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THIS MONTH THE Good Information Project has focused on Gaeltacht and Irish language issues, exploring both the challenges facing an Ghaeilge as well as the many reasons for hope.
Our live event in Kerry, “An Ghaeilge: Faoi bhrú nó faoi bhláth?”, saw our panel of experts sounding a positive note on the current perception of Irish among the population. However, there is more to be done when it comes to preserving the Gaeltacht – not least with regard to the provision housing and amenities in those areas.
Irish also faces institutional struggles both in the Republic and Northern Ireland, but its popularity on social media and learning apps such as Duolingo suggests that there is a bedrock of support for an Ghaeilge.
As always, we’re rounding of this month’s cycle with a quiz. Don’t worry, we won’t be testing you on your Irish, but you can take it to see how well you know the current state of the Irish language. Go n-éirí leat!
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It’s taught in school for 13 years but most people aren’t fluent. Why?
Maybe we need to change the way we teach it.
@Jim Buckley Barrett: The way Irish is taught is laughable. No real change from 30 years ago.
Irish should be taught as a language to be spoken and nothing else, if students want to go further with it that should be up to them.
@Bert Carolan: ‘They way Irish is taught’. How come people have no problem learning other languages.
@Jim Buckley Barrett: It’s not tight to a high level of fluency. Are most people fluent in French when they come out of school? Very unlikely.
@Paul Mcnevin: let’s be honest here most people are not fluent in another language they learn in school either. We start foreign languages too late and put too much emphasis on unnecessary elements instead of focusing on spoken languages.
@Paul Mcnevin: how come it has just never caught on.. The interest is just not there..
@Jim Buckley Barrett: in primary school we have teachers who aren’t themselves really fluent in the language and who are frankly not qualified to teach it. Basic aspects of grammar at left unexplained. Then in secondary it’s assumed that students already know all the basics when really they don’t, and they move on to studying poems etc in the language.
I’m amazed the language has survived as it was hated by many of my generation and for understandable reason. When I was going to primary school corporal punishment was still allowed. We were regularly beaten with a leather for making mistakes and particularly so in Irish class. We had one Irish teacher from the Galway Gaeltacht who was particularly vicious. The same guy had a bit of a media profile as a cartoonist and Irish language advocate. Six of the best for failing to come up to the required standard and administered with seeming relish. Strangely enough it didn’t turn me off the language despite his best efforts. I did meet him years later though and told him to do something physically impossible and unmentionable. Said in English of course…
@William Tallon: sounds like he was a nasty person who should not have been within 10.foot of children. I had the same.wirh a French teacher.and she didn’t need corporal punishment!
@Marie Broomfield: He was very well thought of though among the Irish speaking community despite his grá for beating 9 and 10-year-olds…
@William Tallon: Thank you for that Post…
@William Tallon: Domhnall Ó Lubhlaí by any chance?
@ᑕᑎíᑕᕼI: I’m afraid not.
@ᑕᑎíᑕᕼI: I’ve just read his obituary in the Irish Times from December, 13th 2008. Turns out he was from Tipperary not Galway. He was an Irish language activist, political cartoonist for the Irish Independent and also worked with RTE in the early 60′s. I’m sure you can find his details from that…
@William Tallon: All bad articles
@William Tallon: Yes, guessed correctly. Ireland’s answer to Walt Disney, as far as ducks are concerned. In his public persona at least he was a contrary and uncompromising character, so probably not well suited to the classroom. Vision without compassion is a dangerous combination.
Labhair í agus mairfidh sí
Only way to improve common usage is to have an Irish discount.. ask for stuff as Gaeilge and get eg 10% off.. tá sé ag a lán Daoine ach nil Aon carrot an chin é a usaid
I have lived in Ireland since 72 and have never ever, in course of every day life ever heard anybody speak any irish… The irish language has long missed the boat.. They can teach it all they like, but it will never be spoken.
At best it just has heritage value..
Leave it to the romantics as pass time cause that is all it will ever be in this day and age as it is of no use in day to day life here or anywhere else in the world
@Ned: Any part of your experience is uniquely Irish?
@Paul Mcnevin: Irish longer than you are I would bet money on that lad
@Ned: I would hate to be someone as boring as you
@Ben Lally: ha ha ha that’s a good one lol
6 out of 10 and I could not be arsed!
@Noel_Random: Thanks for that. You can learn so much on the Journal.
2 right just by prodding at sh ite. My goal was zero like my level of interest in Irish.
@lelookcoco: rage against a language. And struggling to find the best put down. Something has defeated you and it isn’t the Irish language
@lelookcoco: Anything else uniquely Irish, you have an interest in?
have your say