Cian O'Ciobhain

He also spent two and a half years presenting Rianta (which translates as ‘grooves’), Ireland’s first & only TV show devoted exclusively to dance music. He is promoter/resident DJ at GPO Galway’s legendary ‘110th Street’ nights and also co-stages the carnivalesque ‘Boogaloo!’ events in Galway’s Black Box with west coast legend Aran McMahon.

“I’m a total native speaker. I grew up in Ballyfériter in the Kerry Gaeltacht. I didn’t learn English until I went to Primary school. I’ve always found Irish to be a great language in which to interpret and express emotions. It’s strange, when I reason logically I tend to think in English and when I emote I do it in Irish.
“Sadly, there are not as many Irish speakers in the area as there used to be. And there’s certain phrases that you just don’t hear anymore. Nobody can curse properly in Irish these days for example.
“When I go back home I’d usually talk to people in the pub in Irish. If they don’t respond in Irish I don’t bother. There are people who don’t seem to be that interested. The real interest seems to be from outsiders.
I’ve noticed in Galway a lot of people from other countries are now learning Irish. It’s always people from the outside who appreciate things more than the natives. I really think that TG4 has made a big difference for the Irish speaking community. And it has made a certain amount of people guilty that they don’t have Irish. Apart from that it’s a quality station – it’s the closest thing we have to Channel 4
“I don’t think the future of Irish is as bleak as some people make it out to be. My sister teaches in a gaelscoil in Galway City where in a lot of cases the parents don’t speak Irish but are very enthusiastic about the kids learning the language.”
“Tá bua ar leith ag an nGaeilge ná fuil ag an mBéarla. Má tá’n tú riamh ar saoire thar lear, labhair í led’ pháirtí, mar shampla má tá duine éigin ag cuir isteach oraibh. Ní thuigfidh an duine san tú: beidh sí mar theanga rúnda agaibh.”