The Irish Language: what's the point?

16th Mar 2011

With the recent debate over the compulsory Irish in schools, there’s no time more appropriate to dispel some of the myths around the Irish language than on the state’s national holiday.

Foreign languages should be taught instead of Irish!

While foreign languages like French are enjoyable to learn the global rise of English, our first language, makes it far less important than even ten years ago. Countries like Malaysia and Indonesia rank English education as high as any other major national issue.

100 million people in China can now speak English. EU Taoiseach Angela Merkel and Tánaiste Nicholas Sarkozy communicate in English despite their countries dominance of Europe. Champions League regulars Anderlecht, whose fans are drawn from both the French and Flemish areas of Belgium chant entirely in English so that neither side dominates the club. The list is endless.

So while we shouldn’t remain ignorant of other European languages and they have their use (usually on short holidays with the rare native that doesn’t have English), the necessity to learn them has hugely diminished. The part of our brains that benefit so much from learning a second language can be equally stimulated with the native tongue.

The new Irish language act requires TG4 to have at least six 'cailín deas' on their books at all times. You might see them when you go to Salthill on your holidays.

Why bother with Irish so when we already speak English?
All those countries mentioned above determined to improve their English do so mainly for business and economic purposes. Their workers all have their own native tongues, and hence cultures, to go back to when they clock out of their call centres and software hubs.

English is here to stay as the dominant language of Ireland for the foreseeable future but Irish is a huge part of our culture and should be nourished. It is often asked what makes German speaking Austria different to Germany? The colour of their soccer jersey is about all most of us would come up with. Wanting to distinguish ourselves from other groups by being proudly part of another is an insuppressibly human trait.

If we want Ireland to become a distinguishable entity then we must continue to nourish all the aspects of Gaelic culture equally from dance and music, to sport and language.

What’s the point?! It can’t be revived!
In 1884 the tiny community of Gaelic games fans were so worried about the total disinterest in hurling and football among Irish people that they formed the GAA - now the strongest sporting body in the country with a million members and clubs all over the world.

Welsh, like Cornish, was heading for near extinction in the mid-twentieth century. The former took decisive action in the late eighties and now has over half a million daily speakers while Cornish is undeniably dead.

Since the mid to late nineties Gaelscoileanna have been popping up all over the place, especially in Cork, showing a clear appetite for language revival. If both the public and government can be convinced of the benefits of increasing the wealth and strength of Gaelic culture (whilst embracing all the best parts of others at the same time) then Irish will easily survive and flourish.

Marianne Delaney, Liberty Grill, Jacque Barry, The Woodford, Áine Ní Shléibhín, Development Manager with Gael-Taca, Billy Kelly, The Roundy and Caroline Murphy, Café Anraith celebrating Cork Restaurants launching Bilingual Menu’s for March.

Our money is being wasted on the Irish language!

Some of it is. Many Irish language quangos are ineffective and are often steeped in the worst kind of malaise and apathy associated with the most inefficient parts of the public service. To get a much needed kick up the thóin many of these groups need to be watched over by more target orientated organisations that are goal driven. If a group fails to produce evidence that its work is effective in promoting the language in a real and verifiable way then its funding should be cut.

Freakscene's flyer for March 16th 2011

Tourism Ireland wants to promote Ireland as a culturally unique destination and more collaboration between tourism groups and Irish language bodies would give some additional business direction to the latter’s work. Until the government wields the axe of reality with many of these groups their effectiveness will be frustratingly limited.

But there’s nowhere to use Irish in Cork!

Coircal comhrás are springing up all around the place – the latest in Passage West GAA club a few weeks ago. These conversation circles allow people to try out what they know and pick up words and phrases from others not to mention the social aspect and making new friends. Check out our list online for more info.

Slowly but surely more and more events, both Irish and bilingual are springing up around Cork. Tonight (the 16^th) Freakscene, the legendary club night, holds its first bilingual night in Gorby’s while over in the Clarion Gaelgoirí Cois Laoi, who meet there every second Monday hold a repeat of last year’s highly successful bilingual quiz night.

As a nation we have been made to think that we don’t have any Irish by a largely negative national discourse and our own insecurities. A national grading system to allow people to assess what they have, as recommended by the 20 Year Strategy would help but despite what you think you have far more than the cúpla focal or a “few words” - a typical Irish expression that depressingly plays down our expectations of ourselves.

All class fees go back into promoting the Irish language in CORK

If you even scraped a pass in the leaving cert you will still have a huge amount of vocabulary (hundreds of words as oppose to a ‘few’) and more importantly an in-built fundamental knowledge of how to form sentences no matter what age you are.

Up against an enthusiastic foreigner learning it for the first time trying to achieve some moderate conversational fluency your schooling, for all its faults, would still be the equivalent of a 50 metre head start in a 100 metre sprint – you just have to be prepared to finish the race and, believe us, the satisfaction of winning is immense. 


If you have something to say to us about the Irish language, if would like to start classes or if you want to get involved in Irish language promotion you can email us at gaeilge@peoplesrepublicofcork.com or post on our Irish language forum

Useful online resources:
www.gael-taca.com 
www.beo.ie 
www.focal.ie
www.cnag.ie 
www.colaiste-na-ngael.com (for learning Irish in Britain)