How Often do you Use/Hear Irish In your Everyday Life?

Kimono-Girl · 27-11-2010 07:25PM

Most Days

when me and my 16 month old daughter are 1 on 1 i speak Irish to her, myself and my sister and my cousin still converse in irish, we went to the gaelscoil in our locality.

I love the language and speak it when i can!

Biggins · 27-11-2010 07:27PM

Haven't heard anyone speaking it in many, many years of my daily going about.

almostnever · 27-11-2010 07:29PM

Weekly

almostnever :pac:

Nah, hear it most days. Speak it a bit with my friends when I'm at college, not all all when I'm at home though.

Star Bingo · 27-11-2010 07:32PM

never heard it in my life.

n far as i'm concerned those who were exposed to this 'gaelscoil' phenomenon were privileged and probably precocious piano playing upstarts!

Scuid Mhór · 27-11-2010 07:33PM

Five days a week throughout school, and every so often I'll meet up with my friends from the gaeltacht and our conversations will be a mix of Irish/English and then sometimes I'll talk with my friends/family in Irish if I'm in the middle of a bunch of people who I don't want hearing what I'm saying.

Scuid Mhór · 27-11-2010 07:34PM

Scuid Mhór wrote: »

Five days a week throughout school, and every so often I'll meet up with my friends from the gaeltacht and our conversations will be a mix of Irish/English and then sometimes I'll talk with my friends/family in Irish if I'm in the middle of a bunch of people who I don't want hearing what I'm saying.

Also yes, my Irish is also mostly run-on sentences.

allprops · 27-11-2010 07:36PM

Had a fine rugby training session last night where we spoke Irish for most of the time. Most enjoyable!

deise go deo · 27-11-2010 07:38PM

Weekly

Star Bingo wrote: »

never heard it in my life.

n far as i'm concerned those who were exposed to this 'gaelscoil' phenomenon were privileged and probably precocious piano playing upstarts!

You have never heard Irish in your life? Do you live in Ireland?

Here, experience something new.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDI2svktaTs

As for your seaming dislike for The Gaeilscoileanna, Why is that? They are not elitist, they are open to everyone.

Napper Hawkins · 27-11-2010 07:39PM

Spent much of my life resenting the language as I knew I didn't need it, ever, for anything. The way it was taught was probably a factor in that too.

I'm fine with it now, I can read and pronounce the words quite well but haven't a notion of what most of what I'm reading actually means.

I'd like to be able to speak and understand it better but I also know how utterly useless it is. I can understand and speak French to a far superior level and I only took that up a couple of years ago.

Spent thirteen years learning Irish and seemingly none of it went in bar the basics.

Why?

deise go deo · 27-11-2010 07:41PM

Weekly

Napper Hawkins wrote: »

Spent much of my life resenting the language as I knew I didn't need it, ever, for anything. The way it was taught was probably a factor in that too.

I'm fine with it now, I can read and pronounce the words quite well but haven't a notion of what most of what I'm reading actually means.

I'd like to be able to speak and understand it better but I also know how utterly useless it is. I can understand and speak French to a far superior level and I only took that up a couple of years ago.

Spent thirteen years learning Irish and seemingly none of it went in bar the basics.

Why?

You answered the question yourself.

Its not useless, I use it quite often.

Napper Hawkins · 27-11-2010 07:43PM

deise go deo wrote: »

You answered the question yourself.

Its not useless, I use it quite often.

Leave Ireland and see for yourself.

deise go deo · 27-11-2010 07:46PM

Weekly

Napper Hawkins wrote: »

Leave Ireland and see for yourself.

So something is only usefull if it can be used outside Ireland?

OK Irish can be used out side Ireland, There is a Gaelthacht in Canada, There are many Groups of speakers in Both The UK and US and it is Similar enough to Both Manxs and Scottish Gaelic to hold a conversation with them.:) There are also many Universitys around the world that have an Irish course.

But to be honest I mostly use it In Ireland. Thats Ok isent it?

4zn76tysfajdxp · 27-11-2010 07:46PM

Most Days

OutlawPete wrote: »

Cad a fholaíonn, mé féin le cainteoir dúchais agus a bheith ag iarraidh i gcónaí chun freastal ar roinnt eile Tar éis fir Uaireanta a bheadh ag teacht isteach chugam do amanna gnéis, áit a raibh muid ag ól beorach agus amhráin a chanadh sa teanga náisiúnta.

Mhúineadh mé Yoga tantric le roinnt nymphomaniacs agus bhí siad go léir a rugadh ar Árann Oileáin agus mar sin de ach labhairt Gaeilge.

Mar sin, PM dom agus lig a fhios agam más mian leat a bheith páirteach mé féin agus mo mban nymphomaniac agus muid ag síneadh leis an oíche ar shiúl, ag comhrá i alguage ach an Ghaeilge ar ndóigh.

Bhuel, ar leith ón cailín amháin ó Essex a dhiúltóidh Gaeilge a labhairt agus cumarsáid a dhéanamh ach amháin trí primal gnéasach moaning, ó dhúchas di daoine, an chavs Londain.

Ay carumba.

Napper Hawkins · 27-11-2010 07:47PM

deise go deo wrote: »

So something is only usefull if it can be used outside Ireland?

OK Irish can be used out side Ireland, There is a Gaelthacht in Canada, There are many Groups of speakers in Both The UK and US and it is Similar enough to Both Manxs and Scottish Gaelic to hold a conversation with them.:) There are also many Universitys around the world that have an Irish course.

That's fine, of course it can be used and fair play if you do.

But do you need it?

deise go deo · 27-11-2010 07:49PM

Weekly

Napper Hawkins wrote: »

That's fine, of course it can be used and fair play if you do.

But do you need it?

I don't need German but i wouldn't claim its therefore useless, Irish is part of who I am,

Star Bingo · 27-11-2010 07:50PM

deise go deo wrote: »

You have never heard Irish in your life? Do you live in Ireland?
As for your seaming dislike for The Gaeilscoileanna, Why is that? They are not elitist, they are open to everyone.

its envy actually. but sorry man, i do hear it through the tv or radio like when i'm watching Sacar Beo just not in.. everyday life but with these 'gaeilscoils' does one opt for that emselves? as a personal choice later in life, or do the folks insist

i did find this article:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/education/2007/0417/1176454758125.html

The rise of the gaelscoil - is this the new playground of the elite?

There is now a gaelscoil operating in every county in the State. But what's behind the boom - real engagement with Irish language and culture, or old-fashioned snobbery and elitism? Louise Holdenreports

It's about snobbery and status. It's a post- Riverdancecultural zeitgeist. It's the circling of ethnic wagons in a multicultural storm. The rise and rise of gaelscoileanna - schools where learning takes place through the medium of Irish - has been attributed to some rather unlovely motivations recently.

deise go deo · 27-11-2010 07:55PM

Weekly

Star Bingo wrote: »

its envy actually. but sorry man, i do hear it through the tv or radio like when i'm watching Sacar Beo just not in.. everyday life but with these 'gaeilscoils' does one opt for that emselves? as a personal choice later in life, or do the folks insist

i did find this article:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/education/2007/0417/1176454758125.html

Why be envious? There is nothing stopping you from learning Irish if you want to.

It would work the same way as it dose for everyone else, the parents choose what school they want to send their kids to.

Yes, Elitism is a label that has been thrown around but if you keep looking you might also find articles like this.
Inside Ireland

Wibbs · 27-11-2010 08:27PM

Honestly I reckon I've heard Irish being spoken maybe 3 or 4 times in the street in my life(and I've been around a fair bit). I've had a couple of people insist on speaking it in front of me presuming I understood(or just to make some daft point). But they're **** so I discount them on principle. No native speaker I've met has ever pulled that one.

deise go deo wrote: »

Yes, Elitism is a label that has been thrown around but if you keep looking you might also find articles like this.
Inside Ireland

Yep funny about the second part regarding the lack of our darker citizens in such schools and how this is nonsense. Lots of rhetoric, no stats. I wonder why... Just show us the stats.

deise go deo · 27-11-2010 09:06PM

Weekly

Wibbs wrote: »

Honestly I reckon I've heard Irish being spoken maybe 3 or 4 times in the street in my life(and I've been around a fair bit). I've had a couple of people insist on speaking it in front of me presuming I understood(or just to make some daft point). But they're **** so I discount them on principle. No native speaker I've met has ever pulled that one.

Yep funny about the second part regarding the lack of our darker citizens in such schools and how this is nonsense. Lots of rhetoric, no stats. I wonder why... Just show us the stats.

Well as far as I know there is a Gaelscoil in Ennis that had a 5% quota for non national intake, They got over 10% and are now thinking of raising the target to 25%.

As has been pointed out in the link I provided, it seams that you think we should assume Gaeilscoileanna are Elitist unless they can prove they arent, I would ask why the burden of proof should be with them rather than those making the allegation.

As for general stats, I dont have them but would be very intrested in seeing them myself,

Now, this thread is drifting abit, its not about Gaelscoils, its about the Use of Irish.

Napper Hawkins · 27-11-2010 09:11PM

deise go deo wrote: »

I don't need German but i wouldn't claim its therefore useless, Irish is part of who I am,

It's part of who I am too, because I'm Irish, like you.

But...

You'd need German to live in Germany.

You'd need French to live in France.

You don't need Irish to live in Ireland. Or anywhere.

deise go deo · 27-11-2010 09:15PM

Weekly

Napper Hawkins wrote: »

It's part of who I am too, because I'm Irish, like you.

But...

You'd need German to live in Germany.

You'd need French to live in France.

You don't need Irish to live in Ireland. Or anywhere.

You need Irish to live in some parts of Ireland. They are called Gaelthachts, Yes most if not all can speak English, but there are still places where most if not all dont speak English.

But I have to ask what that has to do with the language being useless?

Cú Giobach · 27-11-2010 09:30PM

Weekly

Napper Hawkins wrote: »

You don't need Irish to live in Ireland. Or anywhere.

You're right, you don't need Irish to live anywhere in Ireland, but if you live in a Gaeltacht it would "open a lot of doors" for you and would make you more a part of the community.
The vast majority of things we "know" and "have" are not needed but they do enhance our life experience.

Edit; To answer the OP

I hear Irish a few times a week because most people I know know they can use the "cúpla focal" with me, even if they only have the most basic grasp.
I speak Irish (and a few other languages) to myself and my dogs all the time but ticked the most days box (often I can go for days at a time without even seeing, let alone talking to someone though).

Napper Hawkins · 27-11-2010 09:40PM

deise go deo wrote: »

You need Irish to live in some parts of Ireland. They are called Gaelthachts, Yes most if not all can speak English, but there are still places where most if not all dont speak English.

But I have to ask what that has to do with the language being useless?

It's useless to me, it's useless to most people. It's not useless to you because you have an interest in it and like to speak it, that's great but you don't need it.

I spent the first 26 years of my life in Ireland and never once met a person that required me to have even the most basic level of Irish in order for them to understand me and I know for a fact that I never will.

I've been to the Gaelthacht, more than a few times and spoke English exclusively and was understood perfectly because everyone there can speak English. There was no issue and we all got on famously.

None of my friends or family speak it and I reckon I've met only a handful of people outside the Gaelthachts who could speak it.
These people included my Grandfather (long dead), my Irish teachers and people who were originally from the Gaelthacht.

I have nothing against it and have great admiration for anyone who can speak it, trying to keep a language alive is very noble in my eyes.

But my inability to speak it has never once and never will hinder me no matter what I choose to do or where I choose to go.

Precious flower · 27-11-2010 09:42PM

I use it sometimes only a few words though and mostly insults as gaeilge they seem much more entertaining in Irish!:D
I Wish I could speak it fluently though, my father's fluent being from Connemara but never spoke Irish to me when I was younger which is a pity. Once when I was in Galway I heard a mother speaking to her daughter in Irish in a shopping centre it actually caught me off guard but I thought it was wonderful, made me hopeful for a few seconds that the Irish language may still have some fight left in it.:(

Napper Hawkins · 27-11-2010 09:44PM

Cú Giobach wrote: »

You're right, you don't need Irish to live anywhere in Ireland, but if you live in a Gaeltacht it would "open a lot of doors" for you and would make you more a part of the community.
The vast majority of things we "know" and "have" are not needed but they do enhance our life experience.

Thanks but I have my own community back home in Ireland and we get on fine without it.

I live in France currently and learning French so don't worry about me finding a few doors to open for me cos I'm alright Jack.

Cú Giobach · 27-11-2010 09:49PM

Weekly

Napper Hawkins wrote: »

Thanks but I have my own community back home in Ireland and we get on fine without it.

I live in France currently and learning French so don't worry about me finding a few doors to open for me cos I'm alright Jack.

Good for you.
Was just pointing out the slight inaccuracy of your statement.

But my inability to speak it has never once and never will hinder me no matter what I choose to do or where I choose to go.

That is not correct, you would be slightly disadvantaged in a Gaeltacht.

Napper Hawkins · 27-11-2010 09:57PM

Cú Giobach wrote: »

Good for you.
Was just pointing out the slight inaccuracy of your statement.

Help me out here so, as I clearly am in need of some life enhancing.

Napper Hawkins · 27-11-2010 10:03PM

Cú Giobach wrote: »

That is not correct, you would be slightly disadvantaged in a Gaeltacht.

Of course I would be, slightly.

You think I wouldn't attempt to up my Irish skills if I decided to go and live in the Gaelthact (Gaeltacht?) where, for the record, I have no intention of ever living?

I moved to France and in order to live here, I'm learning French, because I need to.

johnmcdnl · 27-11-2010 10:06PM

Monthly

only on TG4

really wish I could hear it more often and have the chance to use it myself

whatdoicare · 27-11-2010 10:10PM

Never. I don't even watch any Irish channels (RTE etc). I have no interest TBH.

How Often do you Use/Hear Irish In your Everyday Life?

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