking and promotion of Irish.

As with the Irish Ferries scandal, it's not the immigrants, it's Irish people, and most specifically, Irish people in positions of power and influence, who are and will be the main players in deciding the outcome of this issue.

There is no fear of Irish dying out, nearly every household in Ireland has an Irish speaker.

Yeah, in every household there is someone who is able to say "dia duit" and "conas atá tú?". Now, how many Irish people are able to speak Irish fluently? There must be one in less than 10% of Irish families, I think. 5% of the Irish people, maybe (or even less)?

Ariel,

you may find it interesting to know that I've heard of iMeasc in the States. I think what you're doing is a great service and I wish you all the best and ever increasing membership

perhaps some day I will be joining you =)

(Message edited by antaine on April 20, 2006)

Well done to the unregistered guest who is in charge of that organization.. It sounds like a really neat group. I think that the above posts have a lot of truth to them. If the natively Irish people aren't preserving their language, speaking it all the time etc. then it won't be theoretically advantageous (except for a personal enrichment point of view) for immigrants to learn it. Immigrants will learn whatever language they must in order to survive in a new country. Their will always be some who learn Irish because they care and have an interest for it, but for a lot of them it will be seen as unnecessary unless the Irish themselves start speaking it more and using it in more business and other necessary areas of life.

Oh and slightly off the subject, I was wondering if TG4 puts Irish subtitles on the English movies it shows. If it doesn't then it really should or whats the point. Just thought someone who watches it might tell me.


Beir bua agus beannacht.

There are lot of poorly thought out messages in this threat. Sayitaintso believes that Muslim immigration will boost Irish. Ok...so, flood the Gaeltacht with Algerians, and wait for the upsurge in Gaelic. I am afraid the comment that Muslims anywhere want to assimilate is well-meaning, but stupid and ignorant. Ask Theo van Gogh in Holland.

On to Jonas: Finland is one of the blissful countries of Europe that is not multi-cultural. The number of foreigners in Finland is less than 2%, and most of those are Russians and Estonians. There is a tiny minority of people from outside Europe, and my favourite party, Perussuomalaiset, is doing its best to keep it that way. There are immigrants in Jakobstad, Jonas' hometown, but very, very few, especially of the non-European variety. There aren't even a lot in Helsinki (compare London, where British people will be in the minority in 10 years time, and British and Irish children in Inner London already form no more than 25% of schoolchildren). Yes, Jonas is right that immigrants have to learn the dominant language of society, so in Jakobstad they learn Swedish, which is much easier for them than learning Finnish, and if Ireland were wholly Gaelic-speaking they would learn Gaelic. But it is the case that Gaelic is now a "heritage" language in Ireland. Ireland now speaks English, the language of globalisation, and the only reason to learn Gaelic is to preserve one's ancestral heritage. Just as in Jakobstad, immigrants in Dublin, Cork etc, will learn the dominant language - English - and it will gradually be perceived as increasingly non-PC to take interest in Ireland's heritage. It is already non-PC in England to take interest in England's heritage, and large numbers of non-European immigrants will force the same cultural shift in Ireland. Gaelic will be the casualty. My prediction: the last native or neo-native speakers of Irish will be found in 200 years' time in Northern Ireland only.

Antaine is right: Gaelic could become a badge of Irish identity and a way of defending Ireland against incomers. I hope so anyway. Defending one's culture is not intolerance, and opposing immigration running at a level of 160,000 in the 21 months to April 2006 (in a country of 3.7m people) is not intolerance. It is basic survival. Antaine poses as an Irish patriot, but it seems he would welcome the complete expropriation of the Irish nation by refugees and economic migrants. Antaine, you have the cheek to tell me about England's misdeeds in Ireland, while hoping that Irish people for the first time in thousands of years are reduced to a minority in their own country??

Please avoid the use of political polemics and rhetoric.

As mentioned in another recently closed thread, there are discussion boards dedicated to the subject of Irish/English politics and this isn't one of them.

Caoimhín

I didn't say that at all. I'd actually like to see Ireland get out of the EU specifically because of the immigration issues it has produced but don't see that happening due to the economic benefits many feel they receive from being a member.

I'd like to see the Irish language bolstered. My comment was that it seems unfortunate that xenophobia should become the vehicle for it. I was disappointed to find my entire hotel in the Gaeltacht this past June staffed entirely with immigrants.

Believe me, if that's what it takes to give everyone a kick in the arse and get them to take some pride in their language and culture and reform immigration laws to protect them both then so be it. Citizens in the ROI for the most part seem to have grown complacent (in much the same way we have in the US) due to years of prosperity and generations of peace. It takes a threat to those things every so often to prevent people from taking them both for granted.

sorry, I was typing as you were, Caoimhin

A DJW agus a Antaine,

You both have got really good points I see truth in both of your positions, though I hope that Irish doesn't go the way of death in 200 years or sooner as DJW predicts. Antaine, I really agree with the things you said about the EU, don't get me started on that subject, Caoimhin would have a fit for sure. I want to apologize for being such an amadan on the thread that got closed. I was so preoccupied by a translation I needed to attempt of something Seosamh wrote on another thread, that I got the signage thread mixed up with the 1998 thread. So that is my explanation for babbling on about road signs, I wasn't paying heed to what was going on. I tried to say it there but Caoimhin closed it while I was typing and it didn't get in.

I think that immigration is a really tough subject. Immigrants made America what it is and so obviously I'm not opposed to it, I wouldn't be here. But at the same time I see a definite need to not just let so many people in at once that everything goes into chaos, which could happen with the Irish language unless Irish people speak it and thus immigrants learn it.

Beir bua agus beannacht

Riona,

your post in the 1998 thread has been relocated to it's intended subtopic.

Caoimhín

Go raibh maith agat a Chaoimhin, that's sweet of you to do that for me.

Beir bua agus beannacht.

'every household has an Irish speaker’

So ridiculas as to warrant no discussion

“There is too much invested in the Irish language for it to die out now”

Evidently you see no different between native Irish and cúpla focal

Antaine,
It has been pointed out before that almost no new gaelscoileanna are been set up, and indeed the numbers are slowing down. More people might want to get into them, but the number of schools opening is slowing very quickly due to government policy not to support them

Multicultural schools are all glass and steel and a very different story to the run down prefabs that are excuses for school where irish is taught (modern day hedge schools)

“The government has spent hundreds of millions on it”

No 100s of millions in Irish speaking areas on roads etc which was their duty.

Remember Eammon Ó Cuiv saw no irony in after passing the rule on signs in the gaeltacht, and then opening a new road on Achaill Mór whose sign posts by the government were monolingual English only. Anyway, Ó Cúiv looks like he has some condition.

‘The New Irish’ is a sick and twisted term, with no merit. It is patronising too, as it suggest they have no special cultural features of their own, only urban and boring and homogenous, like Dublin

“highly-fluent Irish-speaking immigrants in Ireland today”

Once again, there is no measure provided of fluency. Native is the datum –everything else is pigeon

“Irish people in positions of power and influence, who are and will be the main players in deciding the outcome of this issue.”

They decided in the 19th century (the new Catholic Ascendancy and who are still in power) what their positions on Irish was/is. Don’t look to them for anything

“My prediction: the last native or neo-native speakers of Irish will be found in 200 years' time in Northern Ireland only.”

A very compelling idea –and one that if things don’t change, I see as been very likely

Seafóid.

Just in response to the comment "Once again, there is no measure provided of fluency. Native is the datum –everything else is pigeon" in relation to my description of the people in iMeasc, ("highly-fluent Irish-speaking immigrants in Ireland today")

I, as elected Chairperson of the Network, effectively measure the fluency of the people in iMeasc. It is primarily for fluent speakers of Irish, and I confirm with absolute confidence and no small expertise in the matter (I've been a professional qualified translator to Irish for the Irish state sector for several years now and have been accepted onto no less than three post-graduate university courses in Irish translation), that not only are the people to whom I refer very, very far advanced from the level of 'pigeon Irish', quite a number have native speaker capability in Irish, to the extent that many, speaking in Irish, are actually taken be such from time to time.

I hope this clarifies the mattter to Robert's satisfaction. Fáilte roimhe scríobh as Gaeilge ar an bhfóram seo freisin, glacaim leis...

Fair enough Ariel; please take it for what it is -a measurement issue.

May i ask, what time spans were involved in your members becoming fluent?

My interests are in second language aquisition, and my scepticism, you might understand, arises from the tendency for people to set very low bars when it comes to minority languages, much lower than say for larger ones, perhaps out of not having to test themselves agaist beurocracy, prestige models etc

A Sheomsaimh,

céard atá an tseafóid?

An bhfuil tú fearg mar rinne mé an chuid cainte faoi na gaelscoileanna? Ní dúirt mé "gaelscoileanna: bruscar na hÉireann".

Na pointí eile? Ceapaim go bhfuil gach pointe ceart; bhuel, cuid mhaith acu...

Anyway, ní maith liom a dhéanamh troid leat!

Tá obair mhaith ar bun in áiteanna go leor ar fud Éireann agus cainteoir maithe Gaeilge den scoth ag triall orainn chomh maith le muintir na Leath-Ghaeilge. Tarlaíonn an obair mhaith sin i ngan 'fhios an chuid is mó den am. Ar an lámh eile, samhlaítear gur cineál Neamh ar thalamh í an Ghaeltacht.

Caithfear a thuiscint nach amháin nach Gaeilge den scoth atá ag go leor d'aos óg na Gaeltachta ach nach cainteoirí dúchais Gaeilge go leor den dream céanna. Bíonn sí sa teach acu ach ní labhraíd í lena muintir.

Nuair a breacadh síos na dea-leabhra glún ó shin, is ó na cainteoirí ab fhearr a bhí thart san am a breacadh na scéalta is na hamhráin. Má fheiceann sibh an tuiseal tabharthach áite go rábach i Múscraí, in Iorras, nó in Acaill 60 bl. ó shin de réir leabhair, ciallaíonn sé go ndeachaigh an teangeolaí chuig an gcainteoir ab fhearr san áit. Gach seans go raibh urlabhra an teach in aice láimhe trína chéile agus gach teach eile uaidh sin amach a fhad leis an nGalltacht.

Bíonn barraíocht de reic na réamhshamhlaíochta ar bun measaim, (= plátáil = stereotyping) i gcás na Gaeltachta is na Galltachta araon. Tá an fhírinne róchasta dó sin.

Na daoine seo in Imeasc, fágaim, is scoth na gcainteoirí iad agus níorbh fhéidir cuid díobh a dhealú le lucht a gcomhaoise sa Ghaeltacht, ach go ndéarfá, b'fhéidir, go bhfuil a gcuid Gaeilge róchruinn le bheith ina gcainteoirí dúchais Gaeilge!

Cainteoirí maithe na Gaeltachta, táid buartha faoina bhfeicid ina dtimpeall, sa Ghaeltacht agus sa Ghalltacht. Ní easpa misnigh amháin atá ar chuid acu, ach tá cumha anois orthu gur féidir lena gcomharsain thart orthu an slabhra gan briseadh sin, caint a muintire rompu, a scaoileadh uathu chomh furasta sin. An rud a tharla i Longfort 150 bliain ó shin, tá sé ag tarla fós le himeall thiar na tíre faoi dheireadh.

Is é is lú is gann dúinn a dhéanamh, gach éinne againn, an chéad fhocal eile a fhoghlaim is a bheith le clos inár n-urlabhra feasta. Tá dea-chomharthaí chomh maith le drochthaobh an scéil, cuimhnímis agus molaimis a chéile is misnímis a chéile. Is cuid den scéal sinne go léir anseo, dá laghad ár gcuid Gaeilge. Coinnímis misneach agus is féidir linn gníomh a dhéanamh.
Fágaimis marbh an t-éadóchas. Níl aon mhaith ann. Ní shaighdfidh an t-éadóchas amach as an teach sinn le buíon chomhrá Gaeilge a eagrú.

>> cainteoirí maithe Gaeilge

Ar an láimh eile

agus urlabhra gach teach eile uaidh

an chéad fhocal is an nath eile a fhoghlaim is a bheith le clos inár n-urlabhra feasta.

It varies from language to language, but essentially a learner can be more or less fluent in a language with a vocabulary of around 10,000 words. Native speakers will have a vocabulary of around 50,000 words. Ariel is saying that the speakers he knows - far from representative of new migrants to Ireland, of course (which is why this is all rather silly) - have a vocabulary in Irish of 50,000 words.

DJW-
I dont believe that Irish will be reborn thanks to muslim immigrants, I was mearly saying that immigrants are learning Irish to help support the culture they are entering. Meaning that Irish does have a chance with these increasingly higher numbers of immigration.

About the statement i made earlier that 'Ireland has at least one Irish speaker in each household'
Think about it, it may not be that unreasonable to think that.
As of now, there are 847,677 0-15 year olds in Ireland. Im not going to include the ages of 16-18 because in Ireland you can leave school at age 16. So lets say 800,000 are enrolled in school, they are learning Irish; as their parents did before them. Their parents will still have some knowledge im sure of the language. Thats alot of Irish speakers as you can see. And the further along in education the children are, the greater knowledge they have. I left Ireland when i was 12, and I was really capable of speaking it and had a good command of the language. If i had stayed until i was at least 17 I can safely say I'd probably be very near fluent, as many of my friends in Ireland are.
Obviously not every household in Ireland is going to have an Irish speaker, but there are huge numbers of Irish speakers in Ireland, weither or not they use it day to day or at all.

"It has been pointed out before that almost no new gaelscoileanna are been set up, and indeed the numbers are slowing down."

I seem to recall last summer the opening of several new schools meant that finally every county had at least one for the following (this past) september... The enrollment numbers were higher than any from previous years (31,000 if I remember correctly)

A reality check please on the subject of the Irish language.
1.Our primary teachers cannot teach the proper language.
2.The Minister fo Education is "thinking about" classroom assistants who can speak and pass the language on to the next generation.
3.Many pupils/The vast majority are still leaving secondary
school without a grasp of the spoken/written word.
4.The language is a means to an End i.e gaining entry points to higher education establishments.
5.Any teacher who thinks "most households" have some Irish speaker is a "LIAR".
6.There is more Polish,Lithuanian, Urdu/Punjabi , Mandarin/Cantonese spoken in Ireland today than Irish.
7.Immigrants to Ireland are not the new Irish, they are migrants and should be so until they get citizenship.
8.Why do the children of immigrants give their loyalty to the country of the forefathers and not to the country of Birth? How many "English/Scots Born " declared for Rep of Ireland.Why do so many children of Carribean parents born in Britain declare for the "Old Country".
9.Why should children of immigrants learn a language that "has no connection" with their roots or their futures.
10.I cannot see us in Ireland having the variety of "Gaeilgeoirs" reading the news or in the media using Irish as is the case in Britain i.e Darren Jordan, Trevor McDonald,Moira Stewart,Zena Badawi.
11.How can we teach Gaeilge to Foreigners if we cannot teach it to our own in 15 years of schooling.Sin scéal eile

quote:

10.I cannot see us in Ireland having the variety of "Gaeilgeoirs" reading the news or in the media using Irish as is the case in Britain i.e Darren Jordan, Trevor McDonald,Moira Stewart,Zena Badawi.

Tá Alex Hijmans - ísealtíreach - ag scríobh do Foinse le blianta.

But most of your other points are regretably valid.

Some immigrants will take an interest and become fluent. Most won't, coloured by the attitude of the Irish around them.

But immigrants will have the advantage of already being fluent in two or more languages - which is an advantage in learning other languages.

Just in relation to the following points:

.Why should children of immigrants learn a language that "has no connection" with their roots or their futures.

I am from Australia and it was compulsory to learn French, German and Indonesian. Living in Ireland, whether they use it or not, Irish is more relevant for reasons including potential work opportunities, understanding the history behind roadsigns and placenames and gaining a greater insight into Ireland and Irish culture. No matter what their background - they will still be living in Ireland so Irish is of relevance, in the same way we were taught Latin or French to help us understand the world around us, even if we wouldn't speak it or had no cultural connection to either language.

10.I cannot see us in Ireland having the variety of "Gaeilgeoirs" reading the news or in the media using Irish as is the case in Britain i.e Darren Jordan, Trevor McDonald,Moira Stewart,Zena Badawi.

That is your own limited imagination. Already we have had Alex Hijmans and also myself (although not too recently) working in Irish-language media for over ten years. The diversity and standard of engagement with the Irish language of other fluent Irish-speaking immigrants would also lend some weight against this argument. Also with our research showing some children of Immigrant parents doing very well with Irish at school, particularly those from Arabic-speaking backgrounds, I would expect more diversity to present itself over the years.

Also, it may be of interest to note that Metro Éireann, the main national newspaper (monthly) for immigrants and covering immgrant issues, has just launched two pages in Irish, sponsored by Foras na Gaeilge. This is to be a continued presence in the newspaper, and it would be read by a wide range of 'average' immigrants from a multitude of backgrounds.

just a note on Irish in North America (not just America): here in Canada, as everyone knows, there has been a Scottish Gaelic gaeltacht for over 400 years (?), but no Irish one. Plans have arisen in the Irish speaking community here (estimated 20,000) to built a permenant Gaeltacht, and most of the construction money and has already been collected. Not too far in the future Irish will have another foothold in the world, and with its expansion I believe will come reknewed interest and strength in native speakers in Ireland.

http://www.wwav.ca/gaeltacht/index.html

Ariel, I am sure that many immigrants could learn Irish well if they wanted to, and that some do, have done so and will continue to do so. However, you are avoiding the thrust of my argument. Will creation of an Irish-minority Ireland be accompanied by the cultural changes we have witnessed in countries such as Britain where traditional culture is now roundly condemned? I am sure policies that seem likely to make the Irish a minority in their homeland will threaten all sorts of traditional culture, including the Irish language. Watch out for "news" stories about "racism" in the Gaeltacht, as the government seeks to impose multiculturalism on all districts. Ultimately, Ireland is becoming less Irish, and rapidly so. Nothing you say, or conceal, can disguise that reality.

>> A reality check please on the subject of the Irish language.

Cén fáth nach mbeadh athmhachnamh ar bun ag Mickrua (sic) ar Mhick Rua é féin in áit scaoileadh lena éiginnteacht i dtaca leis an teanga is aroile abhus agus a fhágáil faoi Ariel na hAstráile misneach éigin a chur ann?


As to the matter of rascism, a matter which never absents itself entirely from some tendentious posters mails, racism has never been a stranger to Irish shores. Aithnímid níos túisce ná cuid díobh seo a ardaíos glór ina thaobh go minic - hence we recognize it only too easily and very often sooner than some of those who are the first ones to preach about it.

Mar a dúirt Amhlaoibh Ó Súilleabháin romhainn faoin mbl. 1831:
'-- Is clos dom gurb í an teanga Ghaelach is teanga mháthartha i Montserrat san India Thiar ó aimsir Oilibher Cromaill, noch do dhíbir cuid de chlanna Gael ó Éirinn gusan Oileán sin Montserrat. Labhartar an Ghaeilge ann go coiteann le daoine dubha agus bána. Maise mo ghrá croí na díbearthaigh bhochta Ghaelacha.
Cia dubh bán iad is ionúin liomsa clanna Gael' (de Bhaldraithe, T. 1976, 84-85).

Mar a scríobhas cheana, is ionúin liom féin iad clanna Gael ar neamhchead d'fholaíocht, do dhath, do chúlra. Tá meanma an duine i gceist (seachas colainn, ina cruth nó ina dath) agus tá dílse do shaíocht na tíre seo i gceist seachas luí le déithe bréige na hEorpa is na Criostaíochta. 'Is í an teanga cuisle na treibhe' dar liom féin. Chuala an abairt sin ag Peadar Ó Riada i Ros Muc nuair a craoladh Teilifís na Gaeltachta i gcéaduair, breis is 15 bl. ó shin.

Ina nutshell, 'I love the Irish whether they are black or white'
This may displease those who wish to maintain Ireland for caucasians, redhaireds, or whatever, but language is the determinent as far as I'm concerned. 'Language after all, is the social fact par excellence' (de Fréine, S., 1965, 75).

Is fear dubh mise mé féin - I, Seosamh Mac Muirí am a black man myself and I get blacker as the summer goes on.

Don't look to the USA for help with this one. The influx of (mostly Mexican) "undocumented workers" (ILLEGAL immigrants in the real world) have all but forced the nation to having everything posted in English and Spanish, including legal notices and paperwork, translators in courts of law, and so much more. English is going to go away in the USA at this rate. Immigrants are being catered to and everyone else (those born here and speak English) will have to blend in with the new arrivals.

What's wrong with this picture?!?

Moth

"Is fear dubh mise mé féin "

I thought 'black man' in Irish was 'fear gorm' (blue man). That's what I was taught in class last Tuesday.

Bhí an ceart acu a Cheolmhair, is fear gorm a bhí faoi thrácht agaibh ar scoil an lá cheana.

Is fear dubh mé féin ach ní abróinn gur 'blue man' mé.

Well said Seosamh! It took me over an hour of looking in my Foclóir to figure out your post but it was worth it.

I respectfully disagree with Mothrae's post. I don't know what state you (Mothrae) happen to live in, but here in New Mexico, Spanish has been spoken for hundreds of years prior to the arrival of any English speakers; and the Native American languages have been here even longer. To a native New Mexican, English seems more like a foreign language here than Spanish.

Just a quick note to throw into the conversation,
according to wikipedia an estimated 500,000-5,000,000 people speak Irish worldwide, this language wont die out, my french teachers parents who live in France in Bretagne (sp?) speak Irish and French as they live in a mixed community. Its not as rare as you think to speak Irish.

Regarding Immigration:
I live in a relatively small Irish town which has seen a huge amount of immigration in recent years and I must say I think there is going to be serious trouble here in the future. There is not one single individual I know or know of here (suprising but the honest truth) who is happy with this situation. An intense resentment is growing every day, even amongst people from whom I never would have expected such sentiments (young people, people working in caring professions etc). We seem to have absolutely no say in what happens to our country. People are scared to speak their minds for fear of being branded a 'racist' or 'Nazi' and I think in time we will see violence directed towards immigrants as people feel they have no other way of making thier dissatisfaction known.

(Message edited by James_Murphy on April 27, 2006)

James Murphy, you are absolutely right. And if people are afraid to speak out, then your freedom has already gone. And US posters on this list would be shocked to know how people in Europe are being imprisoned for their opinions. A man in England went to prison for 6 month for shouting "go back home" outside a mosque - comments I agree with entirely - and on the following day a judge refused to imprison a paedophile, telling the victim's family to try to understand him. Do you think it couldn't happen in Ireland????

What is Seosamh Mac Muirí tryin to tell us? The only meaning I can extract from his post is that his mother was an immigrant from Africa or the Caribbean. Is that the correct inference? I totally oppose such immigration. No. No. No. The Irish language is not more important than Irish national survival per se. It is not going to survive with immigration anyway, but to argue that "it's OK - a historic nation that has held its territory for thousands of years back to Palaeolithic times is gonna be a minority in its own country, but, the good news, folks, is that the Africans, Asians etc are gonna learn Irish" is ridiculous. Ireland will be a very different place once the immigrants are in charge - if you think they will treat the native Irish with kid gloves, you are dreaming...

Really interesting discussion on immigration and its effects. It is a huge topic in America right now, as well as Ireland. The difference is that America is mostly (with the exception of Native peoples who were here before us) of immigrants. The trouble now is that we have huge numbers of illegal people comming in and using all our resources. I think immigration in America is just fine as long as people come in legally, that's great and all. But people aren't supposed to be here and they're using our resources and draining the system that is whare I draw the line. I mean I can't just go to some other country and expect them to take care of me without the proper steps on my part, so I don't think that should be the case here. It is so nice to actually be able to talk about this in a place whare everyone won't hate me for saying it. I live in a very liberal city and so most people usually don't share my views on most subjects. I'm used to it and all, but still.

Beir bua agus beannacht.

when my brother went to study in russia for 6mos, he had to have a battery of blood tests showing he didn't have HIV and the like, and carry the results on his person at all times as he could be stopped by any official on the spot and have to produce them.

sounds like common sense to me anywhere

can't do that if you don't have a handle on whose coming in the country, or lack the political will to make the tough rules like that (or, in our case in the US, both).

A Sheosaimh,

your mother was Caribbean? This is the most hilliarious thing I have read this week ;)))

David Webb - your spectacular misunderstanding of people's irony is pitiful.

So Seosamh,
Not that it matters, but I want to know if your mother is really Carribean or if this is something figurative or of some sort of abstract significance and not to literal truth.

Beir bua agus beannacht

Róman, it may have been a misunderstanding. I did ask "is this the correct inference?"

Fear dubh - a dark haired or swarthy person.
Fear gorm - a person with what used to be termed "black" skin.

The Carribean comes into it because (Sorry Mr Webb - history following) when Cromwell invaded Ireland in teh 1640 some Irish people were sold into slavery in the Carribean, where they intermixed with African slaves.

Seosamh gave a passage from a 19th century diary, where the author says Irish was then still spoken by black and white, and concludes with the diarists remark "Cia dubh bán iad is ionúin liomsa clanna Gael" - whether black or white, I like/love all Gaels.

Seosamh agreed with those sentiments.

Aonghus, I don't mind history. Yes, I already knew that Montserrat was very Irish. But it seems that Seosamh's comment that he was a "black man" - stated in English above, and this does not mean dark haired - is not true. Black Montserratians who spoke Irish are no more "Gaels" than Jamaicans are English. Thank you for your explanation by the way. But: still, the original question of the thread asked for a forecast. I gave one - and nothing said in this thread has indicated that I need to revise my opinion.

David,

Seosamh only said that he is "fear dubh" what means "black-haired person". As I person who has met him personally, I can vouch that he is a "fear dubh". "Fear bán" for your information is not "white person", butr it is rather "blond/blonde" in English. I am "fear dubh" too for that matter, but beliemme my mother is neither Caribbean, nor African. So are you still confused?

Re migration and native language. The examples of "fear gorm" perfectly fluent in Irish in Conamara prove that colour of skin has nothing to do with Irish fluency. At the end of the day those 95% of Irish citizens who don't speak Irish, I bet, are not predominantly of immigrant legacy.

For sake of your racist views - take a trip to Malmo in Sweden. There you will see plenties, loads, bucketfuls of "fear gorm" all over the place, of whom are perfectly fluent in Swedish. It is not the immigrants who threaten the language survival - immigrants always speak the langauge of the host country (yes, even Latinos - in 2nd-3rd generation speak English). It is the ultimate ignorance of local natives that will break-or-make Irish language in the future.

Róman: Seosamh said in English that he is a black man. That has only one meaning in English: that he has African ancestors. No I am not still confused; clearly Seosamh is a white man.

This thread is descending into retardism I am afraid. There maybe a small number of black people fluent in Irish. So what? My argument is that Irish heritage issues, including the Irish language, will become more politically suspect as time goes on and the Irish people get closer and closer to minority status in their own country.

Whose racist views? Be careful what you say. If I chose to sue anyone for libel for statements made on the Internet, I would do so in the English courts. I hope you know it is very, very hard to defend yourself against a libel suit in the English courts, as the laws are stacked against you in a way that is not the case in any other jurisdiction. There is nothing racist about national survival - the assumption that it is is retardism.

Yes, I know many ethnic people in Sweden speak Swedish - it is the dominant language of Sweden, and as I said above if Gaelic were the main spoken language of Ireland all immigrants would learn it fluently. Malmo also has many no-go areas for the police - you chose not to mention that "positive" aspect of cultural diversity. Maybe you have never heard of Rinkeby Swedish! It is not a prestige dialect! You are refusing to connect with the idea that the "ultimate ignorance of the local natives" has already consigned Irish to the status of a heritage language, and the future majority inhabitants of Ireland will be hostile to that heritage - as are the ethnics of Malmo, in fact.

Caoimhín did say he didn't want politics in this thread, but nearly all participants have piled in with more and more politics. Anyway, this issue is very important. I can't allow retardism to have the final say.

David,

You are the prime exhibit of all what is wrong with Irish people's attitude towards the language. You treat Gaelainn as if it is some museum relic gathering dust under glass. And your role? To watch vigilantly that no "fear gorm" ever touches this "family silver".

First of all - Irish language doesn't belong to Irish people exclusively. As part of human heritage it belongs to all people living on this earth (how shocking!). May I remind you, that the biggest advantages in Celtology were done by Germans, Danes and other who devoted their lives to studies of Irish at the same time when 95% of Ireland's inhabitants' didn't give a damn. When the grammar of Old Irish was published people asked if it is Hebrew or smth. Treating Irish as an excavated exhibit will surely kill it. People have to SPEAK the language DAILY, teach through the medium of the language for it to survive. If all "fear gorm" went to Gaelscoileanna (again, how shocking!) - do you really doubt they would speak Irish as their primary language?

Secondly, don't blame immigrants for everything. Again if everybody spoke Irish, immigrants would speak Irish.So the fact is that with or without immigration Irish would face the same fate. If you think that your exhaulted opinion but not speaking it makes the language survival any more feasible - you are plainly wrong. Lip-service has never implemented anything.

(Message edited by Róman on April 28, 2006)

Róman, as a Lithuanian, you have not lived through the cultural change I have in England. I know what is coming in Ireland. In fact, I cannot wish it on you in Lithuania. But why not drop the thread and renew it in 20 years time??

I nGaelainn a chairde, sa bhliain 2026.

I must admit, I have detected a slight Carribean flavor in some of Seosamh's recent posts :)

Roman is right that if Irish people in Ireland don't speak Irish than there won't be any "practical" reason for immigrants to learn because they don't need to to get by. Of course some already do because they're interested and care aboutit. The people who live in Ireland must speak it all the time and then immigrants will follow suit. If one is considering speaking Irish as being a quintecential part of being Irish, then some (SOME) immigrants could be considered to be nearer to Irishness than the ethnically Irish themselves.

I think it's really neat when people who haven't got Irish in their blood learn Irish because it means that they have a genuine interest in it and that is very valuable, no matter what color someone's skin is. I think though that Roman might be taking some things out of proportion as far as DJW is concerned. I see why you might have read his posts as you did, but I doubt that he meant exactly what you're atributing to him.

And since I have dark hair and eyes, does that make me a bean dubh, that would be neat.

Beir bua agus beannacht

Wow. It sounds like you Irish people are very pessimistic about this. Has anybody listened to the diversity of radio stations? RTE, Ulster Radio has Casclár and Blas. I am not Irish myself, but love the Irish language. It's far more beautiful than my own, Norwegian.

About immigration. I intend to move to Ireland and work there myself. And I'm going to order an online course by gaeltalk.com for beginners and then when I go to Ireland to study later on I will continue with intermediate courses in Dublin, run by Gael Linn. I intend to become 100% fluent and attain a rich vocabulary! AND -- I will do all I can to promote the language!! :-)

Hope you Paddys don't mind that a Norwegian will invade your country. I'll be a good girl, I promise, and I will not read Polish news papers. :-)

Gaeltalk.com speaks with optimism concerning the future of Irish. A test concluded(as is said on that website) that a little above 1 million Irish people can speak Irish. There are various degrees of fluency among these I suppose, but it's a good number in my opinion!

Tír gan teanga,
tír gan anam.

How can one NOT love Irish? It's the most _sensual_ language ever!!!

Statistics indicate that the popularity of the language is increasing due to an increased awareness and appreciation of Irish culture and heritage anyhow.

A word of caution.

Please avoid the use of personal invective and name calling.

Invariably, it produces animosity, more responses in kind and, in the end, closed threads.

Caoimhín

Norwegiandame - FYI - The term "Paddies" is considered offensive by most Irish. It is a term widely used in England for Irish people and is not said with affection.

Oh, by the way, I just signed up with Gaeltalk last week and it's GREAT! They move along pretty fast (for me, anyway) and it is alot of work but it's fun and I'm really learning lots of Irish. At this rate, I will soon be able to write some of my posts in Irish and understand most of what everyone is saying. It'll sure be great when I am no longer reduced to writing in English on this forum!

"The term "Paddies" is considered offensive by most Irish."

I don't mind, shes just being friendly. :)

Norwegiandame, I don't like to hear anyone saying their own language is not beautiful. Surely for you Norwegian should be the most beautiful? Anyone, I can say for sure that Swedish is beautiful, but I don't know about Norwegian. Maybe you should learn Nynorsk?

If this forum is ruling the P word offensive, that's OK, I won't use it, but many Irish people in England do use it about themselves to humorous effect. There is a bookmaker (=a shop for betting on horseracers) called, hilariously, PaddyPower! I think it is good to laugh about oneself. Let us not be too purse-lipped.

A Ainnir Ioruach, beidh fáilte romhat.

The Northern Part of county Dublin - Fingal - is named after the norwegian blond foreigners who invaded, but were soon absorbed.

May you share their fate!

Norwegiandame meant no harm for sure. She seems like a fantastic person who wants to be a part of the country she's moving to. And I agree with her about 2 major points of importance to me. A), Irish is far more delicious and exquisite than my own language, and B), it is the most sentual language I've heard or probably ever will hear.

Beir bua agus beannacht.

Hei, Norwegiandame! Jeg liker at du er her med oss. Her er vi alle Paddies: også du! :-)

Snakker du på Irsk?

Ha det!

I didn't think she meant it to be offensive. I just wanted to let her know that it can be considered so and to be careful in her usage of the term

Alex Hijmans is a good Gaeilgeoir and he puts many of our own Irish born to shame but HE IS THE EXCEPTION not the rule.I cannot say anymoe on the subject.I think it illustrates my point succinctly.

>>>but HE IS THE EXCEPTION not the rule.

-- Eisceacht ab ea? Tá a leithéid níos líonmhaire i bhfad ná mar a shíleann tú. Is é an chaoi a bhfuil sé chun tosaigh dar leat, mar gur iriseoir é, ach ina dhiaidh sin féin, tá an-dream eachtrannach a bhfuil foirfeacht agus cruinneas Gaeilge thar na bearta acu ar fud an bhaill. Rinne mé eagarthóireacht ar cheann de na haltanna fada seo thíos agus thit sé isteach i m'intinn ag an am go raibh Gaeilge an údair chun tosaigh go mór ar dhream mór Gaeilgeoirí ar m'aithne. Níor leag sé cos in Éirinn go fóill, go bhfios dom.
Bean eile i measc na n-údar seo, labhraíonn sí Gaeilge lena fear Gaeilge agus is iomaí uair a chonaic thart ar Ghleann Cholm Cille sa Samhradh iad, bail ó Dhia orthu.

Níl éinne ar an liosta seo a leanas luaite faoi dhó agam:

http://www.beo.ie/2006-05/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2002-10/an_eoraip.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2002-07/an_eoraip.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2006-03/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2006-01/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2005-12/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2005-07/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2005-03/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2004-10/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2004-07/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2004-08/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2004-06/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2004-05/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2004-01/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2003-10/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2003-09/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2003-07/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2003-06/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2002-12/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2002-10/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2003-08/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2002-09/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2002-07/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2002-06/an_ghaeilge.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2002-01/aralt.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2001-10/ljubodrag.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2001-08/erik.asp

http://www.beo.ie/2001-05/minnesota.asp

For those of you who don't follow the drift above, just click on the links for perfect Irish articles written by non-Irish born authors, a few of them having yet to set foot in Ireland.

There are others.

Léigh thuas mar:

.... labhraíonn sí Gaeilge lena fear céile ...

Folks! No, no, no! I had NO idea that "Paddy" was offensive! I've always thought it was a very charming nickname!! I meant no offense. Whenever I call an Irish "Paddy" I mean to be FRIENDLY. I think "Paddy" is very cute actually and I'd love to be a "Paddy" myself some day! Irish citizenship, here I come!

Riona, thanks for your kind words. You're right: I do want to be a part of Ireland.

David Webb, Nynorsk is an invented Norwegian language. It was made by some lunatic in the 1800's. It's a horrible, horrible language, but anyone who speaks Norwegian understands it. It's like a different dialect that's all. Believe it or not, Norwegian is my 1# most hated language.

Aonghus, was that a compliment?

Pangur_dubh, I speak a little Irish. Am going to do Gaeltalk-course and that will hopefully give me the confidence to write posts in Irish. I'm still a beginner and understand a lot, but I need some training.

(Message edited by norwegiandame on May 07, 2006)

quote:

A word of caution.

Please avoid the use of personal invective and name calling.

Invariably, it produces animosity, more responses in kind and, in the end, closed threads.

Norwegiandame is a friend of mine, and I assure you that her comment was made in a positive, friendly sense, and should not be taken as offensive at all.

I personally was not aware that "Paddy" was offensive. I always thought it was used as a "cute", friendly term, but now I know. Huh.


And Cecilie... I'm sorry, but det Norsk språk is Beautiful!! Someone needs to start a Daltaí na Norsk to save it, considering the Norwegian opinion of it... I don't understand why Norwegians have such a low opinion of their language.

That comment was not intended as a caution to Norwegiandame, though, in retrospect, I see how it would have been read that way.

Caoimhín

It's unfortunate that so many people--not everyone, mind, but a very vocal portion--in Ireland (and elsewhere) are so threatened by immigration. I understand the desire to perpetuate one's native culture, but this is *not* mutually exclusive with a diverse society.

When I lived in Ireland, I took a beginner's Irish class with about 20 other students. One was Irish. The rest were from Europe, Africa, Asia...all over the place. All immigrants. All of whom liked and respected the language enough to study it.

I also taught a six-year-old Chinese girl who lived in Dublin. Despite the fact that she was an immigrant, she spoke great English--and she spoke much better Irish than any of her Irish-born classmates. (This is not to criticize the latter, just to point to the fact that children who are already bilingual will have an easier time learning additional languages.)

I'm not saying that every person who emigrates to Ireland will learn the language. But some will. And their children--already bilingual--will be raised with Irish through the national school system.

This is hardly the first wave of newcomers to make it to Ireland. I'm excited about a future where Ireland has more fluent speakers of Irish *and* great Chinese food.

(Message edited by julia on May 07, 2006)

quote:

Aonghus, was that a compliment?

Yes! The language belongs to anyone who cares to learn it.

Aonghus, I'm sorry. I thought you meant 'absorbed' like they died. And that I was welcome to share the same fate. Sorry, I must have misread your post! Thanks a lot anyway! :-)

Julia, I'm not sure I share your optimism. Maybe I sound a bit racist, but Chinese culture and Irish language? They don't really fit together. In my humble opinion though.

Ah, I see. No, like the Normans after them, they (after some wars, of course) became more Irish than the Irish themselves. That was what I meant.

That's wonderful!
I hope that will happen to me. ;-)

http://www.unison.ie/westmeath_examiner/stories.php3?ca=40&si=1605471&issue_id=1 3977
There's a story here about a new Gaelscoil in Mullingar. I can't find the follow-up story online but it talks about the huge interest of Polish people and people from Eastern Europe who now live in the town in learning the language. Many of them have already signed up their children.

The best shop for displaying signs outside and inside in Irish is a chipper and it was an Italian who went about putting everything in Irish as soon as he came to Mullingar.

Gabh mo leithsceal ach tá mé bródúil as an scoil nua seo i Muileann gCearr. Agus nach iontach an rud é nach gá brú a chur ar dhaoine an teanga a fhoghlaim ach go bhfuil an suim acu féin sa teanga.

Ní féidir liom an alt léadh, níl subscription agam. is trua san