New Irish speakers!

‘New speakers’ are those who regularly use a language who are not traditional native speakers of that language.

The Coimisinéir Teanga, Rónán Ó Domhnaill, has launched Research Report on New Irish Speakers, prepared by Dr. John Walsh, University of Ireland, Galway, Professor Bernadette O’Rourke, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, and Dr. Hugh Rowland, University of Ireland, Galway, for Foras na Gaeilge, on Friday, 30 October at Oireachtas na Samhna in Citywest, Dublin.

In his launching address, Rónán Ó Domhnaill remarked on the present state of affairs for Irish Speakers both inside and outside the Gaeltacht areas. (Our translation from the original Speaker Notes).

The State is not neutral

Rónán Ó Dómhnaill

"It is always a challenge to the "new speaker" (nuachainteoir) to find a place for speaking Irish in his life" he said. These difficulties and some solutions are discussed in the report. He addressed his own statutory obligations as Coimisinéir Teanga. The Act which set up his office was to increase the use of the language in public life. "Often officials in the state bodies state that there is little demand for services through Irish....it is difficult to assess this demand realistically if the service is made as available, as effective and as easily as that in English." Indeed he went further, "If there appears not to be a demand for services in Irish there is an obligation on the State, arising from its aims and policy, to take a leadership role and to encourage the demand. The State is not neutral in these matters."

In addressing the lack of services to Gaeltacht areas he averred: "We will have no success as a language community without giving, without question, the respect, the goodwill and the legitimacy to every speaker of Irish regardless of his background, his dialect or his competancy."

"It is extraordinary that after almost one hundred years of political independence that Irish is not the automatic means of communication between the State and the Gaeltacht Community and that the opposite is the norm: that one must revert to English to do business with the State....It makes little sense that the State lays the obligation on the Gaeltacht community for preparing language planning in set language planning areas, while at the same time refusing to fulfill their own responsibilitys."

He welcomed the publication of this report and hoped that proper recognition would be given to it as a support for language planning in the widest sense of that term and that it would be a foundation for further research in that area.

The report itself is a joint venture between the University of Ireland, Galway and Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, presenting the results of research on the background, practice and ideologies of ‘new speakers’ of Irish. ‘New speakers’ are those who regularly use a language who are not traditional native speakers of that language. New speakers usually acquire the target language through the education system or through immersion education or, depending on the sociolinguistic context, the acquisition may take place as a result of language revitalisation programmes. The report is based on research conducted in recent years by a network of European researchers titled New Speakers in a Multilingual Europe: Opportunities and Challenges under the auspices of COST (European Co-operation in Science and Technology). There are 50 researchers from 27 European countries in this network and the authors of this report are engaged in research on new speakers of Irish.

An Dr John Walsh

"Above all, this research demonstrates that anyone can become a new speaker, regardless of their language background,’ said Dr. John Walsh, Senior Lecturer of Irish in University of Ireland, Galway. ‘One of the interesting results is that of the role of the Irish teacher in an ordinary English-medium school: many new speakers referred to inspirational teachers they had at school who fostered an interest in Irish, which encouraged them to use it as a social language after school. 

"The new speakers believe that the Gaeltacht is important but some of them have social anxiety trying to speak Irish with Gaeltacht natives. People need more support to become new speakers and we have made some policy recommendations which will help people make that transition if implemented. These include proper investment in a wide range of physical spaces in which Irish could be spoken socially and Irish language awareness campaigns in social media."

Prof. Bernadette O'Rourke

"The findings of our research on Irish have many parallels with other languages in Europe including Basque, Catalan, Breton, Galician, Welsh and Scottish Gaelic, and this report will provide invaluable insights into the broader opportunities and challenges that new speakers bring to a multilingual Europe. 

"The recommendations we have made in relation to new speakers of Irish will feed into a broader set of recommendations at EU level and help identify a common framework of understanding and policy implications at European level", said Prof. Bernadette O’Rourke of Heriot-Watt in Scotland, one of the report’s authors.

Ferdie Mac an Fhailigh

Ferdie Mac an Fhailigh, Chief Executive, Foras na Gaeilge, welcomed the report and said, "Foras na Gaeilge caters to a broad range of Irish speakers nationwide, north and south, as well as within and outside the Gaeltacht. We recognise that new speakers are of great importance and we welcome this positive research revealing their aspirations and needs. We look forward to discussing the recommendations in the report to determine how best we can provide additional support to new speakers in the future."

#OnaS15 @Ceartateanga @ForasnaGaeilge 

The slaughter completed -

The thoughtless, illconsidered and destructive work of Foras na Gaeilge continues as this last message appeared on the Gaelport site.

After 71 years of tireless and selfless dedication the work of Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaelige has no ceased with little or no provision been made to continue its work of co-ordinating the efforts of the voluntary bodies which make it up or for the continuation of its own work.

This included for internet users it's irreplaceable (and unreplaced!) Gaelport service of drawing the Irish language comunity's attention to items of news in the print media.  Does it not bode ill for the stated attitude of Foras na Gaeilge of fostering an internet news service that before anything concrete can be seen to replace it the destruction of a service that does exist is permitted.

This statement is the last issued very early this morning from the Comhdháil, short and dignified.

End of an era as Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge is dissolved End of an era as Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge is dissolved In January of this year Foras na Gaeilge announced the results of a rationalisation process within the Irish language voluntary sector in which six lead-organisations were selected under a new funding model which came into effect on 01 July 2014. Based on the criteria set by Foras na Gaeilge during the application process Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge was not selected as a lead-organisation and as a result funding to An Chomhdháil ceased on 30 June 2014 at which point all six employees were made redundant. At a meeting held last night, 14 July 2014, the Board of Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge took the decision to dissolve An Chomhdháil in accordance with Section V of its constitution. It was put on record at the meeting that the Board felt that due to the decision by Foras na Gaeilge to cease funding of the organisation, that there was no other option but to dissolve, with immediate effect, the organisation which was founded in 1943. The meeting praised the staff of Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, and praised the advocacy undertaken by An Chomhdháil on behalf of Irish language speakers for more than 70 years. Speaking at the final meeting of the Board, President of Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, Deirbhile Nic Craith, extended her gratitude to the member organisations of An Chomhdháil for their support since 1943, especially during the recent rationalisation process. Nic Craith praised the work of An Chomhdháil as the central steering council of the Irish language movement and thanked the staff for their diligence and their loyalty, and wished them well in their future endeavours.

The Irish speaking community and the Gaeltacht communities throughout Ireland will be the poorer for the absence of Comdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge and the wider Irish Speaking community throughout the world are already missing Gaelport.

Gura maith agaibh board members and staff for all the work you have unselfishly given over the past seventy one years.

Gura maith agaibh as an obair le 71 bliain anuas. Ní raibh deireadh mar seo tuilte agaibh!

Tragedy in Kildare Street!

Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge was established in 1943. Its role is to act as a coordinating body for voluntary Irish language organisations. (The National Youth Council of Ireland and The Irish Congress of Trade Unions are similar umbrella organisations).

Sad reminder of the quality of the Gaelport site!
Awards like this had little influence on FnaG!

Gaelport.com was the leading Irish language news and information website listing Irish classes, Irish job vacancies and Irish language events. It was a project of the Comhdháil funded by Foras na Gaeilge. As such it was an award winning news site for Irish speakers and indeed those whose Irish was a little rusty as a lot of the material was in two languages.

In January of this year, Foras na Gaeilge announced the six organisations chosen to partake in their new funding model. As Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, the organisation who runs Gaelport.com along with many other projects, was unsuccessful in its efforts to secure a place among the six lead organisations, there remained no option for the Board of An Chomhdháil but to cease the employment of its six staff members in light of its core-funding being completely cut.

"...the politically-powerless Irish-speaking communities at home were being deliberately and knowingly starved of resources...." (An Sionnach Rua!) Irish Governments ant1-Irishness!

It had been hoped to transfer the bulk of the work, including gaelport.com, carried out by the Comhdháil since 1943.  With their almost almost 71 years of experience they were hampered by the fact that successful organisations were unsure of the resources which would be allocated to them after 30 June 2014. This may still be the situation. (While writing this we understand that Foras na Gaeilge are also withdrawing funding from another Web Site used extensively throughout the world beo.ie which will make it very difficult to continue! The unenviable record of Foras na Gaeilge is thus added to as they continue on this incomprehensible destruction, without replacement, of the Irish Language media, at least three newspapers and some other periodicals.)

The most alarming and disgraceful part of this is the lack of communication from Foras na Gaeilge with the Comhdháil, and the other organisation whose employees work is so little appreciated that they have given no advice or shown any concern for the future of these dedicated people.

The Board of Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge had little choice but to wind down the operation and organisation in an orderly way until the funding was finally withdrawn from it at the end of June.

Today we have seen terribly sad pictures being tweeted of a skip being filled with the ruins of 71 years of voluntary and dedicated activity!

Nobody denies that the organisation of the voluntary sector in the language movement should be rationalised but the unthinking bureaucracy which so recklessly wielded the axe leaves an angry and untrusting public. This could be seen when up to 10000 people marched through Dublin in February, a thousand marched in Conamara later in February, thousands also marched in Belfast in April and smaller gatherings took place in other venues. Part of the reason for these marches was the Governments' policy or lack of policy for the National Language.

The Irish people should be greatful to the staff of Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge and their dedicated work over the past seventy years. That has now been lost because a lack of appreciation or indeed understanding of Foras na Gaeilge.

Foras na Gaeilge is the body responsible for the promotion of the Irish language throughout the whole island of Ireland. It is difficult to see how this slaughter may be called promotion. It is difficult to see any logic at all in their actions.

These are the sad pictures from Kildare Street today!

The slow strangulation of the language movement!

Here in the twenty six counties we sometimes forget about the six counties even in areas where we should be fostering our affinity with the people on both sides of the divide resulting from the policies and ideologies of another age.

This is evident in the attitudes towards language and has led to an independant and highly successful language movement there especially in urban areas of Belfast. The input from the "language establishment" in the South may perhaps be described as minimal. I don't know whether it was sought or not but in any case the result is a strong vibrant Gaeltacht in Belfast which has sprung not from the policies of the Government or even of public representatives, but from the people.

This people's movement had grown so strongly that eventiually Government funding was made available and this was used in further development of this courageous and vibrant community. The most visible signs of this may be seen in two wonderful facilities in Belfast and Derry cities.

Now this work appears to be in great jeopardy by the policy of Foras na Gaeilge, the body responsible for the promotion of the Irish language throughout the whole island of Ireland.

"In the Good Friday Agreement (1999), it was stated that a North/South Implementation body be set up to promote both the Irish language and the Ulster Scots language. Under the auspices of this body, Foras na Gaeilge will carry out all the designated responsibilities regarding the Irish language. This entails facilitating and encouraging the speaking and writing of Irish in the public and private arena in the Republic of Ireland, and in Northern Ireland where there is appropriate demand, in the context of part three of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages."

While this seemed like a good (indeed brilliant) idea at the time it has not been effective because its work depended on the willingness and encouragement of two Governments to ensure success. This has led to a snail-like progress as the policies of both jurisdictions on the matter have rarely been coincidental.

The policy at present is for this body to oversee a re-organisation of the distribution of its ever diminishing funds to organisations with an all Ireland distribution. In effect this means that the organisations and people responsible for what is arguably the most successful Irish language schemes since the foundations of the Irish State are being excluded from any discussions on the refunding from Foras na Gaeilge.

This article, in Slugger O'Toole, "Cuts and splits: How the Irish language community’s most effective advocates are being silenced!" tells how this policy is harming the language and the community not only in the six counties but also throughout the Island. It is no wonder that Seán Ó Cuirreáin commented when he announced his resignation, "For those generally involved with the protection or promotion of the Irish language, either professionally or voluntarily, we are in a time of great uncertainty. Never before have I seen in over 30 years’ experience - as a journalist or language commissioner - morale and confidence so low." See our article, Waiting for eggs for omelettes since 1892!  for full text!

The Irish Sate continues to pursue policies which are condemned as harmful by language experts. To my knowledge they have not produced one Language Planning expert of any calibre to justify what they are doing. Indeed the Government has ignored and failed to answer the two points the Coimisinéir Teanga has made repeatedly, that they use "...Irish in dealing with Gaeltacht communities and ensure an adequate Irish language capacity in public administration." Indeed on this latter point he states: "...there is absolutely no way that the most recent proposal in relation to the Civil Service will work."

The Stormont administration has, I think, been ambivalent at best and more often hostile to anything to do with the language. However when you look at it is there really that much difference between the two governments? One is more explicit than the other! Would it be more correct to say that  one is less hypocritical than the other?

One has great sympathy for those in Foras na Gaeilge in trying to administer their brief and indeed one has to ask how long more before people in that organisation will take the lonely road taken by Seán Ó Cuireáin, the road of conscience!

Guth na Gaeltacht "The Gaeltacht voice is silenced!")

Has Foras na Gaeilge forgotten the words of the first president of Ireland?

Late on Friday last (1/2/2013) after Gaelscéal, the premier Irish language weekly, published the item discussed in our article, The Dictatorship of Fear, last week about the intimidation apparantly been experienced in the Irish Language sector, Foras na Gaeilge has abruptly withdrawn the subvention to the paper with apparantly no immediate plans to fill the lacuna left by this. 

R.I.P.

Inniú,

Amárach,

Anois,

Foinse,

Lá,

Lá Nua,

Gaelscéal

Moreover when Raidío na Gaeltachta made an effort to get a statement from the Organisation they were told that they would not have anybody available until the following Monday. The press statement although dated 28 January appeared on the Foras na Gaeilge site later - probably on the Monday. The release may be read here: End of Funding for Gaelscéal (pdf).

This non-professional, indeed, amateurish attitude bodes ill for any plans being made for the language from the State not to mention any residual confidence of the Irish speaking community and the Gaeltacht. 

The most glaring innaccuracies in this release is the figure given for average sales. I appears that the only looked at sales in the shops and did not take into consideration the not inconsiderable figures of sales to Schools, direct subscriptions or downloads of the electronic versions of the publication. These figures are closer to 4000 (3970 according to the publishers) rather more than the less that one and a half thousand copies quoted in the release. Moreover the board which made the decision were told that the publishing company, Torann na dTonn, were keen to terminate the agreement, which is strongly, if not indignantly, denied by the company.

Comparisons are odious we are told but I am going to make one. Our nearest neighbour, Wales, has a population of almost 450,000 fluent i their own language. The have one weekly newspaper which has a circulation of 4000. 

The alarming fact also is that this action leads (yet again) to the cessation of a publication, the dispersal of expertese - not to say perhaps personal hardship of those working in the enterprise - without providing the slightest inkling of what the next stage of their plan is. The final sentence  "...plans are being made to cater for this need in the near future.." hardly fill one with hopeful expectation.

Also the fact that this unilateral decision terminates an agreement mid-term is hardly encouraging for any organisation be they voluntary of commercial to conclude any agreement with Foras na Gaeilge. Are they to be trusted?

The decision has lead to some, well actually to quite a lot of discussion on various electronic media, notably twitter and Radío na Gaeltachta and later on TG4 programmes. One thing it lead to an exploration Foras na Gaeilge's own website - an exercise not for the faint-hearted! Among the jewels unearthed was a paper, a study, Irish Language Media Report (Irish), which although some rumblings as to its existence were heard nobody had apparently seen it. However it had been uploaded, unheralded, as indeed are many things, on the website we think in 2011.  It is hidden among "publications" alongside annual reports and other material. (In passing it is interesting that no annual report has been published by this inter-state body since 2009. A contrast between it and the meticulous and the bang up to date reports of the Comisinéir Teanga and Údarás na Gaeltachta is to say the least chastening. Both have published reports for years up to 2011.)

This report, paid for by the Foras by a Dr. Regina Uí Chollatáin (UCD) states unequivically that a printed newspaper in Irish is necessary until 2016. This sits rather oddly with the affirmation in the Foras release "..the printed format is not the most suitable to provide a news service to the Irish language readership." 

This table is of particular interest - excuse the translations, not always my strongest point!

Print & Internet trends

Year /Medium	2011	2016	2021	2026/7
Printed National Newspaper in Irish	Neccesary	Useful  & bi-lingual	Useful as support for online version	2027 - end of printed newspapers (Shane Hegarty Irish Times)
National Newspaper in Irish on-line	Useful as support of printed version	Neccesary	Neccesary	Neccesary
Printed Magazines	Neccesary	Neccesary	Useful as support for online version	Useful

The well known web publication Slugger O'Toole, the award winning news and opinion portal, which takes a critical look at various strands of political politics in Ireland and Britain, published a heartfelf Farewell to Gaelscéal, penned by Concubhar Ó Liatháin, nó stranger to the Machiavelian manouvers of Foras na Gaeilge as former Editor of the former Lá which is well worth a read.

A petition to the authorities who set up and appoint Foras na Gaeilge, viz the Governments of Ireland and Britain, has been set up. You may wish to support it: Reverse the decision of Foras na Gaeilge to close Gaelscéal. If you do sign you may like to ask your friends/followers to sign it to.

We have mentioned the sluggishness of Foras na Gaeilge in publishing annual reports. Perhaps a further insight into how Foras na Gaeilge operates, if that is not too strong a word to use, is contained in this release from Gaelport in late January 2013: Minutes of Foras na Gaeilge Board Meetings Published.

Is it not time, indeed, beyond time, that the Irish and British people, who have ownership of Foras na Gaeilge, sought an examination, a root and branch examination, of this organisation to see it it is in fact fit for purpose as "..the body responsible for the promotion of the Irish language throughout the whole island of Ireland!" Well was it said by Julian de Spáin, Secretary General of Conradh na Gaeilge, the oldest and perhaps most active of all the voluntary organisations, last Friday at a meeting in Galway, "I am angry that we have come to the point now where we are fighting not against the forces of English.... but againste the forces of Irish..." (My translation).

Perhaps Foras na Gaeilge has forgotten, if indeed it ever knew, the cry of the First President of Ireland, "When we speak of 'The Necessity for De-Anglicising the Irish Nation', we mean it, not as a protest against imitating what is best in the English people, for that would be absurd, but rather to show the folly of neglecting what is Irish, and hastening to adopt, pell-mell, and indiscriminately, everything that is English, simply because it is English." (Douglas Hyde, 25/11/1892).

Perhaps the Government of Ireland and our Minister for the Gaeltacht has forgotten it too.