An Dream Dearg’s #AchtAnois campaign is rooted in the ideals of language rights as human rights; it calls for a comprehensive, standalone, rights-based Irish Language Act, something which was promised in the St. Andrew’s Agreement of 2006.

An Irish language act provides the language with a level of legal protection and guarantees that the promotion of the language is not dependent upon the interpretation of a certain Minister or party. The Irish Language Act promised at St. Andrew’s was to be based on the experiences of Wales and the south of Ireland, both of whom have legislative protection for and have granted official status to Welsh and Irish respectively. Still we wait for the same protections.

We are the anomaly.

Decades of unfulfilled commitments, as well as these politically motivated attacks on the language became the catalyst for the foundation of the #AchtAnois campaign.

The absence of any legal framework for Irish has long provided those who oppose the language with an excuse, albeit an unreasonable one, to further marginalise and exclude our community. This opposition was manifested by ignorance towards and mockery of the Irish language community.

Because there was no legislation which prevented discrimination on the grounds of language, politically-motivated attacks on the language were a given. Because no law existed which officially recognised Irish, important decisions regarding Irish have been totally dependent on political will, or rather, unwill. There was no legal accountability if/when Irish fell victim to vicious attacks.

The corruption within the system could no longer go unchallenged.

Decades of unfulfilled commitments, as well as these politically motivated attacks on the language became the catalyst for the foundation of the #AchtAnois campaign. Irish speakers were no longer willing to be treated as second-class citizens. Our campaign began through an inspiring display of activism at grassroots level. Thanks to the tireless work of Deargóirí all over the country, the Irish language is now embedded into the political discourse of the north.

We have used our voices to make meaningful change and to call on those in power to stand with us in our moderate demands for rights, recognition and respect for the Irish language.

We have taken to the streets on numerous occasions to publicly challenge discrimination and inequality that faces our community; this in itself demonstrates that those in power have failed us.

A right delayed is a right denied.

Indeed, draft legislation published in January 2020 afforded a number of basic rights to Irish speakers, yet when we talk about the implementation of that exact legislation, it is viewed as a ‘concession.’ A right delayed is a right denied and when the rights of the marginalised have been denied for so long, simply affording them seems a fairly moderate request.

2 years on, the language legislation promised in January 2020 began its legislative journey at Westminster; a significant milestone for our campaign and for our community. It has since received Royal Assent and the commencement orders for the appointment of the Irish language commissioner were published in June 2023. To date, no further progress has been made in that recruitment or appointment process.

Whilst the implementation of the legislation is eagerly awaited by the Irish language community, we must remember that it is not perfect; it falls far short from what we were promised in 2006.

We will continue to organise our active and engaged community and to identify and challenge shortcomings in affording rights to our community.

We will continue with on this journey until we see the full implementation of every last commitment to the Irish language.

Bí linn. Bí páirteach. Bí glórach. #AchtAnois