Profile for RG Cuan
Gael from Co. Ard Mhacha now living in Béal Feirste.
Latest posts from RG Cuan (see all)
RG Cuan has posted 1 times (0 in the last month).
Her Majesty’s challenge for the opponents of Irish
A Uachtaráin agus a chairde. There were many significant elements to the speech given by Queen Elizabeth II in Dublin Castle yesterday and these five words were certainly among them. Not because of their meaning, but because of the language in which they were delivered. For centuries it was the policy of the British establishment [...] more »
Latest comments from RG Cuan (see all)
RG Cuan has commented 58 times (5 in the last month).
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Books
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Books: Listening to Van Morrison…
Great little review of Listening to Van Morrison by Griel Marcus… It’s a short book, not a biography or a career survey, but an attempt to follow those moments in Morrison’s music, as he’s made it from his first records with Them, from Belfast in 1965 to the present day, when something happens that breaks [...] read our review »
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“Good Friday. The death of Irish Republicanism” by Anthony McIntyre: a review
This was a book that I first reviewed at the same time as “Unionism Decayed” back in 2008. Like Vance’s work, it is the author’s portrayal of a defeated political movement or ideal and as a Unionist it was instructional to read an interpretation of the immediate post-Agreement period from the other side of the fence. [...] read our review » -
Risk of going beyond either/or…
This is article was first published in Fortnight magazine back in February 2003. Chris Farrington is now a Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellow funded by the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences’ in the School of Politics and International Relations, University College Dublin. Although the circumstances it describes has changed radically and [...] read our review »
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Comment on Official Languages Act falling into disuse in the Republic?
on 30 April 2012 at 4:06 pm
JR
Déan teagmáil leis an Choimisinéir Teanga, sin an fáth a bhfuil sé ann!
http://www.coimisineir.ie
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Comment on Official Languages Act falling into disuse in the Republic?
on 26 April 2012 at 8:08 pm
Cynic2
You clearly do not understand language rights as they are recognised throughout Europe. People speaking the indigenous language of any area, be they native speakers or those who have learned it and use it as their primary means of communication, are not ‘zealots’ but members of a language community.
The Gaelic-speaking population do not ask that all state workers can speak Irish, only that the state can provide services in our own language when needed. This protects the language and encourages it use among all sectors of society. When done effectively the costs involved do not have to be very substantial at all. Speakers of minoritised native languages also pay taxes and are entitled to provision in their own tongue. Most European countries have recognised this decades ago.
Dwatch
If you re-read by posts you will find I never once mentioned religion, and never would. Colonisation and the banning of Irish Gaelic has almost nothing to do with religion and Irish speakers are well aware that the RC church played its own part down the years in Anglifying Ireland.
You are correct that language has always been used as a political tool by those in power. Many would argue that it’s morally wrong to banish a culture or language, as happens during colonisation or plantation. It is therefore morallt right to protect and assist those cultures and languages in re-establishing themselves.
JR
I have my name in Irish on my passport and needed to show Oifig na bPasanna proof that I’ve been using the proper version of my name for 5 years or something. That’s crazy though that they don’t understand the different naming conventions for men and women etc.
Coinnigh ar an eolas muid faoi cad é mar a éiríonn leat.
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Comment on Official Languages Act falling into disuse in the Republic?
on 26 April 2012 at 4:32 pm
I understand that Dwatch, I was replying to Cynic2′s claim that “if you can’t speak Irish you can’t get a state job”. Proof of some level of Irish is needed but it’s clear that it’s only lip service.
And since you’re interested in Irish being used as a “political tool” you may want to check out the two main examples of politicisation of Gaelic in Ireland, the 1366 Statues of Killkenny and the 1831 National School legislation. Both prohibited the use of the Irish language throughout the island.
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Comment on Official Languages Act falling into disuse in the Republic?
on 26 April 2012 at 11:31 am
Cynic2; ‘if you cant speak Irish you cant get a State job’.
I think you’ll find the whole focus of the original post and indeed the Language Commisioner’s report is that you obviously can get state jobs without speaking Irish. Actually the majority of those working for the state in the south cannot speak Irish fluently. And that’s where the problem arises when trying to provide services for Gaelic speakers.
And in your last post you make the bold claim that Irish is a minority language. Everybody knows that. The Irish language community are well aware of our situation, nationally and globally, and continue to strive forward, mainly without state assistance.
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Comment on Official Languages Act falling into disuse in the Republic?
on 26 April 2012 at 2:46 am
It’s great to see so many people taking an interest in Irish Gaelic but i feel many of the comments above are quite off target.
Firstly, the politicisation of Irish didn’t begin in the 20th century but in 1366 with the Statutes of Killkenny, which aimed to ban the use of the native language among the new colonisers, whom London feared were mixing too much with the locals. From that point onwards, if not before, the language has had a political element as do all minoritised languages in colonised countries.
The claim is also made above that the Irish language ‘is forced down’ certain people’s throats. Evidence of this is rarely offered unless it equates with somebody speaking the language in the media. Of course the education system may be cited but i’ve never heard people complain about geography or history being forced down their throat. By the way every Irish speaker acknowledges that the curriculum in the south needs an overhaul.
Regarding figures, the active Gaelic-speaking community on the island is 200,000+. There are always sceptics (there still will be when there are 500,000+ daily Irish speakers) but the figure continues to grow.
The Coimisinéir Teanga’s report does offer many areas for discussion (& i’ll come back tomorrow) but, with or without state ‘help’, the reality for those within the Irish language speaking population is that the language is a positive force for change & development. It connects us to our past, is central to a brighter future, helps create a more confident Ireland & links us to our fellow multilingual European citizens throughout the continent.
Ar aghaidh linn. An Ghaeilge abú.
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Comment on For Nationalists Only: What’s great about living in the United Kingdom?
on 17 April 2012 at 3:41 pm
Point taken Mick, although maybe I was trying to get across the point that the UK alone doesn’t have that much that I would like to see in a re-united nation, and that my own personal perspective would be to take a wider European/international view on what we should include in the new state.
Saying that, I do see the need and value of ensuring that the customs and traditions of those who currently describe themselves as British in Ireland are fully included in our new nation.
Regarding our ‘unionist opponents’, as noted above, I truly cannot think of anything I secretly admire about their own institutions or values (although thankfully these values differ from unionist to unionist). The most positive aspects of UK society (NHS, welfare state etc.) are not intrinsic elements of British unionists in Ireland.
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Comment on For Nationalists Only: What’s great about living in the United Kingdom?
on 17 April 2012 at 2:06 pm
Overall, a new Ireland offers the opportunity to create something better than the current Republic and better than the UK.
A new nation would be able to almost start from scratch and adapt the most successful and progressive ideas from other small states to create something better for us all.
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Comment on For Nationalists Only: What’s great about living in the United Kingdom?
on 17 April 2012 at 1:43 pm
The only institution from the current UK that I would like to see in a re-united Ireland is the NHS. Some aspects of RTÉ could also learn something about production values from the BBC.
A re-united Ireland should also take a lead from the UK, and other European nations, about national confidence and about removing the shackles of the colonised mindset that’s so entrenched throughout the island.
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Comment on Ban on Irish radio outside Belfast
on 21 February 2012 at 1:50 am
as opposed to little groups of hobbyists here and there.
The Gaelic-speaking population outside official Gaeltacht areas are not ‘hobbyists’. We are members of an ever-increasing community who live our lives in Irish – by speaking it at home, at work, at school, in the pub, in the bedrom, by availing of Irish language media etc.
This thread has gotten side-tracked into debating one word in the headline but is simply about how Ofcom’s current licencing protocal is not beneficial for non-geographically centered communities.
Raidió Fáilte does broadcast 24/7 online and since DAB radio won’t probably be fully in force until 2019 I think the station’s request that their FM frequency area is extended is a very valid one.
Tá súil agam go mbeidh mé in ann éisteacht leis sa charr is cuma cén áit a mbeidh mé, i lár Bhéal Feirste nó i lár Ard Mhacha Theas.
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Comment on Live stream from Belfast City Council #bcc
on 1 December 2011 at 7:31 pm
People need to reassess their understanding of the word ‘bigotry’. The Lord Mayor made a decision not based on religion nor NI politics but on a principled stance against the immorality of waging numerous wars across the globe, wars that have cost millions of lives and that are due to cost even more.
Rather than damaging the reputation of Belfast worldwide, as Robin newton has crazily claimed, he has highlighted that Ireland actually does have some politicians who are willing to hold to their principles.
Finally, the people taking part in this small protest are presumably from a Unionist background… I would like to know what the British Army has actually ever done for them?
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