Schism fears for Gaeilgeoirí
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2010/0116/1224262447899.html
Brian Ó Broin
The Irish Times
Saturday, January 16, 2010
A new survey indicates that Gaeltacht and urban Irish speakers are finding each other increasingly more difficult to understand. Could this rift further weaken the language?
Recently, I’ve been meeting a lot of urban speakers of Irish, and was thinking about the Government’s plan to boost the number of daily speakers of Irish from the current 83,000 to 250,000 within 20 years. A threefold increase in daily speakers is a bold proposal, and there’s little doubt that these speakers are going to have to come from the towns and cities, rather than from the Gaeltacht, whose entire population (including several solidly anglophone suburbs of Galway city) is currently 91,000.
This got me thinking. Is there a city version of the Irish language? And if there is, how different is it from Gaeltacht Irish? A conversation I recently had with a speaker from Limerick, who is raising her daughter in Irish, revealed a fascinating fact. She never listened to Raidió na Gaeltachta. Was it that it was a Gaeltacht station and irrelevant to her, I asked? Only partly, she admitted. It was actually because she found the presenters very difficult to understand.
Yet this woman spoke fluent Irish. How could a fluent speaker of Irish have such difficulty with the national Irish-language radio station? What did she listen to?
“Oh, the usual. RTÉ, Today FM, Live95.” Surely she listened to some Irish-language media. Maybe she watched TG4?
“No. Not TG4, sometimes Hector and the sports.” And she let her young daughter watch the kids’ programmes.
My conversations with Gaeltacht people met with a similar bias, but in the other direction. When presenters with so-called “school Irish” came on the radio, my Gaeltacht friends say they tend to tune out, finding the Irish unpleasant, or difficult to understand. They tolerate much of TG4’s output, but grimace or change channels when city speakers come on. As for the hordes of Irish-speaking teenagers and parents who descend on the Gaeltacht during the summer months, they absolutely prefer to speak English with them. They say that the city folks’ Irish is simply too strange.
As a linguist, I find this fascinating. The two groups, while nominally speaking the same language, have almost no points of contact. They prefer to tune each other out or speak English with each other, rather than use Irish together. This seems to have all the hallmarks of a separation.
Linguists tend to examine languages according to several criteria, and I decided to do a comparative analysis of the two types of Irish (Gaeltacht and non-Gaeltacht) using the most common of these criteria: pronunciation, word-order, word-formation, and vocabulary. To do this, I transcribed recordings of news reports compiled and read by Gaeltacht speakers on Raidió na Gaeltachta, and then by urban speakers on the two urban Irish-language stations, Raidió Fáilte in Belfast and Raidió na Life in Dublin.
Next I transcribed segments of chat shows from the different radio stations, in which the speakers were speaking freely. To avoid complicating matters, I chose the speakers at random, electing to ignore whether they were speakers who had learned Irish in the Gaeltacht or not. A comparison of the recordings unearthed significant differences in all areas of analysis.
Phonetics, or pronunciation, is a major feature of any language, and particularly so for Irish, which uses pronunciation to mark things such as the case of a noun or the tense of a verb. Since Irish has very many distinct phonetic features, I chose only three for comparative analysis: slender dentals (the initial consonants of “teas” and “tí”, for example), velar fricatives (the initial consonants of “chaisleán” and “Chonnacht”, for example), and palatal fricatives (the initial consonants of “cheann” and “chiseach”, for example).
Newsreaders on RnaG missed these features between 0 and 7 per cent of the time (that is to say, not much), while newsreaders on the urban stations missed them between 21 and 66 per cent of the time, a fairly significant number.
This demonstrates differences in pronunciation between Gaeltacht and city, and suggests a significant difference in the grammar used by Irish speakers in urban areas.
Most linguists agree that syntactic sophistication can be partially marked by the presence of subclauses in sentences. So, one might argue that “Peter died because he was sick” is more sophisticated than “Peter was sick and (then) he died”. A count of subclauses in the texts shows that newsreaders on RnaG produce eight subclauses for every 10 sentences, while their counterparts in urban stations produce five.
Gaeltacht speakers produce 15 subclauses for every 10 sentences, while their urban counterparts produce between six and eight. This is a considerable difference. Furthermore, urban speakers rarely nested subclauses within subclauses, while Gaeltacht speakers did so very frequently. The implications of this are quite serious, suggesting that the sentences of urban speakers are notably less sophisticated than those of their Gaeltacht counterparts.
Given all this, one might expect a lexical analysis of the texts to show that urban speakers have smaller vocabularies, but they actually seem to have much the same vocabulary as their Gaeltacht counterparts. For every 100 words used by a Gaeltacht newsreader, 66 are discrete (that is to say, not repeated). For the urban newsreader, the number is 68. The Gaeltacht speaker has 46 discrete words per 100, while his urban counterpart has 42. The conclusion is that speakers within and without the Gaeltacht have a similar range of vocabulary.
Interestingly, although language activists often decry the presence of English in the utterances of all Irish speakers, the highest level of English for any of the speakers was 4 per cent, from a speaker who used interjections such as “níl aon, really, excitement” and “you know, sin grand”.
This suggests, perhaps, that some (but not all) urban speakers are occasionally thinking partially in English, and translating what comes to mind on an ad-hoc basis.
Irish has a fairly sophisticated morphological system. That is to say, words can change form in several ways. The noun cainteoir, for instance, can mutate to gcainteoir, cainteora, chainteora, cainteoirí, and gcainteoirí, depending on its grammatical function. As we saw earlier, if the pronunciation of these mutations alters or fails, the entire grammatical system of the language becomes endangered.
When I analysed the expected morphological changes in the nouns of newsreaders, I found that newsreaders on RnaG, reading the news and speaking off the cuff, missed a fairly unremarkable 2 to 6 per cent. Newsreaders on urban stations, however, missed 40 per cent of expected changes.
In terms of expected pronunciation, the relaxed urban speakers missed almost every opportunity to lenite or eclipse (“séimhiú” and “urú”), usually failing, for example, to mark any masculine nouns that were in the plural or genitive. This is an extraordinary development, and the urban dialect of Irish seems to have not yet developed any strategies to deal with it.
Urban Irish doesn’t seem to be actually Anglicising, but it is different, particularly in the area of grammar. Some experts might be tempted to call this new entity a Pidgin. Although the term has negative connotations, there is some justification for it. A Pidgin is a relatively unstable language with simplified pronunciation and grammar, created on the fly for purposes of practical communication. By definition, it has no native speakers. Should the Pidgin persist into another generation and further, it gains native speakers, becomes known as a Creole, and develops the hallmarks of an independent language, including a stable grammar.
The number of Irish speakers in Ireland is increasing, according to all census and survey data, and yet the number of Gaeltacht speakers is falling. However, the city dialect of Irish seems not yet to have progressed beyond the level of a second language spoken mostly outside the home by activists, while Gaeltacht Irish is, at least for its broadcasters, a medium through which they are working and thinking for most of the day without the undue influence of other languages.
Language purists may claim this as more evidence that Irish is dying, but it must be most vigorously noted that this small study shows quite the opposite. The language is being spoken in all corners of the country (and abroad), and while it might be changing radically, particularly in this current generation, there is no evidence of it dying out. The good news is that there are urban Irish-language radio stations, and that they broadcast a wide variety of programmes directed primarily at young people. There were no such media 20 years ago, and this suggests that Ireland’s towns and cities are reaching a critical mass of second-language Irish speakers who want their own media.
If their language is to move beyond its current unstable stage, however, they will have to consider making the decision to raise their children through Irish.
Some, such as my Limerick friend, are already doing so, and we can only wait to see what sort of Irish the next generation of urban speakers will have. Will the urban variety become its own dialect of Irish, or grow further apart from its Gaeltacht cousin, becoming a Creole or new language?
Brian Ó Broin teaches linguistics and medieval literature at William Paterson University, New Jersey, US.
© 2010 The Irish Times
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
New Irish Language Newspaper and other news items that caught Mary's fancy
Foras na Gaeilge Announces New Irish Language Newspaper (Nov 20, 2009)
http://www.gaelport.com/default.aspx?treeid=37&NewsItemID=3432
"Foras na Gaeilge announced today (20th November) that they are to award the contract to provide a new weekly Irish language newspaper to Torann na dTonn Teoranta. Torann na dTonn Teoranta is a partnership between The Connacht Tribune of Galway city and Eo Teilifís a television production company based in An Spidéal, Co Galway."
Leagan Gaeilge: http://www.gaelport.com/sonrai-nuachta?NewsItemID=3432
New book tells a Polish tale for children as Gaeilge (Dec 3, 2009)
http://www.gaelport.com/default.aspx?treeid=37&NewsItemID=3520
"This is Laoise [Ní Chomhraí]’s second book in her Taisteal le Tarlach series. This latest instalment follows Tarlach on his way to Poland with his friend Adas."
Raj gets on his bike to promote Irish language (Dec 4, 2009)
http://www.gaelport.com/default.aspx?treeid=37&NewsItemID=3535
"Raj [Khan] arrived in Ireland in 2002 and, after watching a demonstration on Dublin calling for Irish to be officially recognised as working language of the European Union, he developed an interest in the language."
http://www.gaelport.com/default.aspx?treeid=37&NewsItemID=3432
"Foras na Gaeilge announced today (20th November) that they are to award the contract to provide a new weekly Irish language newspaper to Torann na dTonn Teoranta. Torann na dTonn Teoranta is a partnership between The Connacht Tribune of Galway city and Eo Teilifís a television production company based in An Spidéal, Co Galway."
Leagan Gaeilge: http://www.gaelport.com/sonrai-nuachta?NewsItemID=3432
New book tells a Polish tale for children as Gaeilge (Dec 3, 2009)
http://www.gaelport.com/default.aspx?treeid=37&NewsItemID=3520
"This is Laoise [Ní Chomhraí]’s second book in her Taisteal le Tarlach series. This latest instalment follows Tarlach on his way to Poland with his friend Adas."
Raj gets on his bike to promote Irish language (Dec 4, 2009)
http://www.gaelport.com/default.aspx?treeid=37&NewsItemID=3535
"Raj [Khan] arrived in Ireland in 2002 and, after watching a demonstration on Dublin calling for Irish to be officially recognised as working language of the European Union, he developed an interest in the language."
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Foinse in print again
Foinse in print again (Nov 17, 2009)
http://www.gaelport.com/default.aspx?treeid=37&NewsItemID=3387
"The secret is out- a new version of Irish language newspaper, Foinse, will be available in print again as of tomorrow morning, 18 November as the newspaper is set to be distributed every Wednesday free in the Irish Independent."
http://www.gaelport.com/default.aspx?treeid=37&NewsItemID=3387
"The secret is out- a new version of Irish language newspaper, Foinse, will be available in print again as of tomorrow morning, 18 November as the newspaper is set to be distributed every Wednesday free in the Irish Independent."
Friday, June 26, 2009
Irish language paper closes
Irish language paper closes (June 26, 2009)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8120355.stm
"Ireland's largest Irish language newspaper, Foinse, has closed down.
"The paper which was published weekly on Saturdays had been struggling since 2007.
"It is the second Irish language newspaper to fail in the last seven months - Lá Nua was closed in December 2008."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/8120355.stm
"Ireland's largest Irish language newspaper, Foinse, has closed down.
"The paper which was published weekly on Saturdays had been struggling since 2007.
"It is the second Irish language newspaper to fail in the last seven months - Lá Nua was closed in December 2008."
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Sos beag*
You might be wondering what the heck is up with the Agus Araile team. Then again, maybe not.... But if you are, let's just sum it up by saying that this winter's been a tough one! Some health- and family-related issues have cropped up, requiring rather a bit of attention. We'll be back in publication when circumstances allow. Thanks for your patience!
*A.k.a. "okay fine Wes I blinked"
*A.k.a. "okay fine Wes I blinked"
Thursday, December 4, 2008
News through an 4ú lá Mí na Nollag
More of us are describing ourselves as Northern Irish (Dec 2, 2008)
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/more-of-us-are-describing-ourselves-as-northern-irish-14088806.html
“Growing numbers of people in Northern Ireland are electing to describe themselves as ‘equally Irish and British’, according to a survey published today.”
...“‘Emotional responses to iconic images, such as flags and emblems, were stronger among respondents with traditional identities. Those who described themselves as Irish Catholic said they were more likely to feel uneasy or annoyed when presented with an image of a Union Jack or a photo of a news presenter wearing a poppy. British Protestants, however, were more uneasy or annoyed when presented with an Irish Tricolour or an Irish language letterhead,’ Prof Muldoon added.”
See also:
Study shows rise in 'Northern Irish'
More using term 'Northern Irish'
Newstalk cuts two late-evening programmes (Dec 2, 2008)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1202/1228169324851.html
“Two evening programmes have been cut at national radio station Newstalk which yesterday confirmed that job losses have taken place at the station.
“Late Night Live, a talk show presented by Declan Carty, and Splanc, an Irish language programme, have both been ended.”
Trainee teachers face unsure future (Dec 2, 2008)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/education/2008/1202/1227910460790.html
“There was no talk of recession or education cuts when the current cohort of trainees signed up to become secondary school teachers. But things have changed and, uncertain of getting a job, some are even thinking of emigrating.”
...“Irish language teachers, on the other hand, are in short supply, and NUI Galway offers places to gaelgoirs at a slightly lower PAC score.”
City's new Irish centre named (Dec 2, 2008)
http://www.derryjournal.com/journal/City39s-new-Irish-centre-named.4749903.jp
“Derry's new Irish language centre is to be named after long-standing Irish language activist Seán Ó'Canáin, who died in 2002.”
Community Bulletin Board (Dec 3, 2008)
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/1035/42/372859.htm
“‘The History of the Irish Language’ is the title of a lecture by Irish Consul Peter O'Conner on Tuesday Dec. 9, at 19:00 at the Chekhov Cultural Center, Strastnoi Bulvar 6. (Thru tunnel, first door on left). M. Chekhovskaya. 50 rubles.”
Naas council gets bilingual honour despite misspelled signs (Dec 3, 2008)
http://www.leinsterleader.ie/news/Naas-council-gets-bilingual-honour.4755830.jp
“Naas Town Council will be honored this weekend for its bilingual signage as part of the town's Irish language festival...despite spelling six of the signs wrong.”
Galway poets to celebrate the city in verse (Dec 4, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/5615
...“The project was a major winner in the recent Bus Éireann and Foras na Gaeilge-sponsored Irish language project awards.”
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/more-of-us-are-describing-ourselves-as-northern-irish-14088806.html
“Growing numbers of people in Northern Ireland are electing to describe themselves as ‘equally Irish and British’, according to a survey published today.”
...“‘Emotional responses to iconic images, such as flags and emblems, were stronger among respondents with traditional identities. Those who described themselves as Irish Catholic said they were more likely to feel uneasy or annoyed when presented with an image of a Union Jack or a photo of a news presenter wearing a poppy. British Protestants, however, were more uneasy or annoyed when presented with an Irish Tricolour or an Irish language letterhead,’ Prof Muldoon added.”
See also:
Study shows rise in 'Northern Irish'
More using term 'Northern Irish'
Newstalk cuts two late-evening programmes (Dec 2, 2008)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1202/1228169324851.html
“Two evening programmes have been cut at national radio station Newstalk which yesterday confirmed that job losses have taken place at the station.
“Late Night Live, a talk show presented by Declan Carty, and Splanc, an Irish language programme, have both been ended.”
Trainee teachers face unsure future (Dec 2, 2008)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/education/2008/1202/1227910460790.html
“There was no talk of recession or education cuts when the current cohort of trainees signed up to become secondary school teachers. But things have changed and, uncertain of getting a job, some are even thinking of emigrating.”
...“Irish language teachers, on the other hand, are in short supply, and NUI Galway offers places to gaelgoirs at a slightly lower PAC score.”
City's new Irish centre named (Dec 2, 2008)
http://www.derryjournal.com/journal/City39s-new-Irish-centre-named.4749903.jp
“Derry's new Irish language centre is to be named after long-standing Irish language activist Seán Ó'Canáin, who died in 2002.”
Community Bulletin Board (Dec 3, 2008)
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/1035/42/372859.htm
“‘The History of the Irish Language’ is the title of a lecture by Irish Consul Peter O'Conner on Tuesday Dec. 9, at 19:00 at the Chekhov Cultural Center, Strastnoi Bulvar 6. (Thru tunnel, first door on left). M. Chekhovskaya. 50 rubles.”
Naas council gets bilingual honour despite misspelled signs (Dec 3, 2008)
http://www.leinsterleader.ie/news/Naas-council-gets-bilingual-honour.4755830.jp
“Naas Town Council will be honored this weekend for its bilingual signage as part of the town's Irish language festival...despite spelling six of the signs wrong.”
Galway poets to celebrate the city in verse (Dec 4, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/5615
...“The project was a major winner in the recent Bus Éireann and Foras na Gaeilge-sponsored Irish language project awards.”
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
News through an 30ú lá Mí na Samhna
Comedian and boxing club among recipients of multicultural awards (Nov 28, 2008)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1128/1227825379422.html
“Comedian Des Bishop and an Irish Olympian's boxing club were among those presented with a Metro Éireann Media and Multicultural Award (Mama) at the Abbey Theatre yesterday.
“The awards, in their seventh year, recognise people, groups and companies that promote integration in Ireland.
“The Foras na Gaeilge award was given to Des Bishop for his programme In the Name of the Fada , documenting his year learning Irish in the Gaeltacht.
"Multicultural Ireland is one of the reasons the Irish language has grown in strength . . . people realise the importance of cultural identity," Bishop said.”
Belfast regeneration plans announced (Nov 28, 2008)
http://www.newrossstandard.ie/breaking-news/national-news/belfast-regeneration-plans-announced-1557180.html
“Two separate plans for the regeneration of different parts of Belfast have been announced within the past 24 hours.”
...“Meanwhile, the West Belfast and Shankill Enterprise Council, a think-tank of small and medium sized businesses, is proposing a major upgrade including a new urban village in Andersonstown, a Gaeltacht Quarter, and a project on the Black Mountain above the city.”
Plans will transform west of city (Nov 28, 2008)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7753881.stm
“West Belfast needs ‘big projects which investors can back’ to transform the area, a cross-community group has said.”
...“The council also has plans to turn the Falls Road into an Irish-speaking Gaeltacht quarter.”
Irish radio competition with great prizes (Nov 28, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/mayo/article/5473
“Mayo Education Centre have announced an exciting new project for post-primary school students.
“In association with Gentique Jewellers, Castlebar and Togra Mhaigh Eo they are inviting post-primary students to record a short radio programme as Gaeilge (seven to ten minutes) for teams of between two and five students.”
Masterplan set to revive the greater Shankill (Nov 29, 2008)
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Masterplan-set-to-revive-the.4744534.jp
“A wide-reaching masterplan, described as "ambitious and imaginative", for the regeneration of one of Northern Ireland's most deprived areas was unveiled yesterday.”
...“These include a Destination Centre on the Black Mountain, turning Andersonstown into an urban village, creating a Gaeltacht Quarter hub on the Falls Road, and undertaking a feasibility study exploring how best to attract investment into the Andersonstown Gateway area.”
ASimil8 to cash in on lucrative Chinese market (Nov 30, 2008)
http://www.sbpost.ie/post/pages/p/story.aspx-qqqt=IRELAND-qqqm=news-qqqid=37871-qqqx=1.asp
“The co-founder of an innovative new e-learning company has his sights set on far-flung markets, following his success as winner of this year’s Nova UCD Campus Company Development Programme.”
...“Groarke, ex-vice president of engineering with Baltimore Technologies, hit upon the idea for ASimil8 while brushing up on his own Irish language skills to help with his daughter’s schoolwork.
“‘If you can immerse yourself completely in an environment where all business around you is conducted through Irish, you will pick up the language much quicker. It is nothing new.
“‘Educators have known for many years that ‘immersion’ is a very effective way to learn languages. Irish speakers call it ‘tum-oideachas’ or immersion education.’”
Maintaining pride in our native tongue (Nov 30, 2008)
http://www.sbpost.ie/post/pages/p/story.aspx-qqqt=People+In+Business-qqqm=nav-qqqid=37877-qqqx=1.asp
“Caitriona Ni Cheallaigh’s family tree has a strong historical link to the Irish language - her grandfather, JJ O’Kelly, was minister for Irish in the first Dail. The chief executive of Colaiste na bhFiann has continued the tradition, spending most of her adult life helping to keep the Irish language alive.”
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1128/1227825379422.html
“Comedian Des Bishop and an Irish Olympian's boxing club were among those presented with a Metro Éireann Media and Multicultural Award (Mama) at the Abbey Theatre yesterday.
“The awards, in their seventh year, recognise people, groups and companies that promote integration in Ireland.
“The Foras na Gaeilge award was given to Des Bishop for his programme In the Name of the Fada , documenting his year learning Irish in the Gaeltacht.
"Multicultural Ireland is one of the reasons the Irish language has grown in strength . . . people realise the importance of cultural identity," Bishop said.”
Belfast regeneration plans announced (Nov 28, 2008)
http://www.newrossstandard.ie/breaking-news/national-news/belfast-regeneration-plans-announced-1557180.html
“Two separate plans for the regeneration of different parts of Belfast have been announced within the past 24 hours.”
...“Meanwhile, the West Belfast and Shankill Enterprise Council, a think-tank of small and medium sized businesses, is proposing a major upgrade including a new urban village in Andersonstown, a Gaeltacht Quarter, and a project on the Black Mountain above the city.”
Plans will transform west of city (Nov 28, 2008)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7753881.stm
“West Belfast needs ‘big projects which investors can back’ to transform the area, a cross-community group has said.”
...“The council also has plans to turn the Falls Road into an Irish-speaking Gaeltacht quarter.”
Irish radio competition with great prizes (Nov 28, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/mayo/article/5473
“Mayo Education Centre have announced an exciting new project for post-primary school students.
“In association with Gentique Jewellers, Castlebar and Togra Mhaigh Eo they are inviting post-primary students to record a short radio programme as Gaeilge (seven to ten minutes) for teams of between two and five students.”
Masterplan set to revive the greater Shankill (Nov 29, 2008)
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Masterplan-set-to-revive-the.4744534.jp
“A wide-reaching masterplan, described as "ambitious and imaginative", for the regeneration of one of Northern Ireland's most deprived areas was unveiled yesterday.”
...“These include a Destination Centre on the Black Mountain, turning Andersonstown into an urban village, creating a Gaeltacht Quarter hub on the Falls Road, and undertaking a feasibility study exploring how best to attract investment into the Andersonstown Gateway area.”
ASimil8 to cash in on lucrative Chinese market (Nov 30, 2008)
http://www.sbpost.ie/post/pages/p/story.aspx-qqqt=IRELAND-qqqm=news-qqqid=37871-qqqx=1.asp
“The co-founder of an innovative new e-learning company has his sights set on far-flung markets, following his success as winner of this year’s Nova UCD Campus Company Development Programme.”
...“Groarke, ex-vice president of engineering with Baltimore Technologies, hit upon the idea for ASimil8 while brushing up on his own Irish language skills to help with his daughter’s schoolwork.
“‘If you can immerse yourself completely in an environment where all business around you is conducted through Irish, you will pick up the language much quicker. It is nothing new.
“‘Educators have known for many years that ‘immersion’ is a very effective way to learn languages. Irish speakers call it ‘tum-oideachas’ or immersion education.’”
Maintaining pride in our native tongue (Nov 30, 2008)
http://www.sbpost.ie/post/pages/p/story.aspx-qqqt=People+In+Business-qqqm=nav-qqqid=37877-qqqx=1.asp
“Caitriona Ni Cheallaigh’s family tree has a strong historical link to the Irish language - her grandfather, JJ O’Kelly, was minister for Irish in the first Dail. The chief executive of Colaiste na bhFiann has continued the tradition, spending most of her adult life helping to keep the Irish language alive.”
Tourism experts use Welsh language to promote principality
(Nov 28, 2008)
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/11/28/tourism-experts-use-welsh-language-to-promote-principality-91466-22358659/
“Welsh words and phrases will be strategically located at tourist attractions across the country to remind visitors they are in Wales, under a new scheme unveiled yesterday.”
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/11/28/tourism-experts-use-welsh-language-to-promote-principality-91466-22358659/
“Welsh words and phrases will be strategically located at tourist attractions across the country to remind visitors they are in Wales, under a new scheme unveiled yesterday.”
Friday, November 28, 2008
News through an 27ú lá Mí na Samhna
Talented new generation emerges in Muscraí (Nov 22, 2008)
http://www.southernstar.ie/article.php?id=996
“The emergence of a new generation of storytellers, poets and writers from Múscraí was evident at this year’s Oireachtas and at a winners’ concert held in its aftermath at the Ionad Cultúrtha in Baile Bhúirne.”
An Irishman's Diary for Nov 24, 2008
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2008/1124/1227293466297.html
“Effing referee. Granted, it was a county final and swearing at the referee is nothing new in the GAA. (Yes, I have done it myself. Even booed one or two of them off the pitch.) But the swearing that was coming from this club loyalist was at a level I had never experienced.”
...“I suggest GAA officials include a few choice insults and curses in Irish in match-day programmes. In fact, once they have finished putting up the words to Amhrán na bhFiann in Irish on the scoreboard, they should add a ‘curse for the day’. Imagine how much more Irish would be spoken during the summer months of championship football if everyone at GAA games came away with one new swear-word?”
Pól Ó Muirí: What a thought, Zulu Provos in leather thongs (Nov 24, 2008)
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/columnists/pol-o-muiri/pl--muririacute-what-a-thought-zulu-provos-in-leather-thongs-14077469.html
Second section:
“Two academics in the Republic, Finbarr Bradley and James J Kennelly, have co-authored Capitalising on Culture, Competing on Difference: Innovation; Learning and a Sense of Place in a Globalising Ireland.”
...“They stress that language — including the Irish language — offers a creative spark: ‘If handled properly, a rich dynamic, vibrant Irish society, North and South, influenced by recent immigrants, is most likely to emerge from creative interaction between the various language traditions on the island.’ I am not aware of anything in a similar vein here.”
The modern renaissance of Irish (Nov 24, 2008)
http://www.trinitynews.ie/index.php/opinion/editorial/420-the-modern-renaissance-of-irish-
“Trinity has firmly rejected its anti-Gaelic ethos of old and embraced the recent Irish revival, writes Trinity’s new Irish language officer, Aonghus Dwane.”
'Irish language must not politicize' (Nov 25, 2008)
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Irish-language-must-not-politicize.4729041.jp
“The Irish Language Act should not be of no expense to the public purse and be non-politicized, it has been claimed.” [What?]
Irish Taoiseach launches new Book of Facts on the Irish Language (Nov 26, 2008)
http://www.eurolang.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3117&Itemid=33&lang=en
“An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen T.D., officially launched the book ‘More Facts about Irish’ by well known author, Helen Ó Murchú at the National Library of Ireland earlier this month.
“Published by the Irish Committee of the European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages, the book provides an invaluable source of accurate information for the interested public, journalists, students, even politicians and policy makers.”
Colaiste na Corribe ‘shafted’ by Department of Education, says Mayor (Nov 27, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/5209
“‘A major setback to education in Galway’ is how Mayor Padraig Conneely has described a decision by the Department of Education which will prevent Colaiste na Corribe building a much needed new school premises in Knocknacarra.
“Colaiste na Corribe is currently operating out of a number of buildings on the Tuam Road. Although the school is successful with c180 on its waiting list, its current location is unsatisfactory. School buildings are located in different areas, there are little or no sports facilities, and not enough room for all those looking to enrol in the Irish language school.”
Irish Language 'Knows No Boundaries', Say SF (Nov 27, 2008)
http://www.4ni.co.uk/northern_ireland_news.asp?id=86076
“There has been a call for the inclusion of Irish place names within new council boundaries.”
Kerr hits back in Irish signs row (Nov 27, 2008)
http://www.midulstermail.co.uk/news/Kerr-hits-back-in-Irish.4734316.jp
“Councillor George Shiels' comments on Irish Language roadsigns are ridiculous, ill founded, ill informed, sectarian and scare-mongering, claims Sinn Fein Councillor Sean Kerr.”
Cash crisis for Connemara colleges (Nov 27, 2008)
http://www.galwaynews.ie/5747-cash-crisis-connemara-colleges
“A number of Irish language summer colleges may be forced to increase their fees following the withdrawal of a Government teaching grant.”
Indian roots spice up trip for Connemara sisters (Nov 27, 2008)
http://www.galwaynews.ie/5743-indian-roots-spice-trip-connemara-sisters
“The Indian and Irish cultures mixed comfortably in the home of sisters Farah and Rebecca Taqi who were reared in the Gaeltacht but recently they took a trip of a lifetime to meet all their father’s relations.”
http://www.southernstar.ie/article.php?id=996
“The emergence of a new generation of storytellers, poets and writers from Múscraí was evident at this year’s Oireachtas and at a winners’ concert held in its aftermath at the Ionad Cultúrtha in Baile Bhúirne.”
An Irishman's Diary for Nov 24, 2008
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2008/1124/1227293466297.html
“Effing referee. Granted, it was a county final and swearing at the referee is nothing new in the GAA. (Yes, I have done it myself. Even booed one or two of them off the pitch.) But the swearing that was coming from this club loyalist was at a level I had never experienced.”
...“I suggest GAA officials include a few choice insults and curses in Irish in match-day programmes. In fact, once they have finished putting up the words to Amhrán na bhFiann in Irish on the scoreboard, they should add a ‘curse for the day’. Imagine how much more Irish would be spoken during the summer months of championship football if everyone at GAA games came away with one new swear-word?”
Pól Ó Muirí: What a thought, Zulu Provos in leather thongs (Nov 24, 2008)
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/columnists/pol-o-muiri/pl--muririacute-what-a-thought-zulu-provos-in-leather-thongs-14077469.html
Second section:
“Two academics in the Republic, Finbarr Bradley and James J Kennelly, have co-authored Capitalising on Culture, Competing on Difference: Innovation; Learning and a Sense of Place in a Globalising Ireland.”
...“They stress that language — including the Irish language — offers a creative spark: ‘If handled properly, a rich dynamic, vibrant Irish society, North and South, influenced by recent immigrants, is most likely to emerge from creative interaction between the various language traditions on the island.’ I am not aware of anything in a similar vein here.”
The modern renaissance of Irish (Nov 24, 2008)
http://www.trinitynews.ie/index.php/opinion/editorial/420-the-modern-renaissance-of-irish-
“Trinity has firmly rejected its anti-Gaelic ethos of old and embraced the recent Irish revival, writes Trinity’s new Irish language officer, Aonghus Dwane.”
'Irish language must not politicize' (Nov 25, 2008)
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Irish-language-must-not-politicize.4729041.jp
“The Irish Language Act should not be of no expense to the public purse and be non-politicized, it has been claimed.” [What?]
Irish Taoiseach launches new Book of Facts on the Irish Language (Nov 26, 2008)
http://www.eurolang.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3117&Itemid=33&lang=en
“An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen T.D., officially launched the book ‘More Facts about Irish’ by well known author, Helen Ó Murchú at the National Library of Ireland earlier this month.
“Published by the Irish Committee of the European Bureau for Lesser-Used Languages, the book provides an invaluable source of accurate information for the interested public, journalists, students, even politicians and policy makers.”
Colaiste na Corribe ‘shafted’ by Department of Education, says Mayor (Nov 27, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/5209
“‘A major setback to education in Galway’ is how Mayor Padraig Conneely has described a decision by the Department of Education which will prevent Colaiste na Corribe building a much needed new school premises in Knocknacarra.
“Colaiste na Corribe is currently operating out of a number of buildings on the Tuam Road. Although the school is successful with c180 on its waiting list, its current location is unsatisfactory. School buildings are located in different areas, there are little or no sports facilities, and not enough room for all those looking to enrol in the Irish language school.”
Irish Language 'Knows No Boundaries', Say SF (Nov 27, 2008)
http://www.4ni.co.uk/northern_ireland_news.asp?id=86076
“There has been a call for the inclusion of Irish place names within new council boundaries.”
Kerr hits back in Irish signs row (Nov 27, 2008)
http://www.midulstermail.co.uk/news/Kerr-hits-back-in-Irish.4734316.jp
“Councillor George Shiels' comments on Irish Language roadsigns are ridiculous, ill founded, ill informed, sectarian and scare-mongering, claims Sinn Fein Councillor Sean Kerr.”
Cash crisis for Connemara colleges (Nov 27, 2008)
http://www.galwaynews.ie/5747-cash-crisis-connemara-colleges
“A number of Irish language summer colleges may be forced to increase their fees following the withdrawal of a Government teaching grant.”
Indian roots spice up trip for Connemara sisters (Nov 27, 2008)
http://www.galwaynews.ie/5743-indian-roots-spice-trip-connemara-sisters
“The Indian and Irish cultures mixed comfortably in the home of sisters Farah and Rebecca Taqi who were reared in the Gaeltacht but recently they took a trip of a lifetime to meet all their father’s relations.”
Saturday, November 22, 2008
EU welcomes Welsh as a minority languages
(Nov 20, 2008)
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11031461
“The Welsh language, which dates back to the 6th century, got a major boost Thursday when the European Union formally recognized it as a minority tongue.”
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11031461
“The Welsh language, which dates back to the 6th century, got a major boost Thursday when the European Union formally recognized it as a minority tongue.”
Friday, November 21, 2008
News through an 21ú lá Mí na Samhna
Language act proposals tabled (Nov 20, 2008)
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/politics/Language-act-proposals-tabled.4712446.jp
“The SDLP has tabled its own legislative proposals at the Assembly in a new bid to create an Irish Language Act.
“The party unveiled its plan yesterday, admitting that it estimated it would cost an estimated £5 million a year for the next five years to establish the law.”
Irish language move is divisive, claims Alliance (Nov 21, 2008)
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/politics/Irish-language-move-is-divisive.4717621.jp
“Fresh SDLP proposals for an Irish language act were last night branded divisive by the Alliance Party.”
Gaillimh le Gaeilge’s search begins for the best bilingual business (Nov 20, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/4745
“Gradam Sheosaimh Uí Ógartaigh the annual business award that recognises, honours and celebrates all the great bilingual work done in Galway City is now open for nominations.
“Gaillimh le Gaeilge, the organisation responsible for the promotion for the Irish language in business in Galway city is currently looking for the best bilingual business in Galway city. This prestigious business award offers the chance to any business/organisation using the Irish language in Galway city to win a ‘fantastic business package’ to the value of €15,000.”
Seoda...Seoda...Seoda (Nov 20, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/4772
“In 1951 Comhaltas Ceoltóiri Éireann was set up to promote traditional Irish music. The first Galway branch was formed about 1965 and initially they held a committee meeting every week. Then somebody suggested they have a session every week instead, and this they did, in Martin Forde’s Eagle Bar in William Street West. Mind you, the session could not start until Mrs Forde had finished watching The Fugitive on television. These sessions became hugely popular at a time when very few pubs in Galway allowed live traditional music.”
FAI Summer Soccer Schools success (Nov 20, 2008)
http://www.nenaghguardian.ie/sport/soccer/fai-summer-soccer-schools-success-1547577.html
...“The Summer Soccer Schools allow children to develop their soccer skills in a fun and encouraging environment, where the focus is very much on participation rather than competition. The total number of camps included four camps conducted as Gaeilge and 24 specialist camps in goalkeeping skills.”
Europe's Guide To The Galaxy (“Nov 2008”)
http://eursoc.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/2864/Europe_s_Guide_To_The_Galaxy.html
“Haven't we been here before? The Telegraph reports that the EU is planning an online library project ‘to rival Google.’”
...“Its homepage (beta, for now) is ugly; Oddly, a slogan in the Irish language led on the front page, even though the service will initially be available only in French, English and German.”
A bit of everything in at the Linenhall (Nov 21, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/mayo/article/4938
“Antigone-Drámaíocht as Gaeilge -- Splódar Productions presents an Irish-language version of the Classical Greek drama Antigone at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar on Thursday December 4 at 8pm.”
New shop front initiative for Erris (Nov 21, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/mayo/article/4963
“Scéim Éadan Siopaí Bhéal an Mhuirthead, a joint initiative between Údarás na Gaeltachta and Mayo County Council designed to promote the visibility of the Irish language through traditional and modern shop front design, was officially launched in Belmullet by Pádraig Ó hAoláin, Chief Executive of Údarás na Gaeltachta and Des Mahon, Manager of Mayo County Council.”
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/politics/Language-act-proposals-tabled.4712446.jp
“The SDLP has tabled its own legislative proposals at the Assembly in a new bid to create an Irish Language Act.
“The party unveiled its plan yesterday, admitting that it estimated it would cost an estimated £5 million a year for the next five years to establish the law.”
Irish language move is divisive, claims Alliance (Nov 21, 2008)
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/politics/Irish-language-move-is-divisive.4717621.jp
“Fresh SDLP proposals for an Irish language act were last night branded divisive by the Alliance Party.”
Gaillimh le Gaeilge’s search begins for the best bilingual business (Nov 20, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/4745
“Gradam Sheosaimh Uí Ógartaigh the annual business award that recognises, honours and celebrates all the great bilingual work done in Galway City is now open for nominations.
“Gaillimh le Gaeilge, the organisation responsible for the promotion for the Irish language in business in Galway city is currently looking for the best bilingual business in Galway city. This prestigious business award offers the chance to any business/organisation using the Irish language in Galway city to win a ‘fantastic business package’ to the value of €15,000.”
Seoda...Seoda...Seoda (Nov 20, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/4772
“In 1951 Comhaltas Ceoltóiri Éireann was set up to promote traditional Irish music. The first Galway branch was formed about 1965 and initially they held a committee meeting every week. Then somebody suggested they have a session every week instead, and this they did, in Martin Forde’s Eagle Bar in William Street West. Mind you, the session could not start until Mrs Forde had finished watching The Fugitive on television. These sessions became hugely popular at a time when very few pubs in Galway allowed live traditional music.”
FAI Summer Soccer Schools success (Nov 20, 2008)
http://www.nenaghguardian.ie/sport/soccer/fai-summer-soccer-schools-success-1547577.html
...“The Summer Soccer Schools allow children to develop their soccer skills in a fun and encouraging environment, where the focus is very much on participation rather than competition. The total number of camps included four camps conducted as Gaeilge and 24 specialist camps in goalkeeping skills.”
Europe's Guide To The Galaxy (“Nov 2008”)
http://eursoc.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/2864/Europe_s_Guide_To_The_Galaxy.html
“Haven't we been here before? The Telegraph reports that the EU is planning an online library project ‘to rival Google.’”
...“Its homepage (beta, for now) is ugly; Oddly, a slogan in the Irish language led on the front page, even though the service will initially be available only in French, English and German.”
A bit of everything in at the Linenhall (Nov 21, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/mayo/article/4938
“Antigone-Drámaíocht as Gaeilge -- Splódar Productions presents an Irish-language version of the Classical Greek drama Antigone at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar on Thursday December 4 at 8pm.”
New shop front initiative for Erris (Nov 21, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/mayo/article/4963
“Scéim Éadan Siopaí Bhéal an Mhuirthead, a joint initiative between Údarás na Gaeltachta and Mayo County Council designed to promote the visibility of the Irish language through traditional and modern shop front design, was officially launched in Belmullet by Pádraig Ó hAoláin, Chief Executive of Údarás na Gaeltachta and Des Mahon, Manager of Mayo County Council.”
Dublin, Shannon airports to offer US-bound clearance
Also not really language-related, but it caught my eye:
Dublin, Shannon airports to offer US-bound clearance (Nov 15, 2008)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2008/1115/1226700611282.html
“Dublin and Shannon airports are set to become the first outside the Americas to offer full pre-clearance facilities to passengers travelling to the US, thereby boosting their potential as transatlantic hubs and speeding up travel times.”
Dublin, Shannon airports to offer US-bound clearance (Nov 15, 2008)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2008/1115/1226700611282.html
“Dublin and Shannon airports are set to become the first outside the Americas to offer full pre-clearance facilities to passengers travelling to the US, thereby boosting their potential as transatlantic hubs and speeding up travel times.”
Thursday, November 20, 2008
News to an 20ú lá Mí na Samhna
Irish language a hit on the Costa del Sol (Nov 12, 2008)
http://www.theirishworld.com/article.asp?SubSection_Id=2&Article_Id=7495
“Spain’s Costa Del Sol gave a very warm Irish welcome when the International Festival of the Irish Language descended on the area last week.
“Irish residents and their Spanish friends enjoyed a week of Irish language classes, dances, exhibitions and concerts. More than 30 Spanish people attended the Irish classes.”
Intensive Irish course for prospective primary school teachers (Nov 13, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/4447
“Galwegians awaiting an interview for a graduation diploma in education (primary teaching), should take advantage of a Conradh Na Gaeilge course to prepare candidates for the interview’s Irish language element.”
An unseemly brawl over God and scripture (Nov 13, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/4528
“In a week when The Irish Times reports an unseemly brawl between Armenian and Greek Orthodox monks who physically battled over turf and influence in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, revered as the site of Jesus’ crucifixion, I was reminded of the unfortunate battle for the souls of Catholics in the aftermath of the Great Famine.”
...“Another attraction to Protestantism was the translation by the Irish Church Missions of the scriptures into the language of the people, namely Gaeilge. Catholic bishops always discouraged its laity from personally reading the Bible.”
Minister backs 'total immersion' teaching (Nov 15, 2008)
http://www.independent.ie/education/latest-news/minister-backs-total-immersion-teaching-1540836.html
“Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe yesterday moved to heal a rift between his department and Gaelscoileanna caused by a row over the teaching of Irish.”
But see also:
Letters: My position was misrepresented (Down a bit on the page)
Language needs to be spoken (Nov 15, 2008)
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/letters/language-needs-to-be-spoken-1541115.html
...“Language is about behaviour and networking through a particular language behaviour. Our Gaeltachtai have survived through 2,000 years of cultural upheaval and are still with us but as with many other of the world's languages, the Gaeltachtai are under the constant threat of linguistic erosion.
“There are five language skills. Reading, writing, comprehension and speech are the four language skills that are usually mentioned. The fifth skill is usage and this is where, I reckon, we fall down when it comes to using language, any language.”
Pieces of Pearse are translated into Polish (Nov 18, 2008)
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/pieces-of-pearse-are-translated-into-polish-1542981.html
“If you found Padraig Pearse's musings difficult to get through as Gaeilge, perhaps you should take a run at the Polish version.”
DUP, Sinn Féin reach deal on policing, justice (Nov 19, 2008)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1119/1227026416479.html
...“The consensus yesterday was that barring unexpected crises a Northern Ireland department of justice would be operating by around this time next year. There was no agreement on difficult matters such as the Irish language, the Maze prison site and education but progress was being made.”
Gaeláras AGM (Nov 19, 2008)
http://www.derryjournal.com/journal/Gaelras-AGM.4704628.jp
“Details about the new multi-million Irish language building on Great James's Street will be revealed at the Gaeláras annual general meeting tomorrow night.”
An t-ádh na nÉireannach: The Luck of the Irish (Nov 19, 2008)
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/11/19/042757.php
...“My mind constantly drifts off and ignores the world I am living in by creating a new one. Every day I stayed in Ireland — taking tours and looking out the charter bus's window — I wonder about the history behind every spot of land. I should also mention I love history, yet I knew little of Ireland's. The unfamiliar language I saw painted on shop windows, etched on traffic signs, and written in menus at restaurants intrigued me the most.”
Chairman presents Irish language bursary awards (Nov 19, 2008)
http://www.nwipp-newspapers.com/FH/free/322002390590804.php
“Last week, the chairman of Fermanagh District Council, Thomas O'Reilly hosted a reception in the Townhall where he presented bursary awards to those who had attended the Gaeltacht during the summer.
“He told the recipients that, since the publication of an Irish –Ulster Scots audit commissioned by the Council in 2005, the Council has spent over £70,000 promoting and developing the Irish language, and, also in implementing the findings of the Report.”
Student asks minister to choose Bertie or Brian (Nov 19, 2008)
http://www.drogheda-independent.ie/news/student-asks-minister-to-choose-bertie-or-brian-1544413.html
“So who is the best Taoiseach, Bertie or Brian Cowen?
“That was the question Latvian student Katrina Zacepina put - in Irish - to Education Minister, Batt O'Keeffe, when he visited her secondary school in Bettystown on Friday.”
Postcodes anger language group (Nov 19, 2008)
http://www.irishpost.com/news/story/?trs=ideysney&cat=news
“And now Irish language groups are challenging an Irish Government proposal to introduce an anglicised postcode system — one which they say will not recognise the Irish language.”
http://www.theirishworld.com/article.asp?SubSection_Id=2&Article_Id=7495
“Spain’s Costa Del Sol gave a very warm Irish welcome when the International Festival of the Irish Language descended on the area last week.
“Irish residents and their Spanish friends enjoyed a week of Irish language classes, dances, exhibitions and concerts. More than 30 Spanish people attended the Irish classes.”
Intensive Irish course for prospective primary school teachers (Nov 13, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/4447
“Galwegians awaiting an interview for a graduation diploma in education (primary teaching), should take advantage of a Conradh Na Gaeilge course to prepare candidates for the interview’s Irish language element.”
An unseemly brawl over God and scripture (Nov 13, 2008)
http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/4528
“In a week when The Irish Times reports an unseemly brawl between Armenian and Greek Orthodox monks who physically battled over turf and influence in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, revered as the site of Jesus’ crucifixion, I was reminded of the unfortunate battle for the souls of Catholics in the aftermath of the Great Famine.”
...“Another attraction to Protestantism was the translation by the Irish Church Missions of the scriptures into the language of the people, namely Gaeilge. Catholic bishops always discouraged its laity from personally reading the Bible.”
Minister backs 'total immersion' teaching (Nov 15, 2008)
http://www.independent.ie/education/latest-news/minister-backs-total-immersion-teaching-1540836.html
“Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe yesterday moved to heal a rift between his department and Gaelscoileanna caused by a row over the teaching of Irish.”
But see also:
Letters: My position was misrepresented (Down a bit on the page)
Language needs to be spoken (Nov 15, 2008)
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/letters/language-needs-to-be-spoken-1541115.html
...“Language is about behaviour and networking through a particular language behaviour. Our Gaeltachtai have survived through 2,000 years of cultural upheaval and are still with us but as with many other of the world's languages, the Gaeltachtai are under the constant threat of linguistic erosion.
“There are five language skills. Reading, writing, comprehension and speech are the four language skills that are usually mentioned. The fifth skill is usage and this is where, I reckon, we fall down when it comes to using language, any language.”
Pieces of Pearse are translated into Polish (Nov 18, 2008)
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/pieces-of-pearse-are-translated-into-polish-1542981.html
“If you found Padraig Pearse's musings difficult to get through as Gaeilge, perhaps you should take a run at the Polish version.”
DUP, Sinn Féin reach deal on policing, justice (Nov 19, 2008)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1119/1227026416479.html
...“The consensus yesterday was that barring unexpected crises a Northern Ireland department of justice would be operating by around this time next year. There was no agreement on difficult matters such as the Irish language, the Maze prison site and education but progress was being made.”
Gaeláras AGM (Nov 19, 2008)
http://www.derryjournal.com/journal/Gaelras-AGM.4704628.jp
“Details about the new multi-million Irish language building on Great James's Street will be revealed at the Gaeláras annual general meeting tomorrow night.”
An t-ádh na nÉireannach: The Luck of the Irish (Nov 19, 2008)
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/11/19/042757.php
...“My mind constantly drifts off and ignores the world I am living in by creating a new one. Every day I stayed in Ireland — taking tours and looking out the charter bus's window — I wonder about the history behind every spot of land. I should also mention I love history, yet I knew little of Ireland's. The unfamiliar language I saw painted on shop windows, etched on traffic signs, and written in menus at restaurants intrigued me the most.”
Chairman presents Irish language bursary awards (Nov 19, 2008)
http://www.nwipp-newspapers.com/FH/free/322002390590804.php
“Last week, the chairman of Fermanagh District Council, Thomas O'Reilly hosted a reception in the Townhall where he presented bursary awards to those who had attended the Gaeltacht during the summer.
“He told the recipients that, since the publication of an Irish –Ulster Scots audit commissioned by the Council in 2005, the Council has spent over £70,000 promoting and developing the Irish language, and, also in implementing the findings of the Report.”
Student asks minister to choose Bertie or Brian (Nov 19, 2008)
http://www.drogheda-independent.ie/news/student-asks-minister-to-choose-bertie-or-brian-1544413.html
“So who is the best Taoiseach, Bertie or Brian Cowen?
“That was the question Latvian student Katrina Zacepina put - in Irish - to Education Minister, Batt O'Keeffe, when he visited her secondary school in Bettystown on Friday.”
Postcodes anger language group (Nov 19, 2008)
http://www.irishpost.com/news/story/?trs=ideysney&cat=news
“And now Irish language groups are challenging an Irish Government proposal to introduce an anglicised postcode system — one which they say will not recognise the Irish language.”
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