It is often forgotten for nearly two centuries English has been the majority language in Ireland. At the same time speech patterns and vocabulary from Gaelic were retained, often in a bastardised form
Which language is most spoken in Ireland?
By the 1890s the gaeltacht (native-Irish speaking community) was restricted to a small number of remote areas, most notably on the off shore islands in the west
Which language is most spoken in Ireland?
By the 1890s the gaeltacht (native-Irish speaking community) was restricted to a small number of remote areas, most notably on the off shore islands in the west
There was a Gaelic revivalist movement but as Joyce brilliantly portrays in The Dead (1914) this largely consisted of earnest nationalist intellectuals like Miss Ivors. She berates Gabriel as as a 'West Briton' for holidaying on the Continent rather than in the gaeltacht
The formation of the Free State (1922) allowed the Miss Ivors to gain the upper-hand over the 'West Britons'. For the first time Gaelic became a compulsory subject in Irish schools.
My parents were typical of the first generation to experience the educational consequences of the nationalist policy. Though they came from a remote part of rural Ireland, neither spoke Irish at home. Where they came closely into contact with Gaelic was at school. Every subject was now to be studied through the medium of this 'foreign' language.
That can't have been easy. Surely it's better to learn through your first language? The difficulty was compounded by the fact that the teachers were also non-native. And in rural areas they were under-qualified and working with very limited resources.
find on Wikipedia's rather dull list .
In tribute this week I'm going to feature some of my favourites. I've tried to cross-reference where possible as Dad was not beyond making them up himself!
Mary-Theresa McGovern (1928 - 1983)
John James McGovern (1929 - 2015)
"O, Mr. Conroy, will you come for an excursion to the Aran Isles this summer? We're going to stay there a whole month. It will be splendid out in the Atlantic. You ought to come.Today every child in Ireland learns Irish. How has that happened?
"Well, you know, every year I go for a cycling tour with some fellows and so----"
"But where?" asked Miss Ivors....
"Well, we usually go to France or Belgium or perhaps Germany," said Gabriel awkwardly.
"And why do you go to France and Belgium," said Miss Ivors, "instead of visiting your own land?"
"Well," said Gabriel, "it's partly to keep in touch with the languages and partly for a change."
"And haven't you your own language to keep in touch with -- Irish?" asked Miss Ivors.
"Well," said Gabriel, "if it comes to that, you know, Irish is not my language."
The formation of the Free State (1922) allowed the Miss Ivors to gain the upper-hand over the 'West Britons'. For the first time Gaelic became a compulsory subject in Irish schools.
My parents were typical of the first generation to experience the educational consequences of the nationalist policy. Though they came from a remote part of rural Ireland, neither spoke Irish at home. Where they came closely into contact with Gaelic was at school. Every subject was now to be studied through the medium of this 'foreign' language.
That can't have been easy. Surely it's better to learn through your first language? The difficulty was compounded by the fact that the teachers were also non-native. And in rural areas they were under-qualified and working with very limited resources.
find on Wikipedia's rather dull list .
In tribute this week I'm going to feature some of my favourites. I've tried to cross-reference where possible as Dad was not beyond making them up himself!
Mary-Theresa McGovern (1928 - 1983)
John James McGovern (1929 - 2015)