I refer to the Open Letter (May 29). The Belfast Agreement states: What is required is not an Irish-Gaelic language act but rather policies and legislation which are broad, imaginative, generous and reasonable.
An enormous amount of support has been provided for the promotion of Irish Gaelic. The figure, which may be in access of £200m over the past 10 years, includes £64m for the GAA, and £0.9m for Líofa Scholarships. The authors of the Open Letter express no gratitude for this enormous investment. They have succumbed to the culture of entitlement and victimisation which is sadly encouraged by some language activists and organisations.
Gaelic is my first language and my language of preference. I have spent my entire life teaching Gaelic language, literature and civilisation in university. I am one of the more prolific academics and creative writers in terms of books and articles published. I have voluntarily chaired a Gaeltacht cooperative, helped found primary and second-level Irish-medium schools, and initiated a conference on Irish Gaelic – the language of reconciliation. Like Gaelic speakers of my acquaintance, in Northern Ireland, I do not support the call for a Gaelic language act, not least because it is perceived as a threat by Protestant Unionist Loyalists, nor do I or other speakers of the language, see the absence of same as a denial of rights to themselves or others.
The authors claim that ‘the Irish language community are (sic) still denied language rights’. There is approximately 1 per cent of the population who use the language as their language of preference. No more than 6 per cent of the population have any real knowledge of the language. I wish it were otherwise. I canvassed nationalist and republican areas on behalf of the DUP in the local elections and was greatly disappointed that not one person was able to converse with me in Gaelic, despite my having spoken some Gaelic at every door and being well received.
Gaelic is recognised as the first official language of the Republic of Ireland. There is an Official Languages Act; a Language Commissioner and an Office of the Language Commissioner. Gaelic is a required subject to Leaving Certificate and a matriculation requirement for the National University of Ireland. There is a discrete development authority for Gaelic-speaking areas, and Gaelic-medium television and radio services. Sadly, this reality has been of almost no assistance to me in attempting to transact business with the State through the medium of Gaelic. The cultivation of good will towards Gaelic, in Northern Ireland, in the context of respect for English, Ulster Scots and other languages, will be much more helpful in affirming and promoting Gaelic than the imposition of a divisive language act.
I am proud to acknowledge my party-political affiliation to the DUP. Who initiated the ‘Open Letter’ and what are their party-political affiliations?
Dr CIARÁN Ó COIGLIGH
Duibhlinn 3
Support Time for Truth march instead of boycotting it
I read with concern Raymond McCord’s public comments (May 21) in relation to Time for Truth campaigns intentions to hold a second demonstration in Belfast this Sunday.
Since the murder of his son, a UVF member murdered by his own organisation, Raymond has steadfastly campaigned for truth and justice for his son, similar to many families across the north. His attempts to achieve access to due process and the delivery of maximum disclosure pertaining to the circumstances surrounding the death of his son have been thwarted continuously by the British government and its agencies.
His resolve and commitment to this objective is commendable and should attract the support of all citizens.
However, Raymond’s comments have tended to pit victim against victim in a manner devoid of any antagonism or critique towards the party that is responsible for blocking and denying the rights of all victims and survivors, namely the British Government.
Each family and campaign group should be granted the time, space and support to wage their own campaign for truth and justice. As Raymond acknowledges “we are all in this together as victims”.
Instead of calling for boycotts or introducing restrictions as to who can speak at events organised by himself, and as someone whose mother was murdered in this conflict, I would urge Raymond, rather than attempt to divide the victim and survivors community, to both acknowledge and respect the right of all victims and survivors to wage their own campaigns for truth and justice.
His frustration and focus should centre on the British government who have continued to refuse to implement and adequately resource the legacy mechanisms agreed at Stormont House almost five years ago and agreed by both governments and the main parties. In contrast to calling for a boycott of the Time for Truth march, Raymond should be calling for support for the march especially in light of current developments at Westminster and attending the event himself as he did last February .
JUDE WHYTE
Belfast BT7
Time to bring in Patten?
Alex Kane (May 31) misses the obvious outcome of elections to the European Parliament.
Four of the main parties (Alliance, Sinn Féin, SDLP, Greens) specifically campaigned to remain in the European Union.
However, all three designated unionist parties (DUP, TUV, UUP) collectively and specifically chose instead to turn this European election into a campaign to support ‘the Union’, and they lost that campaign – big time.
And so when given a choice by political unionism between supporting ‘the Union’ with Great Britain, or instead supporting continued membership of the EU, the Northern Ireland electorate overwhelmingly chose Europe over Great Britain.
This was a major error of judgment by political unionism. And this explains why Michel Barnier and Leo Varadkar have subsequently hardened their position on the backstop – thanks to political unionism they now have hard evidence that the Northern Ireland electorate favour Europe over Westminster. And this probably explains why Karen Bradley has embarked upon a ferocious round of Stormont negotiations – misdirection and distraction from an inconvenient set of May election results that laid bare dwindling support for ‘the Union’ even among the PUL community.
The question going begging now is whether it’s time to install Tory grandee Chris Patten as secretary of state for the handover of Northern Ireland to the EU?
Dr BERNARD J MULHOLLAND
Belfast BT9
Marching or justice and truth
On July 9 1972 my 13-year-old sister Margaret along with 15-year-old David McCafferty, 16-year-old John Dougal, father-of-six Paddy Butler and local priest Fr Noel Fitzpatrick were all shot dead by the British army operating out of Conny’s Timberyard in the Springhill/ Westrock district. Over the years I have engaged with the HET and despite numerous occasions, when they said a report into her killing was ready, it never materialised. All we want as a family is the truth which I believe all families, Catholic, Protestant, loyalist, republican, police and army deserve to know what happened to their local loved ones who were taken from them so horrifically.
We as a family will be marching on Sunday to have the legacy legislation reinstated so families can have a chance to get truth and justice.
HARRY GARGAN
Belfast BT12
Be kind to your neighbours
On May 14 last year 60 Palestinians were killed and more than 2,000 injured during protests on Gaza’s border with Israel. I don’t hate the Jews but I do hate the way they are treating Palestinians. Be kind and we will all be saints.
JIM McCORMICK
Ballycastle, Co Antrim
