Urgent letter..

A letter signed by 29 community groups, organisations and Summer Colleges in the Donegal Gaeltacht, which is the second biggest Gaeltacht District in the country with about 30,ooo inhabitants, has been published in the Donegal Democrat,(see also Donegal News Editorial at bottom of page!) Irish Times and Gaelscéal (Irish).

This letter puts on paper the very real anxiety of this large community concerning the recent publication of the recent Department of Finance Infrastructure Investment Priorities 2010-2016 and reccomending the full implementation of the proposals made by the Houses of the Oireachtas Joint Committee Report (ironically published in the same week!).

A copy of the letter (an English version of which is reproduced below) has also been sent to the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste.

A chara,

The recent report from the Department of Finance, Infrastructure Investment Priorities 2010-2016 is a source of great concern to us in the Gaeltacht.

If its proposed State capital expenditure cuts are implemented, the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs and the Gaeltacht Development Body, Údarás na Gaeltachta will effectively cease to exist by 2016 when we will be commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising. Is this a fitting tribute?

"According to The Comprehensive Linguistic Study of the Use of Irish in the Gaeltacht (2007) commissioned by this Government, there is a linguistic crisis in the Gaeltacht at present, even in the strongest Gaeltacht areas: “The unambiguous conclusion of the survey on young people is that, without a major change to language-use patterns, Irish is unlikely to remain the predominant community and family language in those areas with the most widespread and inclusive Irish-speaking networks (ie Category A Gaeltacht districts) for more than another 15 to 20 years.”

This problem must be addressed immediately before it is too late and, consequently, we are asking that all of the proposals made by the Houses of the Oireachtas Joint Committee Report recently regarding the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language be swiftly accepted and implemented. These proposals have all-party agreement and we believe that their adoption would be a more appropriate expression of our self-belief in our identity as a nation in the lead-up to 2016 rather than the Department of Finance proposals.

We, Donegal Gaeltacht community groups, accept that we are currently in a very poor economic climate and that cuts are needed in State expenditure, but the preservation of Irish as a living community language in the Gaeltacht cannot be made conditional upon global economic conditions.

Is muidne,

ÉAMONN Mac NIALLAIS, Guth na Gaeltachta;
SÉAMUS Mac GÉIDIGH, Coiste Paróiste Ghort a Choirce;
BRÍDÍN B Nic CHEARÁIN, Gaeltacht Bheo Fhánada;
GRÁINNE Mhic GÉIDIGH, Coiste Ban Tí Thír Chonaill;
BRÍD Uí DHONAILL, Coiste Áislann Rann na Feirste;
MÍCHEÁL Mac GIOLLA, Coiste Áislann Chill Chartha;
NÓIRÍN Uí MHAOLDOMHNAIGH, Easbuic Comharchumann Oileán Árainn Mhór;
SÉAMUS Mac RUAIRÍ, Coiste Forbartha Anagaire;
SÉAMUS Mac BRIARTAIGH, Comhairle Pharóiste Chill Chartha;
CAITLÍN Uí LAIFEARTAIGH, Coiste Pobail Eascarrach;
SIOBHÁN Ní CHURRAIGHÍN, Coiste Forbartha Theileann;
MÁIRE Ní CHOMHAILL, Coiste Forbartha Dhobhair Teo;
MÁIRE Uí CHEALLAIGH, Coiste Sheáin Bháin, Baile na Finne,
MÁIRE Mhic NIALLAIS Comharchumann Forbartha Ghaoth Dobhair;
AODH Mac LAIFEARTAIGH, Coiste Céim Aniar, Na Dúnaibh;
BRIAN Mac CUINNEAGÁN, Lár Comhairle Paróiste Gleann Cholm Cille;
MÁIRÍN Uí FHEARRAIGH Comharchumann na nOileán Beag;
BRIDGET Nic GAIRBHEITH, Comharchumann Oilean Thoraí;
ÉAMON Mac GIOLLA BHRÍDE, Cumann Trádala Tionscail Ghaoth Dobhair;
RÉAMONN Ó CIARÁIN, Coláiste Gael Linn Bhun an Inbhir;
PÓILÍN Ní DHONNCHADH, Coláiste Gael Linn Mhachaire Rabhartaigh;
DAITHÍ Ó MUIRÍ, Coláiste Mhuire, Loch an Iúir;
MÁNAS Ó LUATHAIRE, Coláiste Árainn Mhór;
SEOSAMH Ó GALLCHÓIR, Coláiste Cholmcille Gaoth Dobhair;
Dr SEOSAMH WATSON, Oideas Gael Gleann Cholmcille;
MÁIRÉAD Uí BHRÁDAIGH, Coláiste Chill Chartha;
NIALL Ó SLUÁIN, Coláiste Rann na Feirste;
SEOSAMH Ó DUIBHEANNAIGH, Coláiste na Rosann, Anagaire;
GAVIN Ó FEARRAIGH
COLLEEN Nic AODHA, Coláiste Bhun a Leaca,
C/o Doirebeag, Leitir Ceanainn, Co Dhún na nGall.

Donegal News
Editorial
27 August 2010
"The Irish Language
The Irish are not good at presenting a united front. Differences of opinion, personality clashes and pure bloody-mindedness have sunk many a good cause. As the old saying goes, the first item on the agenda is a split. Therefore an open letter signed by individuals from some thirty businesses and organisations should be treated seriously. This week we publish such a letter which was sent to the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste from interests in the Donegal Gaeltacht. Providing detailed figures they claim that if cuts are imposed then the Department of the Gaeltacht and Údarás na Gaeltachta will be extinct by 2016, the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising. The letter writers argue that while all departments are facing cuts, the Department of Community Equality and Gaeltacht affairs' budget will be slashed by over 70% at a time when the Irish language is facing it's most serious challenge yet.

The writers quote from what is known as the The Comprehensive Linguistic Study of the Use of Irish in the Gaeltacht which concluded that Irish could be the minority language in the strongest gaeltacht areas within fifteen years.

Even for non-Irish speakers this should be unacceptable. Is the present ruling generation to be the one that allowed Irish to die in the gaeltacht because of an economic crisis? That is the stark question facing not only the government but our society. The answer must be a resounding no.

You have ways of showing contempt for all things Irish

This is a response from Julian de Spáinn, General Secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge (Bilingual) to an article which appeared in the Sunday Independent on 9th May 2010.

To imply that there is any comparison between Irish-language summer camps and concentration camps, where millions of Jews suffered unspeakable horrors and were systematically murdered, is shameful, irresponsible and wrong in the most extreme sense of the word.

To insinuate that parents are displaying a “subservient streak” and subjecting their children to the equivalent of clerical child abuse by letting them go to a Gaeltacht summer course is not only an affront to the integrity of the mná tí and staff of the Irish colleges, but an insult to the judgement Irish parents everywhere, and an extremely dangerous accusation.

Eilis O’Hanlon’s article entitled “Ve haf ways of making you talk - as Gaeilge” in the Sunday Independent (09 May 2010) incensed members of Conradh na Gaeilge, the Irish-speaking community in general, parents, and indeed countless students who may not consider themselves “Gaelgoirs”, but who have thoroughly enjoyed and benefitted from spending time in Gaeltacht summer camps and courses at some time or another.

With regards to Ms O’Hanlon’s “anecdotally” informed issue with teenagers returning home having lost weight after attending Gaeltacht courses “because there was so little food on offer”, she would do well to take a little time to research the matter and consider the fact that students in most Irish colleges do a few hours sport every morning that might account for a healthy loss of weight, before falsely accusing decent, hard-working mná tí of depriving their hosts of food. “Mortification of the flesh” indeed!

Whatever about the varying rules from college to college, some of which the author calls “petty and outdated”, with thousands of young people under the care of the summer college staff, most parents would much rather be assured that there are rules and regulations in place that will not only keep their children safe, but will also ensure that they get the most benefit from their immersion in the Irish language. Ms O’Hanlon is right to say that “No enterprise ever lasted long by ignoring the demands of the paying customers”, and the paying parents that send their children to the Gaeltacht year after year are the happy customers that know a good thing when they see it.

Ms O’Hanlon may also fail to see the “linguistic purpose” in asking students to relinquish their iPods, MP3s and mobile phones to immerse themselves in Irish for the duration of their stay in the Gaeltacht, but that only goes to show that she doesn’t grasp the essence of the Irish college ethos. Immersion education is just that: immersion. Total immersion in a language like Irish – hearing, speaking, and reading it - has been proved the world over to be one the most effective methods of teaching languages, away from the usual dominance of a major language such as English. It doesn’t make students “less Irish” to listen to Lady Gaga, but it doesn’t help them to immerse themselves in the Gaeltacht experience or to improve their Irish, simple as that.

In addition to the unfounded charges the author makes based on hearsay, as well as the many other inaccuracies in Ms O’Hanlon’s article, she incorrectly confused Irish-language day camps such as those run by Conradh na Gaeilge, and Irish-language residential courses in summer colleges where students stay in the Gaeltacht to immerse themselves fully in the Irish language, usually for a duration of three weeks or so. And she is also wrong in thinking that either of these are “heartwarmingly recession-proof”. The confederation of Irish colleges, CONCOS, has reported that summer colleges across the country have taken a hit like businesses everywhere this year. But they are making do as best they can and will continue to play a vital role in their respective Gaeltacht economies; though to say incompetent and ill-judged pieces such as Ms O’Hanlon’s do not help is the understatement of the year.

And finally, for Ms O’Hanlon’s information, no, Gaeltacht colleges do not have trained canine armies of sniffer dogs to sniff out contraband material, only enthusiastic and dedicated staff that do the best they can to teach thousands of children every year to speak Irish, and to have fun while doing it. That is why the language is becoming ever more popular, particularly among a new generation of young Irish speakers that listen to the Irish-language chartstation Raidió Rí-Rá (Bilingual), read Irish entertainment magazines like *nós (Irish), and watch some of the finest comedies and soaps on television as Gaeilge on TG4 (Bilingual) - Rásaí na Gaillimhe, Seacht and The Crisis to name but a few.

With the increasing appreciation of the benefits of bilingualism in both private and public sectors, an upcoming increase in marks for the Leaving Cert Irish oral, and the imminent publication of the Government’s 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language which aims to increase the number of daily Irish speakers outside of the education system to a quarter of a million by 2030, there has never been a better time to send children to the Gaeltacht to make the most of their Irish. As most past students will tell you, there is no better way to learn Irish than as a vibrant, living and fun language in the most favourable of summer-college settings.