A couple random news items

Hey, Blogger, thanks for making your stuff even harder to use! I give, I have better things to do (believe it or not) than fight to make this post fit the style I used to follow. Or even be consistent within the same post, apparently.

Chinese set to be Junior Cert subject (May 11, 2012)
http://www.theirishworld.com/newsbrilast/21660-chinese-set-to-be-junior-cert-subject

"Irish secondary school students will have the option to study Mandarin Chinese when the language is put on the Junior Certificate curriculum in 2014, Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn has announced."

Horses for courses as Micheal gets racy (May 14, 2012)

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/horses-for-courses-as-micheal-gets-racy-3106008.html

"After a long, distinguished career, there is very little Micheal O Muircheartaigh hasn't experienced in live sports commentary.

"But yesterday, the veteran broadcaster was at the races where he commentated on a race as Gaeilge.

"Mr O Muircheartaigh was in Killarney, Co Kerry, where he helped celebrate 'La na Gaeilge' on the opening day of a three-day horse racing festival."

Why don’t the Defence Forces make recruitment ads like this any more?

File under: "I didn't know this was missing from my life." And there's video!

Video: Why don’t the Defence Forces make recruitment ads like this any more? 

(TheJournal.ie, May 12, 2012 - http://tinyurl.com/6toxsq5)

This week the Defence Forces posted a collection of old recruitment ads to its YouTube account, extolling the benefits of a life in the army.

“Tar isteach ‘sna Fórsaí Cosanta agus ar aghaidh leat,” the ad from the 1980s proclaimed, translating as ”Join the Defence Forces, and go places!”

With shots of a military marching band, tanks, rifles, small guns, big guns, planes, ships and having the craic with your fellow recruits all spliced with music from Walter Murphy’s disco take on Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony – A Fifth of Beethoven – it is hard not to be enticed to sign up.

More at TheJournal.ie

Proud voice of the Gaeltacht 40 years a growing

(April 3, 2012)

The technology was creaky, the schedule limited to just two hours a day, and the prospect of sabotage lurked in the background.

But 40 years on from its "venture into the unknown", Raidio na Gaeltachta has overcome its inauspicious and chaotic beginnings to become an Irish institution.

And it almost didn't happen. Engineers worked feverishly through the night to get the studio at Casla in Connemara ready so the national Irish-language station could go to air for its maiden broadcast on Easter Sunday, April 2, 1972.

Construction work was only beginning on its two other studios, in Kerry and Donegal, and it would be another year before they were ready.

Meanwhile, extra gardai were drafted in from Clifden over fears that a dispute about the moving of a post office -- which housed the local telephone exchange -- could lead to the new station being targeted by saboteurs. Fortunately, the telephone lines were not cut by disgruntled natives, and the broadcast went ahead as planned.

More at Independent.ie.

Raidió réalteanna: Raidió na Gaeltachta marks 40 years

(April 2, 2012)

Limited transmission, poor roads but virgin territory – such was the landscape explored by the seven broadcasters hired for the State’s first Irish language radio station which marks its 40th birthday today.

When Raidió na Gaeltachta came on air at 3pm Easter Sunday, April 2nd, 1972, notions of wi-fi enabled digital audio broadcasting, online media players, podcasts or smartphone apps were but a distant dream.

In some locations the Irish language audience did not have wireless sets and neighbours gathered in kitchens to hear history being transmitted.

One Sunday newspaper even reported that the Easter Mass broadcast with Seán Ó Riada’s music was from “a pub”, having misunderstood the station’s reference to the “teach an phobail” or church in Carraroe.

Kerry journalist Breandán Feiriteár, who became ceannaire or head from 1985 to 1994, recalls that the first dedicated studio in Casla was not quite ready. And the Kerry and Donegal studios were still under construction.

More at irishtimes.com and gaelport.com.

Number of Irish speakers up by 7.1%

(March 30, 2012)
Irish Times via Gaelport
http://www.gaelport.com/nuacht?NewsItemID=7870

The Census recorded a 7.1 per cent increase in the number of self-declared Irish speakers.

Some 1.77 million people said they could speak Irish – 41.4 per cent of respondents.

More women than men answered “yes” when asked if they could speak Irish. Almost 45 per cent of women said they could speak Irish compared with almost 38 per cent of men. The Central Statistics Office noted that more women than men consistently identified themselves as being able to speak Irish.

Almost 31 per cent of 10-19-year- olds said they could not speak Irish. That increased to 36 per cent for 17-year-olds and 18-year-olds.

Of the 1.77 million who said they could speak Irish, just 1.8 per cent said they spoke it daily outside the education system.

This was an increase of 5,037 people since the previous census. A further 2.6 per cent said they spoke it weekly while 12.2 per cent spoke it within the education system.

Some 14.3 per cent said they spoke it less often – this was an increase of 27,139 and was the largest increase of all categories.

One in four said they never spoke Irish.

Of the 77,185 people who spoke Irish daily, outside the classroom, one in three lived in Gaeltacht areas.

The census recorded a 5.2 per cent increase in the Gaeltacht population. Some 96,628 people were living in Gaeltacht areas on census night 2011 compared with 91,862 in 2006.

Some 68.5 per cent of Gaeltacht dwellers said they could speak Irish and 24 per cent said they spoke it daily, outside the education system. This was an increase of 2.9 per cent on the number of daily Irish speakers in 2006. However, the number of Gaeltacht dwellers who said they spoke Irish less than weekly increased by 6.6 per cent.

The findings were welcomed by Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Dinny McGinley. He said the increase in the number of people able to speak Irish was a positive development in terms of the 20-year strategy for the Irish language.

“The increase in the number of daily Irish speakers in Gaeltacht areas is good news, particularly since the 20-year strategy has set a target of a 25 per cent increase in this area over its lifetime,” said Mr McGinley.

The Irish Times/This is Ireland, Census 2011 - Alison Healy

RTÉ News: Irish is third most used language - Census

(March 30, 2012)
http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0329/divorce-rate-up-150-since-2002-census.html

Nearly 82,600 people (1.8% of the population) speak Irish every day outside of school according to the first definitive results of the 2011 Census. This makes it the third most used language in the country.

The Census figures, released by the CSO today, show that 119,526 of people in Ireland speak Polish at home while 56,430 speak French.

Meanwhile, 35% of people in Gaeltacht areas said they spoke Irish on a daily basis outside of the education system.

In addition to Irish and other languages, the Census recorded the standard of English among those who spoke foreign languages.

It found that those from Denmark had the highest ability, while people from Lithuania had the lowest.

Today's publication is the first of 13 reports on the Census results that will be published between now and the end of the year.

More at RTÉ News.

BBC News: Can foreign speakers help the Irish language survive?

(March 16, 2012)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17373880

For over a century, activists have been trying to save the Irish language. Can foreign speakers help keep it alive?

At a dimly-lit bar in Washington DC, a smattering of professionals gathered around a table to drink beer and speak Irish, with levels of varying success.

They all represented current or former students of Ronan Connolly's Irish language classes. Mr Connolly, an Irish native, has been teaching evening Irish classes for more than two years.

The students live thousands of miles away from Ireland. Some haven't visited in years, if at all. The group is not much bigger than a rambunctious family dinner party. Their language skills vary from fluent to very basic. But at a time when scholars are pondering the fate of the Irish language, could these American students play any role in its revival?

Losing strategy

Despite much effort to revitalize Irish, some activists are frustrated.

"Irish is surviving as opposed to thriving." says Mait Ó Brádaigh, a principal of an Irish language immersion school in Ireland's Galway County. As early as 1366, there have been records of Irish language under attack, and there has been a formal group in place devoted to preserving the language since 1893. But despite more than 100 years of effort, the campaign to save Irish has met with limited success, while other Celtic languages have made more progress.

More at BBC News.

A couple random news items

Obama brings Moneygall cousin to his local for a pint (March 19, 2012)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0319/1224313528438.html
Eat your hearts out, politicians of the world. An accountant and a pub-owner from Moneygall, Co Offaly, spent close to an hour with the most powerful man on earth on St Patrick’s Day. Henry Healy – a distant cousin of Mr Obama’s – and Ollie Hayes arrived at the White House at 11.30am on Saturday for a tour of the West Wing, including the Oval Office, while the president worked elsewhere. When they met Barack Obama at the diplomatic entrance, the Irishmen presented him with a Moneygall soccer jersey emblazoned with “2012 Is Féidir Linn”.

Students develop app to help decipher 'Cork as she is spoken' (March 23, 2012)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0323/1224313766333.html
"Included are 'You’re about as useful as a Kerryman with a hurley', 'Go away you langer' and 'Shove Wesht' – meaning move over."

An Grinch ar Ghoid na Nollag

A version of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, adapted for the Irish for Máire's Meánrang Gaeilge, 2011.

Baineadh sult as an Nollaig i mbaile na Who,
Ach théadh an Grinch thar an tséasur gan fiú.

Bhí an ghráin ag an nGrinch ar an Nollaig, fadó.
Bhí a chroíse chomh fuar agus róbheag faoi dhó.

"Caithfidh mé stop a chur uirthi go deo!"

Níor mhaith leis an torann, ná bréagáin na féile,
Síor-canadh is casadh is 'chuile shórt eile.

"Gread leis an gcallán is guthanna caola!
Curfaidh mé scrios ar a mbuac na teile!"

Go tobann ansin, chum seisean a bheart.
Foirfe go holc, is go foirfe mícheart.

Shleamhnaigh sé síos isteach ina dtithe,
Idir gach uile Who, ag codladh sa luí.
'Chuile Who-leanbh sa leaba theolaí.

Ghoid sé na bronntanais sactha sna stocaí,
Féiríní beaga 's crainn mhóra fhlocaithe;

Gach mír den bhia is gach naipcín gréasta;
Thóg seisean uatha fiú rósta an fhéasta.

Ach tugadh faoi deara an gadaí ag Who,
Páiste amháin, tugtar léi Cindy Lou.

"Cé thusa ansin? Cén fáth ' bhfuil tú ann?
Céard atá tú ag déanamh anois lenár gcrann?"

"Cuirfidh mé caoi ar bholgán amháin.
Sin í an chúis a tháinig mé ann.
Agus beidh mé ar ais le bhur stuif agus crann.
Mar sin, téigh a luí, agus ná bí ag stán'."

Ansin chuig a chluas, bhí fuaim ag teacht.
Glortha ag séideadh go soléir is beacht.

Ach ní raibh siad brónach ar bith, nó go dona.
Ba é ceol lán d'armóin agus mothú an-sona.

Cé go ndearna sé cinnte a dhícheall beag scallta,
Baineadh tada amach ansin, go ginearalta.

Tháinig an Nollaig in ainneoin a iarrachta.
Bhí na Whos fós ag ceiliúradh in aghaidh a choireachta.

"B'fhéidir nach bhfuil as na siopaí an bhrí,
Ach maireann an Nollaig anseo inár gcroíthe!"

D'fhoghlaim an Grinch gur an meon an ní 's deise.
Bíonn rudaí go deas, ach níl siad ach breise.

Tháinig an mothú isteach ina chroí,
Agus maireann sé beo ansin ceart i gconaí.

Mar a d'fhás a chroí féin an lá maith sin faoi thrí.
Agus maireann sé beo ansin ceart i gconaí!!

Closure of commissioner's office condemned

(Nov 17, 2011)
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/1117/breaking40.html

The decision to close the office of the Irish Language Commissioner has led leading Irish language groups to question the Government's commitment to the protection and long-term development of the language.

The Government revealed its plan to merge the commissioner's office with the office of the Ombudsman as part of the public sector reform programme announced this afternoon.

The language commissioner’s role was to monitor compliance by public bodies with the provisions of the Official Languages Act and to take measures to ensure the right of citizens to use their language in official business with State agencies.

More at irishtimes.com

Recent news

...from Gaelport, which has many additional interesting items and is a highly recommended stop for info. Seriously, I had something like sixteen articles open to mention, but that amount seemed egregious. Go look around for yourself.

The Irish language in urban areas (Oct 4, 2011)
http://www.gaelport.com/default.aspx?treeid=37&NewsItemID=6810
"At a public seminar organised by Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge in Cork last week, the public were informed on the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish language."
[Includes link to PDF of presentation slides]

Draftplan for Gaelic in Scotland 2012-2017 (Oct 7, 2011)
http://www.gaelport.com/default.aspx?treeid=37&NewsItemID=6834
"This is second national Gaelic language plan and it sets out the role of various organisations and supports which will be required to boost the number of Gaelic speakers in Scotland."

Countdown to Oireachtas na Samhna (Oct 18, 2011)
http://www.gaelport.com/default.aspx?treeid=37&NewsItemID=6897
"Ireland’s longest running arts festival, Oireachtas na Samhna, will take place from 1st-6th November in the Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney, Co. Kerry. Thousand of visitors are expected to attend the festival which has been travelling the country since the end of the nineteenth century."

Gtv live from Oireachtas na Gaeilge (Oct 18, 2011)
http://www.gaelport.com/default.aspx?treeid=37&NewsItemID=6906
"A new website will be launched into cyberspace shortly, hosted by Gaelscéal and Gréasán na Meán, the new service will cater to those who can’t make it to Killarney at the beginning of next month to attend Oireachtas na Gaeilge."

Writer O'Nolan honoured by stamp

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/1004/breaking38.html

Writer O'Nolan honoured by stamp (Oct 4, 2011)
(click link to see image of stamp)

A commemorative stamp celebrating the centenary of the birth of writer and columnist Brian O’Nolan has gone on sale.

The popular author, who wrote under a number of pseudonyms including Flann O’Brien and Myles na gCopaleen, was known and loved for his satirical style.

The 55c stamp is adorned with a portrait of the writer by his brother, artist Micheál Ó Nualláin.

O’Nolan was born in Strabane, Co Tyrone, on October 5th 1911 but spent most of his life in Dublin.

He entered the civil service in 1935 and served as private secretary to three successive ministers in the Department of Local Government.

His first novel, At Swim-Two-Birds , was published in 1939 and was followed by several books and plays including The Third Policeman (1940), Faustus Kelly (1943), The Hard Life (1960), and The Dalkey Archive, produced on the Dublin stage in 1965.

Under the name Myles na gCopaleen, he wrote the comical Cruiskeen Lawn column in The Irish Times from October 1940 until his death in 1966, aged 56.

An Post said the stamp and a special first day cover by Irish designer Steve Simpson may be viewed and purchased at irishstamps.ie, at the GPO in Dublin and main post offices.

Irish language pack for schools stresses rights

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0928/1224304856772.html

Irish language pack for schools stresses rights (Sept 28, 2011)
By Lorna Siggins, Western Correspondent

STUDENTS FROM Coláiste na Coiribe in Galway were told yesterday by the official Irish Language Commissioner that they were “guardians of an important and endangered aspect of world heritage”.

The students were present at the launch of a new information pack which is to be presented to every second-level school in the country by An Coimisinéir Teanga Seán Ó Cuirreáin.

The multimedia educational initiative developed by his office in An Spidéal, Co Galway, aims to give students an insight into language rights in the overall context of universal civil and human rights.

Bilingual lessons and projects on the theme will be taught as part of the Junior Certificate course in civil, social and political education, Mr Ó Cuirreáin said yesterday.

The initiative was also endorsed by Minister of State for the Gaeltacht Dinny McGinley.

The Junior Cert module will address the advantages and challenges of multilingualism, and explore the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The pack for classes includes an award-winning short film, Yu Ming Is Ainm Dom (My Name Is Yu Ming), about a young Chinese man who learns Irish before visiting Ireland. He experiences communications difficulties at first, until he finds himself a job as a barman in the Gaeltacht.

Images of Irish national identity compiled by Nuacht TG4/RTÉ with a soundtrack from The Coronas will form part of a lesson on culture and nationality.

A novel element is the inclusion of a set of task cards that will ask students to explain elements of Irish society to a visiting Martian. Another lesson involves developing bilingual stationery and signage.

Mr Ó Cuirreáin said that the initiative had been tested in 15 schools on a pilot basis last year.

He explained that the module can be taught through Irish, through English or bilingually.

“More than anything else, this project should ensure that students are given a context for their learning of Irish in schools and that they understand and respect the concept of language rights,” he said.

Mr Ó Cuirreáín forecast that it could be “potentially the most important initiative undertaken by this office since its establishment, if it sees significant numbers of students each year being taught the importance of language rights”.

© 2011 The Irish Times