The continuous struggle of the Gaeltacht

A minority community, an alienated community, a community who are well used to the continuous oppression and constant pretence. A 10 year delay on a language act, continuous failure on the part of the public service and public bodies in catering to the needs of a language community in their native tongue, rights denied again and again. The same old story. But surprisingly, I’m not talking about the Irish language community in the 6 counties and the struggle for language rights in the north, but rather, the Gaeltacht community and the continuous struggle in the south.

I should say that the struggle is hard at times, and it often feels like we are swimming against the current. Here, in the north, there is clear opposition, a state which, since its foundation, was hostile to the language, the foreseeable bigotry of the DUP, but in the Gaeltachts, it is the same people who are appointed to work on our behalf that are failing us.

The Department for the Gaeltacht compelled job applicants to fill out forms in English, and in that same week, advice was issued stipulating that only English should be spoken in the centre of a large company which is located in the Gaeltacht, a company which receives support from Údarás na Gaeltachta. It’s hard to keep up with the continuous disrespect of the Health Service Executive towards the Irish language and the Gaeltacht, from the absence of fadas on names, the lack of Irish on public advertisements, vaccine registration available only in English, without even mentioning uphill battle that the Gaeltacht community face in accessing basic services, including covid certificates.

Groups and individuals in Gaeltacht areas are doing tremendous work, but I think it’s about time we come together and establish a new rights-movement in the Gaeltachts, a movement like the one in 1969 and an Dream Dearg of today.

Roads falling apart on the islands in Connemara, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education to language organisations that they would employ an English-only policy in a meeting in Irish about the Irish at Leaving Cert level, continuous cuts on Nuacht TG4’s resources, a lack of equality for the employees of Ráidió na Gaeltachta in RTÉ and huge problems with the laws and decisions of planning boards of all Gaeltachts across the country.

And that’s only the stories of 2021- and there’s plenty more! Groups and individuals in Gaeltacht areas are doing tremendous work, but I think it’s about time we come together and establish a new rights-movement in the Gaeltachts, a movement like the one in 1969 and an Dream Dearg of today.

I’m from Connemara myself, and whilst I’ve been living in Belfast for almost 10 years now, I feel that there are links and similarities between the Gaeltacht community and the Irish language community in the north which goes back decades. In a way, we are all one community and whilst the two aren’t exactly the same, we do have mutual understanding and empathy. We have often been left out in the cold, with people used to the state completely ignoring them, people belittling our community and we are used to hostility from the state, from politicians and from certain aspects of the wider community.

Both places have a tradition of doing things ourselves because we never had and indeed, still don’t have, any other option. We don’t have exactly the same needs, both places need their own approaches but I believe we do share one aim- for a life through Gaeilge.

Let us stand together and support one another. Fists in the air for the Gaels.