More Self-Loathing from John Waters

[georgedillon]

Another really stupid article from John Waters in Monday's IT. (I'm a bit reluctant to give further publicity to this guy, who is already grossly over-exposed on radio, TV and in print.)

Anyway, JW's article is headlined "New Irish can save the language"

What manner of rubbish is this? Does he mean Latvian, Angolan, Polish migrant workers ? These are not the "new Irish"--we've never even asked if they would wish to renounce their nationality! I know if I was working in Poland I would have very little desire to take out Polish citizenship, why do Waters and others think that Poles hold their heritage in so little value?

Then he goes on to mention an organization of foreign Irish speakers, which has membership of about 40.

Waters' Irish is non-existent--much easier for him to wait for the foreigners to learn it! Though at the rate he cites (40 speakers) that's about one in 10,000 of all foreigners living here. That's really going to strengthen the Irish language!

He winds up:
"it struck me how simple would be the rehabilitation of the language if we could first of all convince ourselves that speaking it was not a mark of backwardness or insularity but an emblem of our belonging to the diversity of world cultures"

I've never seen the fact that I speak Irish as a "mark of backwardness". If Waters believes that, then it says something about his own ignorance, insularity and self-loathing.

Of course this Waters is the guy who predicted a massive No vote in the Citizenship Referendum. That's OK, anyone can make a mistake, but it was striking that he never used his subsequent columns to examine his conscience and speculate as to how come he was so out of touch with the popular will.

Add John Waters to the long list of exponents of bogus "multiculturalism".
GD

[ishmael_whale]

There's a bit in 'Jiving at the Crossroads' when he says John Healy was greatly taken with Haughey planting new trees in Kinsealy which he took to show an interest in the environment. Waters turns up with a photographer (I think he was editor of In Dublin at the time) mad keen to picture Haughey with the trees.

Haughey can't figure out what the fuss is, and when Waters explains the response is 'Healy has trees on the ************************************g brain'. Waters realises Healy's perception of the significance of the trees is all my arse. Unfortunately, he never seemed to question how much else of that crypto West of Ireland winge outlook is equally all my arse.

[BarryW]

Of course this Waters is the guy who predicted a massive No vote in the Citizenship Referendum

He's also the guy that preaches about everything thats right and wrong in Ireland, but stands up to defend Haughey at every possible opportunity.

Remember his pathetic rant on Newstalk recently, while reviewing the papers?

[hiker]

Have to say I like him. I would'nt agree with all he says but I like his passion for issius. He gets into a rythem when he talks and then suddenly he hits turbo and away he goes.

His oblique veiw on certain things can make you stop and think awhile. I dont think he will be listed amongst the great thinkers of Irish society over any period of time but he can be entertaining.
Bit like his buddy Eamo.

[JCassidy]

I read the article and laughed out loud. Typical of many who promote Gaelic that they will cite examples tiny numbers of foreigners who are interested in it academically (I am sure the organisation he is talking about has an overwhelmingly middle-class academic background). How many ordinary foreigners are flocking off to their local evening school to learn Gaelic? They are probably too busy trying to improve their English while working in poorly paid jobs for long hours. It's middle-class tosh to believe otherwise.

Rather than pontificate about foreigners who do/don't have an interest in Gaelic, perhaps he should talk about the native Irish who have been excluded and discriminated against because of the insistance of a Gaelic requirement for so many jobs... including the Gardai. Could this explain why numerous swathes of working class areas in Dublin and elsewhere are lowly represented in our singularly inefficient police force?

Does Waters really expect foreigners to learn a language most of us have no interest in learning ourselves?

Water's piece is a classic in the hypocritical, divorced-from-reality genre so favoured by the commentators of Official Ireland.

[White Horse]

Does Waters really expect foreigners to learn a language most of us have no interest in learning ourselves?

All this talk about Gaelic makes me wonder if people do not realise that the English language is one of the biggest factors in our economic success.

Gaelic is dead, let it rest in peace.

[Gael]

How your new language freedom movement going JCassidy? Any upcoming meetings?

[Rochey]

I read the article and laughed out loud. Typical of many who promote Gaelic that they will cite examples tiny numbers of foreigners who are interested in it academically (I am sure the organisation he is talking about has an overwhelmingly middle-class academic background). How many ordinary foreigners are flocking off to their local evening school to learn Gaelic? They are probably too busy trying to improve their English while working in poorly paid jobs for long hours. It's middle-class tosh to believe otherwise.

Rather than pontificate about foreigners who do/don't have an interest in Gaelic, perhaps he should talk about the native Irish who have been excluded and discriminated against because of the insistance of a Gaelic requirement for so many jobs... including the Gardai. Could this explain why numerous swathes of working class areas in Dublin and elsewhere are lowly represented in our singularly inefficient police force?

Does Waters really expect foreigners to learn a language most of us have no interest in learning ourselves?

Water's piece is a classic in the hypocritical, divorced-from-reality genre so favoured by the commentators of Official Ireland.

I wouldn't regard Waters as man who tries to promote the Gaelic language. This is probably just this week's issue his banging on about and will forget all about it very soon. Also he certainly isn't "typical of many who promote Gaelic...". I think most sane people realise that the new residents to our country have a very very minor interest in the Irish language. Those 40 foreigners are probably language graduates from their native countries.

[Jippo]

His highlighting of the issue of Father's Rights has been admirable: with a bit more dignity than that Fathers4Justice group.

[DSCH]

Rather than pontificate about foreigners who do/don't have an interest in Gaelic, perhaps he should talk about the native Irish who have been excluded and discriminated against because of the insistance of a Gaelic requirement for so many jobs... including the Gardai. Could this explain why numerous swathes of working class areas in Dublin and elsewhere are lowly represented in our singularly inefficient police force?

I presume the level of "Gaelic" required for entering the guards would be a D at leaving cert ordinary level. If people can't manage this, other things being equal, then they really should be looking for work in areas that are less demanding of such titanic intellectual firepower.