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Roidsear

Nov 23 2004, 10:34 AM

I received the following on the Gaeilge-B list today.
I thought it might be interesting.

Sl�n,
Roidsear

QUOTE

A Chairde Gael,

Is � �dar�s na Gaeltachta an t-eagr�ocht at� freagarach as sl�inte
na Gaeilge sna Gaeltachta�. (seo an mission statement: To preserve
and strengthen the Gaeltacht and the Irish language so that strong,
self-confident communities can emerge to achieve their full potential
and enjoy a high quality of life.)

Bliain � shin chuir an t-�dar�s amach f�gra� l�n-B�arla i bp�ip�ir
l�n B�arla ag lorg comhlachta� chun ionad glaoch a chur isteach sa
Ghaeltacht i nGaoth Duibhir. � shin, t� breis is 100 duine fostaithe in
ionad glaoch l�n B�arla i nGaoth Duibhir. Is f�or a r� go raibh br� m�r
ar Ghaoth Duibhir mar go raibh mor�n postanna caillte acu, ach anois,
t� s� f�graithe ag an �dar�s go bfhuil 80 post ag dul isteach in ionad
glaoch sa Daingean i nGaeltacht Chorca Dhuibhne, �it n� fuil br� m�r
� thaobh d�fhost�ocht. Dar liomsa gurb iad seo an saghas postanna is
measa sa domhan do'n nGaeltacht, mar cuireann siad iachall ar na
h-oibrithe�ir� bheith ag labhairt B�arla � thosach go deire an lae.
M� theasta�onn uait do chuid a r� faoi seo,
scr�obh chuig na daoine seo leanas:

Eamonn � Cuiv, Aire na Gaeltachta [email protected]
Radio na Gaeltachta [email protected]
Ruan � Bric, Uachtar�n �dar�s na Gaeltachta [email protected]

�dar�s na Gaeltachta is the organization responsible for the health
of the Irish language in the Gaeltachts. (their mission statement
is: To preserve and strengthen the Gaeltacht and the Irish
language so that strong, self-confident communities can emerge
to achieve their full potential and enjoy a high quality of life.)

About a year ago, Udar�s placed English-only ads, in English-only
papers looking for companies to place call centers in the Gaeltacht
of Gweedore. Since then, more than 100 call center jobs have
been placed in Gweedore. It is true that Gweedore was under
enormous pressure having lost many jobs. However, Udaras has
now announced 80 new call center jobs in Dingle in the Corca
Dhuibhne Gaeltacht, a place where there isn't much pressure for
jobs. I believe that these types of jobs are the worst possible for
the Irish language, in that they force people to speak English all
day long. If you would like to make your feelings known on this
topic, you can write to one of the following:

Eamonn O'Cuiv, Minister for the Gaeltacht [email protected]
Radion na Gaeltachta - Gaeltacht radio station [email protected]
Ruan O'Bric - President, Udaras na Gaeltachta [email protected]

Suggest you tell them where you are from, that you are studying
Irish, and give your own reason why you think Udaras, being the
only organization on the planet responsible for the Irish language in
the Gaeltacht, should follow its own mission statement. A letter
in English will work, but a few sentences in Irish will go a long way.
(For example: T� m� ag foghlaim Gaeilge anseo i mBoston.
I'm learning Irish here in Boston (your town instead of Boston)
T� suim l�idir agam sa Ghaeilge. I have a strong interest in the
Irish language.) If these folks could get emails from as many
countries as possible, it might help them reconsider for future
such projects. (Note:they are pushing for more at http://www.udaras.ie/udaras/gdreigiuin.asp?lang=engt)

Please feel free to pass on to other lists.

I took the freedom to post this to this forum, instead of another list.

Tom McB

Nov 24 2004, 01:49 PM

Sorry Roidsear- I would like to post a note of dissent here. This IMO is wrong, surely the good people of Ireland should have the opportunity to get these jobs. Only they have the right to decide whether or not they take the jobs.

For foreigners to sit and pontificate about which jobs the Irish can have is
(a) One of the factors which lead to the depopulation of much of Ireland.
(

Sheer economic imperialism.

I would argue that by making these areas economically active �dar�s na Gaeltachta is doing good work to keep the language alive.

Roidsear

Nov 26 2004, 10:14 AM

Well, as I said, I only received this through the Gaeilge list.
Whether or not to take action is entirely up to you. As is to all the others.

I see your point and partly agree with it.
�dar�s na Gaeltachta is indeed doing a good job with keeping the language alive.
But I think when it comes to creating jobs in which people have to talk English in areas where
Irish is supposed to be encouraged, this should at least be thought twice about.
(...if there might be the chance of creating Irish language jobs instead, for example)

Furthermore:

QUOTE

Udaras has
now announced 80 new call center jobs in Dingle in the Corca
Dhuibhne Gaeltacht, a place where there isn't much pressure for
jobs.

So, again, this might be a question whether this is sensible, or, taking into account that the English-only ads were placed in English-only newspapers, if they should have placed them in Irish newspapers (or websites) at least as well.

Again, I agree with you that the effort made by �dar�s is indeed honourable. But I think (constructive) criticism is a democratic feature that has proven to be of great value many times. And I also believe that many emails from many foreigners showing their concern about Gaeilge might as well encourage them in keeping up with their good work.

Scr�obh t�:
"For foreigners to sit and pontificate about which jobs the Irish can have..."
...I might point out to the fact that the original author lives in the Gaeltacht, afaik.

I think that this at least should be made public, so that people can discuss about it, just as we do now.

Just one more question:
Why do you think that "foreigners pontificating about which jobs the Irish can have" is one of the factors leading to the depopulation of Ireland?

Thank you for pointing out to your opinion, a chara!

As long as people discuss about these things, thus showing their concern about the language, Gaeilge will live on.

Sl�n go f�ill...

Tom McB

Nov 26 2004, 04:16 PM

God bless you for your reply, and for your tolerance in keeping a dissenting opinion on the board.
My brother in law in half Welsh, half English. His Welsh relations all speak Welsh- a language missing from this board

The Welsh language stays strong despite the people all being in jobs where they use English. My point was that a strong language WILL survive.
The original post that you mirrored is obviously American in origin- and I'm sure that we're all pissed off with American economic imperialism

Anyhoo- God bless you

And as to depopulation.
Great granda McB left Ireland 140 years ago as an economic migrant.
Mrs McB's Granda did the same 100 years ago.

I hope the languages survive- but I don't want the people to be kept away from jobs and wealth.

Roidsear

Nov 26 2004, 04:55 PM

QUOTE(Tom McB @ Nov 27 2004, 12:16 AM)

Anyhoo- God bless youf

And as to depopulation.
Great granda McB left Ireland 140 years ago as an economic migrant.
Mrs McB's Granda did the same 100 years ago.

I hope the languages survive- but I don't want the people to be kept away from jobs and wealth.

Noswaith dda, mae'n braf i'ch gweld chi!

I don't want people kept away from jobs and wealth either. Believe me.
Not in Ireland, not in Cymru, not in any other country in this world.

But I don't believe that any american post reflects the imperialism we all hate at the moment.
Some people are true in their heart... yet american-irish...

Yet, you are right, jobs are jobs, and they help the people to survive; "N�l t�r gan teanga" - no country without language, but also: "N�l teanga gan daoine" - no language without people... and the strength of the language comes from within the hearts of the people.
I only thought that a closer look at what's happening in the Gaeltachta might be right...

Diolch yn fawr for the kind reply!

Hwyl am rwan,
Cofion gorau,
Gwaewglyw ( my name in Cymraeg )

Or, if you prefer, anns a G�idhlig:

Mar sin leibh an-dr�sda agus beannachd leat,
Is mise,
Roidsear

Some day I will learn all six (or seven, if you count Galician in) celtic languages...

Sean

Dec 2 2004, 05:33 AM

Gaelic penguin

Patrick

Dec 2 2004, 05:57 AM

Pretty cool

Tom McB

Dec 3 2004, 08:08 AM

Excellent flash movie

Help- I had always seen the phrase as "Eireann go bragh"
Is this just another of the many examples of multiple spellings?

Sean

Dec 7 2004, 03:10 AM

QUOTE(Tom McB @ Dec 3 2004, 08:08 AM)

Help- I had always seen the phrase as "Eireann go bragh"
Is this just another of the many examples of multiple spellings?

I've seen "Eireann go bragh", "Eireann go bradh" and "Eireann go brach" in different sources. For example 18-th century pics...

Roidsear

Dec 9 2004, 07:29 AM

The proper Irish Gaelic spelling is �ire go br�ch.
�ireann is Genitive form.
Scots Gaelic would be "br�gh".

Fianna

Dec 21 2004, 08:04 PM

In my opinion these jobs are a trojan horse, a cancerous seed steathily sown, that whether intentionally or not, will further damage a language that is on it's final legs.

I know Gweedore pretty well, it's where my Dad's from, and I remember the effect job losses at Fruit Of The Loom had on Gweedore. It's true that jobs were desperately needed. But if this Irish Government really gave half a fuck about the Gaeltacht it'd provide support and funding so that �dar�s na Gaeltachta wouldn't have to stoop to such desperate levels.

Why isn't the Government giving more support to the fishing industry in Donegal, an industry that has existed and strengthened the Irish language there for decades? Why doesn't the Government move more Government offices to the Gaeltacht? We don't need jobs that force English on employees when we have so many other options.

Roidsear

Dec 23 2004, 06:30 AM

Tuigim go maith...
Is f�or a ra �...

Tom McB

Dec 27 2004, 02:50 PM

QUOTE

Why isn't the Government giving more support to the fishing industry in Donegal,

Because the EC would be down their throats in an instant- would be contrary to European policy- which is supreme over national policy.

The language will not die due to these jobs-Welsh speakers all speak English and their language is not in danger. Ditto with Catalan and Castillian Spanish, but a lack of jobs will kill the economic prospects in the area and stick another knife into the heart of the Gaeltacht.

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