Institiúid Léinn' fós ina Teach Fuar do Ghaeilgeoirí
Chruthaigh Ollscoil na Banríona i mBéal Feirste arís eile an tseachtain seo caite gur teach fuar í fós do Ghaeilgeoirí, nuair nach bhféadfaí bratach ag poibliú seó tallaine cheoil a bhfuil á thaifeadadh in Aontas na Mac Léinn a chrochadh san fhoirgneamh mar gheall ar dhá fhocal i nGaeilge, ‘Fáilte Romhaibh’.
Níl anseo ach an masla is déanaí i scéal fada na maslaí ar phobal na Gaeilge ag an ollscoil. Trí bliana ó shin, chin Ollscoil na Banríona gan lámhleabhar déanta ag Aontas na Mac Léinn do mhic léinn nua a mhaoiniú, de bhrí go raibh sé dhátheangach. Bailíodh airgead sa deireadh thiar thall leis an leabhar a fhoilsiú go neamhspleách, cé go raibh sé na míonna mall.
I 1998 baineadh comharthaíocht dhátheangach i agus timpeall Aontas na Mac Léinn síos ar eagla go guirfeadh sí olc ar bhiogóidí frith-Ghaeilge ar fud na hollscoile, agus fiú inniu níl aon chomhartha ann ag aithint go bhfuil roinn na Staidéar Ceilteach ann, rud atá amhlaidh óna ndearna dronga ar thaobh na Breataine ionsaithe gunna agus buamála ar an roinn sna 1970í.
Tá ollscolaíocht de na caighdeáin is airde in Éirinn ag Ollscoil na Banríona ach fós tá sí ceangailte inti féin leis an mheon coilíneach as a bhfaigheann sí a hainm. D’ainneon líon na nGaeilgeoirí ag freastal ar an ollscoil, maireann an polasaí neamhscríofa mar cheann a bhuanaíonn aonchultúr taobh istigh de na seomraí agus tithe cónaithe.
Chuir urlabhraí Éirígí Daithí Mac an Mháistir a dhubhfhearg leis an chinneadh in iúl.
“Cé go bhfuil fearg orm níl iontas orm go bhfuil an beart seo déanta ag an ollscoil mhíchlúiteach. Níl coinne lena mhalairt, laistigh de stát bunaithe ar sheicteachas garbh agus faoi fhaire thionól Sé-Chondae a bhfuil ciníochas frith-Ghaelach fite fuaite tríd, go mbeadh institiúidí oideachais faoi smacht aontachtóirí ag déanamh mar a rinneadh rompu.
“Tugann cúrsaí deireanacha i Stormont le fios go mbainfidh meon coilíneach an aontachtachais úsáid as an chumhacht atá aige chun forlámhas na Breataine a threisiú: go cultúrtha, go polaitiúil, go sóisialta agus go heacnamúil.
“Ní dhéanann seo ach ár n-eolas ar an tinneas laistigh de bhunaíocht na Sé Chondae a ardú, bunaíocht a gcoinníonn dearcadh coilíneach, impiriúlach, ar thaobh na Breataine á stiúradh agus a fhéachann aon dul chun cinn in athbheochan chultúrtha na hÉireann mar bhagairt dhíreach le bheith curtha ó éifeacht.
"Leanann Éirígí ag tacú lenár gcairde agus gcomrádaithe i ngluaiseacht leathan na Gaeilge a choinníonn féiniúlacht agus teanga ársa na nGael beo beathach.”
Queens University still a Cold House for Irish Speakers
Queens University in Belfast proved once again last week that it remains a cold house for Irish speakers, when a banner publicising a musical talent show being recorded in the Students’ Union could not be hung in the building because of two words of Irish, ‘Fáilte romhaibh’ (welcome all).
This is merely the latest in a long line of insults against the Irish language community at the university. Three years ago, Queens decided not to fund the Students’ Union-produced handbook for new students, because it was bilingual. Money was eventually gathered to pay for the publishing of the handbook independently, though it was months late as a result.
In 1998 bilingual signage in and around the Students’ Union was removed for fear of upsetting anti-Irish bigots around the university, and still today there is not a single sign recognising the existence of the Celtic Studies department, which has been the case since a series of gun and bomb attacks on the department by pro-British gangs in the 1970s.
Queens University boasts one of the highest standards of academia in Ireland yet seems to be intrinsically linked to the settler colonial mentality from which it derives its name. Regardless of the amount of Irish language speakers attending the university, the unwritten policy remains one of perpetuating a monoculture within the chambers and residences.
Éirígí spokesperson Daithí Mac an Mháistír conveyed his outrage at the decision.
“Although outraged I am not shocked that the notorious university has taken such a course. It is only to be expected, within a state based on crude sectarianism and under the watch of a Six County assembly riddled with anti-Irish racism, that the institutions of unionist dominated education should follow suit.
“Recent events in Stormont indicate that where the settler colonial mentality of unionism has power it will use it in solidifying British domination; culturally, politically, socially and economically.
“This only serves to heighten our awareness of the sickness within the Six County establishment, which maintains at its helm a colonial, imperialist, pro-British outlook and views any advances within the Irish cultural revival as a direct threat to be neutralised.
“Éirígí continue to support our friends and comrades within the broad Irish language movement who, in the face of a continued cultural onslaught keep the age old Irish identity and language alive and flourishing.”