Connect with us

News

Irish in the North? What about Irish in the south?

Published

on

I

Incredibly, of all the issues that plague the political sphere north of the border, it’s the proposed Irish Language Act that is reportedly keeping Stormont shut down. Whether this is really a critical issue for Sinn Féin and the DUP or merely an exercise in points scoring is unclear but, either way, it is proving to be a major barrier to progress.

A poll carried out during the week on behalf of RTÉ’s Claire Byrne Live revealed that 54% of people in the south of Ireland believe that the Irish language should be protected in the North. 23% said it shouldn’t and 23% said they didn’t know.

I wasn’t overly surprised by the percentages but it did make me wonder: how many of those people who feel Irish should be respected elsewhere actually respect Irish themselves?

It seems to me that certain people only care about Irish when someone else tries to mess with it. Like a child with an old toy that they never use, as soon as someone else starts playing with it they want it back.

We’re quick to mock Americans who mispronounce Saoirse Ronan’s name, or British people who say Taoiseach incorrectly. It’s no wonder that we know the right pronunciation of Taoiseach. It’s the only Irish word many of us utter from one year to the next.

In fact, worse than merely abandoning it, many Irish people actually treat our native language with contempt. How many times have you heard someone saying that they hate Irish, before blaming it on “the way it’s taughtä”?

I’ve never bought that excuse personally. I’m not saying the methods used to teach Irish are perfect; they weren’t in my day and I’m sure they certainly weren’t in generations past.

I used to teach English as a foreign language in Asia and my Irish colleagues and I would often reflect that if we were introduced to Irish the way our students were introduced to English – in an entertaining manner and with a focus on practical conversation - we’d all be fluent Gaelgeoirs.

But blaming the schools is a cop out in my opinion. It’s a societal problem. As a nation, our attitude towards languages is terrible - being native English speakers is a crutch that we insist upon using. The simple fact of the matter is that many of us think we can get away with just speaking English, so why bother learning anything else?

Catalan history and politics are not too dissimilar to ours. Franco’s regime banned the use of Catalan, just as the English outlawed Irish. In Catalunya, they can “get by” on Spanish if they want but, instead of shunning their own language, they embrace it.

The majority of countries put Ireland to shame. Many Europeans are at least bilingual, if not trilingual or quadrilingual. Are they smarter than us? Do they have some innate ability to learn multiple languages? Or is our outlook flawed?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not on my high horse here. I’m as bad as anyone else when it comes to speaking Irish, and I actually don’t mind languages. My Spanish is okay. I didn’t hate German in school and I picked up some Chinese when I lived in Beijing. The sad thing is, since finishing my leaving Cert I’ve probably used all of those languages more than I’ve used Irish, and I’ve lived in Ireland for the majority of my adult life.

How tragic is that?

So, for those people who think Irish should have special status in the North, it’s worth noting the following: Irish has special status in the south. It’s in our schools, in our courts and on our road signs. If none of us can be bothered to actually speak it, what’s the point?

 

Advertisement

News

New St author brings Fitzgerald’s story to life

Talented Killarney author Patrick O’Sullivan Greene, who has penned a fascinating book on the life and times of The Great Gatsby writer F Scott Fitzgerald, has said there is strong […]

Published

on

Talented Killarney author Patrick O’Sullivan Greene, who has penned a fascinating book on the life and times of The Great Gatsby writer F Scott Fitzgerald, has said there is strong anecdotal evidence that the great American wordsmith had Kerry roots.

There has been suggestions that Fitzgerald’s family can traced to Horse Island off Ballinskelligs and research is ongoing to determine if the famous novelist, essayist and short story writer gave any indication of his Kerry connection during his lifetime.
Patrick O’Sullivan Greene, formerly of New Street, Killarney and now residing in Beaufort, is the author of Gatsby: Death of an Irishman which was released in March to coincide with the 100th anniversary of publication of Fitzgerald’s most famous work.
O’Sullivan Greene’s research found that Fitzgerald (1896-1940) was initially deeply ashamed of his Irish connection but his views softened when he took an interest in revolutionary politics.
The Killarney man’s book guides the reader through F Scott Fitzgerald’s troubled upbringing, his quest for status, his ambivalence towards his Irish heritage, the socio-political climate of early 20th-century America and the careless jazz era excesses portrayed in The Great Gatsby.
The book peels back the intricate layers of Fitzgerald’s character, revealing the underlying themes of identity and self-rejection in his work, his shifting views of Irish issues and how his personal battles influenced his writing and contributed to his tragic life.
Patrick O’Sullivan Greene will deliver what promises to be an engaging talk on the life and times of F Scott Fitzgerald in the ANAM Arts and Cultural Centre in Killarney on Thursday, July 3 at 6.45pm.
Part of the Celebration of Irish and American Friendship programme, the free lecture is titled Revolution, Rejection and Revival and it will mark a celebration of 100 years of The Great Gatsby.
The event will also include a glamorous 1920’s dance spectacular, tuition on how to dance the Charleston and a live performance by Killarney’s own Liberace, Jack Patrick Healy. The master of ceremonies for the event will be Radio Kerry’s Brendan Fuller.
The author will also share the story of how F Scott Fitzgerald’s grandson, Thomas Manhan, came to Ireland to learn Irish following his graduation in 1964.

Continue Reading

News

U2’s The Edge among new Irish Citizens

U2 guitarist The Edge, whose real name is David Howell-Evans, was among over 7,500 people granted Irish citizenship this week at the INEC. The ceremonies took place on Monday and […]

Published

on

U2 guitarist The Edge, whose real name is David Howell-Evans, was among over 7,500 people granted Irish citizenship this week at the INEC.

The ceremonies took place on Monday and Tuesday this week
Applicants from over 143 countries and across all 32 counties on the island of Ireland are making a declaration of fidelity and loyalty to the State to become Irish citizens.
Seven ceremonies were held over the two days. Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan, is joined by Minister of State for Migration, Colm Brophy, and Minister of State for International Law, Law Reform and Youth Justice, Niall Collins.
“Today’s ceremony was very moving, the room was full of so many people, everyone from different backgrounds, with different stories. It was a privilege to be a part of it and to experience the collective joy as we all became citizens together. I moved to Ireland with my parents as a baby, so it’s not a stretch to say that this is long overdue! I have always felt Irish, Ireland will always be home to me and I’m so grateful for that,” said The Edge.
Ahead of the ceremonies, Minister O’Callaghan said:: “This ceremony marks an important milestone in the lives of those receiving Irish citizenship. For each new citizen it signifies a deep connection to Ireland, its values, and its people. Ireland welcomes our new citizens as full members of society, and their contributions will undoubtedly strengthen the fabric of our nation. I encourage all new citizens to continue to actively engage in their communities so that, together, we can build a thriving society.”
Minister Brophy congratulated the new citizens, adding: “Migration plays an essential role in Ireland’s development. It strengthens our economy, enriches our cultural diversity, and deepens our sense of solidarity. We are proud to welcome each new citizen as valued members of our communities.”
Judge Paddy McMahon was the Presiding Officer for the ceremonies. administered the Declaration of Fidelity to the Irish Nation and Loyalty to the State, where new citizens commit to observing Irish laws and respecting its democratic values.
The Citizenship Division has seen a significant increase in applications, processing over 20,000 in 2023 and nearly 31,000 in 2024, up from around 12,000 annually just over two years ago.

Continue Reading

Last News

Sport