How many of you speak Irish?

No and I can think of a few hundred things that I'd like to do long before I learn a language that serves no real purpose to me.

has anyone ever told you you're a right grumpy fucker?

He's right though. I think I'd learn Spanish or something first because that may actually come in useful.

I am trying to learn spanish currently but to disrespect the Language of your country is just not cool in my book. It is such a beautifull language and it pains me when i realise how insignificant it is to me,it shouldnt be so.

Tá gaeilge lÃ*ofa agum.

I see the language as very much a part of the reconquest of ireland, and as a weapon in the anti imperial struggle.

I was raised in a northern republican home speaking irish. i don't know to what degree it has a political purpose, or what our relation as socialists towards it should be. the idea of culture as a 'weapon in the anti-imperial struggle' seemed to be one my father as a provisional sinn féin supporter agreed with and he seemed to take this from the african and algerian liberation struggles. i think this was an idea endorsed by anti-colonialists like frantz fanon who i tried reading a little bit and certainly my dad read a lot. i'm still making up my own mind on the whole situation, i think it's an interesting debate but there's an incredible amount of material on the subject...in the north it's certainly a very political (read: sectarian) topic and i've had marxists tell me that it shouldn't even be mentioned for this reason. one compelling argument is that the language creates an elitist element - the vast majority of working class people in ireland speak english and is that not who an anti-imperialist socialist movement should be based on? then again lenin said raise the worker to the level of the intellectual.

like i said, an interesting debate. personally i'll go on speaking it with other fluent speakers or anyone interested learning but i'm opposed to the idea of it being used as a sectarian political football.

Ive only got the cupla focail, used to be somewhat fluent when I was younger but lost it over time.
Its a shame really, something id like to learn again especially since my mother is fluent in it.
Wouldnt be a bad idea to see an Irish language forum on here to help the people who want to learn it learn it.

Ive only got the cupla focail, used to be somewhat fluent when I was younger but lost it over time.
Its a shame really, something id like to learn again especially since my mother is fluent in it.
Wouldnt be a bad idea to see an Irish language forum on here to help the people who want to learn it learn it.

My da has a basic understanding of it, but his eldest brother is fluent and can hold a conversation in any gaelic language. But then again he and his wife and to a lesser extent children speak it exclusively at home.

Shame he lives too far away to teach me. I wish I'd taken more interest in the past, although I'm aproaching the same level as my da now. I definately want an irish or at least gaelic forum.

One of my few regrets is that I cannot speak Irish. The lack of more than one language is a major problem in Ireland - although in my own defence - when I was in school the Christian Brothers were more interested in beating the crap out of people than teaching them anything. I keep promising myself that I will make some effort to learn some - but it is yet to happen. It would be unfortunate if it was to die out because people did not see a purpose in using it. It would be a major loss to Irish culture and should be encouraged.

So are we gonna push for a gaelic forum or what?

I can speak irish, and was born in Galway.

Can't speak a word, went to public school in cork city, don't think anyone in my primary school from my class went on to do honours Irish in secondary school

Is it just me or is the entire school system the reason levels of Irish speakers is dropping?
I remember in primary school they basically just forced the language on us

Is it just me or is the entire school system the reason levels of Irish speakers is dropping?
I remember in primary school they basically just forced the language on us

Certainly a factor in it - the same applies to other languages thought in schools in Ireland which are based on learning by rote.

I'd also go so far as to say it's also a matter of who it's thought by. There's a certain fanaticism that many GaeilgeoirÃ* possess which takes a snobbish attitude to Irish as the most important subject. It's obviously somewhat understandable why that attitude exists but it tends to do a disservice to encouraging young people to learn the language. Irish isn't so important that it requires as much homework on its own as the rest of your subjects combined.