'6 Counties' an Offensive Term? Raidió na Gaeltacht Raise the Question.

Is it right to refer to Northern Ireland as 'the 6 counties' or 'na 6 chontae'?  

This was the topic of debate on RnaG's Rónán Beo programme yesterday after the presenter, Rónán Mac Aodh Bhuí, had posted the following message on the programme's Facebook account, an hour before the start of the show:  

"Tá gearán déanta liom as 'na 6 chontae ' agus na '26 contae' a rá ar an chlár , seachas Poblacht na hÉireann agus Tuaisceart Éireann. Dúradh liom go raibh sé 'dí mheasúil'. Ach is le tréan measa a deirim é. Tuairim ag duine ar bith?"

Rónán's show is a mix of entertaining chat, irreverent ideas and contemporary music.  It is rarely controversial and certainly never disrespectful - as his Facebook comment illustrated (translation:  'I've been told it's disrespectful.  But I say it (six counties) with great respect').  It is, however, a show that can often ask those 'awkward' questions that we as a society rarely scrutinise.  What ensued on his programme yesterday was an interesting debate that reflected the confused state of our two-state Island.  

Language does matter and the spirit in which Rónán asked his question is to be commended.  In everyday life we tend to use expressions without giving a moment's thought as to whether they cause offence or not and what can be offensive to one can simply be fact to the other.  As I understand it,  referring to Northern Ireland as 'the 6 counties/na 6 chontae' can be offensive to some unionists while referring to Northern Ireland as 'Ulster' can be offensive to some nationalists. 

This has a long history... firstly the concept of 'county' boundaries in Ireland actually owes it's origin to medieval English bureaucracy.  The fact that Northern Ireland consists of six of those counties leads many Irish people to think nothing of referring to Northern Ireland as 'the six counties' - other than reflecting the accurate situation. Since the partition of the country in 1920 Northern Ireland operates as a separate state on this Island, so any reference to that part of the Island as 'the 6 counties' makes little of the 'separateness' of the two states. Think Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990:  the Iraqis referred to Kuwait as the '19th Province'.  Same logic and same historical context.

Some people in both the nationalist and unionist communities can often be tetchy about language.  Derry vs Londonderry.  RUC vs PSNI. The 'South' of Ireland. The use of 'Ulster' as a separate unit of unionist being... the list goes on.  As with all 'controversial' matters if we can take a step or two back and take a wider view of the issue it can actually become a bit comical, even farcical.

I 1937 De Valera's constitution changed the name of the southern state to 'Ireland' or 'Éire'.  This maddened the English government at the time and suggestions were made that the northern state would change its name to 'Ulster'.  Poor Monaghan, Donegal and Cavan, who are also in Ulster but not in the state of Northern Ireland, were left feeling a tad awkward on the outside.

So, what is the solution to the '6 county/6 chontae' debate?  Well, since the passing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 every Northern Ireland citizen has the right to feel both British and Irish and to hold both a British and Irish passport.  This means that, yes, for some it is the 6 counties, and for others it is Northern Ireland.  

Once you know the full context it simply comes down to a question of who you do, or do not, wish to not offend - a sentence that has too many negatives for comfort.

Nóta ón údar:

Ní raibh mé cinnte ar dtús an scríbhfinn an alt seo i mBéarla nó Gaeilge ach shocraigh mé ar theanga na Banríona Sasanaigh a úsáid i ngeall ar go raibh an díospóireacht le clos cheana féin i nGaeilge amháin a chlár Rónáin.  Fair plé do Rónán Mac Aodh Bhuí as an gceist shuimiúil seo a chur agus tá súil agam go raibh m'alt in ann é a leathnú amach ar sin de bheagán, agus nach raibh aon mhasla ann d'éinne, nó ar a laghad gur mhaslaigh mé chuile dhuine in éineacht!

It's the Gaeltacht, stupid.

Julian de Spáinn, fear atá ina cheannaire éifeachtach do 'phobal na Gaeilge', ach cá bhfuil ceannairí 'phobal na Gaeltachta'?

Nuair a ceistíodh cúntóirí Bill Clinton i dtaobh an rud ba thábhachtaí agus é ag dul do thoghachán na hUachtarántachta i 1992 ba mhinic leo an ráiteas seo a dhéanamh: 'it's the economy, stupid'.  Is féidir freagra mar é a thabhairt i dtaobh cás na Gaeilge:  'it's the Gaeltacht, stupid'.

I gcur chun cinn na Gaeilge go náisiúnta tá seans ann go bhfuil neamháird á dhéanamh ar phobal na Gaeltachta traidisiúnta, rud atá baolach do thodhcaí na teanga. 

Ní theastaíonn ón mblag seo deighilt a chruthú idir 'Ghaeilgeoir Bhleá Cliath' agus 'Ghaeilgeoir Ros Muc' - ach is fiú áird a tharraingt ar roinnt pointí tábhachtacha, dar liom, ar mhaitheas le todhchaí na Gaeltachta traidisiúnta, agus todhchaí na Gaeilge dá réir.

Ar dtús báire:  má fhaigheann an Ghaeilge bás sna pobail Gaeltachta traidisiúnta ní bheidh fágtha ach dídeanaí teanga.  Ní mhairfidh sí i bhfad ina dhiaidh sin mar theanga phobail in aon áit agus beidh sé thar a bheith deacair argóint a dhéanamh ar a son nuair a bheas airgead á lorg ó rialtais éagsúla chun tacú léi.  

Tá ceannaireacht láidir á léiriú ag léithidí Julian de Spáinn ó Chonradh na Gaeilge do phobal na Gaeilge leasmuigh den Ghaeltacht ach ní móide go bhfuil an cinéal céanna ceannaireachta de dhíth ó mhuintir na Gaeltachta féin.  Déanann Seachtain na Gaeilge an t-uafás chun cás na teanga a chur faoi bhráid na tíre ar fad, ach an féidir a rá go bhfuil an tábhacht céanna ag baint le Seachtain na Gaeilge i gceantar ina labhartar í chuile lá?

Nuair a chloistear argóint na Gaeilge ins na meáin is beag cainte a dhéantar faoi chás na Gaeltachta féin.  Cé go bhfuil maolú ag teacht ar an nGaeltacht is fiú a rá go bhfuil sí ann, go bhfuil sí suantasach fós agus go bhfuil géarghá lena coinneáil beo. Cé go bhfuil an argóint seo gaolta le h-argóint na Gaeilge leasmuigh den Ghaeltacht is argóint éagsúil fós é.  

Mar shampla, an raibh aon duine ón nGaeltacht ar Primetime an lá cheanna (seachas an Aire) nuair a déanadh ceist na teanga a phléigh?  Nó ar ardaíodh ceist na Gaeltachta sa díospóireacht ina dhiaidh sin?

Ach céard a theastaíonn ó mhuintir na Gaeltachta?

Molaim na pleaineanna seo a chur in áit:

1.  Pleain shóisialta.

2.  Pleain margaíochta.

3.  Pleain gnó.

4.  Pleain turasóireachta.

Ar ndóigh tá Údarás na Gaeltachta in áit ach táimse ag tagairt do ghluaiseacht cosmhuintireach.

Thar aon rud eile, molaim go ndéanfaí urlabhraíocht don Ghaeltacht a bheas neamhspléach ar 'cheist na Gaeilge' agus a dhíreoidh ar cheist 'na Gaeltachta'.  Molaim gur chóir go mbeadh clár riachtannais ag an nGaeltacht a bheadh éagsúil, ach a chuirfeadh le riachtannaisí léithidí Chonradh na Gaeilge.

Primetime debate on Irish more interesting for what’s not said.

When you introduce a debate on the Irish language with the words ‘should we be propping up a language’, as Claire Byrne did in her intro to last night’s Primetime debate, then what you are not explicitly saying, tone and attitude, becomes as interesting as the words you actually use.

Languages are not spoken by tin cans or lampposts but rather by people.  Neither are languages spoken by people in isolation but by communities.  When the Primetime presenter spoke of ‘propping up a language’ in a pejorative way, she was actually talking about ‘propping up a community’ and the implication being that the community is a burden on the State, ‘but sure we have a historic responsibility towards them’.

Statistics were rolled out that were designed to cast the language in a negative light.  We were supposed to be appalled at the lack of people speaking Irish on a daily basis (83,000 according to the latest census figures), and yet the census figures that showed 1.7 million people could speak Irish was completely dismissed, indeed mocked! 

The amount of money being spent on Irish was highlighted with a ‘tut tut’ attitude.  One interesting note was that RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta were said to be given €10million per year and had ‘only’ 90,000 listeners daily.  Wait a minute… if the census states that we ‘only’ have 83,000 daily speakers of Irish and RnaG are attracting an audience of 90,000 every day then I say: send the big wigs of RTÉ down to Casla to learn a thing or two! 

Sunday Indo journalist Declan Lynch gave the language a good old bashing too.  He comes from the school of commentators who consider Ireland to be full of eejits doing idiotic things such as supporting their own language financially and of course he considers himself as the comic genius that stands apart. 

Another journalist, Brenda Power, displayed a completely confused attitude.  She was against ‘compulsory Irish’ and claimed that it took up too much class time - time that could otherwise be spent on subjects such as science, yet on the other hand she wanted every school in Ireland to spend one dedicated hour per day at the subject.

Of course there was an attempt at balance – we had a number of language activists amongst the audience.  Most of these people produced a more nuanced and thought out argument but the tone of the programme put them on the back foot and made them defend their ‘case’.

The truth is that most Irish speakers are tired of the constant argument.  We are tired of having to defend compulsory Irish, the amount of money spent on the language, the perceived advantage given to Gaeltacht students and more.  The arguments against Irish seem to be the exact same ones that led to the abandonment of the language by many Irish people in the 19^th century:  it’s no good to us economically.

Perhaps it’s time the Irish speaking community helped to ‘change the record’.  Firstly, state support for Irish shouldn’t be considered a complete ‘failure’.  Making Irish a central part of our education system, right up to leaving cert, has helped to keep the language very much alive.  Secondly, 83,000 daily speakers of Irish is not insignificant – this is a sizeable community of people that speak a language unique to this Island in a very real and modern sense on a daily basis.  Thirdly, why should we dismiss the 1.7 million people who claim on the census to ‘speak Irish’?  My experience is that people throughout the country can actually speak a lot more Irish than they give themselves credit for – yet we have this enormous sense of self-loathing in relation to the language.

Lastly:  should we not consider marketing the language more in its heartland, the Gaeltacht?  The Basques do this so well – they make a virtue of their uniqueness and children follow the example of adults who achieve beyond the norm because of their ‘otherness’.  The Gaeltacht should promote their own ‘stars’ internally:  TV presenters, footballers, artists and business people who have made an impact nationally and who are from the Gaeltacht, proud of their language.

Isn’t it time to change the record?

Tá Muid Beo - We're Live!

Our website is live at www.measmedia.com and we're finally up and running as the Gaeltacht's bilingual communications company, and to celebrate we'll be offering a service free of charge for all Galway based charities for the month of April!

Má tá baint agat le h-eagras carthannachta i nGaillimh téigh i dteagmháil linn ag measmediacommunications@gmail.com agus feicfidh tú céard atá muid in ann a dhéanamh dhuit!  Beidh muid in ann an-chuid a bhaint amach in imeacht na míosa sin.

We are also offering a great service to all public bodies, as well as businesses and individuals/start-ups.  How can we help you?  Check out our website at www.measmedia.com  agus scaipigí an scéal!

The State of Female Representation in the West of Ireland.

It's International Women's Day - the day when Ireland cringes at how low a percentage of women actually hold political office in this country.  But how does the west of Ireland fair in terms of female representatives on the various councils, let's see...

Mayo County Council:          3 out of 31

Sligo County Council:           6 out of 25

Leitrim:                               2 from 22

Galway County Council:       3 from 30 

Galway City Council:            5 from 15

Figures the Taliban would be proud of...

So what exactly stops women from entering politics?  According to Clair McGing from NUI, Maynooth, there are five reasons:  cash, culture, care (childcare and othewise), confidence and candidate selection.  

Should these reasons apply at local level?  

Cash:  for what - posters, leaflets etc?  Could we not create a massive online campaign? 2,000 votes should secure election for most councils.

Culture:  this needs to be changed from the outside - the male dominated political class are not in the strongest position to change, we need to create a groundswell of support behind good female candidates.

Care:   many Councils nowadays are changing the times of their meetings to accommodate men and women who have caring roles.  It should also be made known to prospective candidates that being a local rep is not a full time role, nor should it be turned in to one.

Confidence:  if this is a problem it can be changed by communities persuading female candidates that they should go ahead and run due to their ability as a community activist.

Candidate selection:  hardly suprising.

If there is any small thing we can do at MeasMedia to help change things in this regard then let's pledge today of all days to do that!  We could give our services free of charge to help new, up and coming female candidates in any one of these Councils... perhaps we could run and online campaign to get more women onto the Council in Galway?  

  

B'é structúr na Gaeilge is cúis lenár mbochtanas? B'fhéidir é, más fíor do Keith Chen!

An eacnamaí Keith Chen a rinne staidéar ar struchtúir teanga agus iompraíocht an duine.

Éist le Keith é féin:
http://www.ted.com/talks/keith_chen_could_your_language_affect_your_ability_to_save_money.html

Deá-nuacht dóibh siúd a bhíonn ag strachailt le cúrsaí gramadaí:  cuir deireadh leis an 'aimsir fháistineach' agus sábháilfidh tú airgead!  Seo dar leis an eacnamaí Keith Chen atá théis staidéar a dhéanamh ar thíortha a labhraíonn teangacha a bhaineann úsáid as an aimsir fháistineach, agus tíortha a labhraíonn teangacha nach mbaineann!  

Mar shampla:  i nGaeilge deirtear 'beidh sé ag cur báistí amárach', ach i Sínis deirtear 'amárach tá báisteach'.  Dar le Chen scarann lucht labhartha na Gaeilge (níor labhair sé ar Ghaeilge go sonrach ach ar theangacha ar nós í) iad féin ón rud atá le tarlú amach anseo agus téann an nósmhaireacht cainte seo i bhfeidhm ar an gcinéal iompair a bhíonn againn.  Ní hé an choigiltis amháin atá i gceist ach oiread dar le Chen - caitear níos mó tabac, faigheann daoine níos raimhre, óltar níos mó alcól agus déantar níos mó drugaí a thógáil i dtíortha a labhraíonn teangacha a bhaineann úsáid as an aimsir fháistineach!

Bíodh seo ina sheafóid nó ná bíodh tá Chen, fear a bhfuil cliú air mar eacnamaí iompraíochta (behavioural economist) sna Stáit Aontaithe, théis data an-suimiúil a fháil a deir go bhfuil a chuid cainte fíor!  Is cosúil go bhfuil na tíortha a labhraíonn teangacha gan aimsir fháistineach - léithidí na Gearmáine agus na Síne in ann suas le 30% níos mó coigiltis a dhéanamh!  Ní h-amháin sin, ach d'éirigh leis staidéar a dhéanamh ar thíortha ina labhartar dhá theanga, ceann leis an aimsir fháistineach agus ceann gan é (ar nós an Bheilg) agus, arís, cuireann na staitisticí lena argóint!

Mar sin, arbh fhiú dúinn deireadh a chur leis an aimsir fháistineach?  Ar ndóigh ní féidir é seo a dhéanamh, ach tá cleas le foghlaim ag lucht gnó na Gaeilge agus lucht gnó an Bhéarla as seo uilig...is fada ráite ag lucht an Bhéarla é gur chóir 'will' a fhágáil as abairtí margaíochta,  is lú éifeachta a bhíonn ag an abairt:  'at this seminar you will learn how to...' ná mar a bhíonn ag an abairt:  'at this seminar you learn how to...'

I nGaeilge bheadh níos mó éifeacht ag an aimsir gnáth láithreach... mar shampla, athraigh:   

'ag an seiminear seo foghlaimeoidh tú...'

 go dtí:  

'ag an seimineár seo foghlaimíonn tú chun...'

http://www.ted.com/talks/keith_chen_could_your_language_affect_your_ability_to_save_money.html

Cé a cheannach nuachtán?

Tá sé fógartha inniu go bhfuil réiteach chasta déanta ag an dream a bhí taobh thiar den Examiner agus roinnt foilsiúcháin eile (an Evening Echo ina measc) chun na nuachtáin sin a shábháilt ón mbás.  De réir mar a chloisim is ag snámh in aghaidh an easa a bheas siad, mar tá ré an pháipéir ag teacht chun críche dar leis an t-saol mhór.  Ní hé sin le rá go bhfuil deireadh go deo le foilsiúcháin nuachtáin, ach ní dóigh go mairfidh an fichiú cuid sa deich mbliana atá amach romhainn.

Le gairid chonaic muid gur chuir Foras na Gaeilge an scian le Gaelscéal fiú ag rá go bhfuil nósmhaireacht na nGael théis a dhul i dtreo na h-idirlíne go h-iomlán cheana féin.  Meastú?  

Tá an chuma ar rudaí anois go bhfuil an idirlíon chéanna ag déanamh scrios.  Ní h-amháin go bhfuil gnó an cheoil milte aige ach tá sé anois ag díriú ar na páipéir nuachta!  Agus cé a cheannach nuachtán sa lá atá inniu ann nuair atá an t-eolas ar fad le fáil go saor in aisce ar do ghuthán.  Ní h-amháin sin, ach é le fáil suas chun dáta freisin! 

Bhuel, tá cúpla duine fós ann a cheannach nuachtán... seo leanas an cinéal duine a chuirfeadh lámh ina bpóca chun páipéar a cheannach:

1.  Duine gan iphone.

2.  Duine gan ipad.

3.  Duine thar aois 35.

4.  Duine a bhfuil píosa faoi féin sa nuachtán.

5.  Duine a bhfuil pictiúr dá mhac nó iníon sa nuachtán.

6.  Duine atá ag dul ar thuras traenach, ar eitealán nó ar bhád.

7.  Duine atá ag iarraidh am a chaitheamh chun píosa maith léitheoireachta a dhéanamh.

Ar deireadh thiar, ní théann caifé agus ipad chomh maith céanna le chéile.  

Cé a cheannach nuachtán?  

Mise, aon uair go mbíonn uair le spáireáil agam!