This funny letter appeared in the Irish Independent. You have to register to view it on their website; I hope they don’t mind me reprinting it, minus the writer’s name: Sir – In the last week new notices have appeared in the local parks and they are all in Irish. They refer to dogs fouling the park – I know this because they contain a drawing of a dog doing his bit (added to by some local wags in case you miss the point). My Leaving Cert Irish couldn’t make head nor tail of the script. Has Dublin now become…
The fighting Irish speakers and their losing battles.
[ From the Irish Independent – registration required ] Some interesting documentation about the struggles between Irish language advocates and those that could care less about it.
Tá Blag an Imill ag Podchraoladh!
I think this means Imeall’s blog now has a podcast. I really need to get my Irish studies rolling again, there’s just so little time left over after everything else I have going on. I could pick out about a half-dozen non-English words in the podcast. What a magnificent language. Must strive to do better!
In Ireland, few safe havens for an ancient tongue.
Another feature on the struggle to keep Irish alive, and the government’s efforts in that endeavor.
Too cool! I’m linked from an Irish language blog talking about podcasting!
It will take me weeks to translate this post. The author emailed me (most of it in English, fortunately!), and part of it expresses the desire to see Raidio na Gaeltachta (the Irish language radio station) make programming available via podcasts. I would love to see that, too! It looks as though podchraoladh is the Irish term for podcasting. We’ll have to come up with one in Hawaiian as well
Irish becomes official working language of EU.
EU foreign ministers confirmed Irish as the 21st official and working language of the European Union yesterday. Beginning January 1, 2007, all primary legislation will be translated into Irish and ministers and MEPs can request to use Irish during council meetings and European Parliament plenary sessions.
Dingle No More.
Under new rules to promote the Irish language, Dingle must now be known by the Gaelic name An Daingean, and local businesses seem to be less than thrilled by the development.
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.
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.