I don't think that the attitude to the Irish language in Ireland is any different to other cultures.
People's drift has always been to the language of the power elite. In Ireland it was French when we were "part" of the Angevin empire, and from the fifteenth century the drift was to English.

The Russian elite spoke French as did the British Court and Establishment, the Spanish today speak several variations of "Spanish".

I think that the "shame" aspect is very deep-rooted as Irish was seen to be the language of the peasants and inferiors. This had and still has a huge influence on our approach to the language. The Irish people are still over-concerned with class and status (thirty acres looking down on twenty). There is also the fact that there is a wide vein of mental laziness in large parts of the Irish population and this part would rather rollick on about the past than make any effort to change the present and the future.

On the other hand there is huge snobbery within the Irish-speaking group, The number of times that I have been put down because I was not speaking someone's variation of their dialect is unbelievable -this attitude is still present when someone uses their "correct" Irish as a weapon and hammer to show their own superiority.

I was raised in a dual-language home in the forties and fifties and me and my siblings were constantly jeered at for being "Tá sé's. I would love Ireland to reach the position as it is in Belgium where you learn French and Flemish (apart from English) and you hop between them depending on the social occasion.

Two thirds of the world's population is bilingual. The problem is that when the predominant language in a country is English; there is no perceived 'need' to have another language. If the predominant language is something else, then there is a major incentive to learn English. It has to be that people value Irish for the inherent cultural value of it and identity it gives us. We do not 'need' it to survive economically, although it does have economic value and we do not 'need' it to interact socially with others. Unfortunately, this utilitarian view does not allow for culture, pride, identity and beauty.

Ironically, one way to sell the language is to tell people that children will pick up a foreign language quicker if they begin with both Irish and English! Unfortunately, there is still talk of making Irish optional for Leaving Certificate and I believe that will cause far more damage than any other recent government policy regarding the language.

Interesting thread, a Shomhairle Óg!

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Thanks a Shaoirse! Its something ive been discussing with a few people over the last few days. I have to say, and I am going to sound unpopular here, but im starting to believe Irish should be made optional, after say primary school.

I think a good thing about it being comulsory is that everyone (virtually) has the cúpla focal, but when you step back and think about, 14 years and they only have a cúpla focal. And even with that the majority of people remain indifferent to it and will never use it, and worse it still the education system makes some people hate it!

The revival project has failed, people have made their choice and thats English and while Irish remains a badge of honor it is an ornament, and as Pádraic Ó Conaire said no language that is just that will ever thrive. Would it not make more sense to make Irish optional (after primary school at least) and let the people who want to learn Irish learn it, and make the course even more focused on speaking? Then at least there wouldnt be people who actively hate it.

I am starting to feel that considering how much the govt has failed, its time for the govt to butt out and the people to take ownership, and those that want to speak it speak it, then perhaps the bad feeling for irish will evapourate and more people will be drawn to it? Look at he North! The language is so vibrant up there and its optional. The trade off is that most people wont do irish and those who in later life want to go back to it will find it harder, but i think its small tradeoff for a community that want to speak it, and those who dont can get on with their lives without ever hating it.

I dont think making it optional will kill the language, if it is relying on the education system in the first place then there is no chance cos all thats doing is churning out people with the cupla focal who are mostly never going to use it anyway! Put that money spent on kids who dont want to learn it into the Gaelscoileanna...

Also why spend money on translating legal documents hardly anyone will ever read in english let alone Irish, put that money into projects that will get commnities speaking Irish, then if that flourises then in time there will be a natural demand for that kind of thing!


Just my thoughts I admit the more I think about the more im open to change my mind so discuss on!!

Thanks everyone else for Their posts, very interesting stuff

one of the best ways to support, Irish, would be to completely forbid it
I'm sure everybody would then want to learn it again, just to contradict the law

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Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne

Many teenagers would choose not to do Maths if they could opt out of it; of course, that doesn't mean that we should give them that choice. Many teenagers will make decisions that are not necessarily long term, but seem like a good idea at the time.
I also believe that many people have a lot more than the cúpla; they just do not find the opportunities to use the language they have. Since we started on our mini-Gaeltacht journey in our house, friends who state that they haven't a word soon tell us that they understand the conversations with the kids and then they try out their 'cúpla focal'. Some are obviously willing to experiment further than others. By the way, the oral Irish exam is now worth 40% of the marks in the leaving cert. That will surely encourage the spoken language.
The support of the government - unfortunately - is necessary for the success of the revival. If they withdrew funding from TG4 for example, I believe it would be devastating for the language. I agree that it is people not parliaments that will make the difference, but really we need both. Schools have an important role to play too, but they are only a piece of the puzzle.

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I agreenwith Lughaidh, ban it! The people will speak i then!

Exactly, they would never allow that.




But aren't the students given the subject matter a year in advance? Then they will still learn the answers by memory.



Yeah, I think you got a good point. Culture under attack will fight against it.
I think that is the reason Irish is flourishing as it is in Northern Ireland.
Ok the language is not banned anymore, but it was until recent times.
And the Nationalists see the language as part of their culture, unlike most Southerners.

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It is recommended that you always wait for three to agree on a translation.
I speak Connemara Irish, and my input will often reflect that.
I will do an mp3 file on request for short translations.
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actually it didn't work in Brittany but it might work in Ireland

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Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne

Its something about Irish if you speak it in public in Galltacht areas the language always makes you stand out.