Thousands march in Belfast seeking Irish language act.

LordSutch

Thousands from both sides of the border march in Belfast, seeking an Irish language act ...

Long term, what form should an Irish language act take?

Compulsory Irish in all NI schools > as we do down here, or just the recognition that Irish even exists up North, or what? Massive crowds today say they really want it in NI.

From our perspective here in the ROI, what are the reasons for supporting the act, or rejecting it from being driven ahead in Northern Ireland.

https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0520/876675-irish-language-northern-ireland/

riffmongous

I'm a supporter of the language, but I'd be against it having a similar status as to in the 26, it's an unnecessary use of money and just causes resentment.. but some recognition would be important, e.g. bilingual forms as much as possible (wouldn't be so expensive), the option to learn it in school, an official body to promote it

Ubbquittious

Fair Fux to them!

Beyondgone

Qu'ils mangent de la Peig.

gifted

An bhfuil cead agam dul go dti an leithreas..

NIMAN

I would say massive numbers don't particularly care about compulsory Irish in schools etc, it more the fact that they would like it to be recognised and not shot down at every opportunity by what they see as bigots.

Most people in RoI don't particularly care about it either.

The Irish language is a political football in NI, thats all.

Pinch Flat

Is maith liom cáca milis

P_1

Agus Sharon Ní Bheolain

Your Face

Well NI is not my country so let them do what they like.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I really couldn't care less one way or the other but leave them to it. We shouldn't get involved. As someone said, it's a political football in NI so let them kick it around among themselves.

It's amazing the number of people who allegedly "couldn't care less" about this issue yet care enough to comment...

Your Face

Deleted User wrote: »

It's amazing the number of people who allegedly "couldn't care less" about this issue yet care enough to comment...

Yes, it is truly amazing.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

It can't work unless there is an Irish translation for 'Londonderry' (which I don't think there is), as they'll have to change all the road signs.

Sweetemotion

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

It can't work unless there is an Irish translation for 'Londonderry' (which I don't think there is), as they'll have to change all the road signs.

I think, it would just be called Derry.

What's this? Another anti everything Irish thread?

Afterhours is getting pathetic.

padohaodha

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

It can't work unless there is an Irish translation for 'Londonderry' (which I don't think there is), as they'll have to change all the road signs.

Ridiculous statement.trolling at its weakest.

NIMAN

The whole thing is an equality argument, its the way they do it in NI.

Once Irish language gets anything, then that nonsense that is Ulster Scots will have to get the same funding, despite the fact that a tiny, tiny minority of people in the country can actually speak either.

Ironic how Nationalists up North are getting all hot and bothered about Irish, yet most residents in RoI would love to have the chance to never have to learn it at school.

I still maintain that 95%+ of people on both sides of the border are happy enough having English and nothing else as the official language.

riffmongous

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

It can't work unless there is an Irish translation for 'Londonderry' (which I don't think there is), as they'll have to change all the road signs.

The only word in the English language with six silent letters

Sweetemotion

padohaodha wrote: »

Ridiculous statement.trolling at its weakest.

I actually don't think this is trolling. More thank whoring, at's best on boards recently.

padohaodha

Sweetemotion wrote: »

I actually don't think this is trolling. More thank whoring, at's best on boards recently.

Thanks :-)

Sweetemotion

padohaodha wrote: »

Thanks :-)

Ha ha

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

It can't work unless there is an Irish translation for 'Londonderry' (which I don't think there is), as they'll have to change all the road signs.

Why?

When the Irish placenames were added to signposts here, they just added the traditional Irish placenames, rather than translating whatever those original names had been changed to.

So, Londonderry is the British name, Doire is the Irish name.

I actually never use the name Londonderry. I call it "Derry", because that is what my parents called it, and theirs, way back through the generations.

I don't do it for political point-scoring, anymore than I use the old local placenames for any reason other than the fact that I grew up using those names, and it's now a habit.

For instance, the town of "Dungloe" is the English version of "An Clochán Liath" (for which the direct translation would be "The Grey Causeway".).

So, depending on which language I'm speaking, I'll call it either "Dungloe" or "An Clochán Liath".

I can't think of any particular reason why the same wouldn't work in N.I.
The British form of place name would recognise the Unionist tradition, the Irish form would recognise the Nationalist tradition.

That sounds reasonable to me.

red ears

I would advise the northerners to stay well away from an Irish language act. Complete waste of money.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly

Thanks - so there is no direct translation.

Updated roadsigns in NI would state 'Londonderry/Doire', or possibly 'Doire/Londonderry' if legislation were effected at present.

AllForIt

I find this totally bizarre. Affirming language seems to me is an attempt to assert their identity. I find that troubling because it indicates that the republicans/catholic community are not happy with the status quo. Bizarre because here in the mainland I don't find most ppl could care less about the Irish language. I hope this is not an indicator of things to come.

maryishere

AllForIt wrote: »

I find that troubling because it indicates that the republicans/catholic community are not happy with the status quo.

Only a tiny percentage of the catholic community marched today in Belfast. In every democracy you will get a percentage of oddballs, those who want to waste money on dead languages etc.

Junkyard Tom

It just goes to show how hateful and un-British the sneering DUP and thier ilk are towards Irish people in the northeast of Ireland. AFAIA the Welsh and Scots have language acts but, of course, the DUP and their hangers-on define themselves by their opposition to anything to do with Irishness.

They'll lose in the long run.

NIMAN

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

Thanks - so there is no direct translation.

Updated roadsigns in NI would state 'Londonderry/Doire', or possibly 'Doire/Londonderry' if legislation were effected at present.

would 'Derry' no longer be on the road signs?

We have long had the sight of Derry/Londonderry/Doire on some signage up here, but check out the naming on the Council's official website
http://www.derrystrabane.com/
At the top of the screen (Ulster Scots = districk cooncil - what gibberish).

AllForIt

maryishere wrote: »

Only a tiny percentage of the catholic community marched today in Belfast. In every democracy you will get a percentage of oddballs, those who want to waste money on dead languages etc.

Yes the percentage is small but I'm just worried that there is great ground support for this especially if it is inspired for the reasons I outlined. I'm hoping that it is only the ppl who turned up for the march that actually care about this issue and for no other reason than a desire to communicate in the Irish language.

NIMAN

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

It just goes to show how hateful and un-British the sneering DUP and thier ilk are towards Irish people in the northeast of Ireland. AFAIA the Welsh and Scots have language acts but, of course, the DUP and their hangers-on define themselves by their opposition to anything to do with Irishness.

They'll lose in the long run.

Of course they will, the same way they will eventually lose at the ballot box, but they are so pig-headed they can't see that this is a certainty, and that perhaps they should be more inclusive of their neighbours who one day will be in the majority.

But as long as this petty bickering continues, everyone in NI loses, as money is wasted and taken away from more important issues such as education or health.

uch

maryishere wrote: »

Only a tiny percentage of the catholic community marched today in Belfast. In every democracy you will get a percentage of oddballs, those who want to waste money on dead languages etc.

Funny enough, the person who started most of this in the North is a lady called Linda Ervine, a Protestant loyalist from east Belfast, she realised from an old census form that her Granny was a native Irish speaker, a protestant woman from East Belfast, she realised that Gaeilge wasn't a political tool but the language her ancestors spoke, there are now quiet a lot of people from the loyalist side of Belfast interested in learning Irish.

AllForIt

AllForIt wrote: »

I find this totally bizarre. Affirming language seems to be to be an attempt to assert their identity. I find that troubling because it indicates that the republicans/catholic community are not happy with the status quo. Bizarr

You find it 'troubling' that Irish people in Ireland are asserting their Irishness? And you're surprised that Irish nationalists might not be happy with the status quo that is this small remnant of England's Irish colony that's currently going under the name 'Northern Ireland'?

It was all so much better in the halcyon days when every Tadhg knew his place, which was somewhere around where the pennies were landing at the foot of the walls of Derry as the defenders of the British colony marched overhead laughing, and wouldn't dare raise his head above the parapet to declare himself to be an Irishman.

Things have changed since 1960, and you'd be wise to wake up to what's happening with demography in the North, and in particular to the intellectual shift away from anglocentricity by huge numbers of people in both parts of this country since we joined the EU in 1973. The Empire is gone, and the much more significant intellectual hegemony of English ideas in Irish minds is gone in far more Irish people than ever before. As British power continues to decline, watch the population in the North reorientate their intellectual outlook towards Ireland and the rest of the EU.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kayfjq636gg

steddyeddy

indigenous languages should be afforded protection. The bigger problem for the North is Brexit. The parties will be spending time bickering over green VS orange issues while Brexit destroys their economy. They're fecked.

NIMAN

uch wrote: »

Funny enough, the person who started most of this in the North is a lady called Linda Ervine, a Protestant loyalist from east Belfast, she realised from an old census form that her Granny was a native Irish speaker, a protestant woman from East Belfast, she realised that Gaeilge wasn't a political tool but the language her ancestors spoke, there are now quiet a lot of people from the loyalist side of Belfast interested in learning Irish.

Irish language classes in East Belfast

http://www.ebm.org.uk/turas/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-25654557
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/visit-our-irish-class-in-loyal-east-belfast-challenge-to-orange-chief-who-hit-out-at-language-29973255.html

NIMAN

That 2030 video is interesting (well kinda of, you can tell it was made by some republican in his bedroom though) but why is a robot doing the narration?

steddyeddy

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

It just goes to show how hateful and un-British the sneering DUP and thier ilk are towards Irish people in the northeast of Ireland. AFAIA the Welsh and Scots have language acts but, of course, the DUP and their hangers-on define themselves by their opposition to anything to do with Irishness.

They'll lose in the long run.

Unionism will lose in the long run. While McGuinness met the Queen, unionists generally haven't moved past the stone age. I'm sorry to say it but their policy has been to reject any culture but their own.

NIMAN

steddyeddy wrote: »

Unionism will lose in the long run. While McGuinness met the Queen, unionists generally haven't moved past the stone age. I'm sorry to say it but their policy has been to reject any culture but their own.

Yeah, true unfortunately.

You can ask the Poles, Chinese, Indian and any other minorities who had the audacity to try to move into their areas.

Junkyard Tom

steddyeddy wrote: »

Unionists generally haven't moved past the stone age. I'm sorry to say it but their policy has been to reject any culture but their own.

Which is only hurrying them towards U-Day. They had the opportunity to show the Irish people who live in the northeast that they're respected equal citizens currently under UK jurisdiction but they've blown it.

uch

NIMAN wrote: »

Irish language classes in East Belfast

http://www.ebm.org.uk/turas/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-25654557
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/visit-our-irish-class-in-loyal-east-belfast-challenge-to-orange-chief-who-hit-out-at-language-29973255.html

Go hÍontach, tá an céad nasc an deas
, agus tá trácht ar Linda Ervine ansin

steddyeddy

NIMAN wrote: »

Yeah, true unfortunately.

You can ask the Poles, Chinese, Indian and any other minorities who had the audacity to try to move into their areas.

Over 90% of hate crime happens in unionist areas. A backward culture.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Deleted User wrote: »

It's amazing the number of people who allegedly "couldn't care less" about this issue yet care enough to comment...

So only answers to the OP in one direction should be posted. That's a ludicrous attitude. Discussion needs for against and couldn't care less. If the couldn't careless didn't post you'd argue that everybody cares deeply about the issue, when we don't.

pablomakaveli

It's ridiculous that a minority language in a modern Western country is being surpressed the way Irish is in the UK. Scots Gaelic and Welsh are supported so Irish should be.

maryishere

NIMAN wrote: »

But as long as this petty bickering continues, everyone in NI loses, as money is wasted and taken away from more important issues such as education or health.

Correct. The Irish language is dead and gone. Let those who speak it or read it do so - there is no law against that. However go in to any bookshop or newsagent north or south and you will never see anything printed in Irish, because people will not dig in their own pockets for it. Hundreds of millions of euro is wasted here in the Republic on the Irish language and still you never hear it spoken. Its a money spinner for a tiny minority - translators etc. Waste of taxpayers money.

timthumbni

uch wrote: »

Funny enough, the person who started most of this in the North is a lady called Linda Ervine, a Protestant loyalist from east Belfast, she realised from an old census form that her Granny was a native Irish speaker, a protestant woman from East Belfast, she realised that Gaeilge wasn't a political tool but the language her ancestors spoke, there are now quiet a lot of people from the loyalist side of Belfast interested in learning Irish.

Nonsense to suggest Linda Irvine started anything. Yes, she learned the language but to suggest that "a lot" of people from the unionist side are learning it is total nonsense. Define "a lot" if you will. Her husband tried to blow something or someone up. So forgive me if I don't take her choices in life that seriously..

A total political football and very much a political tool. In my lifetime in Northern Ireland I have perhaps once heard anyone speak Irish in the wild.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Sweetemotion wrote: »

I think, it would just be called Derry.

What's this? Another anti everything Irish thread?

Afterhours is getting pathetic.

I think it's will past the is getting stage.It's been pathetic for a long long while.

timthumbni

Deleted User wrote: »

You find it 'troubling' that Irish people in Ireland are asserting their Irishness? And you're surprised that Irish nationalists might not be happy with the status quo that is this small remnant of England's Irish colony that's currently going under the name 'Northern Ireland'?

It was all so much better in the halcyon days when every Tadhg knew his place, which was somewhere around where the pennies were landing at the foot of the walls of Derry as the defenders of the British colony marched overhead laughing, and wouldn't dare raise his head above the parapet to declare himself to be an Irishman.

Things have changed since 1960, and you'd be wise to wake up to what's happening with demography in the North, and in particular to the intellectual shift away from anglocentricity by huge numbers of people in both parts of this country since we joined the EU in 1973. The Empire is gone, and the much more significant intellectual hegemony of English ideas in Irish minds is gone in far more Irish people than ever before. As British power continues to decline, watch the population in the North reorientate their intellectual outlook towards Ireland and the rest of the EU.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kayfjq636gg

You can just imagine some wee armchair republican in stained tricolour boxers and a sweaty Celtic shirt spending hours making that video. Hilarious..

steddyeddy

timthumbni wrote: »

Nonsense to suggest Linda Irvine started anything. Yes, she learned the language but to suggest that "a lot" of people from the unionist side are learning it is total nonsense. Define "a lot" if you will. Her husband tried to blow something or someone up. So forgive me if I don't take her choices in life that seriously..

A total political football and very much a political tool. In my lifetime in Northern Ireland I have perhaps once heard anyone speak Irish in the wild.

Complete bitterness towards anything Irish. It's doing you more harm than good mate.

timthumbni

steddyeddy wrote: »

Complete bitterness towards anything Irish. It's doing you more harm than good mate.

I would like to learn French and Spanish. Is someone else going to pay for that or maybe, just perhaps I would fund my hobby myself. I have nothing against or for the Irish languance. It's almost laughable in NI how it's became a political football.

steddyeddy

timthumbni wrote: »

I would like to learn French and Spanish. Is someone else going to pay for that or maybe, just perhaps I would fund my hobby myself. I have nothing against or for the Irish languance. It's almost laughable in NI how it's became a political football.

I suppose it's because indigenous languages are afforded protection in civilised societies. Spanish and French are not indigenous.

timthumbni

steddyeddy wrote: »

I suppose it's because indigenous languages are afforded protection in civilised societies. Spanish and French are not indigenous.

There are Irish language schools already (great way to mix btw or maybe not but I suppose that's the point) and anyone is free to speak Irish if they want to. What "protection" are you on about exactly??

maryishere

steddyeddy wrote: »

I suppose it's because indigenous languages are afforded protection in civilised societies. Spanish and French are not indigenous.

lol. The definition of indigenous is "originating or occurring naturally in a particular place". Spanish and French do occur naturally in Spain and France. Learning Spanish and French is done by millions in these islands as it is of some use when visiting or doing business with Spain, France etc. Millions of people in the world learn those languages without expecting to be paid to do so. Learning Irish on the other hand will be of ****b all practical benefit to you, but there is nothing stopping you doing it, go ahead, waste your time. In many decades here in the Republic I have never heard anyone speak Irish naturally, not even in a gaeltacht area I visited. They just speak it when they want the grants. Its very civilised to waste billions of euro on a dead language nobody wants.

timthumbni

maryishere wrote: »

lol. The definition of indigenous is "originating or occurring naturally in a particular place". Spanish and French do occur naturally in Spain and France. Learning Spanish and French is done by millions in these islands as it is of some use when visiting or doing business with Spain, France etc. Millions of people in the world learn those languages without expecting to be paid to do so. Learning Irish on the other hand will be of ****b all practical benefit to you, but there is nothing stopping you doing it, go ahead, waste your time. In many decades here in the Republic I have never heard anyone speak Irish naturally, not even in a gaeltacht area I visited. They just speak it when they want the grants. Its very civilised to waste billions of euro on a dead language nobody wants.

It's all about the money indeed. Show me the money is really what they should have on their placards.

A total red herring Sinn Fein vanity project. Better than blowing people up I suppose.