Why should Irish be revived?

[Live Free or Die]

Is it ? Who decided this ? Isn't it upto the Irish people what comprises the national identity and heritage ?

What is your interest in the Irish language? Is it one of concern, or one of joy because it is not spoken en masse?

[Riadach]

Is it ? Who decided this ? Isn't it upto the Irish people what comprises the national identity and heritage ?

I don't think cultural heritage is necessarily a subjective term. Culture maybe, but cultural heritage is the culture your ancestors practised or the culture your community practised. Irish features, as does English, as does Irish and English, as does Irish and classical music, as does Irish literature in both languages, be they aspirational political poems such as Aisling Poetry or the delicate poetry of Ulster Scots weavers. Schools should ensure that there are as few obstacles as possible for students to access these traditions, and that does mean teaching a language in which much of this is locked away (not to the exclusion of everything else however).

[Cruimh]

What is your interest in the Irish language? Is it one of concern, or one of joy because it is not spoken en masse?

What has this to do with my questions ?

[Riadach]

For your homework find out why Douglas Hyde left the Gaelic League.

It certainly wasn't a complaint about the revival. or even about it's association with cultural nationalism.

[Darren J. Prior]

Whatever hope there was of a revival has died with the advent of global media and communications.

??? What?

Irish is having a revival thanks to the media.

Three new gaelcholáistí- including two in Dublin- will open in the next couple of years and in Dublin alone there are strong campaigns for four more primary level gaelscoileanna!

Is it ? Who decided this ? Isn't it upto the Irish people what comprises the national identity and heritage ?

And we have decided it through Bunreacht na hÉireann! The Bunreacht will be changed though so if anyone has problems with Irish being the first language of the country they can lobby to change it.

[wombat]

Not to mention the fact that removing compulsory Irish would lead to a fall off in Irish language job opportunities, at secondary at university level, status, as well as local tourism in the Gaeltacht. These may not be the best reasons to keep it compulsory, but it is very disingenuous to differentiate the two issues.

That is now part of the problem, there are so many vested interests involved with the Irish language that its impossible to question current policy. The reaction to FG's suggestion to remove compulsion was used effectively against them in Gaeltacht areas. What started as a language revival movement in the 19th century has degenerated to a job preservation movement in the 21st.

[ocoonassa]

That's hardly the best test unfortunately.

Well you would say that, you are the industry interest.

I know what kids tell me and I know that compulsion in anything is wrong. You can't change my mind and I can't change yours, it's pointless for us to rediscover that I reckon.

[Riadach]

Well you would say that, you are the industry interest.

You cannot say the revival failed, anymore than I can say the revival succeeded. However, we can look at the experience in Northern Ireland. How many Gaeltachts were in the North prior to Independence, and how many there afterwards, with no support of the goverment?

I know what kids tell me and I know that compulsion in anything is wrong. You can't change my mind and I can't change yours, it's pointless for us to rediscover that I reckon.

Tell that to schools, where compulsion is an important aspects in many subjects right up to 18. Indeed, colleges aren't based entirely on electives either.

[Live Free or Die]

For your homework find out why Douglas Hyde left the Gaelic League.

According to Wiki;

Many of the new generation of Irish leaders who played a central role in the fight for Irish independence in the early twentieth century, including Patrick Pearse, Éamon de Valera (who married his Irish teacher Sinéad Ní Fhlannagáin), Michael Collins, and Ernest Blythe first became politicised and passionate about Irish independence through their involvement in Conradh na Gaedhilge or (Gaelic League).

Not arguing with you but what's wrong with that. I can't see how Irish was/is being used a political football.

[Riadach]

That is now part of the problem, there are so many vested interests involved with the Irish language that its impossible to question current policy. The reaction to FG's suggestion to remove compulsion was used effectively against them in Gaeltacht areas. What started as a language revival movement in the 19th century has degenerated to a job preservation movement in the 21st.

Unfortunately, helping jobs in the language, is helping the language. Maybe this would be different if we got out of the politics of use.