Left wing or left out? Fine Gael wants to repossess Irish?

A recent article by Miriam Lord in the Irish Times mentioned the fact that a new Fine Gael TD, Gabrielle McFadden, was organising an Irish conversation group in Leinster House. "Sinn Féin has kinda taken the language over in the Dáil. I want to take it back off them, because it belongs to all of us."

Taking it back?

More recently the journalist, Ciarán Dunbar, asked the question "Is Irish now a language of the left wing!" (Article in Irish in Meoin Eile 23/2/2015). Perhaps it is hardly a surprising question since most of the speaking of Irish in the Oireachtas is instigated by Sinn Féin. The Taoiseach, Enda Kenny has, as far as I can see, never spoken on any subject other than the language itself unless in response to a question from some measure of Sinn Féin.

Perhaps it's is not so much that SF have taken the language in the Dáil (or anywhere else in our political life) but rather the other parties have abandoned it. One is reminded of the words of Seán Ó Cuirreáin to an Oireachtas Committee last year before he resigned. "I believe that the language is continuously being edged aside, pushed towards the margins of society and that includes much of the public sector."

Indeed I feel that Sinn Féin use Irish, not so much out of love of our National Language as a political expedient. (See for instance look of the "Irish Version of their website" or in their press releases almost all of which are in English.) With one or two notable exceptions - Trevor Ó Clochartaigh and Peadar Tóibín TD for instance - the use of Irish is fairly peremptory. If there is something important to say say on finance or the ubiquitous water controversy or farming or jobs, it is always the Queens English that this and every other party uses. I'm told that translation services are not always available. Why should they be when nobody speaks it except to flaunt a pseudo nationalism?

When was anybody expelled for unparliamentary language in Irish? Would the Ceann Comhairle know if somebody called a minister a liar in Irish?

Seriously though, the Minister for the Gaeltacht and all that other stuff, Heather Humphreys, has called on us to make 2016 a "Year for Irish!" My question is what is she and her party going to DO about it? They have produced heads of bill for the new Official Language Acts of which the current Coimisinéir Teanga, Rónán Ó Dómhnall, has declared that outside of one or two small details (the right of citizens to use their Irish form of their name and address) and some minor technical details, "there is nothing in these heads to strengthen language rights,"(our translation).

Does not the phrase appropriated by the Irish Times in it's editorial 9th December 2013, after the announcement of the decision of the resignation of the first Coimisinéir Teanga, Seán Ó Cuirreáin, seems moot. Speaking of the many, indeed countless promises of this and previous governments they thought that there was a case to be made in describing them as “a fudge, a farce or a falsehood”

The Government's decision - derogation or degradation?

"In all honesty there is not much to laud in the heads of the new Act as published!" (Coimisinéir Teanga)

The International Language Rights Conference, organised by Conradh na Gaeilge, was recently held in Dublin. The large audience was told that the amendments that are planned for the Official Languages Act 2003 now imminent and also the opportunity this year to end the derogation of the use Irish Language as a working language of the European Union. This was little reported in the English language media although well covered in the Irish language media notably by Tuairisc.ie. Tweets on the event (mostly but not exclusively in Irish) may be found using the hashtag #CeartaAnois. The meeting was served with a full interpretation service - Irish English and vice versa.

Part of the attendance

Among those speaking were the Ombudsman of Catalonia, Rafael Ribó i Massó, who spoke of the language rights in his own country and also in the other linguistic territories of Spain,  Rónán Ó Domhnail, the Coimiséir Teanga here in Ireland, Dr Pádraigh Ó Laighin, the expert on European Language Rights and politicians MEP Liadh Ní Riada, TDs Éamon Ó Cuív, Seán Kyne and Lucinda Creighton and Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh. Also on the panel of speakers were former Presidents of Conradh na Gaeilge, Cóilín Ó Cearbhaill and former presidents Barrister Daithí Mac Carthaigh and Íte Ní Cionnath, former lecture in communications in DIT.

Sessions were chaired efficiently by Eimear Ní Chonaola, Principal News Presenter with TG4 and Máirín Ní Ghadhra the presenter of the Midday News (Nuacht ar a hAon) on Raidío na Gaeltachta (Irish).

In opening the conference Cóilín Ó Cearbhaill pointed out that there were three opportunities for the Governments of Ireland, North and South, to support the Irish people during the current year (2015). He enumereated these as follows:

1. Strengthen the Official Languages Act and provide state services to the public at the same standard in Irish as in English. (Oireachtas Éireann)
2. Enact and activate a strong Language Act  (Stormont Assembly). (a meeting in Belfast to discuss this is scheduled for 25th February in  Culturlann McAdam Ó Fiaich)
3. End the derogation of the status of Irish as an official working language throughout the European Union. (Irish Government)

"I hope that the Governments will take our suggestions on board!" he concluded

Speakers LtoR: Rafael Ribó i Massó, Rónán Ó Domhnail, Máirín Ní Ghadhra (Chair), Éamon Ó Cuív TD, Seanadóir Trevor Ó Clochartaigh agus Seán Kyne TD.

Strengthening the Official Languages Act.
In his contribution early in the conference Coimisinéir Teanga Rónán Ó Domhnaill said, "If there are to be amendments to theis Act they ought to give us an appropriate workable Act which compliments the Language rights of the citizen.
"In all honesty there is not much to laud in the heads of the new Act as published. I welcome of course those aspects which add to the rights of the citizen, the right to use the Irish form of a name and address, and a mechanism ensuring new public companies are automatically covered under the Act.
"However apart from these and a small technical changes there is nothing in the heads which strengthen Language rights.!

The Catalonian Ombudsman, Rafael Ribó in his presentation said "No policeman, or no other public authority has no right to request, 'In English please!' We, all of us, have the right of choice. That is a basic human right!" He also warned against making the language a political football.

As might be expected the three politicians said what politicians usually say. The two Opposition representatives broadly supported the words of the Coimisnéir Teanga and the sole representative of the Government while accepting that there was some merit in some of the changes advocated by the Conradh broadly supported the Government published heads, including the extension of the widely condemned Language Schemes from a period of three years to seven, "Three years is too short but maybe seven years is too long!" All agreed that the number of civil servants who can interact with the citizens is inadequate and sometimes non-existent.

Íta Ní Cionnath, who was a former President of Conradh na Gaeilge and former Senior Lecturer in Communications at DIT, made a presentation where she made a strong plea for the abolition of these schemes which she maintained were a complete failure. The should be replaced by legally enforceable responsibilities. In effect "We are second class citizens at present!" she declared. She made a case for a strengthening the Act by looking at the equivalent and stronger legislation in Wales, which is in part based on what was learned from the system, its flaws and benefits, in Ireland.

In the discussions concluding this session was the absolute requirement (as mentioned in the 20 Year Strategy agreed by all parties in the Oireachtas, Dáil and Seanad) for a Senior Minister with responibility for Irish and Gaeltacht Affairs. This has not been implemented by the current Government.

Another topic raised was the absence of services for children with special needs, the responsibility of the VHI. Accounts were related of cases where medicak staff recommended that Irish speaking families (including those in the Gaeltacht) switch the family language to English to facilitate the Medical Services. Some heartbreaking cases were given.

The excuse, "The person with Irish isn't here at the moment please give your details and we'll call back!" was condemned roundly.

End to the derogation in the European Union & other opportunities for the Irish language in Europe

"I know that a decision in principle has been
made by the Government that the derogation
will not be ended by 31st December 2016 &
 that the derogation will be renewed from
the 1st January 2017." (Dr. P Ó Laighin)

Perhaps the most startling piece of information shared with those attending this service was the bald statement made by the respected expert on European Language rights, Sociology Professor Dr Pádraig B. Ó Laighin, that the Government has decided in principle to renew the derogation of Irish as a working language of the European Union. "I know that a decision in principle has been made by the Government that the derogation will not be ended by 31st December 2016 and that the derogation will be renewed from the 1st January 2017." (Writing this there has been no denial of this from Government sources - 19/2/2015!).

Under this derogation there is no requirement on the Union to provide the services provided in the other official languages.

He gave a blow by blow account of his vain efforts to secure a meeting with the Taoiseach since December 2013. Eventually he was palmed off (our words - he is far too gentlemanly a person to use such terms!) with a meeting with the Junior Minister Joe McHugh on the 11th February 2015. But the day before the meeting he was told that they would not be able to give him much detail on progress. In fact his detailed and informed questions remain unanswered.

This writer was quite shocked at the discourtesy shown a citizen as eminent as Dr Ó Laighin by the Taoiseach's office and the Government. This is especially marked when contrasted with the courteousness he was shown when the Government was in opposition.

He then asked if a decision has been made: "The Government has made no decision yet," was the response

He finally asked if a decision had been made "in principle" and received the response, "The Government has made no decision yet."

The Government has adopted a "closed secret stance on derogation in the European Union" he said. There is little reason in fact for this derogation now as he says that sufficent numbers of trained translators and interpreters are available and more being trained, if the positions were open for them.

He also said that the availabilty of terminology used in EU documents is not a problem either, indeed Irish is at the top of the list of the thirteen languages named as Official Languages from 2004 to 2013.

He pointed out that the decision IS that the Irish Govenment alone. The European Union is more than willing as a body to facilitate the language as a true working language as soon as they are advised of the Irish Government's final decision.

Lucinda Creighton addresses the assembly also at table are (ltoR), Eimear Ní Chonaola, TG4, Dr Pádraigh Ó Laighin, Liadh Ní Riada, FPE & Daithí Mac Carthaigh

Derogation in action:
A vivid account of how this works in reality was given by the Member of the European Parliament, Liadh Ní Riada FPE (Irish). She is a native of the Gaeltacht whose mother tongue is Irish, one of the official languages of the Union. "As a woman from the Gaeltacht it is a source of deep regret that I am unable to use my own language as I perform my duties.
"It disgusts me when I sit in the parliament when we are advised that translation services are available in every languge - and of course Irish is not among them."
She also announced that she is going on a "Speak only Irish" strike during the first two weeks of March and issued an invite to all public representatives to do the same. "Accompany me on my language strike!" she said. "Let us speak our own language!"

A contribution by Lucinda Creighton TD, former Minister of State for Europe gave her insights. She confirmed that she is taking refresher course in her Irish with Gaelcultur. She was misquoted in a tweet sent by an attendee during her contribution. "I am very sympathetic to the idea of ending the degradation" says @LCreighton." 

In the words worthy of The Brother "I couldn't have put it better meself!

A letter to Father Christmas!

This is a very sad story!

A little girl spent much time and effort in composing a letter to Santa and writing the address on an envelope to the address given to Irish speaking children at his Gaeltacht sub-office. She posted it with great expectation of a response from the great man in a short acknowledgment and the promise of his best efforts to fulfill her dreams.

But the inefficiency if not stupidity of An Post, an organisation not noted for it's love of the language of Ireland, frustrated the wishes of this little child. (An Post - the state owned postal service in Ireland has no Irish version of it's website! In 2015 it issued Christmas Stamps for the first time without the word "Nollag" written on it!)

Somebody, somewhere in that great organisation decided that this was addressed to someplace outside Ireland and so it was sent to the United Kingdom. It is not known what the English Queen's postal service made of it. It possibly spent some weeks roaming up and down her realm before they decided that the address was "incomplete" and returned it to the country of origin. As a returned letter it was sent to the relevant section which is apparently situated in the Treaty City of Limerick. (Note the stamp of this section is only in English!).

This story on Evoke.ie

Somebody in that section had a look at the address and realised it was an Irish address but obviously the ignorance of those involved in sorting mail is as abysmal as those who originally sent it across the sea so they decided to "correct" the address to an English language format to ensure that it would finally arrive at Santa's sub-office. The letter finally arrived on 22nd January 2015 and needless to say, Santa, resting after his exertions on the evening of the 24th December 2014 was roused and not best pleased at the ineptness of the Irish postal service.

When we tried to contact him at his holiday home in the Pacific he was unable to comment on individual cases but that any problems of this nature would be looked at very seriously.

It is rumoured that he has made a complaint to the Coimisinéir Teanga, who's office is in the same Gaeltacht and one can only hope that the Postal service will not send it to God knows where! We believe (and hope) that Santa has sent a response to the little girl advising of the long wait that he had for her letter and hoping that she liked the little presents that he took down her chimney almost a month ago.

We think that An Post will be in the bad books next Christmas and will be lucky to get anything from Santa in their stocking!

Some good news Since this story was published there have been some developments! The caretaker elves at Santa's Ceathrú Rua office have advised that the great man has been contacted and is sending a special reply. He has authorised them to seek a little present locally to send as well. An Post have stated in a response to the news agency tuairisc.ie (Irish), that it was not the address that caused the letter to be sent to Britain but they are investigating it further. The further stated that sometimes errors do occur in the mail service in the run-up to Christmas due to the greater volume of post at that time. They have not commented on the fact that "Co Galway" was scrawled on the envelope. The matter has been raised with the Coimisinéir Teanga though there is little he can do as postal errors like this are not included in the scéim teanga of An Post.

Putting the Gael into G-Mail!

Google has been a remarkable friend of the Irish language. From quite early on their search engine has had an Irish language version.

More recently it has provided a sometimes ridiculed translation facility. Among the Irish speaking community the facility offered by Google Translate's facility is sometimes unfairly criticised. The criticism should more properly be directed towards those who use it as a lazy way out,  rather than the remarkable technological achievement it does in fact represent. As somebody who uses it occasionally (not only for it's Irish section but also French, Italian, German and Portuguese) it is best used as a guide and a certain basic knowledge of the language is essential in using the facility. Thus somebody who wishes to say "rest" will know that "an cuid eile" (the other part) is not the same as "suaimhneas" (repose). Rest has at least two meanings in English.

Pic: Tuairisc.ie

Last week the Google organisation added a wonderful support system for the Irish Language. They launched the Irish version of GMail.

There are several interesting things which came to mind as I switched my own Gmail account to my own language!

Bottom up
First is that this was, like the others, a Google initiative. I understand that a Professor in St Louis approached them last year (2013) and asked if they were interested. They replied in the affirmative and a group of volunteers from Ireland, the US and elswhere, gathered and worked in association with the technical people in Google and in an incredibly short time a useable, accurate and user-friendly mail service was unveiled in less than 24 months.

This article in the business section of The Journal.ie describes how to change the working language of your g-mail account: Want to use Gmail as Gaeilge? Now you can!

Another example of this type of voluntary internet intervention is the availability of the Firefox browser in Irish - again quietly and with little state involvement, or the quiet evolving of facebook. And for more volunteer input just take a look at Vicipéid (Wikipedia as Gaeilge!).

Top down?
The second in this is the absence of any comment good bad indifferent, let alone encouraging, from the establishment on this launch. Indeed with one exception I have seen no comment for any member of the Seanad or the Dáil. One tweet commenting on this silence that because there was little or no Government input they were not willing to praise or give credence to such a initiative.

Compare and contrast with the launch of Microsoft as Gaeilge, which, I understand did have Government involvement and thus an extraordinary circus was organised with Government participation. Maybe you don't remember the hoopla: "A country-wide partnership was put in place and it included working closely with Foras na Gaeilge, DCU, NUI Maynooth, eTeams and EGTeo. The Irish speaking community was also invited to contribute to the community glossary, a foundational reference for all technical terms. Commencing in June 2004, the project took over 12 months to complete and involved the translation of over 600,000 terms in Irish, before being made available free to download. The programme was distributed free to all 4,000 primary and secondary schools and in 2006, An Taoiseach announced that due to its success, Irish language versions of Windows Vista and 2007 Office would also be made available." Was the Taoiseach at the launch of Gael Mail? Was the new Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs?

Also contrast the attitude of the Welsh government which supported the G-mail initiative in their own language.

Perhaps it is yet another example of the urge to control and centralise that seems to have been emphasised in Government since the exit of the Celtic Tiger.

Abolition of the democratic input in Údarás na Gaeltachta and it's gradual financial strangulation (finances reduced from around €20m to €6m), the attempted emasculation of the Office of the Comisinéir Teanga, the complete destruction of print media in Irish, the attempted decimation of the voluntary language organisations, the withdrawal of Gaeltacht family grants, the forcing through of a Gaeltacht Act without the consensual agreement of the parties in the Oireachtas for the first time in the history of the State, the appointment of a minister for Gaeltacht Affairs unable to converse in the language, the inexorable retreat on the obligations arising from the 2003 Language Act and every sign that the new Language Act will further weaken the position of the language that State organs claim to love, respect and declare a policy of encouraging. And more recently we learn the Nursery School movement for the naoinraí throghout the country is being disbanded (Gaeilge). All with little or no real public consultation.

Add to that the simple reluctance of many state entities and quangos to recognise  a letter with a diacritic mark. This is considered to be a different letter from its unmarked equivalent, and words that are supposed to have diacritic marks and don’t are considered to be misspelled. Thus they cannot recognise names or surnames with such accents. Ó Riain becomes "î Riain" and Éamon becomes "ƒamon" or Ciarán, "Ciar‡n". It cost nothing to have the software corrected to recognise this but does CIE and others care to do it?  (see Why The Internet Hates My Name (It’s The Accent Marks) for an understanding of why this is so.)

Dearg le Fearg

So what does this show?
More and more people are beginning to realise that the political system is failing the historic Irish nation and its people. In February 7000 to 10000 marched in Dublin. In March upwards of 1000 marched in Conamara, 5000 to 7000 in Belfast and various smaller protests occured elsewhere, and not only in Ireland, demanding action on Irish. No real response.

We have seen this in other demonstrations on other causes all being met more or less with the same incomprehension of the powers-that-be. The message "This is Ireland, we speak Irish, get over it!" has been sadly lost among the 97% of the Government who are unable to serve those of us who speak the national language - the European language in longest continuous use as a vernacular. The Government's message continues to be: "Speak Irish to each other but don't speak it to us!" (cf: The State attitude to the National Language & its speakers!)

Google, Mozilla (Firefox) & facebook are commercial organisations which value our ancient lan and are prepared to use it.

Let us thank them and use what they offer.

Irish? No good news? Don't you believe it!

Somebody asked the other day on twitter if there are any good news stories about Irish these days. We are so used to the bad, the attempted emasculation of the Coimisinéir Teanga's powers, total lack of understanding of the importance of the language to the national psyche among the State apparatchiks which eventually led to the resignation of the Commisinéir, closure of schools in the Gaeltacht, ending of subsidies in language institutions, withdrawal of subsidies against professional advice in print publications etc etc.

Dispair
It is difficult indeed to find anywhere where there is good news on this front and the lack of reporting (or maybe knowledge) of the good stories is having a detrimental effect on all those who love and speak the language especially in the areas where it has been spoken for over 2000 years, long before English was a baby!

It was little wonder that the resigning Comisinéir, Seán Ó Cuirreáin, stated as he left office (in translation), "Never before have I seen in over 30 years’ experience - as a journalist or language commissioner - morale and confidence so low. Despite the enormous goodwill of the vast majority of the people of this country, the language continues to drift further to the margins of society including within much of the public sector - " He also refered to the "sinister forces" in our State structures, for whom, to quote the words of President Michael D Higgins, "Irish was not half dead enough.” To be fair to Seán he did point out that there had been some advances in the position of the language in his period in that office.

The gallant few
We sometimes forget perhaps that there is a small faithful group, many times isolated and folorn within their work place who yet understand the importance of "Gaelachas" which many of us are allowing - if not willing it -  to slide into oblivion. These, who may truly be called "servants of the nation," feel isolated and abandoned too by those who fight for language rights as they are lumped in with those referred to by President Higgins.

Why am I writing this. Well earlier this month I read an article by Concubhar Ó Liatháin, regarded by some, if not many, as a bit of a curmudgeon, in the "Seachtain" (Itself something of a good story, an Irish newspaper, unsupported by Government Grant). His article certainly gave me a certain sense of optimism and I hope it will do the same for you.

This article headed Language and "sean-nós" (the term uses for traditional style unaccompanied solo singing - or dancing - mostly in Irish) are safe with the new generation. The author relates his visit to Oireachtas na Gaeilge (another good news story ignored by and large in the English Language media). This annual festival is a great chance to mix and renew friendships not only with well known faces in the Irish language sector but also those less known and unsung. During the week in Killarney he met a friend who works in the Gaeltacht Department and he spoke about the frustrations he and his colleagues feel from the indifference in the media for the good news of the development of the language in the Gaeltacht.

This was news to me, used as we all are to the doom and gloom, impending disaster, and finally end of the Gaeltacht in the next 20 years. I have been hearing this since the nineteen sixties when I first started to care about such things. My interest was aroused.

A hopeful sign
If I may give my own poor translation of Conchubhar's article he continued: "He (the civil servant) that since the opening of the Family Centre in Indreabhán in Conamara a substantial percentage increase of young children presenting for primary scholing in the area with Irish.

"'A survey was conducted back in 1973 on Children speaking at the schoolyard gates. According to this survey 30% of the children in the districts covered, could be counted as native Irish speakers. Today, in the same districts, this figure is 65% outside of the school yard.' said my authoritative friend...

"According to the authorities of the schools in the district where the Cois Fharraige Family Centre is situated, an improvement beyond imagination has occured in the use of the language in the area. One of these centres is being opened in Baile an Fheirtéaraigh next January and again investment of €3 milliom from Roinn na Gaeltachta and Údarás na Gaeltachta.

"Although certain advances are happening, there are many battles which my companion and his camrades are fighting with the Departments and with other Government Departments yet to be won..."

Problems continue!
He goes on to talk about lack of understaing shown by Minister Noel Dempsey (Local Government) in the past and even the new Minister Joe McHugh stating that the erection of a new industry in the Gaeltacht should not merit a language impact study (see on  You Tube). The Department of Education has had a similar attitude to providing an curriculum recognising proficiency in Irish in the Gaeltacht areas.

As I'm writing this news has been reported of the Secretary of the Department of Education has launched of yet another of the interminable reports on the language. This talks of the abilty of primary school in English exceeding that of that in Irish. Hardly surprising since the curriculum in their school is the same for Dalkey in Co Dublin as it is in Ros Muc in the heart of the Conamara Gaeltacht! This has been reported negatively in some circles but of course it is not necessarily a bad thing. One wonders what the result of such a study mutatis mutandis in another part of Ireland would unearth. One wonders also if it will join the multiplicity of Irish Language reports and studies gathering dust deep in the dusty cavernous cellars of some Government Department!

But back to the article in "Seachtain!"

Pól Ó Ceannabháin

"I was present myself where there was a grand crowd of boys and girls under 12 years competing with each other in the Sean-Nós Singing Competition at the Killarney Oireachtas. THe adjudicator, Pól Ó Ceannabháin, was absolutly correct when he remarked that they were a source of pride and hope. The future of sean-nós and Irish are safe in the next generation.

"As they say in certain part of the north, No surrender!, no surrender to dispair!"

And always remember the old chestnut. It always makes stope me up short! 
"Did you know that the last surviving speaker of Irish hasn't been born yet" 

The end or "What good is Irish this side of Maam Cross?"

This is a CineGael film, directed by Bob Quinn with commentary by Desmond Fennell, made some decades ago. I found it on the stimulating TGcóa YouTube site. Well worth a look!

What has the government done to serve the people of the Gaeltacht before or since?  It would appear to have been taken over by those, in the words of our President, "for whom the language is not dead enough!" President Michael D Higgins has said that to prevent people from speaking their own language is a denial of human rights.  Addressing an international conference last year (May 2013), he said rights are denied when people are discouraged from speaking a language or when a language is allowed to become subordinate in usage.

Read also "Waiting for eggs for omelettes since 1892!" for an assessment of current affairs as of December 2013. Is it too much to ask that the call of Ireland's first President in 1892 be listened to again?

Has the Government of Ireland, or indeed any state agency, done anything at all to discourage, never mind to halt, this subordination of the Constitutionally recognised language of the historic Irish nation used and fostered by the people of the Gaeltacht for millenia?

Watch this 30 minute film from the early eighties!

We are trained to be so!

Appointment of new Education Minister reminds us of historic address at founding of Sinn Féin.

Jan O'Sullivan,
Education Minister

Our Taoiseach in his wisdom has appointed a new Minister for Education who hopefully will have a better understanding of the heritage, not to say the psyche of the Irish nation. That she realises that she presides over a Department which fifty odd years did the bulk of its business through a language that today is understood by 1.5% of its officials. (2010 Report of Commissioner Teanga)

I recently came across a piece from the eminent surgeon Oliver St John Gogarty when he addressed the founding meeting of Sinn Féin. He made a fierce attack on the education system under the British in November 1905. He was echoing President Douglas Hyde twelve years earlier and impressed Arthur Griffith so much that he quoted extensively from the address in his paper, The United Irishman.

"Money was taken from the Irish people by forced taxation to supply the needs of Irish education. How was this Irish money used to educate Ireland? The language of Ireland was suppressed, the history of Ireland was ignored and mis-stated, the attention of Ireland was turned to a foreign country, the character and tradition of which was the direct contrary of the character of the Irish tradition. The focus of national life was set in London.

Oliver St John Gogarty

"Who was responsible for this? Ourselves! Yes, without either ignorance or apathy so preposterous and absurd a proposition as that a foreign nation could or should rightly educate another would not be tolerated for a moment. England dare not educate us as Irishmen: She would be raising up judges to denounce her and condemn. She taught us for her own purpose and we had taste of the result - narrowness in the primary schools, grinding in the Intermediate, and the final stages of education left unprovided with a university or any means of training either efficient or adequate for national life, with the result that we were dependent on England, for we were trained to be so."

Is the situation any better one hundred and ten years later? "The government (Dept of Education) taught us for her own purpose and we had taste of the result - narrowness in the primary schools, grinding in the Intermediate, and the final stages of education left unprovided ... leaving us with a dependance on English and English values, for we were trained to be so."  In other words we are trained and expected to acquiesce to the unspoken but clearly understood mantra “Speak Irish among yourselves, but don’t speak it to us!”.

Today we have a former Taoiseach positing that we would have been better off had we accepted the John Redmond compromise. When we have a present Taoiseach who considers Irish and the Gaeltachta as a museum exhibit - lumped as a tail-end to the lowly department of Arts & Heritage. Or to quote a contemporary speaker, "we merely have a sub-section which deals with the Irish language and Gaeltacht issues – a sub-section of a department which is large and diverse... And that sub-section is located far from the centre of power...it is at the bottom of the internal power chain within its own department; and that parent department is at the bottom of the power chain to which all the Government Departments belong, which means that it is difficult for it to have any significant impact on policy formulation or on the implementation of the policies of those other departments which have a central role in the implementation of the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish language...” (Five of the years of the 20 Year Strategy have already expired!)

The Taoiseach

If we had a government serious about the language there are many many things they could do without costing the taxpayer a cent. Our Taoiseach could speak it voluntarily in the Dáil and not merely because the leader of Sinn Féin uses it to ask a question. He could treat the people of the Gaeltacht (and the Islands) as real people and not as exhibits. He could decide that all state bodies and initiatives had names in Irish from their conception (How many people know what "The Gathering" was called in Irish?). He could employ people who are competent to deal with people in the National Language instead of forcing the use of English. He could have teachers trained correctly instead of the half hearted way the language is handled now.

Taoiseach, we use English with the State because you have not trained your bureaucracy (which should be our bureaucracy) to do anything else. And they they say there is no demand. "Language rights are permanent rights; they are not concessions or privileges granted at times of prosperity." (Seán Ó Cuirreáin).

Can any of us point to a politician who believes that?

Do we believe it ourselves?