[opti0nal]

Originally Posted by Pete_Cavan

I personally have no issue with present day governments of this country redressing the balance, so it speak, by promoting aspects of Irish culture (ie. those emerged "organically from people's natural interests and proclivities" before a foreign power tried to eradicate them) such as the language.

Those might sound ok, in theory, but at what human and financial cost? Unknown amounts of money wasted on services in Irish, thousands of kids forced to learn Irish against their will.

[Irishheart]

Originally Posted by deise go deo

The Government are planing on introducing a 'Gaeltacht Bill' Later this year to give statutry effect to the 20 year strategy for the Irish Language. Under the bill, Areas outside of the traditional Gaeltacht could recieve Gaeltacht status.

Minister welcomes Government decision regarding Gaeltacht Bill




Already people in some areas outside the Gaeltacht are thinking of benefits that gaining Gaeltacht status for their own area could bring.


Clondalkin Could be Dublins First Official Gaeltacht
.


What would you make of it if someone proposed turning where you live into a Gaeltacht?

I would love it.I speak Irish all the time to everyone in shops even if its how are you.
I think one of the best ideas ever.The Irish school in Clondalkin is well known for their really good grades in all subjects through Irish and they get high grades in English also.

[starviewadams]

If Clondalkin turns into a gaeltacht does that mean that every pub in the village will have cheap pints,as opposed to just Aras Chronain that does now?If so then I'm all for it!

[opti0nal]

Originally Posted by Irishheart

.
I think one of the best ideas ever.

Redesignating, as Gaeltacht, English speaking neighbourhoods, with a wholly non Gaelic lifestyle is certainly an ingenious way to cover up the failure of the Gaelic revival.

[FunkyDa2]

http://www.geograph.ie/photo/332084

The original Dublin Gaeltacht.

[opti0nal]

Originally Posted by FunkyDa2

http://www.geograph.ie/photo/332084
The original Dublin Gaeltacht.

It could be very revealing to know how much Irish is spoken there now, the road itself, with its English style houses and illegally parked cars certainly does not evoke an image of the traditional Irish way of life that the GaleGoers want to revive.

[Cú Giobach]

Originally Posted by opti0nal

It could be very revealing to know how much Irish is spoken there now, the road itself, with its English style houses and illegally parked cars certainly does not evoke an image of the traditional Irish way of life that the GaleGoers want to revive.

What does this "traditional Irish way of life" that you are on about, actually involve?
Who is calling for it?
Who lives it today, and where are they?
And finally, what has this strange little fantasy of yours got to do with the language?

[Wibbs]

Originally Posted by Pete_Cavan

It could be argued that the cultural identity in this country today has not "emerged organically from people's natural interests and proclivities", but rather has been shaped by hundreds of years of British rule. This is not an anti-British, 'up the Ra' type, remark, merely pointing out that many aspects of Irish life today have had external influences and did not emerge organically. Indeed, the decline in the language was imposed by an authoritarian government, that in London. I personally have no issue with present day governments of this country redressing the balance, so it speak, by promoting aspects of Irish culture (ie. those emerged "organically from people's natural interests and proclivities" before a foreign power tried to eradicate them) such as the language. Again, this is not an Irish v British thing, but instead recognising that political circumstance has had a major influence on the success of the Irish language (or lack thereof) so the state washing it hands of it now is not "letting the language evolve (or die) organically".

I dunno, I feel it is a Irish V Brit thing, unintentionally in many cases. The language most of us speak has the cultural misfortune to be called English, with all the heavy weight behind that word and the E word still rankles at the back of our collective psyche a little too much I reckon.

It also depends what you define as "organic" and for how long the process goes on. I mean the French don't have a chip on their shoulder* about those bastard Italians who influenced their romance language and killed off Gaulish by successive waves of invasion, killing and enslavement. Ditto for the Spaniards. The Scots who speak Gaelic don't have an issue that it's origins and spread was largely down to a cultural invasion by Ireland that displaced earlier "Pictish" languages. Hell even their countries name origin translates as Little Ireland(Scotia minor). If most of them even realise this.

However we're painfully aware of all the cultural histories about our island over the last few centuries(often very one sided and/or filtered through the lens of early 20th century Irish nationalism) and that weighs heavy on both languages I feel.








*that can be a rare sentence to write or read.

[opti0nal]

Originally Posted by Cú Giobach

What does this "traditional Irish way of life" that you are on about, actually involve?
Who is calling for it?
Who lives it today, and where are they?

These are questions that should be put to the Irish language enthusiasts.

[later12]

Originally Posted by opti0nal

These are questions that should be put to the Irish language enthusiasts.

I don't know of any language revivalists ' campaigns against "English style houses and illegally parked cars". Most Irish language enthusiasts simply want to promote a language they find relevant to their heritage or identity, or people who just happen to think it's a particularly attractive language in a literary sense.

[Cú Giobach]

Originally Posted by opti0nal

These are questions that should be put to the Irish language enthusiasts.

1. Why? It is a (so called) "Irish language enthusiast" who is actually asking the questions.
2. Why don't you answer the questions I put to you?

[opti0nal]

Originally Posted by Cú Giobach

1. Why? It is a (so called) "Irish language enthusiast" who is actually asking the questions.
2. Why don't you answer the questions I put to you?

If as you imply, there is no 'Irish lifestyle', then I have no idea why Irish language enthusiasts want to restore Irish as the common tongue of Ireland.

[later12]

I don't know that all enthusiasts want to restore it as the common language of Ireland.

In any case, there is a big difference between promoting a language and promoting a lifestyle. Just because someone wants to revive a language, doesn't mean they don't want people living in architecturally modern homes who can enjoy modern lifestyles. Rather the opposite, I would have thought.

[opti0nal]

Originally Posted by later12

I don't know that all enthusiasts want to restore it as the common language of Ireland.

Maybe a minority don't and for them it's nice hobby as long as they don't force their choice on others. So, why the language laws and compulsory lessons for children?

[Cú Giobach]

Originally Posted by opti0nal

If as you imply, there is no 'Irish lifestyle', then I have no idea why Irish language enthusiasts want to restore Irish as the common tongue of Ireland.

I am implying nothing, you brought up the phrase "Irish/Gaelic lifestyle" nobody else did, I am asking you to explain what it is.
If you cannot, then that shows this is no more than some odd fantasy of yours that has no basis in reality, or to put it in simple English, a load of crap.

You speak English, do you live a "traditional English" lifestyle?
Another question, when you say traditional lifestyle, do you mean a 19th, or 21st century lifestyle or how about a 12th century one, there are quite a few "traditional lifestyle" eras to choose from. Mine (along with the vast majority of people living in Ireland) is the "traditional Irish lifestyle" of the late 20th and early 21st century.

Where do you actually get this notion of changing lifestyles with Irish speaking, the only difference between people in any Irish speaking households and their English speaking neighbours that I have ever come across is the language they speak. Though maybe you know more Irish speakers than I do, so please do explain how their lifestyles differ, I'm sure people would be absolutely fascinated to hear about this.

Finally, nobody is trying to "restore Irish as the common tongue of Ireland", they are trying to increase its usage, not completely supplant English.