http://www.gaelport.com/index.php?page=clippings&id=2437&viewby=date

quote:

The four-part television drama series set in Kerry during a general election, The Running Mate, is the best-kept secret in the country.

You would think that, in a nation as rich and as self-obsessed as ours, any sophisticated comedy about our political masters would be the talk of the place.

But no. The response to The Running Mate has been remarkably muted. Because it is in Irish, and broadcast on TG4.

Thaithin an ceann seo liom:

quote:

It's interesting to note the moments in which Irish speakers reach for an English phrase: 'over my dead body' for example. On the other hand 'the dirty, double-crossing whore' seems to trip off the tongue in Irish, which also has its own word for cod.

quote:

TG4, our Irish language station, is another story. Even those of us who abandoned the First National Language (along with our ink-stained copy of the hated Peig) find ourselves watching it much more than we expected to. For one thing it shows great westerns, and for another it shows great documentaries. And then there are the TG4 weather girls, who have done more to promote Irish amongst the urban male population than Pádraig Pearse ever did.

" It's interesting to note the moments in which Irish speakers reach for an English phrase: 'over my dead body' for example. On the other hand 'the dirty, double-crossing whore' seems to trip off the tongue in Irish, which also has its own word for cod."


ní thuigim céard atá i gceist aici anseo?

Cá bhfios. Tá leath dosaen slite leis an dá cheann deiridh a rá, ach is dócha nach bhfuil aon nath chomh suntasach le "over my dead body" againn sa Ghaeilge.

So when they show films in English (like above said Westerns) do they put Irish subtitles at the bottom so people can read along in Irish if they like?

Beir bua agus beannacht

No (not yet).

That's disappointing but I figured as much. I mean theoretically they don't "need" to do it but they really ought to so that people can read along and improve their language skills or just tune out the English and enjoy the film i nGaeilge.

Beir bua agus beannacht

I have to confess to being a real fan of the Running Mate.

Firstly it's very "real". The political parties are the real ones, not fictionalised; and Kerry South is a real constituency.

The twisting plot line is fascinating and the bilingual nature of the dialogue is more real than in Ros Na Run. (for example all the Dublin scenes are predominently in English)

The cast is execellent with old hands like Frank Kelly, a fine performance from Carrie Crowley and the superb Don Wycherly, one of the most naturally gifted stage and TV actors around (who is adding wonderfully to my stock of expletives as Gaeilge)

The fictional town of Carrigeen is of course An Daingean, and places Wine Strand, Clogher all feature in the story. The pub "Flynns" at the centre of the story is actually Longs (which is currently available for rent for all you would-be publicans)

I was in the new hardware store outside An Daingean last week, and one of the locals, who has appeared as an extra was taking a ribbing from one the shop assitants, being described as "an chead Colin Farrell eile".

Clar iontach ar fad - An Riogacht Abu!