Growing up in Ireland
Dia Dhuit!
Seo roinnt cúlra domsa! Caoimhe is ainm dom, is Bainisteoir Pobail Gaeilge OLS mé. Tá mé líofa sa Gaeilge. Tá mé tumtha sa Ghaeilge ó bhí mé i mo pháiste . In Éirinn, tá go leor saoránach Éireannach nach bhfuil Gaeilge acu. Easpa nochtadh don teanga is cúis leis seo. Ba í an Ghaeilge ár gcéad teanga tráth ach tháinig meath uirthi sa 19ú hAois de bharr dhá thoisc: Gorta Mór na bPrátaí in Éirinn agus aisghairm na bPéindlíthe. Cuireadh cosc ar Chaitlicigh páirt a ghlacadh sa saol eacnamaíoch agus polaitiúil sa Bhreatain agus in Éirinn faoi na Péindlíthe. Bhí seans níos mó ag Caitlicigh dá labhródh siad Béarla nuair a aisghaireadh an toirmeasc toisc go raibh siad in ann gairmeacha beatha a leanúint.
Thosaigh teaghlaigh le Gaeilge i bhfabhar Béarla a mhúineadh do pháistí toisc gur mheas siad go raibh sé riachtanach dá rath amach anseo. Bhí scoileanna fálaithe i gceantair thuaithe na hÉireann ina bhféadfadh páistí Caitliceacha nach raibh in ann freastal ar scoileanna rialtais Protastúnacha foghlaim. Bhí an Béarla ar cheann de na topaicí ba mhó a raibh tóir orthu sna scoileanna seo. Ar an drochuair, chiallaigh sé freisin go ngearrfaí pionós agus príosúnacht ar éinne má bhí aon duine gafa ag labhairt na Gaeilge ag póilíní na Breataine.
Nuair a d’fhág na Briotanaigh Poblacht na hÉireann i 1916, bhí an damáiste déanta agus bhí tionchar ag an nGaeilge. In 2023, meastar go labhraíonn 1.7 – 2 mhilliún daoine Gaeilge. As an líon seo, is cainteoirí dúchais 76,000, agus roghnaigh an chuid eile í mar dhara teanga. Ba mise an dara ceann. In Éirinn, is é Béarla an príomh teanga do formhór de na scoileanna. Mar sin féin, tá scoileanna tiomnaithe ann a mhúineann trí Ghaeilge amháin. D’fhreastal mé ar na scoileanna seo ó 5 go dtí 19. Bhí sé seo iontach, mar thit mé i ngrá leis an nGaeilge.
English Translation
Here is some background on me! My name is Caoimhe, I am the OLS Irish Community Manager and am a fluent Irish speaker. I have been immersed in Irish since I was a child. In Ireland, many Irish citizens do not speak Irish due to lack of exposure to the language. Irish was once our first language but declined in the 19th Century due to two factors: The Great Irish Potato Famine and the repeal of the Penal Laws. Catholics were prohibited from participating in economic and political life in Britain and Ireland under the Penal Laws. Catholics had greater chances if they spoke English once the prohibition was repealed because they were able to pursue careers in the field.
Irish-speaking families began to favour teaching English to kids because they considered it as essential to their future success. Irish rural areas had hedge schools where Catholic kids who couldn't attend Protestant government schools could learn. One of the most popular topics at these schools was English. Unfortunately, it also meant that if anyone was caught speaking Irish, they would be penalised and jailed by the British Police.
Once the British left the Republic of Ireland in 1916, the damage had been done and the Irish language had been impacted.
In 2023, it is estimated that 1.7 – 2 million people speak Irish today. Of this number, 76,000 are native speakers, the rest picked it up as their second language. I would be the latter. In Ireland, the majority of the schools teach primarily through English, with the Irish subject being the only exception. However, there are dedicated schools that teach solely through Irish. I attended these schools from 5 until 19. This was amazing, as I fell in love with the Irish language and felt proud of the fact that I knew how to speak it.