The Irish language matters! Welcome to the Irish language matters blog.
We are going to be looking at some important topics relating to the Irish language. We’ll also take a look at some of the wider language issues. Hopefully we can inspire some more people to learn, speak, read and write the native language of Ireland along the way!
Beidh muid ag plé cúrsaí teanga; an Ghaeilge agus ceisteanna teanga go hiondúil. Tá súil againn go dtabharfaidh an bhlag seo inspioráid do dhaoine an teanga a fhoghlaim! Gaeilge abú!
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o: Language issues in post-colonial Kenya
March 2022
‘Every person, whether in Africa or Europe, has a right to their mother tongue or to the language of their culture’
‘They had the mantra “That was never a real language!”’
A Force for Revival in a sister language of Irish
March 2022
The Manx language is a sister language of Irish. Once declared ‘dead’, Manx has native speakers once again – and a growing cohort of learners. Are there parallels with the Irish language? Are there lessons to be learned? Read about the Manx language and the committed speaker and revivalist, the late Brian Stowell.
New York City: Under the layers of its names
March 2022
New York, New York, so good they renamed it several times…
Interview: Katie Ní Chléire, Students’ Union President, QUB, 2020-2021
March 2022
‘A language is not just words. It’s a culture, a tradition, a unification of a community, a whole history that creates what a community is. It’s all embodied in a language.’
– Noam Chomsky
What Readers are Saying
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o (on the article about him)
“This is excellent. I dont know that I have anything to add except to commend Derek Hollingsworth for capturing the essence of my thoughts on Language.”
Ciarán Ó Garmaile (on Twitter re the article on Maolra Seoighe)
“Ar fheabhas a chara!”
Michelle Ní Mháirtín (on Twitter)
“I shared this with my students Derek a few weeks ago and they loved it.”
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- #100daysofGaeilge challenge: The first 25 days
- 10 Quotes on Language from Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o
- Brian Stowell and the Manx language: A Force for Revival in a Sister Language of Irish
- About Me/the Blog
- AN LÁ DEARG 21.05.22
- Family Holiday in the Gaeltacht?
- Interview: Katie Ní Chléire, Students’ Union President, Queens University Belfast, 2021-2022
- Irish Learners: Plans for 2025
- Irish With Mollie – part 1
- Join the mailing list!
- Language: Can Ireland Learn from Wales?
- Maolra Seoighe: Miscarriage of Justice
- Mícheál Ó Foighil, Gael: Advocating for the Irish language at Coláiste Lurgan
- My Language Journey: Colette Nelson Mhic an tSaoir
- New York City: Under the layers of its names
- Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Language & ‘Decolonising the Mind: The Politics of Language in African Literature’
- Public Meeting on the Future of the Irish Language in Dublin 15
- Remembering Manchán Magan: A Tribute to an Irish Cultural Icon
- Sam Young’s Inspiring Irish Language Journey
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- St. Patrick’s Day: Irish Language & Identity
- The Necessity for Re-Gaelicising Ireland
- Will 2024 be your year for Irish? +Census Results.
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Irish Language matters 