Emmett McIntyre's blog

News reports circulated this week on further damage done to the Irish tongue by Dublin policy makers. Put together, the recent actions by Dublin paint an ever darkening portait of the Irish Government's increasing indifference to the long term viability of the native language of Ireland.

The struggle to protect the Welsh tongue from the adverse effects of continued migration into Wales is reaching a boiling point and follows up on news reports earlier this month on moves by the Welsh government to force consideration by local Councils of the negative impact on the language caused by property development schemes.  

 The Cape Breton Post has published a letter to the newspaper's editor under the headline "Gaelic Students Ask For Teachers Fluent in the Language".  This is a stunning example of the revival of the Gaelic language in Nova Scotia which was home to 100,000 Scots Gaelic speakers in the late 1800's.  A group of students who are passionately committed to the revival of the Gaelic tongue in Nova Scotia after decades of malign neglect at the hands of the Provincial government, have taken a stand. 

The Galway Advertiser, under the headline "Budget a Hammer Blow to Gaeltacht", reports outrage at  funding cuts announced by Dublin to programs that support the Gaeltacht (Irish Language Areas of Ireland). Senator Trevor O' Clochtartaigh, the spokesman for the Irish language and Gaeltacht for the political party of Sinn Fein, is quoted in the article citing the impact of the cuts on infrastructure supporting the Gaeltacht:  "another example of the lack of respect the Government has for the Irsih language and those who speak it."

Scotland's "Island News and Advertiser", which is linked below, reports that the Sabhal Mor Ostaig, the only college in the world which grants degrees entirely in the medium of Scots Gaelic, have graduated a record number of students. This is a significant milestone in the revitalisation of the Gaelic Tongue in Scotland.

The Welsh Government  have announced on their web site that local planning authorities in Wales will be required to consult with the office of the Welsh Language Commissioner (Meri Huws) when preparing local development plans.  This move is intended to mitigate disruption to Welsh speaking areas caused by property development.  The announcement was made on the Government's website under the following headline: "Housing and Regeneration Minister, Carl Sargeant, today published guidance on how the Welsh language should be considered in the planning system". 

The historic Scottish city of Paisley is the host to the 2013 Royal National Mod.  The event, sponsored by the Highland Association, will run through 19 October.  At its founding 121 years ago in the late 1800's, the Royal National Mod was modelled after the Welsh Eisteddfod. The 2013 Paisely festival is expected to attract 20,000 visitors and approxiamately 3,000 have registerd to perform. The Festival includes musical performances, dramatic presentations, dance, readings in Gaelic literature and various art exhibitions.    

The Donegal Democrat under the headline "What Donegal Men Sounded Like Nearly a Century Ago" describes a stunning treasure trove of recordings of native Irish speakers telling fanciful tales captured by a German academic more than 85 years ago. This archive is now available on line under the auspices of the Royal Irish Academy.  The Irish Minister for Education and Skills, Rauiri Quinn, presided over the formal launch of the on-line archive at a ceremony in Dublin. 

" We have drawn up a list of people who are willing to act  - campaigns like this have worked in the past and we are ready to do it again." - Robin Farrar

The BBC are reporting that "Language campaigners say they will start a campaign of non-violent action unless policies to protect Welsh are put in place."   The headline is based on statements made by Robin Farrar, Chairman of the Welsh Language Society (Cymdeithas Yr Laith). 

Wales Online reports: "A row has broken out over plans that could see more compulsory teaching of the Welsh language in English medium schools across Wales."  This follows on recent news reports that a broad coalition, including Rugby Coach Robin McBryde and MP Susan Elan Jones, have called in a letter to the Welsh First Minister, Carwyn Jones, to universally introduce the teaching of subject matter in Welsh schools in the Welsh language so as to strengthen proficiency: "abolish the teaching of Welsh as a 'second language' like French or Spanish."