Tá mé ag breathnú ar an web-teilifís anois.

http://beo.tg4.ie/main.aspx?level=V2011&content=482912997377
(Le Fotheideal - with subtitles)

http://beo.tg4.ie/main.aspx?level=V2011&content=482523140097
(Gan Fotheideal - without subtitles)

Out of curiosity, how would ye rate their Irish?

Tá an triúr acu ar fheabhas. The three of them are excellent. Fluent, rapid delivery of technical material, well prepared and well argued, point after point, no mugadh magadh ... A long serious debate. Caithfidh mé a rá gur bhaineamar an-sásamh as mar dhíospóireacht. An-chreidiúint ag dul don triúr acu agus don Chathaoirleach, Eimear Ní Chonaola. Sár-chainteoir í Eimear. Foghraíocht álainn chruinn aici agus teilgean bródúil láidir. Cá bhfuarthas í.

This debate could never have been held before. W.T.Cosgrave couldn't have spoken so well, nor could John A. Costello, Lemass, Haughey, nor Bertie Ahern. James Dillon couldn't have done it. Neither could Dick Spring, Albert Reynolds, nor John Bruton. Éamonn Gilmore, Enda Kenny, and Micheál Martin will go down in history. The next step is a regular Dáil debate in Irish and not just about Irish. Didn't Michael McDowell read an Act into the record as Gaeilge.

This evening's debate will put it up to future aspirants to the Dáil and Government.

Boy have we come a long way. Good for TG4. Mo cheol is mo sheacht ngrá sibh.

An chead ceim den Straiteis 20 Bhliain i mo thuairim agus d'eirigh go mor leis. Eachtra stairiuil ab ea e agus chuir se an athas an domhain orm chun e a fheiscint.

"This debate could never have been held before."

B'shin a bhí ar intinn agam agus mé ag breathnú ar an gclár ar líne.

Caithfidh mé a rá go raibh mé bródúil as an triúr a ghlac páirt sa díospóireacht. Rith sé liom go raibh an triúr thar a bheith sásta bheith páirteach inti mar chruthaigh siad dóibh féin go bhfuil a leithéid indéanta agus, go fiú, inmhianaithe.

Sa lá inniu is féidir traidisiún a bhunú láithreach má tá bunús sna meáín chumarsáide leis. Tá súil agam go bhfuil a leithéid de thraidisiún i dtaobh na díospóireachta i nGaelainn de bunaithe ón oíche seo ar aghaidh.

Beidh sé deacair gan díospóireacht i nGaelann a chur san áireamh amach anseo.

Go deimhin.

quote:

Didn't Michael McDowell read an Act into the record as Gaeilge.

He introduced a Bill in the Seanad through Irish. And was roundly condemned by Marty Raftery in the Irish Times for it - she alleged he was trying to hide something by introducing it in Irish.

http://debates.oireachtas.ie/seanad/2006/03/02/00006.asp

As I recall, this session was during Seachtain na Gaeilge, which was why he used Irish.

(Message edited by aonghus on February 17, 2011)

Didn't get to see this :( Will watch online this eve but can I ask did anyone stand out? And do you think it has helped Gilmore's position at all? Even given him back his confidence somewhat?

For anyone else who missed the debate there is this article:

http://www.gaelport.com/sonrai-nuachta?NewsItemID=5659

Tá meas agam orthu maidir leis an díospóireacht a rinne said. Is dóigh liom go gcuireann an díospóireacht sin an Ghaeilge chun cinn. Is rud maith é don teanga!

D'amharc mé air inniu faoi dheireadh. Maith don teanga, ach chuaigh sé rite liom éisteacht le cuid den tseafóid.

quote:

do you think it has helped Gilmore's position at all? Even given him back his confidence somewhat?

Ní raibh a fhios agamsa go raibh sé neamh-mhuiníneach as féin. Bhí sé an-teann sa díospóireacht. I hadn't known he had lost confidence in himself. Compared to EK he was streets ahead.

Early Friday morning on RTÉ when accosted by someone protesting at his proposal to release pupils from the obligation to study Irish at Leaving Cert EK's response was "Irish people don't like to be pushed into a corner. We're going to make it stronger." This is akin to saying "Ban it and they'll speak it!" as if removing Irish from its hard-won position in the Leaving Cert, the ultimate goal of 13 years' education, would improve its status. He's wielding an axe to one of Nationalist Ireland's primary objectives. I find it sad.

God help us if he becomes Taoiseach. God help Irish. I hope EK becomes a bit more "neamh-mhuiníneach" about his lazy unresearched ill-thought out "policy" over the next few days before we have to vote.