Irish language use on the rise?

Archeron

Just thought to see if anyone else has noticed this, but is the daily use of Irish in everyday life on the increase?
When I was younger, the only time I ever heard Irish in use was when we used to recite poems, etc from school text books. I never ever heard people use it to communicate outside of a school environment.

However, over the past few months, there has actually been about 10 different occasions where I have heard people converse in daily life as Gaeilge. This was in totally mundane situations such as visiting relatives in hospital, buying stuff in a shop, or talking in the pub.

I'm delighted to see it, (and slightly envious that my own Irish is not yet that good), but have you noticed this yourselves? I dont live in a Gaeltacht, I live in Co Meath, near the Dublin border.

GaryOR

Go cinnte, déanaim iarracht mo chuid Gaeilge a úsáid ar na sráideanna chomh minic agus is féidir liom, le mo chailínse nó mo deartháirse formhór den am.

Gheobhainn amhairc aisteacha ó dhaoine uaireanta dá bharr, ach ansin tá's agam go dtuigeann siad gur Gaeilge í atá ann..;)

Seo clár (nasc thíos) a bheidh craolta ar TG4 sa Bhliain Nua , sílim go mbeidh suim agat ann!

http://www.manchan.com/pb/wp_f4b21f7c/wp_f4b21f7c.html?0.3468578975403887

Your dead right, I try and use my Irish on the street as much as possible, with my girlfriend or brother.

I'd get strange looks from people sometimes but then I know that they understand that its Irish.

GaryOR

I dont live in a Gaeltacht, I live in Co Meath

http://www.meathtourist.com/towns/rath_cairn/

Tá na Gaeil fós beo bríomhar i gcontae na Mí fós.

Gael

Archeron wrote:

Just thought to see if anyone else has noticed this, but is the daily use of Irish in everyday life on the increase?
When I was younger, the only time I ever heard Irish in use was when we used to recite poems, etc from school text books. I never ever heard people use it to communicate outside of a school environment.

However, over the past few months, there has actually been about 10 different occasions where I have heard people converse in daily life as Gaeilge. This was in totally mundane situations such as visiting relatives in hospital, buying stuff in a shop, or talking in the pub.

I'm delighted to see it, (and slightly envious that my own Irish is not yet that good), but have you noticed this yourselves? I dont live in a Gaeltacht, I live in Co Meath, near the Dublin border.

I interact with a lot of Irish speakers outside the Gaeltacht anyway, so I'm probably not the best placed to comment on the experience of the average English speaker in Ireland of Irish, but I'm interested to hear what you saying.

Incidentally Archeron, did these people you heard sound like fluent or native speakers, or did they tend to sound like people with pidgin Irish trying to utilise the little they had?

Certainly I get the impression that a combination of much more travel to other countries in the last two decades especially and also the huge amount of immigration and new cultures and languages in Ireland has made a lot of people who would have been formally ambivalent to Irish, become a lot more conscious of it's cultural importance. Especially when the new immigrants tend to learn fluent English but not abandon their mother tongue, or deny it to their children. I think that makes a lot of Irish people stop and realise how petty the attitude many Irish people display towards the language is.

greenteaicedtea

Gael, my exposure to people who know a language other than english, who have retained their parents' language, has motivated me to learn Irish.

I'm glad it's happening in Ireland too, I heard it a bit too often from people who were from Ireland, how Irish is a dead language why bother etc., it's nice to know things are turning around a bit that way.

Gael

greenteaicedtea wrote:

Gael, my exposure to people who know a language other than english, who have retained their parents' language, has motivated me to learn Irish.

I'm glad it's happening in Ireland too, I heard it a bit too often from people who were from Ireland, how Irish is a dead language why bother etc., it's nice to know things are turning around a bit that way.

I've been pleasantly surprised to hear some Polish people (who I'm fairly sure are the main ethnic minority in Ireland now) use a few words of Irish in public. Nothing more that "Go raibh maith agat" etc. but it's more than a lot of Irish people use. It's funny how we need foreigners to help us appreciate Irish. What an irony.

I must go find out the Polish word for thank you......

Kwekubo

Gael wrote:

I must go find out the Polish word for thank you......

Dziękuję (pronounced jen-koo-yeh), or so I understand from my Pimsleur CDs

rediguana

When abroad, I speak pidgen Irish to my girlfriend so that Johnny Foreigner can't understand us. Grainne Seoige would be spinning in her grave though if she heard our attempts!

Gael

Kwekubo wrote:

Dziękuję (pronounced jen-koo-yeh), or so I understand from my Pimsleur CDs

Go raibh maith agat.

Suaimhneach

Something else positive.

Gaeltacht attendance reaches all time high- breakingnews.ie
30/12/2006 - 21:53:48

Irish language courses are more popular than ever with a record number of people attending the Gaeltacht this year.

Over 25,000 people studied in the Gaeltacht in 2006, the most there has ever been.

A thousand of those attending Irish language courses were adult learners, while the rest were young students going to summer colleges.

Gaeltacht Minister Eamon O Cuiv was very happy with the news.

“Certainly Irish is alive a kicking,” he said.

“A number of things have happened to strengthen the language in recent times: TG4, the Language Act and the recent statement by the Government in relation to the language are all major boosters.”

O_Murchu

sounds good ive been to the gaeltacht for the past 3 years and the turnout at it is always huge

>Would love to see more day to day use of the language in big cities like dublin

Suaimhneach

There is loads in dublin if you know where to look, and more if you're over 18 and can go to pubs and events.

Colleges, events, places in town [temple bar], groups and such all run regularly.

Dave!

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=205743226&p=zx574393z

Irish language receives official EU status
01/01/2007 - 09:05:35 The Irish language is an official language of the EU this morning.

The Irish language is an official language of the EU this morning.

From now on, EU documents and communiques will have to be translated directly, and Ireland's MEPs and Commissioner will be allowed to speak it during official business.

Gaeltacht Minister Eamon O'Cuiv says it is not before time.

“Its fortunes have improved in the last century as its status has improved,” he said.




“Its status now in Europe adds a whole new dimension to the Irish language. But I also think it is important to see the Irish language as the oldest vernacular language that is still spoken in the European Union that is basically the same language that was there 2,000 years ago.”
___________

More good news

Gael

This fella doesn't agree with the general opinion of this thread, but if you watch the clips, he does come off as a bit of a loon (and not because he speaks Irish).

Suaimhneach

What an interesting link and approach eh. Times like these I regret not having a tv, or that ireland doesnt do torrenting, esp not of TG4 series.

While I agree with the point he is making in some ways, I also disagree with them too. One has to take Irish in teh context of Ireland, which is still rapidly changing.

Tá súil agam go maireann an teaga in aoineann na bacannaí an bhfuil ann di.

Gael

Jesjes wrote:

What an interesting link and approach eh. Times like these I regret not having a tv, or that ireland doesnt do torrenting, esp not of TG4 series.

Is féidir féachaint ar TG4 go beo ar an idirlíon agus tá go leor dá chláracha le fáil sa chartlann ar an suíomh idirlín acu. Níl aon ghá le teilifíseán!

You can watch TG4 live across the internet and many of their programmes can be watched in the archive on their website. No need for a telly!

www.tg4.ie