RobMc59 wrote: » I agree.I`d also like to know out of interest how many posters who constantly bang on about Irish language and signage can actually speak it?
Hamsterchops wrote: » Well to be honest, the Irish language is not really part of many peoples identity in the South, never mind the North, this even though we're told that it is part of our national identity, we're also told that it's our 1st official language.
downcow wrote: » Belfastlive lol
...anyhow I don’t see anything wrong, I thought we were now cooperating accross the border. I believe ambulances, fire brigade and even school pupils go both directions. Would be madness not to.
I thought you’d be happy about good neighbourly cooperation.
Did we not bail you out with a few quid recently ? And we provide a pathway for loads of your young people
jm08 wrote: » Yet we have all these Saoirses, Aoifes, Ciaras, Tadghs, Oisins, Cillians and Fionns!
Hamsterchops wrote: » Oh yes, I agree that Irish names are quite popular at the moment. I like Irish names as it happens, just not sure about the language being part of our identity, yes officially/no in reality (personally speaking), although my kids may well end up being fluent in Irish in a few years time?
Junkyard Tom wrote: » Not neighbours, our home is Ireland, one nation. Scotland, Wales, England and France are Ireland's neighbours. Essentially Britain pumped money into British banks in Ireland and the Irish taxpayer picked up the bill. The British should be thankful. Who is 'we' and what are you on about?
Fionn1952 wrote: » No, Downcow. My position was not that Michelle O'Neill claimed the funeral was fine. I disputed your statement that Michelle O'Neill stated they had done nothing wrong. I evidenced this with a quote from the very same article that you posted; Very clearly, Michelle O'Neill is not stating that they did NOTHING wrong when there she is acknowledging something they did wrong. A more accurate statement would be that Michelle O'Neill feels/felt like she was right to go ahead with attending the funeral, but acknowledges that mistakes were made on the day. This is obviously different to saying, 'we did nothing wrong'. So I'd say that's a no on point one for you, Downcow. I'll wait patiently for you to demonstrate multiple posters PEPPERING the thread with claims that SF did NOTHING wrong tomorrow.
jm08 wrote: » Sounds like all those young musicians would have an absolute ball at this Irish College (Coláiste Lurgan is an Irish summer college in Galway) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A6__HssHW8 Singing, dancing, playing all sorts of instruments, young people having a great time - 7.5 million hits on youtube. They have done loads of covers in Irish and made videos of them. Does young people in the video don't look disinterested, do they? Its part of the Irish identity and heritage. Just like marching bands are part of Orange culture.
downcow wrote: » Now you are being disingenuous and unreasonable. The dogs on the street know that O’Neill did not accept anyone personal wrongdoing with regard to funeral. She categorically stated that she had not broken the guidelines (clear lies). I heard her asked on an interview about the selfie you refer to and she said it was wrong but explained how difficult it is to avoid a situation where someone puts their arm on your shoulder and a photo is taken - hardly a confession She is very clear whe she says she did not break guidelines - we all know the selfie broke guidelines so clearly she is not accepting selfie was any fault of hers. It’s actually rediculous that you are defending her. Just accepted her piss poor cowardly apology
FrancieBrady wrote: » Like Unionists, those who pretend Irish is not a part of their everyday lives (Identity) protest too much. Have a look at place names around you for a start. Ridiculous nonsense. Not sure what your point is about Orangism tbh.
jm08 wrote: » Well, you see its a bit of a chicken and egg situation with the Irish language in NI. How can anyone speak the language if they don't get an opportunity to learn it? .
downcow wrote: » This is the bit I genuinely don’t understand. Kids learn to play band music also football, PlayStation etc with no financial support, funded summer schools, etc. Simply because they want to, and in the case of loyalist bands, because other young adults want to teach and encourage them. This does not seem to be the same in Irish language. If marching bands died out I couldn’t imagine my community blaming others because they couldn’t learn it. Who do you blame for your statement “How can anyone speak the language if they don't get an opportunity to learn it? ”
downcow wrote: » I think you are mixing up your history with your identity
downcow wrote: » We is the uk. Loads of your young people need to move to our nation to follow their dreams eg Roy Kean
RobMc59 wrote: » Don't forget James McClean and probably most of the posters here constantly bad mouthing the UK despite living and working here,availing themselves of the opportunities and privileges of this great country .
Fionn1952 wrote: » You know the art council provides funding for instruments for marching bands Downcow, so why are you pretending otherwise? You know a huge number of the kids practice in halls funded by government grants Downcow, so why are you pretending otherwise? No financial support my hole. This is the same kind of hyperbole and misrepresentation of truth that I was talking about in my previous post. For the record, I'm delighted that kids receive funding for music, and I'm fully aware of the modernisation that is happening among the younger end of the marching band scene. As the marching band scene steps away from the, 'up to our knees in Fenian blood' type blood-and-thunder music, I'm delighted to see it prosper. I was actually involved in a community project many moons ago that involved trad musicians and marching band musicians playing and performing together, so I'm not totally ignorant of the marching band side of things. It was great to see young people from both sides appreciating the musicianship that went into their respective music, and wholly unsurprising to see a huge amount of crossover.
FrancieBrady wrote: » Good to see the bould Colum clambering aboard the bandwagon.https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/colum-eastwood-there-s-a-huge-burden-on-this-generation-to-get-it-right-1.4351764 Either he is going to 'a special place in Hell' or he has a 'plan'.
If a referendum on a united Ireland is to be won, says Colum Eastwood, there is one question which must be answered. “A lot of people will say to me, ‘I’m not paying 50 quid to see the doctor’. If we don’t answer that, we won’t win anything.”
downcow wrote: » I am disappointed with your approach in the first half of your post. I could start the nonsense of asking you to identify exactly where I said bands receive no finding. But you or Bonnie wouldn’t do such a thing do why should I!
Kids learn to play band music.......with no financial support
markodaly wrote: » At least he is on the ball and not drinking the blind rabid Irish Republican cool-aid on this. If you cannot convince middle-Ulster on these questions, then a UI will not be happening. No amount of rebel songs or misty-eyed stories about Ireland will compensate for it.
BonnieSituation wrote: » He should get down on his knees and be so grateful eh? --- Bad mouthing triumphalism and poppy fascism is one's right in a democracy I would have thought?
Fionn1952 wrote: » Downcow, I have always answered any direct questions asked of me, and provided evidence to support anything I have stated as fact, so your, 'wouldn't do such a thing' is just a nonsensical, unsupported ad hominem. Why you're grouping Bonnie with me and angling that into the conversation I don't know. I'd suggest taking any issues you have with other posters up with them. As for where you said (or at least heavily implied, if you want to weasel out of it) bands receive no funding, I'd direct you to the post I was replying to; You'll note your statement is in the present tense, so don't try the, 'I was talking in the hypothetical situation in which they didn't receive funding' weaseling out there either. If the kids are receiving funding (which I will once more highlight I fully support), then they are not learning with no financial support, are they? Still waiting for evidence of all the Republicans stating SF did NOTHING wrong, while you're taking pot shots and accusing me of not supporting my points.....or you could acknowledge that it was hyperbole and we can move on?
downcow wrote: » My point was not about the ability to produce a pr video or a small number of young people attending an Irish language summer school. You actually are reinforcing the point I am making When you google it it is certainly a niche activity with doubtful even a few hundred at the biggest event, and interesting the concern about covid have a serious impact on numbers going forward due to break this year.
I don’t hear any concern that young people are going to walk away from bands because they miss a year. And we are talking about tens of thousands of young people attending the bigger parading events.
I am just saying I would be embarrassed to refer to parading as part of my identity if had similarly tiny interest among youth as Irish language, had such tiny voluntary participation and if the only demonstration I could find of people enjoying participating was a professionally made PR video. I have no problem with you regarding it as your identity.
I’m just saying that if marching bands were in a similar state in our community I would say it’s time to move on to what the community enjoy and treasure
Fionn1952 wrote: » Why are you presenting this as if it's some great new insight, Mark? It is a point that has been acknowledged by even the most hardline of Republicans (excepting those who still stand by physical force Republicanism of course). In this thread alone, we've had pages of discussion on what it would take to potentially convince the NI middle ground, both push and pull factors. Even SF acknowledge that the middle ground will be the deciding factor on unification! I quite like Colum Eastwood, but jaysus let's not pretend that article is discussing some ground-breaking new idea. He's passingly stating a known fact and acknowledging the work that will need to be done.
markodaly wrote: » Right, so in order to even have a border poll, not even talking about successful one at that, what is happening right now to help this along? Not much really. Sure SF are supporters of segregated education, 20 years after the GFA.... We are decades and decades away from any UI.
downcow wrote: » I am absolutely not going off on another series of posts Bonnie-style of dancing on the head of a pin. The vast majority of young Unionists who learned band music do so without a penny of funding. To the best of my knowledge, every single young Nationalists is funded to learn Irish. Dance away on the pin if you wish - the facts are very clear
gormdubhgorm wrote: » If you dig beyond the Republican narrative you can see how it has hijacked Irish culture. As it says in the above video Ireland was a Catholic and Sectarian State. Plus Hyde was expelled from the GAA for attending a soccer match! When Hyde died the Government cabinet ministers from the Dail would not enter a Protestant Church! Where are today's Douglas Hyde's? Because that is what is needed for a UI. Not the yahoo bully boys who like playing in the shadows.
