[article] Big hike in all-Irish schools as Gaeilge becomes trendy

Maskhadov

Big hike in all-Irish schools as Gaeilge becomes trendy
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1579336&issue_id=13799

LARISSA NOLAN

STUDENT numbers at Ireland's all-Irish schools have risen more than 60 per cent in the past 10 years, as parents across the country choose to educate their children as gaeilge.

The number of all-Irish schools has grown by more than 50 per cent in a decade - indicating that Irish is now officially "trendy".

Many gaeilgeoiri believe that one reason for the increase is that gaelscoileanna have overtaken private schools as the institute of choice among Ireland's middle-class parents.

Last year, 33,290 children were listed as gaelscoil attendees - 26,603 at primary level (bunscoil) and 6,687 at secondary (iarbhunscoil).

It is a huge rise on the 1995 figure, when 20,574 students were registered at gaelscoileanna. There is now a gaelscoil in every county, 157 bunscoil and 36 iarbhunscoil.

Mother-of-three Esther Ui Nuaillain was so determined to educate her children through Irish that she set up her own gaelscoil. Ms Ui Nuaillain, from Longford town, took the initiative as there was no such school in her area and established Gaelscoil Long Foirt.

She believes parents who send their children to gaelscoileanna are particularly enthusiastic about culture and education and this enthusiasm rubs off on the children.

"I thoroughly recommend learning through Irish. The children grow up to have asecond language and it makes learning other languages easier too."

She believes all-Irish schools play a huge part in conserving the Irish language as more and more children attend every year. She said: "There is the feeling too that the gaelscoil is taking over from the private school for many wealthy parents."

Former president of Conradh Na Gaeilge Nollaig O'Gadhra said the Irish language has had a complete image turnaround. Where we once distanced ourselves from our national tongue, he said, we now embrace it.

Mr O'Gadhra explained: "Historically, Irish was associated with poverty andunemployment and it was part of our colonial legacy to push it aside. In the past, those on the verge of the Gaeltacht areas made sure they were distinguished from the 'natives', as they referred to them. Irish speakers were looked down upon."

He believes Ireland's economic boom over the last decade has increased national pride and removed any feelings of inferiority once associated with the language.

"Now it is fashionable to speak Irish. Sending your children to an Irish school is the thing to do in the most up-market parts of Dublin."

He said the 2004 decision to recognise Irish as an official language of the EU was a great boost. "Most jobs in the EU require a knowledge of three languages. Now Irish can be included as one of these."

TG4 presenter Aoife Ni Thuairisg says Irish is finally in fashion. "I remember when it was very uncool to speak Irish. But kids in schools today don't have the preconceptions about it that many people would have had in the past," she said.

"They have a positive attitude and realise that Irish is cool precisely because it makes us different. It's about time we celebrated our unique culture and nationality," she added.

Aoife is leading the Seachtain na Gaeilge celebrations, which kicked off last week, as presenter of the TG4 reality show Ni Gaeilgeoir Me.

IT boy Gavin Lambe Murphy and author Marisa Mackle are two of the familiar faces who will spend a week learning to speak their native tongue. The show runs nightly on the station at 10pm.

Seachtain na Gaeilge runs up until St Patrick's Day, March 17.

I think its fantastic news

GaryOR

Its good news alright, but still only 5% of students are in Gaelscoileanna, that means 95% in gnáthscoileanna.....

Míshásta

Má tá an teanga chomh faiseanta agus treindí sin canathaobh ná fuil sí le clos in aon áit?

Gael

Mísh&#225 wrote: »

Má tá an teanga chomh faiseanta agus treindí sin canathaobh ná fuil sí le clos in aon áit?

Mar níl aon duine ag iarraidh í a labhairt leatsa a Mhíshásta!

Spitfire666

cheapaim féin go bhfuil sé seo go hiontach. Bhí mé i bhunscoil lán gaeileach agus ansin d'imigh mé go meanscoil trí gheilge comh maith.
Is breá liom go bhfuil gaeilge líofa agam ach níl morán úsáid agam dó sachas go bhfuil ag taisteáil don phost ina bhfuil mé.
D'imigh mé amach ag ól le cúpla cairde cúpla seachtain ó shin agus níor chreid mé é ach bhí mé ag caint le trí cailíní eagsúile i rith na hoíche go hiomláin trí gaeilge. Thosaigh sé le caint ar aon nós...

Suaimhneach

I didn't read the whole article, but I hate the idea that the Irish language should be "cool" or "trendy".

In my opinion, using and learning and being actively involved in the language should be a concious decision. For example a parent sending their child to an Irish Bunscoil because their Irish was never as good as they would have liked. Or a child choosing to continue to an Irish Secondary after primary.

There is no need to "sex up" the langauge. The sooner people realise that, the better.

Míshásta

Gael wrote:

Mar níl aon duine ag iarraidh í a labhairt leatsa a Mhíshásta!

Is beag duine atá ag iarraidh labhairt liom in aon teanga, faraoir. Sin é an fáth go bhfuilim im' chadhain aonair anseo istigh i m'oifigín ag surfáil de ló is d'oíche ag iarraidh saol a aimsiú dom fhéin.

Is mise an t-aon duine beo i gCorcaigh ná bhfuair cuireadh go dtí cúlseomra in óstán éigin chun infheistiú a dhéanamh i scéim Pirimide. Agus gach dara duine sa chondae ina ollmhilliniú fén am seo.

Spitfire666

If sexing-up the langauge keepspeople learning it then why not, it might give other people inspiration to learn it because they want to if they hear other people speaking it even if that person learned it for the "wrong" reasons.
If people don learn it whatever the rason it wont last long enough for people to learn it conciously.
I was sent to an irish primary because it was great school among alot of ad ones and my mothers family are originaly from conamara and then went to an irish secondary school because i wanted to continue with the irish but i dont feel like im better then anyone who learned it coz they thought it was cool or sexy.