Speaking in Tongues

“Is as scath a chéile a mhaireann na daoine.” So goes the seanfhocal Gaeilge which, roughly translated, means that no man is an island, that for our survival we must interface with each other.

Likewise, regarding the existence of our national identity: the questions of language and culture as part of the broader picture, are inextricably linked. I cannot speak for others, but for myself, the Irish language is, and always has been, a very important part of my make-up, something I have always cherished, despite its curricular limitations, as a school subject. Neither has sixteen years of teaching it dulled my regard for its angular beauty, its peculiar genius of expression.

Nobody who loves the Irish language can afford to be blasé about where it’s going in the modern world, with the electronic superhighway only a whisper away. Thankfully, not all of the signs are negative, by any means. The Gaelscoil movement is growing apace, parents electing by choice, as I have done, to educate their children through Irish from start to finish in the system. There have been, to the best of my knowledge, no redundancies, closedowns, contractions or amalgamations with other schools in recent times. My local Bunscoil Lán-Ghaelach has a waiting list.

Drama, music and book publishing ‘as Gaeilge’ are also flourishing with new opportunities for expression constantly presenting themselves to a ready world. On the downside, however, there is still the perception among large sections of the population that Irish as a language has little or no relevance to modern living. This view is based on the obvious tenet that English is our primary means of verbal and written communication, but behind it there is also a sense that Irish as a language is an inferior thing – a misinformed view if ever there was one.

Gerry Smullen of Eagras Fáilte Thír Chonaill is confident that both language and culture have a strong future. He admits, nonetheless, that certain things in our approach to nurturing the language do need to change.

“Eagras Fáilte came together from a tourism course that was run in order to get local people involved in promoting Donegal as a tourist destination,” he says. “In the past, when anyone here needed a manager, they looked to someone from outside the country; then they had to re-learn Irish. That idea reflects John B. Keane’s view that the guy from sixty miles down the road with a briefcase and a suit was an expert! In contrast, we would look at it this way: the Gaeltacht areas are the last areas which have both the language and the culture intact.”

There is then, great scope for development?

“Sure there is. First we have to market Donegal, and sell it as a beautiful place, sell it as a place that people have heard of but not seen. Round the Pale(!) people go to Kerry, thinking that it’s nearer. It’s two hours further away, for God’s sake! Nor was Donegal promoted widely by Bord Fáilte, because of our proximity to the North.”

Gerry tells the story of some young Dublin boys, staying in the Falcarragh Gaeltacht who on seeing the Irish army escorting a security van after bank-closing time shouted as one “go back home yiz British bastards.” Quite what it is I don’t know but there’s a lesson there for us also.

As part of his involvement in Eagras Fáilte, Gerry was one of those responsible for establishing Tionsinamh Lúgh, an organisation dedicated to the promotion of traditional – not folk, ballad, or country — music in the Donegal Gaeltacht area, and the venture has met with considerable success, with a very large number of local venue-owners being persuaded to feature traditional music on at least one night per week in (and sometimes out of) season.

“Tionsinamh Lúgh have brought major traditional artists to the Donegal Gaeltacht,” he comments “as well as giving those within the region a forum and a larger audience. We have had nearly everybody who appeared on River Of Sound do a gig up here.”

It’s an education process also for the locals, he avers wryly. “Donegal people love country and western. They think that everyone else should like it as well!”

Having absorbed and welcomed, so too so they disseminate, if the success of Clannad and Altan is anything to go by. With both groups, a substantial proportion of their material, is in the Irish language, and their success has been achieved more because of, than in spite of their insistence on using Irish as their primary means of communicating.

On the subject of Irish as taught in schools, Gerry is sceptical. “Native Irish speakers don’t do so well in Irish at school,” he says. “The curriculum as laid out is not suitable for native speakers. They say ‘that’s book Irish’ and don’t relate to it.”

While organisations such as Eagras Fáilte integrate the use and promotion of Irish into a wider brief, it is the sole remit of others to advance its development by whatever means it deems possible. One such organisation is Gael Linn, whose work in the promotion of the native language, often at a time when it was neither fashionable nor profitable to do so, stands as a shining example to the detractors of the ‘lingua gaelica.’

Chun pictiúr níos fearr a fháil ar an scéal, labhair mé le Áine Ní Chuireáin, Bainisteair Scéimeanna Oideachasúla i nGael Linn. Seo adúirt sí. “I mo thuairim, tá an-suim sa Ghaeilge anois, agus rud a chuireann íonradh orm – tá an proifíl aoise ag teacht anuas. Tá a lán daoine ins na fichidi ag teacht ar ais chuig an teanga, ag teacht ar ais tré bhealaí éagsúla – an cheol, rince seite. Adhmhainn go bhfuil an Ghaeilge faiseanta - tá baint ag an Eoraip leis sin – tá níos mó daoine ag taistil, agus ’sé an Ghaeilge an t-aon rua a chruthódh nach Sasanaigh iad.”

Reachtálann Áine agus a foireann aon chúrsaí Ghaeilge do dhaoine fásta, ar leibhéil difriúla. Dar leí,” Bunaitear cairdeas éigin ag na cursaí sin; caite isteach sa rang, tá siad níos mó i dtiúinn le chéile. Foghlamaíonn siad Gaeilge ach – rud níos tabhachtaí – athraíonn an ‘perspective’ atá acu. Tá daoine ag teacht go dtí na cursaí sea gur fuath leo an Ghaeilge ar scoil.”

Gan amhras, cuidionn na cursaí seo go moí leis na micléinn a bhíonn ag freastáil orthu. Lá amháin agus mé i nGael Linn, bhuail mé le íar–dhálta dom féin sa halla agus é ar a bhealach isteach chuig rang éigin. Agus ní in aghaidh a thola a bhí sé ag déanamh an chúrsa!!

Bhfuil todhchaoi mhaith i ndán don Ghaeilge? D’fhág mé an fhocal scoir d’Áine. “Tá dochar déanta ag an sean-siollabas.” Maidir leis an tSiollabas Nua: “Thosaigh an t-athrú san áit mícheart leis an Teastas Sóisireach. Ba chóir dóibh tosnú sa bhunscoil.”

This particular point, that if curricular change is to influence the future and development of a language, that it should begin in the primary school rather than with the Junior Cert in the Secondary system, is an idea with considerable merit, and there are definite moves afoot to initiate such a policy – but a language and by definition a culture, should it wish to develop and consolidate, must be seen as having a life outside the formal strictures of classroom or exam timetable. One way in which people can both express their creativity and experiment with language and culture is in and through the realm of drama. I spoke to Seán Ó Morónaigh, the Chairman of An Comhlachas Náisiúnta Drámaíochta, the co-ordinating body for Irish language drama groups, which is based in the Connemara Gaeltacht. I asked him how he saw the role and development of An Comhlachas?

“As the national organisation for Irish language drama, An Comhlachas Náisiúnta Drámaíochta is involved in a wide variety of activities including playwrighting schemes, production courses, local and national festivals, a play library and various back-up services.

“Its main playwrighting scheme entitled “Gradam na hAmharclainne” for new plays in Irish includes a prize of £1,500, a specially designed trophy and a stage production. As a playwrighting competition it is unique in that the entrants are given comments and suggestions from three adjudicators and a number of opportunities to re-write the script prior to the final adjudication. The system also includes workshops and face-to-face meetings with the adjudicators.” There is an interesting development here which mirrors other changes taking place in Irish society.

“In what might be described as the first cultural reaction to the northern peace initiative, An Comhlachas Náisiúnta Drámaíochta decided to hold their 1995 All-Ireland Festival for plays in Irish in Belfast. It will be held at the end of April, with performances taking place in three Belfast theatres. In the meantime the annual local drama festivals are being organised in various centres in the four provinces, particularly in Gaeltacht areas, where there is a healthy audience support.”

The annual “Féile Drámaíochta na gColáistí” for third level colleges is being held in Cork University’s new theatre – The New Granary on 24, 25, 26 February. Nearly 200 students will take part, with groups participating from Coláiste na Tríonóide, Ollscoil Luimnigh, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Gaillimh, Coláiste Mhuire Gan Smál, Luimneach, Coláiste Réigiúnach, Leitír Ceanainn, Coláiste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh.

“It’s an indication of the health and originality of drama in Irish that five plays in this festival are newly written full length plays,” Seán comments.

“In general the Irish language drama movement sees itself as a vital and enriching element in the life of the Gaeltacht and other Irish language oriented communities.”

In the broad sweep of cultural endeavour, the government of the day, and its constituent departments should, I believe, play a strong supportive role in attracting inward investment for the arts. The record of Údarás na Gaeltachta in this regard stands up well to close scrutiny.

Terry O’Leary, a spokesman for the organisation, explains: “A working group from within our own organisation felt that there was a need for more Irish language programming on TV, or else the language would be killed off altogether. RTE didn’t have the facilities to oblige us at the time, but Telegael was formed as a joint venture with RTE. When Charlie Haughey was Minister for the Gaeltacht he instigated a feasibility study, the results of which became the basis of Teilifís Na Gaeilge.”

As a result, training courses were set up, and as the situation began to gather momentum, individuals began to set up their own service companies to facilitate developments in the media industry. A fund for pilot programming and script development was established, which resulted directly in the production of the first Irish language soap, ‘Ros Na Rúin’.

What’s this I hear about Roger Corman moving to the Galway Gaeltacht? Jerry again. “Corman was seeking a European base – he’d made films like Blue Max in the ’60s, and his wife had produced the film version of Da – so they both know Ireland. The decision to base his studios in Galway is not signed and sealed yet, but we would hope to have contracts finalised by the end of the month.”

What are the implications for the local economy and culture? “It will have a very significant effect on the local economy. By the end of year three, six films per annum will be produced under the agreement and there’s a projected employment of 52 people. Corman has a reputation of trying out new writers and directors, so that’s exciting. There are also language and culture safeguards built in to our agreements with him – things like advertising and stationery, notices in the offices – these will be in Irish.

“The phones will be manned as Gaeilge. With all the companies here, there are inter-company competitions which means that the Irish language will be allowed to flourish without artifice, and will be developed in a totally natural way.”

Much has been made of the pending launch of Teilifís Na Gaeilge, the new national Irish language television service. “It has,” says Terry, “a serious employment potential of about 150 or so, based on the fact that it plans to broadcast two hours programming per day to begin with.”

Clearly, it will be difficult for the service to establish an identity because of the limitations imposed by only two hours broadcasting per day; it is imperative, Terry feels, that T na G should develop a style of its own as an answer to this.

My own view is that, having regard to the reputation of people already flagged as being involved – people of the calibre and background of Brian MacAongusa and Cathal Goan to name but two – that not alone should excellence be expected, but delivered.

Back in the ’80s, Bord Na Gaeilge, best described perhaps as the umbrella organisation for the development and active promotion of Irish, had a slogan which ran thus ‘Irish – it’s part of what we are’. It didn’t quite seem so at the time – we were still teaching ‘Peig’ to Leaving Certs in Finglas and Coolock and Ballyfermot who couldn’t see the point of such an exercise, and on the other flank under attack from what I call “the hamburger counter-culture’.

Now however, its relevance, if more understated, is a mite more obvious. Irish does pervade our lives, not maybe in the way the ‘keepers of the keys would have liked, but in a way that is relevant. Antaine O’Roileáin of Bord Na Gaeilge, reiterates that people are returning to the language.

“Tá an pobal ag glacadh seilbh ar an nGaeilge. Tá daoine sásta pé méid Gaeilge atá acú a úsaíd. I bpobalreathanna (opinion polls) le déanaí, dúirt 61% go bhfuil siad i bhfábhar an Ghaeilge. Le Gaeilge, tuigeann daoine go bhfuil féiniúlacht (individuality) acu.”

Cad tá i ndán do Bhord Na Gaeilge in ’95 agus sa todhachaoi? Antaine arís. “Tá Plean Margaíochta againn a chludíonn alán. Maidin le Áis (Wholesale Book Distribution), tá an plean dírithe ar margadh na Nollag, agus beimid ag cur in iúl do dhaoine an rógha átá acu.”

These plans include publicising the fact that, for instance, more than 120 books in Irish were published last year, with an increasing emphasis to be directed in the future at books for young people, by authors such as Padraig Standún and Ré Ó Laighléis. Plans are also afoot to work with state organisations to give the many who wish to conduct their entire business and daily lives ‘as Gaeilge’ a real opportunity (which really doesn’t exist at the moment) to do so.

Other plans include liaising with business communities to persuade them to advertise through Irish etc. and the sponsoring of sporting events. Also a much vaunted upgrade of the Bord’s Stiuideo a 7 is planned for later in the year, which will bring its impressive facilities up to an even higher standard (and no doubt please one or two people in the process).

What of the Irish language media? Well, television viewers are catered for to some degree by programmes such as Cúrsaí though it really is not enough, and radio listeners have the option of tuning in daily to Raidio na Gaeltachta – which, to be fair though now broadcasting nationally, is essentially a local service for the various Gaeltacht areas.

One of the most exciting innovations of recent times, however, is the advent of Raidio Na Life where young presenters and producers provide an imaginative range of music and general programming, presented in a style that varies between amateur (in its true sense) and very hip. Having observed it at first hand, I think we could do with a great deal more of this.

Print-wise, a range of periodicals, both topical and general – Comhar, Saol, Lá (published in Belfast) – are available, but Anois, a weekly newspaper with some very interesting angles, is perhaps the best-known. Through a series of amazing balancing acts it manages to cater to just about everyone, and is possessed of a very independent editorial policy. Queues begin to form, sometimes as early as Thursday night if there’s a whisper on the wind as to its contents!

All that considered, it’s worth asking again, whither the Irish language and the culture of which it is a part? Leaving aside curricular developments in schools, which if late in the day are no less welcome, we must ensure that the language does not fall victim to fad or fashion, and become in the process the cultural equivalent of a mobile phone in the late ’80s – to wit, a fashion accessory.

Developments of the kind prevailing at present must be sustained. There is a strong and developed literary tradition in place with work from writers of the calibre of Gabriel Rosenstock, Liam Ó Muirthile, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill and Michael Davitt and others capable of standing alongside the best that any other language has to offer. Little by little – it’s not a tidal wave, nor will it ever be – the people are taking the language to themselves again, and moulding it in their own image.

It has shaped them, now they too are applying new forms to it. Go maire siad go deo.