Normalisation of Irish The Only Way

16th Mar 2010

The annual trumpeting of the Irish identity around Paddy's Day inevitably provokes discussion on the Irish language. Looking back on the last decade it is now inconceivable, despite the protestations of a minority of objectors, that the language will cease to exist any time soon so it's time to focus on how we can all contribute to the rise and take advantage of its slow but undeniable resurgence.

Aoibheann and Danny. This year's faces of Seachtain na Gaeilge

While the government bear a large portion of responsibility for the Irish language there are many opportunities independent of the cumbersome wheels of politics where the language can gain an advantage.

Survey after survey shows that goodwill towards the language is continually very strong so people with influence in business or organisations who may not be fluent but who have a 'grá' for Irish nonetheless can be extremely influential.

This may be as simple as a shop manager asking sales staff to say 'thanks, go raibh maith agat' as they hand change back to a customer or a radio station boss requiring DJs or newsreaders to use a few words of Irish at the beginning or end of their broadcast.

The powers that be in Bank of Ireland are one such example. A small group of customers wrote letters to the bank's management in 2008 to see if they would consider an Irish language option on ATMs.

As the institution's decision makers were fond of the Irish language themselves they gave it the go ahead. Now 1,300 bank links are bilingual with thousands of customers using the Irish option daily which providing a valuable advertisement for the language at no cost to the tax payer.

PROC is currently lobbying Tesco Ireland to do the same with its self-service checkouts (they are the only major retailer with Irish language signage despite the nationalistic drum beats of their rivals).

Tesco's 74 stores in Wales have bilingual checkouts since 2008 after a successful campaign by a Welsh Language Group. With over 500 members of our Facebook group and with a Cork man holding the reigns at the giant retailer we're hoping to have good news soon.

All ATMs now with Irish language option

While these victories may appear minor or even trivial to some, they contribute significantly to the normalisation of the language and can be achieved by people who are not fluent.

(As an aside, there is a catch-22 scenario for learners who might possess skills useful to Irish language organisations but because business is conducted in Irish by fluent speakers, valuable talents, contacts or influence may be lost and as a result teachers understandably dominate those organisations. This ought to change.)

A steady stream of these, virtually costless, minor coups over twenty years will stack up and give the Irish language room to flourish in non-Gaeltacht areas like Cork.

The tweedy image long associated with Irish is slowly being shaken off with the presence of TG4, the likes of Des Bishop's groundbreaking In the Name of the Fada and the increase in Gaelscoileanna (incidentally Cork has the most with 29) which all contribute to making the language relevant and contemporary.

The 'normalisation' mentioned in the 20 Year Strategy published late last year will be a long process that may take several decades - this is not an appealing carrot-on-a-stick for a generation used to instant gratification so patience must apply.

Nonetheless, sports coaches of all codes, not just GAA, can add in the cúpla focal at training sessions especially for kids who are learning the language at school. Businesses can answer phones with a bilingual "dia dhuit, hello" and end with a 'slán'.

An Easpaig

Pubs and restaurants could get half-day crash courses for their Irish staff to allow them to take orders in Irish and Foras na Gaeilge already provide funding for businesses to print their menus in both languages.

In Cork, trickles of a turning tide can be seen in Gael Taca's Gradam (award) Padraig Ó Cuanacháin that highlights businesses in the city that have Irish signage etc on their premises. Their plan is to double the number of businesses involved this year because feedback has been so positive.

The rest of us can obviously take evening classes and we can end every transaction with a 'go raibh maith agat' but language organisations in Cork lack volunteers and with more hands on the deck the slow progress of MV Gaeilge will begin to reach a head of steam.

As they say in what will hopefully be the location of our next small victory: every little helps!

Club Daon-Phoblacht, an Irish language social night, takes place on Thursday 18th March@The Roundy, Castle St. from 8.30pm. Speakers of all abilities are welcome.

gaeilge@peoplesrepublicofcork.com