“Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam”: Irish language activists today held a protest at the new Belfast Grand Central Station decrying what they saw as a failure to erect dual-language signage at the transport hub.
Irish language activists protest at Grand Central Station over Irish language signs.
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Irish language groups and campaigner had expressed dismay after it was observed that the brand new station – billed as the largest on the island of Ireland – had not included Gaeilge in signage.
Today, local groups and schools at the protest called upon Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd to instruct Translink – the public corporation providing public transport in Northern Ireland – to install dual language signs in the station.
Campaign group An Dream Dearg laid a large banner across the floor of the new station, and led calls of “tír gan teanga, tír gan anam” – A country without language is a country without a soul”.
Eoghan Ó Gairmile, spokesperson for An Dream Dearg, said: “We were bitterly disappointed to see the new Grand Central station launched on Monday without any dual-language provision.
“The Irish language community has been engaging with Translink and the Department of Infrastructure (DfI) since 2022 to ensure dual-language signage was factored into the design phase as early as possible, to avoid any future retrospective costs of adding additional signage.
“Translink have continuously deflected and ignored their obligations in providing dual-language provision. First of all they told us they couldn’t do anything without direction from a Minister, then when the Minister advised them to go ahead, they told us they couldn’t do so without an Irish language commissioner,” he added.
He noted that Belfast City Council had previously passed a motion calling on Translink to make comprehensive dual-language signage and provision throughout the new station upon its completion.
“In addition to that Ministerial advice, we had Belfast City Council passing a motion in favour of bilingual signage at weavers cross and local and national language groups lobbying both Translink and the Department,” Mr Ó Gairmile said.
“We are clear that the current ‘English-only’ approach is in direct contravention of the European Charter for Regional Minority Languages, which has been adopted in Policy by DfI, and which also applies to Translink as a public service provider.
“Given the time already afforded to Translink, the amount of statutory, political and community support given to them to implement a dual-language approach, and their ultimate decision to exclude Irish from all of their core signage, we believe the only way to ensure that approach is not overturned is through a Ministerial Directive. Language rights are not up for debate,” he said.
“Translink should not have a veto to exclude the rights of an entire section of this community. The Minister must now intervene and ensure this multi-million monolingual monolith is transformed into an all-island beacon of equality based on mutual respect for both the Irish language and the English language, side by side.”
Translink said: “We look forward to working with the Irish and Ulster Scots language commissioners when they are appointed by Stormont; and we continue to work closely with local communities to ensure that all aspects of the area’s diverse culture is recognised and highlighted as part of the ongoing arts and heritage programme.
“Irish is used as part of the multi-lingual welcome signage which is already in place at the station and we continue to engage with all interested parties with regards to signage at Belfast Grand Central Station.”
Tuairisc.ie reported that: “Bhí lucht na teanga i mbun agóide i mBéal Feirste tráthnóna faoin gcinneadh gur comharthaíocht i mBéarla amháin atá i Mórstáisiún Láir nua na cathrach.”
Bhí daltaí ó Choláiste Feirste agus scoileanna Gaeilge i measc an lucht agóide a d’eagraigh an Dream Dearg ag Cros na bhFíodóirí, mar a bhfuil an mórionad iompair nua lonnaithe.
Tá An Dream Dearg ag éileamh ar an aire infreastruchtúir, John O’Dowd “treoir oifigiúil” a thabhairt do Translink comharthaí dátheangacha a chur in airde san ionad nua.
Agus an mórstáisiún nua á oscailt aige níos túisce an tseachtain seo, dúirt O’Dowd, aire de chuid Shinn Féin, go bhfuil dóchas aige go mbeidh an Ghaeilge le feiceáil amach anseo ag Cros na bhFíodóirí. Ach dúirt sé go gcaithfeadh sé leas a bhaint as na cumhachtaí atá aige “ar bhealach stuama” agus go mbeadh sé “níos éifeachtaí” comhoibriú leis an gcomhlacht Translink.
Deir an Dream Dearg, áfach, gur chóir don aire “treoir láidir” a thabhairt do Translink comharthaí dátheangacha a chur suas sa mhórstáisiún.
“Níl aon mhuinín againn go mbeidh athrú poirt ar Translink gan treoir láidir ón Aire Chuige sin, is treoir láidir ón Aire atá anois de dhíth,” a dúirt Eoghan Ó Gairmile.
“Níor cheart go mbeadh ‘veto’ ag Translink ar chearta teanga s’againne. Céad slán leis an ollphéist aonteangach a raibh costas £340 billiún leis agus cuirimis fáilte roimh ionad iontach dátheangach a léiríonn meas ar na mílte Gaeilgeoirí fud fad an oileáin seo.”
Deir An Dream Dearg go bhfuil scéal na gcomharthaí sa lárionad nua á phlé acu le Translink agus an Roinn Infreastruchtúir ó 2022.
“Tá Translink i ndiaidh leithscéal i ndiaidh leithscéil a thabhairt dúinn ar an cheist seo. Ar dtús, ní raibh siad sásta plé leis seo gan comhairle nó treoir ón Aire. Ansin nuair a chuir an tAire comhairle ar fáil, dúirt siad nach raibh siad ábalta aon rud a dhéanamh gan treoir ón Choimisinéir Gaeilge, ról nach bhfuil an folúntas fiú fógartha dó fós,” a dúirt Eoghan Ó Gairmile ón Dream Dearg.
Deir an Dream Dearg gur sárú é “cur chuige ‘Béarla Amháin’ Translink” ar An Chairt Eorpach do Theangacha Réigiúnacha agus Mionlaigh.