Dublin Government is Failing Our Gaeltacht Communities And Our Native Language
Tá teipthe ar an Stráitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010-2030. In éagmais na reachtaíochta agus maoiniú cuí, ba léir ón tús nach n-éireodh leis. Is léir anois, níos mó ná riamh, gur gá na hacmhainní cearta, mar aon le stráitéis cuimsitheach atá lonnaithe sa bpobal, chun an réabhlóid teanga atá de dhíth a chur i gcríoch.
Ba chóir do chur chuige mar sin díriú ar na fáthannaí uilig go roghnaítear teanga a labhairt: fáthannaí eacnamaíochta, sóisialta, clainne agus ar mhaithe le feasacht cultúrtha.
Chabhródh tumoideachas sa Ghaeilge ón mbun leibhéal go dtí an tríú leibhéal le dúshraith láidir a leagan i dtaobh na teanga agus stór focail de.
I go leor cásannaí is é an Ardteist an uair dheireanach a mbíonn baint ag daoine óga lenár dteanga dhúchais. Chabhródh líonraí de chultúrlanna áitiúla le cur chun cinn na teanga go laethúil lasmuigh den chóras oideachais.
Caithfidh athréimniú na Gaeilge teacht ón mbun aníos, ón bpobal, agus maoiniú feiliúnach agus buan ar fáil ón stát dó.
Rinne cóilíniú agus galldú na tíre go leor leor damáiste. Chuir an córas caipitleach an ruaig ar an nGaeilge – anois ní labhraítear í go laethúil mar theanga pobal ach i bpócaí beaga sna Gaeltachtaí. Chun an díchóilíniú a chur i gcríoch is mithid dúinn daonlathas agus cumhacht a thabhairt do na pobail teanga atá fágthaí.
Is cuid lárnach den díchóilíniú intinne athbheochan na teanga. Chur go gcuirfear seo i gcríoch, caithfidh daoine aonaracha an t-am agus an iarracht a chur isteach i bpróiséas na foghlamtha teanga. Is faoi dhaoine aonaracha atá sé seo i ndeireadh na dála.
An gad is giorra don scornach faoi láthair ná na Gaeltachtaí agus caithfear ár n-aird a dhíriú orthu siúd. Is ann atá tobar na teanga, na cóláistí samhradh agus na múinteoirí atá de dhíth don athbheochan. Ba chóir don stát an chumhacht atá aige a úsáid chun gníomh radacach a chur i gcríoch a chuirfidh bonn láidir eacnamaíochta faoin nGaeltacht ionas go mbeidh muintir na Gaeltachta in ann fanacht ann agus Gaeilgeoirí na tíre cur fúthú ann.
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The Twenty-Six County ‘Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010-2030’ has been a complete disaster. Underfunded and without teeth, the plan was doomed from the start. It is more apparent than ever that only a well-resourced, comprehensive and community-based approach will bring about the required linguistic revolution.
Such an approach must cater for the different reasons people choose to learn a language; economic, social, family and cultural.
Immersion in the Irish language right through the education system, from pre-school to university, would give Irish children the vocabulary and linguistic ability necessary for a strong foundation.
For too many the Leaving Cert has been their last engagement with ár dteanga dhúchais. The fostering of a network of community cultural centres would provide opportunities for everyday language use outside of schooling.
The reestablishment of Irish as an everyday living language can only work if it is led by a community driven movement, adequately resourced by state funding that is ringfenced and secure.
The British colonialization of Ireland was catasrophic for all aspects of the native culture. The capitalist for-profit system came with has decimated and driven the Irish language from all but a few isolated rural outposts. The full de-colonialisation of Ireland involves moving beyond capitalism towards a democratic economy.
Re-establishing Irish as an everyday living language is integral to the de-colonialisation of the collective Irish psyche. It means enough individuals making a conscious and disciplined decision to commit time and effort to learn and use their own language. That decision rests with each one of us.
An immediate focus must be made on na Gaeltachtaí which provide the nation’s rich source of Irish language and culture, summer colleges and teachers. Radical state intervention is needed to provide a positive economic basis for inhabitants of na Gaeltachtaí to remain there and for Gaeilgeoirí to settle there.