Who cares?

Leagan Gaeilge

Now an then in our blogs we refer to the American blogger Seth Godin. They are usually short, to the point and with short pithy sentances that say a lot in few words.

The message on a Blue Shirt!

Yesterday he had one which displayed in a few words our own thoughts and indeed the oft expressed views of the Coimisinéir Teanga on the topic of Irish in the civil service (and indeed public companies). Even though Godin was talking about service in hotels it could mutatis mutandis also be applied to the service that Irish speakers whether in the Gaeltacht or outside from the state.


"It's obviously not about access to capital (doing it right doesn't cost more). It's about caring enough to make an effort."

And further on he says,

"Of course, the manager of the mediocre hotel that's reading this, the staff member of the mediocre restaurant that just got forwarded this note - they have a great excuse. Time's are tough, money is tight, the team wasn't hired by me, nobody else cares, I'm only going to be doing this gig for a year, our customers are jerks... who cares?


We like Seth Godin!

"I believe that the language is continuously being edged aside, pushed towards the margins of society and that includes much of the public sector. I would not support the premise that the fault lies primarily with politicians but it appears to me, notwithstanding those within the State sector who support the language, that there are stronger and more widespread forces in place who have little or no concern for the future of our national language." (Seán Ó Cuirreáin, The Language Commissioner, 23 Jan 2014)