Things have been hectic in East Hawai’i for the past few weeks. I spent a few days in Honolulu toward the end of March, setting up an XServer at UH-Manoa. It’ll be the eventual home of Ulukau, our Hawaiian Language Digital Library. Our son returned from Iraq to Honolulu that week as well, so I stayed over and greeted him and the other returning soldiers at Wheeler Airforce Base. I got heavily involved in writing up a big grant proposal for our technology section at Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke’elikolani, and then our son and some of the other Hawai’i…
Irish bookmakers take bets on next pope…
though they suspended betting on Sunday out of respect. How nice of them.
Irish-only signs go up in Gaeltacht.
Starting today, only the Irish language version of placenames will be on the road and street signs in Gaeltacht areas of Ireland. The removal of English versions from signs in the Gaeltacht prompted concerns for tourists in the regions.
Commentary from the Sunday Tiimes: Abandon Irish as an official language and watch it flourish.
For the past 80 years Ireland has compelled students to study Irish, yet the decline in its use continues. Should the Republic abandon the policy or focus on those who truly want to learn the language and keep it alive? We met more than a handful of people at Oideas Gael who were only there working on their Irish because their jobs required it, and few were happy about it.
The Onion’s ‘Irish Heritage Timeline’
And a tip o’ the hat goes to “Slugger”.
Review of Irish Language Teaching is essential.
Fine Gael Leader Enda Kenny TD calls for a thorough review of the teaching of Irish at primary and secondary school level.
Almost 4,000 children are now learning through Irish in N. Ireland.
The Belfast Telegraph reports amazing growth in Irish language medium schools in Northern Ireland. Great news on St. Patrick’s Day Eve.
The Green Berets of South Bronx.
The Associated Press reports that Irish firefighters from New York can no longer parade wearing their customary green berets during tomorrow’s St. Patrick’s Day parade. An attorney for some of the firefighters plans to file a complaint with the state Division on Human Rights accusing the department of discrimination on the basis of religion and ethnicity. To Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta, a St. Paddy’s Day wish – may the curse of Mary Malone and her nine blind illegitimate children chase you so far over the hills of Damnation that the Lord himself can’t find you with a telescope.
Irish language flourishes at Notre Dame.
Nice to know that the Fighting Irish are fighting for the language and culture as well.
The Irish Language Commissioner calls for review of Irish language instruction.
A report stated said that many pupils haven’t even attained basic fluency in Irish despite being taught the language for 13 years. We heard much the same during our visit to Ireland. Students read and write well, but oral skills were reported to be poor.