“Táimid ag léiriú don chuid eile den tír, do na comhairlí ar fad, go bhfuil sé seo indeanta” – “We are showing the rest of the country, all of the councils, that this possible”.
Those were the words of Lord Mayor of Dublin, Daithí de Róiste (FF), on the occasion that Dublin City Council’s first monthly meeting was held entirely in Irish.
“A chomhairleoirí, is é seo an chéad uair riamh a reáchtáladh an cruinniú míosúil i nGaeilge” he said.
"Táimid ag léiriú don chuid eile den tír, do na comhairlí ar fad, go bhfuil sé seo indéanta" – @daithideroiste
Ard-Mhéara @DubCityCouncil ag an gcéad chruinniú riamh den chomhairle a reáchtáileadh iomlán trí mheán na Gaeilge #SnaG24 @CnaG pic.twitter.com/7hcZkrLbKX
— Seachtain na Gaeilge le Energia (@SnaGaeilge) March 5, 2024
He told yesterday’s meeting, as Gaeilge, that the 2022 census found 162,400 people could speak Irish in Dublin city, that a new generation of Irish speakers had a passionate interest in their language, and that the demand for Irish language services is increasing.
“Feictear dom go bhfuil glúin nua de chainteoirí Gaeilge ag teacht chun cinn i mBaile Átha Cliath – is daoine iad a fhágann an córas oideachas le Gaeilge mhaith agus le paisean ar leith,” he told the chamber.
Prior to the meeting, Dublin City Council said it was “proud to announce” that the monthly meeting yesterday evening was to be held completely in Irish.
“I am delighted to see this happening,” the Lord Mayor said. “According to the last Census, more than 160 thousand people living in Dublin can speak Irish. I want to encourage all those people and more to speak it on a regular basis. Initiatives like this can help with that. So even if all you have is a Cúpla Focail, lets hear you use them!!”.
There were live interpreting services provided by the Council for anyone who required that in the chamber.
Dublin City Council said it “played a vital role in strengthening the usage and vibrancy of the Irish language within its administrative area. The demand for Irish language services within Dublin City is increasing and it permeates all our public services from business, tourism, community life, to our physical interactions with our citizens to our virtual citizen engagement platforms”.
“As Dublin continues to evolve, Dublin City Council remains dedicated to nurturing the language and nourishing its vitality for generations to come,” they said.
A bilingual agenda for the meeting included gnó an ardmhéara (The Lord Mayor’s business), diúscairt réadmhaoine (disposal of property), nuashonrú míosúil ar sholáthar agus seachadadh tithíochta sóisialta (social housing supply and delivery monthly update report), and deonú ceadúnais agus léasanna (granting of licenses and leases).
Cur chun cinn na Gaeilge i gCathair Bhaile Átha Cliath (report of the deputy chief executive – promotion of the Irish Language in Dublin city) was also discussed, as Gaeilge.
Seachtain na Gaeilge and Conradh na Gaeilge were amongst those who congratulated Dublin City Council on the initiative.
Ardmholadh d'Ardmhéara @daithideroiste, Comhairleoirí & Feidhmeannaigh @DubCityCouncil anocht as a gcruinniú míosúil a eagrú go huile is go hiomlán trí #Gaeilge
(breis is 3 uair a chloig ar réimse leathan d'ábhar)👏Ceannródaíoch
👏Iontach
👉Eiseamláir do gach údarás eile👈 pic.twitter.com/FX74Vyu93X— Julian de Spáinn (@juleser1) March 4, 2024
"Táimid ag léiriú don chuid eile den tír, do na comhairlí ar fad, go bhfuil sé seo indéanta" – @daithideroiste
Ard-Mhéara @DubCityCouncil ag an gcéad chruinniú riamh den chomhairle a reáchtáileadh iomlán trí mheán na Gaeilge #SnaG24 @CnaG pic.twitter.com/7hcZkrLbKX
— Seachtain na Gaeilge le Energia (@SnaGaeilge) March 5, 2024
Everyone is being encouraged to use an méid gaeilge atá acu, as this TikTok video explains.
Brilliant video I saw on TikTok we should all make an effort to speak as Gaeilge whenever possible no matter how little you may know ☘️ pic.twitter.com/PQMBpwnfZY
— Gaelic Woodlander 🇮🇪🌲 (@Gael_Woodlander) March 4, 2024
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As much and all as I respect Irish Gaelic and would like to see it revived to the extent that Welsh is, I don’t believe that
“162,400” people speak Irish fluently in Dublin.
In fairness I don’t think that number speak English fluently either.
Some 25 years ago on my first visit to Dublin I was surprised to see so many people reading books in public places and on buses. The linguist, David Crystal, in his Encyclopedia of the English Language (1995), commented about how literate the people of Ireland were. The situation has changed. While there has been an explosion of knowledge since then, there has also been a dumbing down and growth in functional illiteracy. We now have more two legged sheep than the normal four legged variety.
In fairness I don’t think that number speak English fluently either.
Are you referring to the foreign migrants?
No.
Then what you say is absurd.
All native speakers speak their language fluently, unless there is some pathology such as aphasia..
Ludicrous remark.
This is a waste of time and money and will not promote Irish.
It would be far better including Irish as a second language in all schools. We cannot afford to bring it up to the level of a modern language with all the technical terms in science, engineering, education, medicine, law etc. However it can be used to teach children how language works, about noticing patterns and logic. Our children can gain a conversational knowlege of Irish and learn to love the language through poetry, prose and plays and especially through songs. As someone who has grappled with a number of languages, both modern and classical, I am convinced that Irish could become beneficial to all children in Ireland.
Very discriminatory to the 25% of Dublin residents who are foreign migrants.
They don’t speak Irish and have no interest in learning the language.
So they were shut out.
They don’t speak English either or have any interest in learning as they all require interpreters when dealing with our justice system.