GO mBEANNAÍ DIA daoibh, a big hello to those of faith and those of none, you’re all welcome to the Bluffer’s Guide to Irish.
“An ministir easaontach - the dissenting minister of this place, Moses Neilson, is a most agreeable character and a man of much culture and learning.
“He is perfection in Laidin - Latin, Gréigis - Greek and Eabhrais - Hebrew, as is in the native Irish tongue. “Na hEasaontóirí - The Dissenters and na pápairí - Papists of this parish mostly speak in that language.”
So said Hugh Johnson, landlord of Ráth Deamáin - Rademon, near Crosagar in Co. Down back in 1784.
The Bluffer thought of the quote when listening to the “debate” about reachtaíocht Ghaeilge - Irish language last week as the DUP convulsed and combusted almost to the point of implosion after their new/old leader accepted the deal his party had signed up to in 2020’s, Ré Nua, Cur Chuige Nua - New Decade, New Approach.
He thought of the quotation again while listening to Ben Lowry’s assertion that Sinn Féin’s using of the Irish language act as a barometer of the DUP’s trustworthiness was seicteach - sectarian.
He was depressed by the ill-founded fears of some of the public but unsurprised by the ignorance of some commentators.
However, he then thought about Gaelscoileanna - Irish-medium schools where kids do better at English and Maths than their English-medium counterparts.
The Bluffer spoke to a young Gaeilgeoir who said níl ionamsa ach gnáth-ógánach ó Bhaile Uí Mhurchú - I’m just an ordinary fella from Ballymurphy, an area with its fair share of social problems, but he felt he was more muiníneach - confident in himself that others of the same age-group who hadn’t been to an Irish-medium school.
He said he noticed the difference in his peers, that oideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge - education through the medium of Irish gave him a self-confidence that the others lacked.
And that confidence seeps into the community. Now it has young forward-thinking young people focussed on making life better, often ainneoin na n-aineoinn - against the odds.
Irish-medium education has a very strong community ethos and is something all areas could benefit from.
Then the Bluffer thought of Laochra Loch Lao - the GAA club for Irish speakers how have boys and girls as young as 8 playing the games.
And Aisling Ghéar the Irish language theatre company who have been producing plays in Irish for decades now.
And Glór na Móna’s Féile na gCloigíní Gorma - the Bluebell festival which teaches kids about an timpeallacht - the environment and other matters.
And he thought of TG4 which has been broadcasting brilliant programmes and which attracts a fair section of non-Irish speakers through their use of subtitles.
Hugh Johnson from Rademon would be aghast at how the Irish language is viewed by some today but the positivity of its speakers knows no bounds.
CÚPLA FOCAL
An ministir easaontach (un minishter assayntakh) - the dissenting minister
Laidin(ladgeen) - Latin
Gréigis(graygish) - Greek
Eabhrais(aowreesh) - Hebrew
Na hEasaontóirí(ne hassaontoree) - The Dissenters
na Pápairí(na paaperee) - Papists
Ráth Deamáin(rah jamaan) - Rademon
reachtaíocht Ghaeilge(rakhteeakht gaylicka) - Irish language legislation
Ré Nua, Cur Chuige Nua(ray nooa, ker higge nooa) - New Decade, New Approach
seicteach(shektakh) - sectarian
Gaelscoileanna(gaylsculanna) - Irish-medium schools
níl ionamsa ach gnáth-ógánach ó Bhaile Uí Mhurchú(neel unimsa akh grah-awganakh o wallee wurakhoo) - I’m just an ordinary fella from Ballymurphy
muiníneach(mwinyeenakh) - confident
oideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge(idjahiss chree vaan na gaylicka) - education through the medium of Irish
ainneoin na n-aineoinn(anyowin na nanyowin) - against the odds
Féile na gCloigíní Gorma(fayla ne gligeenee gorama) - the Bluebell festival
