Gaeilge: Rebirth from Exile
For those unfamiliar with the existence of An Ghaeilge i.e., the Irish language (or ‘Irish Gaelic’), has existed on the island of Ireland for at least an estimated 3,000 years due to the emigration of the Celtic Gaels from Gaul and Iberia (modern-day France and Spain) at that time. These ancient peoples ascribed the language via Ogham inscriptions (vertical markings on stone pillars) which were the main form of script until the arrival of Christianity (400-600 A.D.).
Perforated Ogham Stone. Source: Jstor.
With the arrival of Christian monastic culture, vellum (calfskin) and paper were adopted as the primary means of script. From there, the old and middle Irish languages (500-1200AD) and Ireland herself became the world’s scholastic superpower for centuries to follow.
The language continued to flourish until the colonisation of the country by Vikings, Normans, and consequently, English-turned-British forces. The language was influenced and progressively outlawed by the British colonial authorities from the mid 16th Century to better assimilate the populace to the British mindset implemented throughout the colony.
By the mid 19th Century, the illegal status of Irish was repealed, but English had become the majority language of Ireland, with many either discouraged to speak the language or jaded to it out of fear of abuse or persecution from previous experiences some mere years earlier.
“1853 Dublin Bay” by Edwin Hayes. Source: National Gallery of Ireland.
These developments, coupled with the crippling effect the 25% decline in the Irish population after the Great Famine (1845-1849) had a detrimental impact upon the language.
A revival movement for the increased usage of Irish appeared in the 1870s, with relative growth until the creation of the Irish Free State, and consequent establishment of the Republic of Ireland, wherein the education of the Irish language at primary and secondary-level education was made mandatory.
Though ability to speak Irish increased as a result of this compulsory education; it has been the compulsory and mandatory nature of Irish language education, alongside an increasing global acceptance of English which have alienated many of the Irish from accepting their ancient native language. Many viewed it as an obstacle to passing school, avoiding it out of fear due to its different grammar system or sometimes inauthentically claiming a learning difficulty to gain an exemption from the Irish government to learning the language at school.
Since then, the future of the Irish language has seemed somewhat challenging if left in the hands of the Irish alone, for as many believe that despite the ongoing efforts for revival, ‘the damage has been done’. However, there are many, some Irish, more not, who would care to disagree.
Puffins contently looking out upon the historic monastic settlement Skellig Michael off the coast of Kerry, Ireland.
Having been the scholastic powerhouse of Europe during the era termed ‘The Dark Ages’, Ireland was considered as the schoolhouse for the nobility, and her scholars and clergy at times requested for and relocated to the European continent.
Therefore, the Irish language’s ‘return’ to the continent in today’s context is rather ‘nothing new under the sun’ (Ecc. 1:9) rather return to old habits, where the language has been studied extensively across the past century now by philologists and language students of Freiburg, Marburg, and Wilhelm-Humboldt Universities, Germany; Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia; The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Poland; and most opportune for Irish and domestic students, Uppsala University, Sweden.
On top of this, on 1 January 2007, the Irish language was deemed an official and working language of the European Union, having received further abilities gradually since then, whereas of 1 January 2022, all documentation relating to the EU in their capacities must have an Irish language translation available, and the EU must provide an Irish language service to any Gaeilgeoir (Irish speaker) who wishes for it.
The uncertain arduous uphill struggle of the Irish language as analogous to the misty mountains of Kerry.
In North America, the demand for access to the Irish language has only grown, not only in Canada, where Irish’s descendant language a’ Ghàidhlig (Scottish Gaelic) has had a relatively successful run (take Nova Scotia for example), but through the Ireland Canada University Foundation (ICUF) in which young (post)graduates of an Irish degree travel to universities across Canada to provide accredited courses in Irish in those universities; and its counterpart in the U.S.A, the Fulbright Program, has only born more fruits again, especially appealing to the university-attending Irish diaspora, and others who had not conceived of ‘the Gaelic’ still being around, but only as a relic of the vagabond Irish immigrants to the shores of the USA.
Therefore, it appears that the future of the Irish language seems to be more likely saved by those not in Ireland, but those who want what’s best for Ireland abroad, to know and alleviate her cultural affliction; and who give the opportunity to enhance with fervour this wounded aspect of Ireland’s culture that today’s Anglophone culture consistently appears to omit.
We can only pray therefore that Ireland may use this spirit to heal and grow in loving and embracing her estranged language once more.
Gerry Doherty,
November 2021.
