A chara, - Kevin Myers missed one fundamental point in his Irishman's Diary on the state of the Irish language (June 30th). The primary reason for Gaeilge being a "dead language" is the way in which students are taught. Ireland's education system has failed its daltí miserably. Kevin Myers notes how no one can properly converse in Irish - is it any wonder, considering that our three R's stand for Reciting, Remembering and Regurgitating?
If the Irish state exams abstained from their parrot-like fashion and focused more on oral examinations than we would be able to speak more than cúpla focal after 14 years' tuition in the language. Instead of learning by heart about the turmoil of Peig Sayers's plight or Clann Lir's life as swans, we could focus much more intently on holding a conversation.
In order to keep a language alive, one needs to speak it. So why not adapt our education system accordingly and place most of the emphasis on oral comprehension? This way students would see a practical application to studying Irish, and start chatting away with their new found knowledge of a spoken language. - Is mise,
DAVID SEXTON, Parkmore Drive, Terenure, Dublin 6.
Madam, - The current debate about the effects of the Irish Language Bill 2003 highlights the ludicrous extent to which all public bodies and quangos have to Gaeliicise every jot and tittle in the form of notices and documents, electronic and otherwise, in future.
Apart from the expense involved it reveals an asinine approach to the language, which will be of no help to its survival. It can be truly said that Irish is everywhere and nowhere. If pretence and tokenism worked it would have flourished long ago.
Far better to have people of goodwill speak it with genuine regard and warmth than see it expire on a diet of bumbledom and hyprocisy. - Yours, etc.,
PEADAR CASSIDY, Moynehall, Cavan, Co Cavan.
Madam, - Whatever about Kevin Myers's strong views (June 30th) on the use - or as he would say, misuse - of the Irish language, might he not have referred at least in passing to his own paper's persistent attempt, week in, week out, to enlarge interested readers' vocabulary of Irish by its translation in a prominent position of many words spoken in everyday life? Surely an invaluable service meriting approval. - Yours, etc.,
DES CRYAN, Blackrock, Co Dublin.
Madam, - Perhaps Minister O Cuív would explain the logic of making the use of English on road signs in Gaeltacht areas illegal, even though roadmaps of those areas are in English: As a consequence of his action I can visualise thousands of foreign tourists wandering around the Gaeltachts of Ireland like headless chickens.
Mr O Cuív next logical move should be to ban the use of English currency in all Gaeltachts. - Yours, etc.,
HUBERT J DUFFY, College Row, Letterkenny, Co Donegal.
Madam,- I was surprised to read that up to 70 per cent of people in some Gaeltachts do not speak Irish daily (July 2nd). Last month I spent four days in a Gaeltacht, and not one on the danger list, and heard not a word of Irish. I have had similar experiences elsewhere in other so-called Gaeltachts.
But what does it matter? The revival movement is all about status. As long as we can see a few words written in Irish, know that documents are being translated into Irish, have the names of organisations in Irish (particularly those with overseas connections), and get the language recognised in Europe, we are satisfied. Actually talking Irish is evidently superfluous.
The present Minister of Cúpla-focalisation, the redoubtable Mr O Cuív, is doing a fine job. His recent directives confirm that he is certainly not one to learn from 80 years of abject failure, nor to question the discrimination, the waste of public money, and the detrimental results on education. Not that he is alone in his delusions: we are all great enthusiasts for Irish - as long as we don't have to speak it. - Yours, etc.,
DAVID HERMAN, Meadow Grove, Dublin 16.
Madam, - Well done to Mr Trevor Sargent, leader of the Green Party (June 28th). He is the only party leader in Dáil Éireann who has consistently stated clearly, his position on the status of the Irish language in the EU. The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, had a very successful presidency of the EU and as Mr Sargent said it is likely he will be asked by other EU heads of government, how he would like to be thanked. This is a great opportunity for Mr Ahern to ask for official status for the Irish language in the EU.
We have kept our language alive through many hardships and now that we are an affluent society, we are surely not going to relegate the Irish language to 'no official status' in the EU.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, negotiated successfully the EU constitution. In the Irish Constitution, the Irish language is enshrined as "our national and first official language". I hope the Taoiseach will use all his negotiating skills to ensure that the Irish language receives official status in the EU. - Yours, etc.,
ANNA R. QUINN, Mill Grove Close, Killincarrig, Greystones, Co Wicklow.