The Irish Language: A Part of Who We Are!

There is no better way to help a language thrive than to just speak it and given that we have just celebrated National Heritage Week, perhaps this is the opportunity to discuss the linguistic heritage of our own language.

(Sean O’Daimhin Irish language officer for Donegal County Council)

Seán Ó Daimhín, Irish Language Officer for Donegal County Council and self-confessed cycling fanatic, believes that Irish is a vital part of our culture and should be nourished and supported at every level of society.

“To me the Irish language is absolutely vital to our cultural and national identity, and is a central building block in our heritage as a people. If Ireland was a 30-year old man, then it’s only since he turned 29 or so that he has started using English as his first spoken language. How could we ever fully understand our first 29 years without an appreciation of the language we used and the culture we breathed? We need to maintain this unbroken connection with our past and sustain part of Donegal and Ireland’s true heritage.” said Seán.

Sean talks about how Donegal County Council is putting a foot forward and helping to promote the Irish language in Donegal.

“Donegal County Council actively recruited Irish-speaking staff in the early years of the Dungloe Public Services Centre, increasing in the number of services available. The Council continues to offer annual scholarships to students to attend our Gaeltacht summer colleges in the county. These initiatives coincide with my daily translation work to ensure that written services within the Council will always available in Irish. We also have around 25 office-based staff who can provide spoken services in Irish, in addition to other non-office based staff in Gaeltacht areas, and 2 members of staff in our Customer Contact Centre.

“I also have a responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the Council’s statutory 3-year language scheme under the Official Languages Act. This includes organising courses in the Irish language for staff.  And just recently 15 members of staff have just completed their Professional Certificate in Irish so a big congrats to them,” said Sean, smiling proudly. “But there is much more we need to do to achieve the highest level of service in some areas, and I believe that our elected members and senior management are working towards that”, he states.

“It is true that the language is ‘faoi bhrú mór’ under huge pressure within its natural heartland of the Gaeltacht, and there are certainly worrying trends there in terms of decline over generations. But the language and community spirit is still strong enough in the Gaeltacht to halt its decline, and to turn it around.. If both the public and government commit to increasing the use of the Irish language then it will easily survive and flourish, both as an important part of our cultural and linguistic heritage, and as a strong everyday means of communication for more and more people.”

One of the biggest things we can do to promote the Irish language is pass it on to the next generation and it’s easier than we think. “There are many things that we could and should do, but for me the greatest thing this generation could do is use Irish with the new generation of children. If you have a very young child, or a very young grandchild, it is the best place to grow the language. Speaking from experience Seán says it works. I spoke Irish to my daughters while they were still in their mother’s womb and throughout their childhood and now they have grown into two confident, proud, regular Irish speakers.

Get involved today

“My advice to people who want to get to get back in touch with Irish is quite simple there is no better way to help a language thrive than to just speak it (‘beatha teanga í a labhairt’), join a local class or group, join Gaeilge Amháin on Facebook, listen to Ráidió na Gaeltachta, and visit the Gaeltacht. Tá an Ghaeilge beo amuigh ansin ar an saol mór, there’s a whole world of Irish out there, we can all embrace it.

Some Donegal Gaeltacht and Irish Language Facts

• The population of County Donegal’s Gaeltacht in 2011 was 24,744 persons and grew by over 4%.

• There were 17,132 Irish Speakers aged 3 years and over in the Donegal Gaeltacht Areas in 2011

• Almost 39% of the population aged 3 years and over in County Donegal regard themselves as Irish Speakers

• Donegal has a higher percentage of Irish Speaking households in its Gaeltacht Area than in All Gaeltacht Areas in the State.

Useful Links to Irish Language Courses and Resources Online ·        

Gaelchultúr: www.ranganna.com·

Duolingo: https://www.duolingo.com/·        

Líofa: http://www.liofa.eu/l%C3%ADofa-resources·        

Ráidió Fáilte: http://www.raidiofailte.com/foghlaim/

Useful links to Irish Language Organisations

• Foras na Gaeilge: www.gaeilge.ie
• Conradh na Gaeilge: www.cnag.ie
• Glór na nGael: www.glornangael.ie