Why should Irish be revived?

[feedmelies]

When any suggestions are made about Irish being made optional for the LC, a common response is "No, that will be bad for the language, we need to do this and that to revive it."
Why does it need to be revived? I'm quite happy speaking english. If people want to speak Irish for whatever reason, then by all means let them learn it, let them study it as a subject if they wish. But why should the rest of us be forced? Even if Irish was taught perfectly to a fluent level by the end of the LC, I still wouldn't wish to learn it. I have yet to see a valid argument for Irish being revived. Learning a language takes a huge amount of time and while it is enjoyable for some, it is painful for others.

[corporal punishment]

I would like to be able to speak irish fluently, but only after learning at least one european language, preferably two.
It shouldn't be compulsory in schools after NS, in my own opinion only of course.

[asknoquestions]

Arguably, in a classroom is not necessarily the best place to learn a language anyway - better to learn in the real world or the environment you're going to use the language.

[iago1709]

I think at this stage it's more a question of not letting the language die out than reviving it.
Why do you dislike the language so much?

[RobertW]

If we keep wasting money on Irish in schools whilst the rest of the world is busy learning Chinese then with stupidity we will get what we deserve.

[18 Brumaire]

Because you're obliged to under the Constitution and you're not Irish if you don't speak Irish. There, its that simple.

[ocoonassa]

Why do you dislike the language so much?

I like the language. It's the dicks who've tried to use it as a political football for the last 100 years who are the problem. End compulsion and let the lovers of it go to it, the pro compulsion political football people are turning kids off for life. In the last 100 years there are less native speakers, what kind of revival is that?

[PrinceMax]

If we keep wasting money on Irish in schools whilst the rest of the world is busy learning Chinese then with stupidity we will get what we deserve.

Is the rest of the world busy learning Chinese? In all the people I've met from Europe, or North America over the years, not one of them was learning Chinese.

[Protestant/Catholic=Irish]

Languages are great if you can speak them, awful if you can't. Put a bit of effort into it and I can guarantee you it will become enjoyable.

To answer your question, it is part of your national identity and heritage.

[Live Free or Die]

If Irish people had any self respect, the Irish language would have been restored by now. But in fairness to Irish people, there has been no leadership from the Government.

It's the nature of the State. Neither one thing or the other. The teaching/learning of Irish was/is a compromise because the State was/is a compromise frankly.