The creeping prominence of the Irish language

You do realise that your post just backs up my point even further. If there are so many active Irish speakers why can Irish language speakers not access basic services through Irish. That's government services never mind the private sector which is even worse for Irish language provision. A huge amount of companies don't even give the option of selecting Irish as a second language on their online application forms. I'd go even further if there were actually 1 million active Irish language speakers, Irish language support would be unnecessary but we all know that's not the case.

I'm broadly in favour of supporting the Irish language providing those supports are actually effective and the targets set are realistic. But effective language support and realistic targets are the complete opposite of what has happened over the last 100 plus years. Again your post is a perfect example of why Irish language speakers are having difficulty accessing services through Irish. There seems to be an obsession with focusing on people who know a bit of Irish but never speak it instead of actually supporting those that do regularly speak it.

I appreciate your point and I'd agree and disagree with you. On an individual level top quality teaching does make a difference. So I'd agree you there. However on a broad population level I don't think the best teaching going would make a significant difference to the number of Irish speakers. If you do anything requires interaction with people outside Ireland you are forced to use English. I think even the best teaching going would face an impossible task given the strength of English language ecosystem when compared to the Irish language ecosystem. However I agree with you it is unfair to say it would make no difference just not a significant difference.

Thanks @PeadarCo but that information isn't focused on the Gaelscoileanna which were the particular target of the quote and your previous posts.

A lot of your later comments are very "macro"; whether there are 10m or a billion English speakers or English pages on Wikipedia has little bearing on the fact that the local shopkeeper or state service will only do business with you in English.

I also don't agree with the either/or argument you make. Yes actual speakers are not supported enough and yes most people don't desire to speak Irish on a regular basis but where is the causal link? Both groups have received support and it is by supporting both groups that Irish is understood as one of the two languages of Ireland even amongst many of those who have no engagement with Irish.

The key point you make is that Irish is up against a wall of English cultural influence. As it was 100 years ago so it is today, those fundamentals haven't changed. The fact that boards.ie is operating via English means squat. I'm a native English speaker but have also become an Irish speaker, it isn't either/or.

Our last interaction a few weeks ago inspired me to go and buy the book I was talking to you about "Labhairt na Gaeilge dúshláin agus réitigh", Speaking Irish, challenges and solutions. https://www.siopaleabhar.com/en/product/labhairt-na-gaeilge-dushlain-is-reitigh/

Haven't read it all yet but it's obvious those cultural barriers caused by the monoglot Anglo culture affect those who have chosen to study Irish at university. I mean if these people find it difficult to speak Irish outside of the classroom and they will graduate with a degree in Irish, I think you're being very harsh on leaving certificate students!!

Just as information, two solutions the author mentions are a move to small group work and oral presentation as the central means of assessment of Irish at university level (quite a shift away from the 'pile 'em high' approach) and the need for social skill development for "Irish as a second language" university learners. The "embarassment of getting it wrong" cripples the second language learner in social settings and the university needs to have 'recreation groups' built into their core programme to help those learners break through that barrier.

Big ask to be honest in a cut-back culture at third level, nevermind second level.

It's not just about practicallity, though it'salso about expression and the one thing that really seems absent from education is expresion/

I think most people would rather an effective police force that responds to their needs in times of distress, recruits the best people from all backgrounds and overseas talent rather than a handful of people for language enthusiasts to have a chat with.

'For instance, some years back an Irish friend of mine lived in Holland. In fact she lived there long enough to become fluent in Dutch. At work one day, a colleague approached her, and asked her to translate a document into English for him. Now she wasn't employed as a translator, and refused, as was her right.

Similarly in any job - if you have a job description, you are unlikely to take on work outside of that, barring the occasional favour to a friend or a boss that might give you a leg up.'

Not the sort of employee I'd have any use for. At all.

No, it's not. Polish isn't an official language here.

The logic is simple

• Offical languages should be on official signs
• Irish is an official language
• Irish should be on the sign

Your argument was that Irish should be in smaller writing than English on the sign. What sort of statement would that make? Why should the Irish speaker have to squint to read the sign?

It also brings into question why Gaeltacht areas are exempt from having English on their signs.

As far as I know, there is no requirement to have any roadsign in both languages om the basis that the cnostitutions states that provision can be made for sole use of either language in article 8.3. Open to correction on this, but I can't find anything elsewhere.

It would be 'nice' if the guards had a dance troupe or a synchronised swimming team too...'Nice' is not really essential in terms of what guards are supposed to do.

And the noisy Gael is the only lableing people who don't agree with them as "noisy anglos" - insecure much? :)