Will the insistence of photographic evidence cost N. Ireland a chance at peace? If it does, there are a few politicians whose testicles should be removed, pickled and photographed for posterity.
Irish May Become An Official EU Language!
It was a while in coming, but I’m sure advocates of the language are celebrating this news, that Ireland will seek official status for Irish Gaelic. EU treaties, including the new European Constitution, have been translated into Irish, and it will also mean that European citizens may contact the EU institutions using Irish and expect a reply in the language.
Fortnight has a wonderful interview with Irish poet Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill.
One of her more interesting observations is that ‘the shift from Irish to English unleashed madness throughout the population…..the emotions were stuck in Irish and didn’t make it through to English. So their emotions would burst out in a totally inappropriate way over totally inappropriate things.’
Smoking Ban?
This story suggests there is far more to the woes of Ireland’s pubs than the recent smoking ban.
Twilight of the Celts.
This is an article from the Belfast Telgraph written by the author of “The Last of the Celts” regarding his odyssey through regions where Gaelic was a prominent, if not the dominant, language. It also features some statistics documenting the decline of the Gaelic languages in Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, Patagonia, the Isle of Man, Cornwall and Cape Breton.
SaveGaelic.org website.
I tend to focus on the Irish flavor of Gaelic, but came across this interesting site that is championing the revitalization of Scottish Gaelic. Very nicely done website as well.
‘The Last of the Celts’ sounds like a book I need to read.
A freelance writer and journalist goes on a search for ancestral graves, and traverses the parts of Europe where Gaelic languages are still spoken. Sounds fascinating.
No room for Irish language in e-learning?
Riverdeep’s chief executive says that the Irish government needs to plan its e-learning strategy and warned that Irish Gaelic may be left out in the cold. The government, or advocates of the language, to be more accurate. We took the bull by the horns ourselves in this area for Hawaiian language. It’s and incredible opportunity for the language and its speakers if it is made a priority.
‘Daft’ plan to cut Gaeilge for immigrant gardai.
(link requires registration) Ireland’s Justice Minister Michael McDowell plans to drop the Irish language requirement for immigrant recruits to An Garda Siochana, something that is not going over well with Irish language advocates.
Irish plead for EU gift of the gab.
It looks like Ireland is indeed going to push to have Irish added to the growing list of recognized languages in the EU. It was quite classy for Bertie to not have pushed for it while Ireland held the EU presidency. It does sound as though Ulster MEP Jim Allister could use a hand removing the broomstick from his arse.