Sir, - The debate resulting from the decision to remove the bilingual signs in Queen's University Students' Union will increase interest in the Irish language and may whet curiosity about it in those who, so far, have had little or no easy access to it. An increasing number of people are learning the language. Many of them must find it difficult to understand why a few bilingual signs should have caused so much discomfort yet, in our bitterly divided society, displays which may appear innocuous can all too easily become symbols for further division and separation.
Some language enthusiasts would share the view that these signs did little to encourage Irish language learning among those members of the Protestant unionist population who are least likely to be attracted to it. Others perceive the reaction to the posting of the signs as a sad reflection on the state of insecurity felt within the unionist community in recent years.
Unfortunately, there are also many people in Northern Ireland who neither know nor care about the appalling history of marginalisation to which the Irish language was subjected over generations.
In their reaction to the removal of these bilingual signs a number of commentators have been less then fair, having failed to put the matter in the context of the ratification and activation by Senate (the university's governing body) of more than 90 recommendations contained in the Jones and Cassidy report (1993) on fair employment, equal opportunity and neutral working environment at the university.
The bilingual signs were achieving the status of icons and there was much reference to the negative effect they were having on the Protestant unionist population, especially with regard to its perception of the ambience at the university. On the other hand, when they were first posted, the signs were making a statement about the future of a much abused language. At this juncture, however, and in the overall context of change, it seems sensible to have taken them down. The time has surely come to consider a more imaginative, less iconographic means of developing fluency in the Irish language among students, graduates and others who would value convenient opportunity.
For example, the Students' Union could be encouraged to develop an open, friendly and easily accessible facility for conversation and teaching in Irish on an all-day, everyday basis. - Yours, etc.,
Chairman, New Ireland Group, Ballymoney, Co Antrim.