Ach go háirithe

Well it was going to take something pretty big to get me out of retirement but out of retirement I am, thanks to the second series of No Bearla. Our self congratulating smug bobble headed friend, aka Manchán Magan, is back on our screens and going on tonight’s show we can expect more of the same same…but different.

Bobble Head’s objective was clear right from the start and though he seems to be approaching it from a different angle the tune is the very same as last year. This Mark Thomas wannabe had some shocking insights for us in tonight’s show i.e. mostly JF’s work in and frequent St Stephens Shopping Centre, 80% of sitting TD’s are 100% useless and teenagers know more about the Simpsons than they know about Peig.

I can’t believe TG4 commissioned a second series but commission it they did and as long as Bobble Head keeps beating the same old drum ill keep posting on it.

Manchán – Loves the smell of his own farts

No Eejits!
Ich bin ein Ã?pa – No Béarla (Episode 2)
TCAL
MetaFilter
Smiling under Buses
Manchán

Locals burning their English-Irish Dictionaries

I flagged this yonks ago as being a possible flash point, and true to form the plebs in Dingle are again revolting! This time they seem to think their kids will be at a disadvantage as the only secondary education available in the town is the all Irish Pobal Scoil Chorca Dhuibhne. Muppets! One solution to the impasse may be if they load their fat fucking kids into buses and ship them into Tralee for a good English education. Failing that, maybe we should consider cutting Dingle out of the Gaeltacht all together.

Breaking News
Belfast Telegraph

To whom it may concern:

I’m writing to you with a quick question. Is it true that you have dropped or intend to drop the Irish version of your company name? i.e. drop the Bus Ã?tha Cliath from your logos etc?

It’s just I heard this as a rumour some weeks ago but dismissed as being just that, a rumour. However, I’ve come to notice that any of the new buses or buses with new paint jobs are indeed bereft of the words ‘Bus Ã?tha Cliath’! Was this a commercial decision and if so on what grounds would dropping Irish from your logo etc improve the commercial viability of the company? Or was it simply a decision some bright spark came up with in there to save on paint?

Dublin Bus : Serving the entire community………me hole!

Regards
********

Update (04.10.07):
Aonghus from Smaointe Fánacha Aonghusa has also put his shoulder to the wheel on this issue. He delves deeper into the issue and rightly identified that they as a state body may be in breach of the Official Languages Act, 2003! Wouldn’t that be a kicker!! Anyway, here’s the email Aonghus sent Bus Ã?tha Cliath:

Dear Sir or Madam,
I am a regular passenger on your services.

it appears that you are no longer using the name “Bus Ã?tha Cliathâ€? on the livery of your buses, or indeed on your website http://www.dublinbus.ie/.

I note that the links to your sister companies on that site are to “Iarnród Éireannâ€? and “Bus Éireannâ€?.

Since you are subject to the provisions of the Official Languages Act, 2003, you would seem to be in breach of your statutory duties.

http://www.coimisineir.ie/index.php?page=reachtuil&tid=11&lang=english

“Public bodies have a duty of ensuring, when any information is being provided to the public through the postal system or by electronic means, that such communication is provided in Irish or bilingually. Section 9 (3)â€?

While the regulations regarding signage, notices, stationery headings and oral announcements (live or recorded) have not yet been published, it seems to me that you will be in contravention of the regulations if the current draft regulations come into force substantially unaltered.

is mise le meas
Aonghus Ó hAlmhain

SUPPORT THE IRISH LANGUAGE ACT

Dé Sathairn 29ú Meán Fomhair 2007 / Saturday 29th September 2007
Lá spraoi do theaghlaigh saor in aisce / Family fun day

1.00pm – 4.00pm

Ceardlainn ceoil / Scéalaíochta / Ceardaíochta Spraoi / Plé ar Achtanna Teangaidh

CEOLCHOIRM le
Julie Fowlis agus Éamon Doorley (5.00pm -7.00pm)
-tícéidí de dhíth, ar fáil ó POBAL @ 90438132

HALLA COIS CLADAIGH (Waterfront Hall)
BÉAL FEIRSTE

AGH Events Calendar

I saw my first real life As Gaeilge Anois sicker yesterday evening on my way home from work; was a little surprised as i thought the campaign was restricted to the six counties, I’m glad to see that it isnt. The As Gaeilge Anois is the latest high profile campaign brought to you by the good people at Ceithearna Coille.

Ceithearna Coille are:

“The Ceithearna Coille are a network of young Gaels who aim to heighten the presence of our lively tongue throughout Ireland by supporting Irish language social events (not just drinking in Conamara!) and conducting effective visual campaigns. ”

You can keep up to date with their activities here and even buy the As Gaeilge Anois stickers here.

In other news it looks like Big Ian likes our planes and loves our dosh but he doesn’t really like our language!! Who would have thunk it ha!!! I know I’m shocked.

…but if we want our kids to be taught through the medium of English we’ll bloody well have our kids taught through the medium of English!!

For fawk sake the Dingle Dangle brigade strikes again. This time some of the local plebs are up in arms about the decision to, shock of shocks, teach through Irish in an Irish speaking school! This has only come to light with the decision to amalgamate two of the larger schools in Dingle town into one gargantuan Irish speaking school bent on the destruction of all other world languages beginning with English of course and then moving on to Polish, Russian, Latvian, etc. (that last bit may be inaccurate)

Having blown up on Joe Duffy’s Live Line today I’m sure this issue will exercise the language haters among us and bring the Keep Dingle English brigade out in force.

Forgetting the fact that these two schools were “supposed” to be teaching through Irish anyway, I cant understand how this flute on the radio didn’t realise that this may be an issue when living in a Gaeltacht area.

Where we have long been able to browse as Gaeilge and even XP as Gaeilge, as far as I know or chomh fada agus is eol dom we haven’t really been able to blog as Gaeilge…until now. Enter Nireblog.

Nireblog is a new free, multi language, easy-to-use blogging platform. They launched with Spanish and Basque but now offer up to 40 different language options, including Irish!

Nireblog is provided using already qualified text chains in systems like Wordpress, Drupal, B2 Evolution, etc and is relying on collaboration from people like YOU to help them complete translating each section. I guess the one we should concern ourselves with is Irish and if you want to help translate this into a fully fledged working platform why not pop over and help them finish off the remaining 55% of translations in the Irish section.

Thanks to Rhys for the heads up on this.

Bhuel, ní raibh an lá le AGH ag na IBAs i mblianna ach is mór an rud é do AGH bheith ainmnithe in aon chor ins sa réimsí áirithe. Ar an abhar san, comhghairdeas le HillaryNY agus meas mór ag dul amach go dtí An Spailpín Fánach (an buaiteoir sa ceart IMT) agus nobyegarawn ar bhuail mé leo beirt ar an oiche.

O fuaras an ainmniúchan táim tareis iarracht níos mó a dheanamh ar an blog ó thaobh na Gaeilge de. Ach ag féachtaint siar tá roinnt maith díospóireacht ar cursai teangan tareis bheith anseo ar AGH. Seo thíos roinnt dos na thráchtaí is fearr nú is conspóideach b’fhéidir a bhí ar AGH i rith na bliana.

Ba chóir dom ‘language haters wall of fame’ a chuir le cheile, nú wall of shame b’fhéidir.

UCD Can Do Without Irish:

Maire O Gruagain: “Irish as part of Irish Studies at Mater Dei Institute BA course also seems to have been dropped. But the general election hasn’t happened yet and Enda Kenny isn’t Taoiseach yet!”

We love Irish we do,
but if we want our signs in English we’ll have our signs in English:

WisdomWeasel: “Far be it for an Englishman to weigh in on this, but I reckon An Daingean is just fine. We English (and more lately our American cousins) have had a long tradition of disregarding local spelling and pronunciation when discussing towns and cities; just ask Koln/Cologne or Torino/Turin for starters. It could be the best of both worlds; heritage and living tradition is celebrated while you still get to accept the money of the happily oblivious visitors to “Dingleâ€?.”

Paul H “More idiocy from the Gaelige fascists. Lets hope the verdict is translated into all the other european languages and the intricacies of the fascist futility is exposed again. Let gaelic die a natural and dignified death. It is suffering a slow public and shambolic one at present.
The best way to preseve it if that is desired is to make it attractive not force it on people. Its like getting kids to eat vegetables!”

Ce fhéadfadh dearud a dheanamh ar ár gcara fearbealfeirste

fearbealfeirste“why do we insist on going back to a singular point in time when gaeilge was our native tongue? why not go back further to a time when when we conversed by a series of grunts? dingle/daingean could be snort, cough – i personally have had enough of it – bhi me lan liofa san ur amhain ach ta me tinn leis anois – bearla is now our native tongue – if you cant accept that then you should move to the west belfast/disney gaeltacht sponsored by her majesty’s government (more…)

Ná déan dearmad go bhfuil Sheachtain na Gaeilge ag rith ón 3ú lá go dtí an 17ú lá don mí seo. Tá a lán imeachtaí ar siúl ar fuid na tíre mar is gnath agus go hidirnaisiunta chomh maith.

Rialú na Cruine : Céim 1 (Feachtas Na Géanna Fiáine)
World domination : Phase 1 (Operation Wild Geese)

Some may have missed it, but last month saw an announcement made by Cumann na Gaeltachta of their intentions to set up the first Gaeltacht in the world outside of Ireland.

What country could or would facilitate such a pipedream? Well the country in question is Canada. Of course Canada historically has very strong ties with Ireland, with many regarding Newfoundland as being the most Irish place outside of Ireland. However, it is in South East Ontario near the US border where this ambitious group of gaelgoirs hope to set up this unique Gaelatacht.

Cumann na Gaeltachta founded by Belfast man Séamus Mac Com Charraite have already purchased 60 acres of land near Erinsville (Tamworth) with a view of developing this into a fully functioning Gaeltacht.

Uterus na Gaeltachta are said to be in the advance stages of setting up their new regional offices in Ontario, in preparation for this the first Gaeltacht expansion since 1935! (or 1967 depending on how you look at it). UnaG’s expenses bill is set to soar with many employees scrambling for the opportunity to clock up mileage in what would be a 5869 mile (9446 KM) round trip.

Canada’s favourite descendant and renowned language hater (especially Irish), Ristard O’ Wankhorne, when asked to comment had this to say: [audio:fudd4.MP3]

Related Links:
darrenbarefoot
eircon

Didn’t catch the second excretion from the monumentally self-righteous Manchán Magan last night so ill hold off on any major giving out until I catch it on-line or the repeat on Wednesday night.

Update:
Finally got to see the second episode on Wednesday night and while it wasn’t as bad as the first one, Manchán motives or should I say the programmes motives were clear from the start.

Instead of encouraging people who might have Irish but might be a bit self-conscious about using it, Manchán insists on bombarding everyone he meets with his own brand of “Uberâ€? Irish and bamboozles them in the process. Even people who clearly have Irish have problems understanding the Muppead.

Well having watched the first episode I don’t think there’ll be many calls for me to retract my earlier comments. In fact he came across as more of an Eejit than I expected.

The sad thing is that it’s highly likely that mainstream media will latch on to this show and refer to it as some definitive linguistic study of Ireland today. Cac Briste Folks, cac briste!

The first programme in a four part series called ‘No Béarla’ is set to air on TG4 tonight at 9.30pm. The basic premise for the show was to find out if it was possible to live life in Ireland today exclusively through Irish. The presenter, Manchán Magan, spends a few weeks travelling around Ireland and uses only Irish to interact with others, often with “hilariousâ€? consequences!

Having heard numerous interviews with Manchán in the last week it seems like he didn’t get on very well in his jaunt around Ireland. I’m going to go out on a limb here, as I haven’t seen a full episode yet, but I can’t help but think that a lot of the reactions were to do with Manchán himself and his approach rather than the fact that he was speaking Irish. I might have to take all this back after seeing the show but having seen Manchán in his other travel/documentary shows I feel confident that another presenter would have fared better.

A similar ‘Popeth yn Gymraeg (Everything in Welsh)’ show based on the same premise but travelling around Wales instead of Ireland and using Welsh instead of Irish aired on S4C last year. The presenter in this case ‘Ifor ap Glyn’ seems to have used a different approach “…the only way to know if a stranger speaks Welsh is to start every conversation yn Gymraeg and see what happens.â€? and as a result the outcome seems to have been far more positive.

“There’s a difference between starting a conversation [in Welsh], and insisting on continuing a conversation in Welsh. We’re nervous as bilingual Welsh speakers… but if we were to insist on speaking Welsh, other people in our communities would have to learn. [..]â€?

In one scene Manchán goes into a pharmacy in Letterkenny with the intention of buying condoms. The staff member who deals with him clearly has plenty of Irish but still a communication break-down occurs! Why? Because Manchán is more interested in catching the staff member out or making a fool out of him than anything else, and therein lies my problem with the show.

Ill have to hold off on any more judgement on the show until I’ve actually seen a full episode but I am of the opinion that an Eejit is an Eejit no matter what language he is speaking. If Manchán travelled around Ireland with the same attitude and approach, but using only English, I think that results would be strangely similar.

TCAL
MetaFilter
Smiling under Buses
Manchán

Two more replies came in since I posted the original BANKING as gaeilge.

Halifax / Bank Of Scotland

Dear Ms O’Connor,

Firstly, thank you once again for considering Halifax for your financial services. I am confident that you have also concluded that our products are leading the market in providing superior value and service.

You may already be aware; Halifax has been in operation in Ireland for less than one year. During this time, our key focus has been the huge undertaking of opening our branch network throughout Ireland. This is imperative to ensure an efficient service is available to everyone who would like to prevail of our services.

Therefore, at this point in time, matters such as having a language policy have not yet been reviewed.

Continued expansion of our branch network throughout Ireland will be our priority over the coming months as we are excited that we are only half way through the number of branches we intend to open.

When this has been completed, I am certain that other important matters such as a language policy will be reviewed.

If you have any questions at all regarding our policies, products or services, please do contact me as I would be only too happy to assist in any way.

Yours Sincerely

M** M***
Halifax Customer Relations
Customer Service Centre
Co Louth

EBS
(I should have maybe tailored my original email to suit a building society..)

Dear Ms. O’Connor,

Many thanks for your query which I received through our internet channel www.ebs.ie.

In relation to the provision of customer documentation or correspondence in Irish, it is not something we do currently. We also have not received a request for this in the recent past, however as an organisation that listens to customers, we will review your request in this context. As you are probably aware, to facilitate your request would require both a financial and employee investment. We would need to ensure that this investment makes sense for all members of the organization prior to making a commitment to deliver on it.

We would be happy to carry out a review of the request in the context of all members of the society, however at this point in time, I can not give you any indication of what the outcome of that evaluation might be.

In relation to the range of financial services we provide, we do offer a broad range of financial products from mortgages to investments and personal loans to credit cards. I should point out to you however that we do not provide a current account facility and chequebook and this may be something that you may need to consider when making a decision.

I do hope this answers your query and that you will consider EBS as a financial provider for the future.

Regards

A*** P***
Head of Marketing

I was recently talking to a friend of mine and he was telling me about the difficulties he faced in trying to get his bank to issue an Irish language cheque book. When he finally got them to issue the cheque book, the ‘Ó’ in his name was missing the fada!
Anyway, this got me thinking…which is dangerous in itself.

I decided to write to all the major banks asking them if they had any Irish language policy in place or what they could offer me in terms of banking as gaeilge.

Some of the replies were PFO’s but some were encouraging. I went under my pen name ‘Martina Mary O’Connor’ and the initial email I sent went as follows:

To Whom It May Concern:

Thanks for your time
Martina Mary O’Connor

The replies were varied and are listed below.

Bank Of Ireland

- Customer Care Unit
Dear Ms O’Connor

Thank you for your email to the Bank of Ireland Customer Care Unit.

The majority of the banking processes are done through the English Language.
Some Bank of Ireland ATMs have an Irish Language facility on them.
Cheque book can be issued in the Irish language.

Our branches in the Gaeltacht region do have Irish speakers working in them. If you would like me to enquire as to which branches would be best to accomodate your banking requirements please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely

K**** F****
Customer Care Unit

-Bank of Ireland 365 Online
Dear Ms. O’Connor,

Thank you for your email.

Bank of Ireland do not currently have an Irish language policy in place. However, we have passed your comments to our Development Team who will consider all suggestions received in our future developments.

Customer feedback is greatly appreciated by us in Bank of Ireland.

Thank you for taking the time to email us with your comments and suggestions.

Yours sincerely

E**** O*****
Customer Support
Bank of Ireland 365 Online

(more…)

AGH has recently come into the possession of an interesting piece of correspondence relating to the ongoing Dingle vs An Daingean dispute.

The article itself is a photocopy of an open letter/postcard to the people of DINGLE seemingly written by Queen Elizabeth II and sent to the Keep Dingle English campaign HQ (Tigh Uí Fhlaitheartha).

Liz seems to be chuffed with the results of the recent plebiscite in which the good folk of DINGLE, or loyal subjects as she puts it, overwhelmingly re-affirmed their Englishness.

The picture might be a bit hard to read so here is a transcript of Liz’s royal thank you to the people of DINGLE.

Loyal, Devoted Subjects of Dingle,

My personal congratulations to you all on recently re-affirming your Englishness. I’m glad I can count on your loyalty to keep elements of native rabble in their place – again good show, it means a lot to my other subjects to feel so much at home when in Dingle.

The Queen EIIR

National Library of Ireland : 7pm

An Teanga Bheo: Cearta, Stádas, Urraim
The Living Language: Rights, Status, Esteem

Séamus Ó Tuathail SC

I’m heading to this myself tonight. Will post any “highlightsâ€? tomorrow.

Previously on AGH

Update (15.11.06):
Anocht is now Aréir!

The Máirtín Ó Cadhain commemorative lecture series begins next Tuesday, with a Lecture entitled ‘Education for Citizens’, to be given by Helen Ó Murchú MA, MEd.

Full list of lecturers to be held in the National Library of Ireland at 7pm each evening.

07/11/06
Oideachas do Shaoránaigh / Education for Citizens
Helen Ó Murchú MA, MEd

14/11/06
An Teanga Bheo: Cearta, Stádas, Urraim / The Living Language: Rights, Status, Esteem
Séamus Ó Tuathail SC

20/11/06
An Ghaeltacht agus Gaeilge sa 21ú Aois / Irish and The Gaeltacht in the 21st Century
An Dr Peadar Ó Flatharta

05/12/06
Ó Cadhain, Kafka agus Litríocht Uirbeach na Gaeilge / Ó Cadhain, Kafka and Urban Litrature in Irish
An Dr Máirtín Nic Eoin

Admission is Free

A Qualified Obituary by Reg Hindley.

Reg Hindley, author of the 1990 book titled ‘The Death of the Irish Language’, is tonight giving a lecture titled ‘Prospects for Modern European Languages including Irish’. The lecture is being held by Conradh na Gaeilge in the Natioal Library, Kildare St. Dublin, at 6pm this evening.

Beidh Léacht Chonradh na Gaeilge le Reg Hindley ar siúl anocht ag 6.00 i.n. sa Leabharlann Náisiúnta, Sráid Chill Dara. Beidh sé ag labhairt ar na féidearthachtaí do nuatheangacha Eorpacha – an Ghaeilge san áireamh.

Reg’s opinion on the health of the Irish langauge has changed somewhat since the book was published back in 1990. I might pop in on my way home just to see how bleek or rosey things are according to Hindley. I doubt ill be seeing any of you language haters there, which is a pity.

Aparantly there will be a short question and answer session after the lecture. If anyone has any reasonable questions they would like me to fire at him, then post them using the comment funcion below.

Ill let you know tomorrow how i get on.

Update:
An interesting and wide-ranging talk it has to be said, might post something on it later. Oh and by his reckoning we’re not in as bad a shape as we thought.

Pic from Unison

Latest

(12:13)
Over 1,086 ballots out of 1,222 have been returned, this constitutes 89% of the possible ballots. The count is going on in the Hillgrove hotel in Dingle as we speak. Result expected after 13:00.

(12:32)
Not looking good!

(12:50)
Aogan O Muircheartaigh plugging AGH all afternoon on RnaG. The ‘Ach go háirithe’ count is up to 30+ mentions already this hour!!

(12:54)
2/3 of ballots opened. Looks like the Dingle Daingean Uí Chúise (Yes Vote) camp beyond reach even at the stage.

(14:50)
Well, while I was out to lunch (a man has to eat) the final result came through. Looks like over 90% of the ballots were in favour of changing the name from An Daingean to Dingle Daingean Uí Chúis.

Boooo…

Náireach…

Breac Gaeltacht….