Tag Archives: Irish Language

From top: Irish language rights demonstration in Belfast city centre last Saturday: Brandon lewis, UK’s Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

This morning.

Via The Guardian:

Brandon Lewis, the secretary of state for Northern Ireland, is to introduce the identity and language (Northern Ireland) bill at Westminster to recognise and protect Irish and foster Ulster Scots.

It will give the Irish language official status, allow the use of Irish in courts, create two commissioners plus an office of identity and cultural expression and provide £4m to An Ciste Infheistíochta Gaeilge, an Irish language investment fund. “This bill represents a significant milestone in laying down a new cultural framework,” Lewis said.

Irish language activists welcomed the legislation and urged swift implementation. “That is now the immediate litmus test for the British government. Having legislation is one thing, acting on it is the real test,”

Conchúr Ó Muadaigh, of the Conradh na Gaeilge language group, told the BBC. “Without that immediate action this legislation won’t be worth the paper it is written on.”

‘It can’t be sidelined’: bill aims to give Irish official status in Northern Ireland (The Guardian)

Ap/RollingNews

This afternoon.

Parnell Square. Dublin 1.

Giggles the Clown, Deputy Lord Mayor Deirdre Heney and Chief Executive of Dublin City Council Owen Keegan the Klown at the launch of the inaugural Lá Mór na Gaeilge happening on May 1.

The initiative of DCC and Conradh na Gaeilge is a ‘celebration of the diversity of Irish language speakers in the capital’.

All levels of Irish welcome.

You’ll be relieved to hear.

Meanwhile…

This afternoon.

From left: Johnny the Juggler; Barry Lyons (guitar); Adam Ó Faolán (bouzouki); Giggles the clown; stilt walker Emer Phelan and dancers Isabel Nic Craith and Cara Nic Raghnaill both from Glasnaíon (Glasnevin).

Lá Mór na Gaeilg

RollingNews

Yesterday.

Green Party junior minister Malcolm Noonan writes:

The conservation of historic shopfronts is a cause close to my heart and I am delighted that a dedicated stream for Irish-language shopfronts will run again under the Historic Structures Fund in 2022.

It is my hope that the scheme will encourage and incentivise projects which preserve both our built and linguistic heritage, not only in Gaeltacht regions but across the whole country.

Structures must be included, or eligible for inclusion, in the Record of Protected Structures; Grants of between €15,000 and €50,000 available; The fund increases visibility of the Irish language on streetscapes.

Details here

Ministers Noonan, Martin and Chambers encourage applications to Historic Structures Fund Irish-language shopfront scheme (Gov.ie)

Pic via Malcolm Noonan

This afternoon.

Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

Pupils and teachers  from five Gaelscoils (Scoil Bhríde, Gaelscoil Lios na nÓg, Scoil Mológa, Bunscoil Sancta Maria and Gaelscoil Eoin) plus some TDs (including Labour’s Ivana Bacik – above back centre) gathered outside Leinster House calling for a Gaelcholáiste for their school area, in South Dublin, which currently has 44 English-medium secondary schools and 0 Irish-medium secondary schools.

Letters and cards were handed in from the pupils to the Minister for Education Norma Foley to help secure her support for an independent Gaelcholáiste.

Conradh Na Gaeilge

This afternoon.

Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

Academic Áine Hyland (above) and bilingual activists outside the Dail at the launch of a discussion document demonstrating the case against proposals from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) for the Irish leaving cert exam, currently under consultation.

Irish language, Gaeltacht and Student bodies behind the document want the reforms – which could lead to Gaeltacht and Gaelscoil Leaving Cert students facing a more challenging Irish exam than their counterparts in the wider secondary sector – rejected.

The document was prepared by Ms Hyland and Fíona Uí Uiginn, and responds to the Senior Cycle Draft Irish Specifications  published for consultation by the NCCA in February.

Tuigeann?

Kinda.

Amadán.

*clips ear*

Leah Farrell/Photocall Ireland

Ah anseo.

This afternoon.

The newly opened 20 house development has been named ‘Pairceanna na Glas’ – a name that is meaningless and incorrect in terms of grammar and spelling, according to locals and scholars who are urgently pressing Kerry County Council to correct the error in what is a Gaeltacht town.

Locals began warning the council about the meaningless name last October.

However the name stone has now been erected, and it lacks the requisite fada in “páirceanna”…

…Local GP Dr Peadar Ó Fionnáin, said no one is really sure what “glas“ means in the context because of the poor gramma

Anger as Dingle estate given ‘meaningless’ Irish name (RTÉ)