Sunday, April 29, 2007
Irish-medium education and casual nationalism
Unsurprisingly, Catriona Ruane has expressed her support for the expansion of the Irish-medium education sector in Northern Ireland. Her comments come ahead of her attendace at a fundraising event in Downpatrick for the local Irish nursery school. Among the items for sale are a Bobby Sands biography signed by the survivng hunger strikers, a copy of the Belfast Agreement signed by John Hume and a two bottles of whiskey - one to commemorate Mary McAleese’s election as RoI president and the other to commemorate John Hume’s receipt of the Nobel prize.
Fair Deal @ 11:59 AM
Strange. I’d expected ther’d be a fair few anti-irish comments by now!
Posted by on Apr 29, 2007 @ 03:00 PMAll descent and true Irish men and women should support Sinn Fein on this Irish language issue.
Every word spoken in Irish is a step towards a united Ireland!
Posted by on Apr 29, 2007 @ 03:59 PMAs Dáithi (sic.) has spelt his(?) own name incorrectly, I believe this post is what is termed a troll?
Posted by on Apr 29, 2007 @ 06:04 PMWhy is this thread not in Irish?
Posted by on Apr 29, 2007 @ 07:19 PMWhat does the Catholic Church make of SF setting up its own school system?
Posted by on Apr 29, 2007 @ 07:44 PMdáithi
All descent and true Irish men and women should support Sinn Fein on this Irish language issue.
I gather you mean ‘decent’ not ‘descent’? I’m as ‘true’ an Irishman as you and I don’t think the auctioning of a Bobby Sands autobiography, signed by the other hunger strikers, for the purposes of an Irish language school is a ‘decent’ act.
I have no problem with children being taught Irish but as per usual it’s wrapped up in Republican propaganda. The kids aren’t just getting an education in Irish, they’re getting spoon-fed sectarianism.
All this scheme will add to is further segregation of Northern Ireland’s children - adding to more suspicion between Protestants and Catholics and continuing this ongoing saga of sectarianism until the year dot. Northern Ireland, whether it stays in the UK or joins with the Republic, will never be a normal place until the folly of the Catholic maintained sector is ended and integrated education is compulsory.
Posted by on Apr 29, 2007 @ 09:59 PMDiluted Orange: The kids aren’t just getting an education in Irish, they’re getting spoon-fed sectarianism.
I have had indirect contacts with Irish Medium schools, and I am sure they are desperate not to be associated with a political position. As the title suggested, there is a certain amount of ‘casual nationalism’ arising just from the makeup of the school communities, and there’s worse from the political supporters of the Irish Medium schools. But the schools themselves deserve credit for trying very hard not to bring along the baggage.
Posted by on Apr 29, 2007 @ 10:04 PMThe obvious solution to all this is proper state funding for Irish medium schools north of the border. Otherwise, next we’ll be having sale of works and raffles.
gaelgannaire,
just because dáithi doesn’t have an Irish name doesn’t mean he isn’t Irish although I do admit the evidence does point towards a troll.Posted by on Apr 29, 2007 @ 10:19 PM“What does the Catholic Church make of SF setting up its own school system?”
They should seek absolution for their sins, on bended knees, as your dear mother, bless her heretic heart, did with me last night.
Posted by on Apr 29, 2007 @ 10:34 PMI almost got knocked down by Bishop Casey once visiting Galway, but never knocked up. But still, BC, you made me laugh. Are you related to Marie Antoinette?
George, it does seem likely a genuine Dáithà would spell his own name correctly. You would hope.
Posted by on Apr 29, 2007 @ 10:43 PMAS a unionist I was opposed to the Irish Language Act and the expansion of Irish Medium schools but am in the process of changing my mind because it is another nail in the coffin of Ui.
The more there is to separate us the stronger the Unionist opposition. The two communities will be driven further apart which is something I want.
The shinners will be responsible for this apartheid in their attempts to impose Gaelic rule when their predecessors favoured Rome rule.
We don’t want any of that nonsense!Posted by on Apr 29, 2007 @ 10:49 PMAlas dear Susan, I knew not that fair lady. Please accept my apologies for (a) almost knocking you down, and (b) failing to knock you up.
Posted by on Apr 29, 2007 @ 11:04 PMIt’s alright Bishop, it was neither the time nor the place. The three nuns you were driving in the car with you were having a great time though.*
* I am not having a go at Bishop Casey. This actually happened.
Posted by on Apr 29, 2007 @ 11:14 PM“The more there is to separate us the stronger the Unionist opposition. The two communities will be driven further apart which is something I want.
The shinners will be responsible for this apartheid in their attempts to impose Gaelic rule when their predecessors favoured Rome rule.
We don’t want any of that nonsense!”It matters not, dear confused. You will be outbred. Blame not the Sinners alone, for I myself, have contributed no small amount to this state of affairs.
There is less to separate us than you think, as I found with your own dear mother, the opposition was weak but the union was strong.
Go in peace, my child.
Posted by on Apr 29, 2007 @ 11:31 PMOh confused. What a terrible opinion. Looking for more division to strenghten the union (surely a parodox, nes pas?)? I think with the eu now we are barely different countries. Different coloured postboxes and speed signs. Other than that? How would we know where we were. A welcome development.
Posted by on Apr 29, 2007 @ 11:42 PMYep, since the republic adopted UK road signage standards and you started cutting your lawns you seems almost civilised.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2007 @ 08:56 AM“Strange. I’d expected ther’d be a fair few anti-irish comments by now!”
Attention seeking Eamonn?
One might think some people go out of their way to be offended.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2007 @ 10:18 AMthe fact that no pro irish language person has registered their disgust at a signed terrorist book being sold for a nursery school speaks volumes. why not just call these schools ‘up the ra training colleges’ ???
presumably it would be ok to flog off copies of johnny adairs ‘memoirs’ to raise money for a church of ireland primary school? (rough equivalent)Posted by on Apr 30, 2007 @ 12:40 PMeranu
What about the fact that no pro irish language person has registered their disgust at a signed constitutional nationalist copy of the good Friday agreement being sold for the school?
And I would add that in such a scenario it would presumably be ok to flog off copies of david trimbles ‘memoirs’ to raise money for a church of ireland primary school? (rough equivalent)
The point being that it’s never good to try and tar everyone with same brush, your opinions will invariably sound b1goted and half-witted, which they are.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2007 @ 02:28 PM“Strange. I’d expected ther’d be a fair few anti-irish comments by now!”
Maybe it’s because this sort of thing comes as no surprise. As for the schools themselves trying to avoid political baggage, every Irish-medium school I’ve ever seen, either on TV or pupils in the street, has had green and orange uniforms. But like I said, it’s hardly surprising.
These schools are just another way for republicans to ensure their children are properly indoctrinated and conveniently also ensures that they don’t mix with any of the bastard offspring of that other lot.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2007 @ 04:56 PM“ensures that they don’t mix with any of the bastard offspring of that other lot.”
Good chance they get to mix with some of my bastard offspring.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2007 @ 05:11 PM“every Irish-medium school I’ve ever seen, either on TV or pupils in the street, has had green and orange uniforms”.
This one’s are red. Feckin’ commies.
http://www.androichead.com/Pages/Primary School/Primary School page 1.htm
Posted by on Apr 30, 2007 @ 05:22 PM“..every Irish-medium school I’ve ever seen, either on TV or..”
Yeah, I remember some of those - “Bunscoil Grange Hill”.
Whatever happened to Tucker Jenkins? He never did any work at school, probably failed his Irish, Physics and Political Baggage A Levels, and ended up mixing with the bastard offspring of the other lot.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2007 @ 08:29 PMBeano,
”These schools are just another way for republicans to ensure their children are properly indoctrinated and conveniently also ensures that they don’t mix with any of the bastard offspring of that other.Don’t know about north of the border but of the nine new primary schools recognised in the Irish Republic last year, five were gaelscoileanna.
Of those five gaelscoileanna, five were inter- or multi-denominational.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2007 @ 08:42 PMGeorge,
One Slugger regular, Beardy Boy?, recently wrote about how he and others wouldn’t support their local one in the north as it refused to adopt a catholic ethos.
Posted by on Apr 30, 2007 @ 08:51 PM
