89-684: The Irish Republican Socialist Party or IRSP ( Irish : Páirtí Poblachtach Sóisialach na hÉireann ) is a minor communist , Marxist–Leninist and Irish republican party in Ireland . It is often referred to as the "political wing" of the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) paramilitary group. The party's youth wing is the Republican Socialist Youth Movement (RSYM). It was founded by former members of 'Official' Sinn Féin in 1974 during
178-620: A large scale operation in 1992 . In the 2000s and 2010s, the IRSP has been involved in campaigns and political protests, mainly around Belfast and Derry but also in of parts of the Republic of Ireland as well. Some of these protests included anti-austerity protests, the Right2Water campaign against water charges, opposition to welfare reform and introduction of universal credit , and supporting striking nurses. In November 2016, after
267-547: A unique dialect of Irish developed before falling out of use in the early 20th century. With a writing system , Ogham , dating back to at least the 4th century AD, which was gradually replaced by Latin script since the 5th century AD, Irish has one of the oldest vernacular literatures in Western Europe . On the island, the language has three major dialects: Connacht , Munster and Ulster Irish . All three have distinctions in their speech and orthography . There
356-717: A bargaining chip during government formation in Northern Ireland, prompting protests from organisations and groups such as An Dream Dearg . Irish became an official language of the EU on 1 January 2007, meaning that MEPs with Irish fluency can now speak the language in the European Parliament and at committees, although in the case of the latter they have to give prior notice to a simultaneous interpreter in order to ensure that what they say can be interpreted into other languages. While an official language of
445-575: A better future for Ireland and all her citizens." The Strategy was produced on 21 December 2010 and will stay in action until 2030; it aims to target language vitality and revitalization of the Irish language. The 30-page document published by the Government of Ireland details the objectives it plans to work towards in an attempt to preserve and promote both the Irish language and the Gaeltacht. It
534-642: A botched attempt was also made on Seán Flynn and Bernard Dorrian at a bar in the Short Strand area, provoking a feud where a unit from the Derry INLA came to Belfast searching for Steenson. Failing to secure power, the attacks only demoralised the IRSP and INLA and began a trend of internal feuds. In 1985, he was convicted of 67 terrorist offences (including six murders) after his former friend Harry Kirkpatrick testified against him. Kirkpatrick and Steenson were rarely seen apart in public and were given
623-478: A cultural and social force. Irish speakers often insisted on using the language in law courts (even when they knew English), and Irish was also common in commercial transactions. The language was heavily implicated in the "devotional revolution" which marked the standardisation of Catholic religious practice and was also widely used in a political context. Down to the time of the Great Famine and even afterwards,
712-553: A degree course in the NUI federal system to pass the subject of Irish in the Leaving Certificate or GCE / GCSE examinations. Exemptions are made from this requirement for students who were born or completed primary education outside of Ireland, and students diagnosed with dyslexia . NUI Galway is required to appoint people who are competent in the Irish language, as long as they are also competent in all other aspects of
801-560: A first language in Ireland's Gaeltacht regions, in which 2% of Ireland's population lived in 2022. The total number of people (aged 3 and over) in Ireland who declared they could speak Irish in April 2022 was 1,873,997, representing 40% of respondents, but of these, 472,887 said they never spoke it and a further 551,993 said they only spoke it within the education system. Linguistic analyses of Irish speakers are therefore based primarily on
890-460: A fully recognised EU language for the first time in the state's history. Before Irish became an official language it was afforded the status of treaty language and only the highest-level documents of the EU were made available in Irish. The Irish language was carried abroad in the modern period by a vast diaspora , chiefly to Great Britain and North America, but also to Australia , New Zealand and Argentina . The first large movements began in
979-620: A night of drinking which was cut short by anger over the INLA GHQ faction's show of force in the Divis flats earlier in the day. After bringing their car to a stop on Springhill Avenue, they were killed in an ambush by an INLA active unit , with a member of the ASU closing the security gate at the top of the street to trap the pair. An INLA spokesperson said Steenson was killed for being "actively involved in continuous and concerted efforts to undermine
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#17327730919281068-575: A number of raids on members of the party's homes, the IRSP issued a warning saying the PSNI were "playing with fire". IRSP's Lower Falls representative Michael Kelly claimed that "British security forces risk bringing serious conflict onto the streets" and said that "The Irish Republican Socialist Party has been in existence for over 40 years, in that time we have never tolerated attacks on our membership from any quarter," The comments drew criticism from UUP MLA Doug Beattie and SDLP Alex Attwood . During
1157-585: A paper suggested that within a generation, non-Gaeltacht habitual users of Irish might typically be members of an urban, middle class, and highly educated minority. Parliamentary legislation is supposed to be available in both Irish and English but is frequently only available in English. This is notwithstanding that Article 25.4 of the Constitution of Ireland requires that an "official translation" of any law in one official language be provided immediately in
1246-575: A pass in Leaving Certificate Irish or English, and receive lessons in Irish during their two years of training. Official documents of the Irish government must be published in both Irish and English or Irish alone (in accordance with the Official Languages Act 2003, enforced by An Coimisinéir Teanga , the Irish language ombudsman). The National University of Ireland requires all students wishing to embark on
1335-625: A religious context. An Irish translation of the Old Testament by Leinsterman Muircheartach Ó Cíonga , commissioned by Bishop Bedell , was published after 1685 along with a translation of the New Testament. Otherwise, Anglicisation was seen as synonymous with 'civilising' the native Irish. Currently, modern day Irish speakers in the church are pushing for language revival. It has been estimated that there were around 800,000 monoglot Irish speakers in 1800, which dropped to 320,000 by
1424-610: A seat by just a single vote. He was originally elected but after a requested recount by the SDLP his election was overturned. The IRSP has explained its lack of participation in elections as due to "very limited" resources. In 2022 for the first time the IRSP fielded candidates for the Northern Ireland Assembly election . Initially their candidates were rejected by the Electoral Commission , but this
1513-590: A seat in Waterford , while O'Hara received 3,034 votes (6.49%) in Dublin West . In 1982, party member Brigid Makowski won a seat on the Shannon Town Commission . The IRSP put forward five candidates in the 2011 Northern Ireland local elections , its first foray into electoral politics in almost 30 years. They failed to secure any seats. Candidate Paul Gallagher of Strabane missed out on
1602-464: A tone of awestruck at his paramilitary abilities". Ken Wharton refers to him as a "notorious psychopath". Sean O'Callaghan describes Steenson as someone who "never took to orders". Terry George wrote of him that he "was extremely clever and even wittier than Billy McMillan. He had an angelic face and women adored him. He was also ruthless, cunning and fearless.". On 14 March 1987, Steenson and Tony "Boot" McCarthy returned to Ballymurphy after
1691-651: A white coat to attack British soldiers guarding a patient at the Royal Victoria Hospital . Steenson was widely associated with internecine violence between Irish republican groups. He joined the Official IRA 's C Company in 1972 at the age of 14. Two years later, he left to join the INLA upon that paramilitary group's formation, consequent to their split from the Official IRA. He became head of
1780-545: A wider meaning, including the Gaelic of Scotland and the Isle of Man , as well as of Ireland. When required by the context, these are distinguished as Gaeilge na hAlban , Gaeilge Mhanann and Gaeilge na hÉireann respectively. In English (including Hiberno-English ), the language is usually referred to as Irish , as well as Gaelic and Irish Gaelic . The term Irish Gaelic may be seen when English speakers discuss
1869-452: Is also An Caighdeán Oifigiúil , a standardised written form devised by a parliamentary commission in the 1950s. The traditional Irish alphabet , a variant of the Latin alphabet with 18 letters , has been succeeded by the standard Latin alphabet (albeit with 7–8 letters used primarily in loanwords ). Irish has constitutional status as the national and first official language of
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#17327730919281958-511: Is divided into four separate phases with the intention of improving 9 main areas of action including: The general goal for this strategy was to increase the number of daily speakers from 83,000 to 250,000 by the end of its run. By 2022, the number of such speakers had fallen to 71,968. Before the partition of Ireland in 1921, Irish was recognised as a school subject and as "Celtic" in some third level institutions. Between 1921 and 1972, Northern Ireland had devolved government. During those years
2047-587: Is only in Gaeltacht areas that Irish continues to be spoken as a community vernacular to some extent. According to data compiled by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht , Sport and Media , only 1/4 of households in Gaeltacht areas are fluent in Irish. The author of a detailed analysis of the survey, Donncha Ó hÉallaithe of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology , described
2136-412: Is still spoken daily to some extent as a first language . These regions are known individually and collectively as the Gaeltacht (plural Gaeltachtaí ). While the fluent Irish speakers of these areas, whose numbers have been estimated at 20–30,000, are a minority of the total number of fluent Irish speakers, they represent a higher concentration of Irish speakers than other parts of the country and it
2225-666: The Fíor-Ghaeltacht (true Gaeltacht ), a term originally officially applied to areas where over 50% of the population spoke Irish. There are Gaeltacht regions in the following counties: Gweedore ( Gaoth Dobhair ), County Donegal, is the largest Gaeltacht parish in Ireland. Irish language summer colleges in the Gaeltacht are attended by tens of thousands of teenagers annually. Students live with Gaeltacht families, attend classes, participate in sports, go to céilithe and are obliged to speak Irish. All aspects of Irish culture and tradition are encouraged. The Act
2314-659: The Belfast City Council in a joint campaign with the People's Democracy party. Neither councillor served a full term, with one going on the run after being implicated during the supergrass trials. In June 1981, the IRSP ran two candidates, Kevin Lynch and Tony O'Hara (brother of Patsy O'Hara ), in the Irish parliamentary election as Independent Anti H-Block candidates. Neither candidate won, but Lynch received 3,337 votes (7.63%) and came within 300 votes of winning
2403-703: The COVID-19 Pandemic , the IRSP launched Republican Socialist Aid, which aimed to distribute PPE to healthcare and essential workers in communities across Ireland at risk of exposure to the virus . In September 2020 the IRSP started a 'Drop The Rents' campaign, requesting landlords and letting agencies in North Belfast and West Belfast to lower their rent prices to local housing benefit levels and protesting against landlords and letting agencies that would not and that issued threats of eviction. The campaign has achieved some level of success. During
2492-648: The East Wall protests in November 2022, the IRSP opposed the housing of 380 refugees due to the absence of notice given to residents about the move prior to arrival and the feasibility of using the housing there for a large number of refugees. They said the residents were not opposed to refugees, just the lack of notice and uncertainty of feasibility. This differed to the majority of other groups who opposed any housing of refugees, regardless of notice. In May 1981 , party members Gerry Kelly and Sean Flynn won two seats on
2581-536: The Goidelic language group of the Insular Celtic sub branch of the family and is indigenous to the island of Ireland . It was the majority of the population's first language until the 19th century, when English gradually became dominant, particularly in the last decades of the century, in what is sometimes characterised as a result of linguistic imperialism . Today, Irish is still commonly spoken as
2670-877: The Good Friday Agreement and the Northern Ireland Peace Process , The party supports a 'No First Strike' policy, allowing people to see the perceived failure of the peace process for themselves without taking military actions. As of 11 October 2009, the INLA has ordered an end to the armed struggle, because unlike during the Troubles, the current political stance in Ulster allows the IRSP to contest fairly in new campaigns and local elections, as mentioned in their 2009 statement. INLA admitted to "faults and grievous errors" in their prosecution of
2759-588: The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), was founded the same day, although its existence was intended to be kept hidden until such a time that the INLA could operate effectively. Costello was elected as the party's first chairperson and the Army's first chief of staff. Together, the IRSP and the INLA were referred to as the Irish Republican Socialist Movement (IRSM). Former Unity MP for Mid-Ulster Bernadette McAliskey served on
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2848-490: The Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA) following a court-martial , and from Official Sinn Féin on the same basis. Along with other activists, he was dissatisfied with the group's tactics and policies, especially on the issues surrounding the 1972 OIRA ceasefire and his growing belief that the emerging conflict was sectarian. According to the IRSP, 80 people were in attendance. A paramilitary wing,
2937-576: The Republic of Ireland , and is also an official language of Northern Ireland and among the official languages of the European Union . The public body Foras na Gaeilge is responsible for the promotion of the language throughout the island. Irish has no regulatory body but An Caighdeán Oifigiúil , the standard written form, is guided by a parliamentary service and new vocabulary by a voluntary committee with university input. In An Caighdeán Oifigiúil ("The Official [Written] Standard ")
3026-689: The Ulster Defence Association (UDA). The IRSP have contended that the killings were a result of collusion between loyalists and security forces, even suspecting that some of the killings were carried out by the SAS with responsibility attributed to the UDA. Three members of the INLA and IRSP died in the 1981 Irish hunger strike in HM Prison Maze , also known as Long Kesh: Patsy O'Hara , Kevin Lynch , and Michael Devine . In 1987,
3115-488: The 'Yes For Unity' campaign, to campaign for a Border Poll on Irish Unity. The IRSP claim the legacy of Connolly and say their policies are of the same tradition of Connolly. The IRSP also see their own modern policies as the "logical development in the twenty-first century of the programme established under Connolly’s leadership by the Irish Socialist Republican Party". The IRSP opposes both
3204-634: The 17th century, largely as a result of the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland , which saw many Irish sent to the West Indies . Irish emigration to the United States was well established by the 18th century, and was reinforced in the 1840s by thousands fleeing from the Famine . This flight also affected Britain. Up until that time most emigrants spoke Irish as their first language, though English
3293-789: The 1998 Good Friday Agreement , the language gradually received a degree of formal recognition in Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom, and then, in 2003, by the British government's ratification in respect of the language of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages . In the 2006 St Andrews Agreement the British government promised to enact legislation to promote the language and in 2022 it approved legislation to recognise Irish as an official language alongside English. The bill received royal assent on 6 December 2022. The Irish language has often been used as
3382-403: The 6th century, used the Latin alphabet and is attested primarily in marginalia to Latin manuscripts. During this time, the Irish language absorbed some Latin words, some via Old Welsh , including ecclesiastical terms : examples are easpag (bishop) from episcopus , and Domhnach (Sunday, from dominica ). By the 10th century, Old Irish had evolved into Middle Irish , which
3471-571: The Act all detailing different aspects of the use of Irish in official documentation and communication. Included in these sections are subjects such as Irish language use in official courts, official publications, and placenames. The Act was recently amended in December 2019 in order to strengthen the already preexisting legislation. All changes made took into account data collected from online surveys and written submissions. The Official Languages Scheme
3560-763: The Dublin leader, Harry Flynn. Following a meeting of the Ard Comhairle on 5 December, Flynn and others went for drinks in the Flowing Tide pub at the corner of Sackville Place and Marlborough Street in Dublin . Shortly before 11 p.m., Steenson's gunman entered the pub and fired shots at Flynn before his gun jammed and he fled. Though seriously wounded, Flynn survived. After the botched assassination attempt, Steenson then unsuccessfully threatened Seán Flynn for his seat on Belfast City Council . Later, on 25 January 1982,
3649-471: The European Union , only co-decision regulations were available until 2022, due to a five-year derogation, requested by the Irish Government when negotiating the language's new official status. The Irish government had committed itself to train the necessary number of translators and interpreters and to bear the related costs. This derogation ultimately came to an end on 1 January 2022, making Irish
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3738-515: The INLA and IRSP were killed by the IPLO, including leaders Ta Power and John O'Reilly. The INLA retaliated with several killings of their own. After the INLA killed the IPLO's leader, Steenson, a truce was reached. Although severely damaged by the IPLO's attacks, the INLA continued to exist. The IPLO, which was heavily involved in drug dealing, was forcibly disbanded by the Provisional IRA in
3827-465: The INLA have been accused of receiving "dark money" from the Russian state. The IRSP supports the formation of what it calls the "Broad Front" which would bring together all Irish "anti-imperialist forces" to bring about a United Ireland. This would be formed on the basis of the following demands: The IRSP is in favour of an All-Ireland, democratically controlled, unarmed police force. The IRSP views
3916-522: The INLA in Belfast. Steenson first came to notoriety in 1975 for killing Billy McMillen , the Official IRA's Belfast leader, during the feud between the INLA and the Official IRA when he was just 16 years of age. Jim Cusack, a journalist describes him as the "assassin-in-chief" of Hugh Torney . During the 1981 local elections , Steenson and Seán Mackin both led efforts within the INLA to obstruct IRSP candidates which disrupted their votes, viewing
4005-479: The INLA's bombing of a radar station on Mount Gabriel , County Cork in 1982, which it said was used by NATO. In August 2022, IRSP members and Russian nationalists staged a protest against the Ukrainian military, outside Dublin's General Post Office. The Irish security services believe the Russian government were involved in organizing the protest. IRSP members have publicly supported Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and
4094-640: The IRSP and INLA came under attack from the Irish People's Liberation Organisation (IPLO), an organisation founded by Gerard Steenson , Jimmy Brown and Martin 'Rook' O'Prey , consisting of people who had resigned or been expelled from the INLA. A political wing, the Republican Socialist Collective (RSC), was also formed by Brown. The IPLO's initial aim was to destroy the IRSM and replace it with their organisation. Five members of
4183-677: The IRSP and the film Planet of the Apes ). The party is represented in North America by the Irish Republican Socialist Committees of North America . Irish language Irish ( Standard Irish : Gaeilge ), also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic ( / ˈ ɡ eɪ l ɪ k / GAY -lik ), is a Celtic language of the Indo-European language family . It is a member of
4272-487: The IRSP leadership had become "ineffective" and required 'realignment'. He was involved in the Rosnaree Hotel shooting on 20 January 1987, where a meeting between the leadership of the INLA and IPLO was to take place to end hostilities. However, IPLO members ambushed the four INLA members at the hotel killing, Thomas "Ta" Power and John Reilly, while Hugh Torney and Peter Stewart managed to escape. Steenson
4361-619: The IRSP supports moves towards greater co-operation between European socialist political organisations. The IRSP supported Brexit and supports the Republic of Ireland leaving the European Union. During the Russo-Ukrainian War , the IRSP publicly declared their support for the Russian-backed separatists of the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic . It blamed NATO rather than Russia for
4450-425: The Irish language policy followed by Irish governments as a "complete and absolute disaster". The Irish Times , referring to his analysis published in the Irish language newspaper Foinse , quoted him as follows: "It is an absolute indictment of successive Irish Governments that at the foundation of the Irish State there were 250,000 fluent Irish speakers living in Irish-speaking or semi Irish-speaking areas, but
4539-538: The OIRA Belfast Battalion, was murdered by INLA member Gerard Steenson . On 5 October 1977, Costello was shot dead in his car by a man armed with a shotgun. His supporters blamed the Official IRA for the killing. The party's poor showing in the 1977 Irish general election , resignations, and the assassination of Costello, weakened the organisation. In 1980, several IRSP and INLA members—including John Turnley , Miriam Daly , Ronnie Bunting and Noel Little—were killed by Ulster loyalist paramilitaries, most prominently
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#17327730919284628-424: The Republic of Ireland ), new appointees to the Civil Service of the Republic of Ireland , including postal workers , tax collectors , agricultural inspectors, Garda Síochána (police), etc., were required to have some proficiency in Irish. By law, a Garda who was addressed in Irish had to respond in Irish as well. In 1974, in part through the actions of protest organisations like the Language Freedom Movement ,
4717-412: The Troubles , but claims the legacy of the Irish Socialist Republican Party of 1896–1904. The party opposes the Good Friday Agreement and the European Union . The Irish Republican Socialist Party was founded at a meeting on 8 December 1974 in the Spa Hotel in Lucan , near Dublin , by former members of Workers' Party (aka 'Official' Sinn Féin), headed by Seamus Costello . He had been expelled from
4806-406: The armed struggle, stating that "innocent people were killed and injured" and offering "as revolutionaries" a "sincere and heartfelt apology". The IRSP supports greater strengthening of Ireland's independence, and although understanding the benefits brought through European Union (EU) membership, it also notes the incompatibility of EU membership with the need for a socialist society. Consequently,
4895-445: The authority of the ... movement." Jimmy Brown gave the graveside oration. The IPLO would later kill Emmanuel Gargan in the Hatfield Bar on the Lower Ormeau Road and Kevin Barry Duffy in Armagh in retaliation for the killing of Steenson. The IPLO would draw the ire of the Lower Ormeau community through the circumstances surrounding the killing of Gargan, with graffiti appearing in the area labelled "IPLOscum" On Halloween 1992,
4984-577: The beginning of the following academic year. For a number of years there has been vigorous debate in political, academic and other circles about the failure of most students in English-medium schools to achieve competence in Irish, even after fourteen years of teaching as one of the three main subjects. The concomitant decline in the number of traditional native speakers has also been a cause of great concern. In 2007, filmmaker Manchán Magan found few Irish speakers in Dublin , and faced incredulity when trying to get by speaking only Irish in Dublin. He
5073-423: The conflict. On 25 February 2022, one day after Russia invaded Ukraine , the party re-affirmed its support for the Republics in a social media post in which they called Ukraine a "Nazi regime" and a "NATO puppet". It included a picture of IRSP members posing in front of Free Derry Corner with the flags of the Soviet Union and the Donetsk Republic. This was condemned by local SDLP councillors. The party boasted about
5162-455: The decision to run in the election as wasteful, believing that the allocated resources would be better spent on weapons. Following the election, Steenson later changed his mind with regards to elections, declaring that the party should have run more candidates. In December 1981, with Steenson fearing that the Dublin INLA leadership would make a move on him following his efforts to set up a parallel organisation, planned an assassination attempt on
5251-414: The end of the famine, and under 17,000 by 1911. Irish is recognised by the Constitution of Ireland as the national and first official language of Republic of Ireland (English being the other official language). Despite this, almost all government business and legislative debate is conducted in English. In 1938, the founder of Conradh na Gaeilge (Gaelic League), Douglas Hyde , was inaugurated as
5340-465: The executive of the IRSP. In December 1975 she resigned following the failure of a motion to be passed which would have brought the INLA under the control of the IRSP Ard Comhairle (executive committee). This led to the resignation of half the Ard Comhairle , which weakened the party. Tony Gregory , a future Dublin TD , was also a member for a short time. In one of the first of the INLA's armed operations, Billy McMillen , commanding officer of
5429-430: The first President of Ireland . The record of his delivering his inaugural Declaration of Office in Roscommon Irish is one of only a few recordings of that dialect. In the 2016 census, 10.5% of respondents stated that they spoke Irish, either daily or weekly, while over 70,000 people (4.2%) speak it as a habitual daily means of communication. From the foundation of the Irish Free State in 1922 (see History of
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#17327730919285518-498: The language family, is derived from the Old Irish term. Endonyms of the language in the various modern Irish dialects include: Gaeilge [ˈɡeːlʲɟə] in Galway, Gaeilg / Gaeilic / Gaeilig [ˈɡeːlʲəc] in Mayo and Ulster , Gaelainn / Gaoluinn [ˈɡeːl̪ˠən̠ʲ] in West/Cork, Kerry Munster , as well as Gaedhealaing in mid and East Kerry/Cork and Waterford Munster to reflect local pronunciation. Gaeilge also has
5607-410: The language was in use by all classes, Irish being an urban as well as a rural language. This linguistic dynamism was reflected in the efforts of certain public intellectuals to counter the decline of the language. At the end of the 19th century, they launched the Gaelic revival in an attempt to encourage the learning and use of Irish, although few adult learners mastered the language. The vehicle of
5696-425: The language. For most of recorded Irish history , Irish was the dominant language of the Irish people , who took it with them to other regions , such as Scotland and the Isle of Man , where Middle Irish gave rise to Scottish Gaelic and Manx . It was also, for a period, spoken widely across Canada , with an estimated 200,000–250,000 daily Canadian speakers of Irish in 1890. On the island of Newfoundland ,
5785-402: The laws which were enacted by partitionist governments and representing the interests of the ruling class. The IRSP are not abstentionist in principle, but they would support abstentionism in certain situations for tactical reasons. The IRSP will also consider contesting any particular election on the basis of a thorough analysis of the conditions prevailing at the time. IRSP believes that
5874-399: The mid-18th century, English was becoming a language of the Catholic middle class, the Catholic Church and public intellectuals, especially in the east of the country. Increasingly, as the value of English became apparent, parents sanctioned the prohibition of Irish in schools. Increasing interest in emigrating to the United States and Canada was also a driver, as fluency in English allowed
5963-497: The name of the language is Gaeilge , from the South Connacht form, spelled Gaedhilge prior the spelling reform of 1948, which was originally the genitive of Gaedhealg , the form used in Classical Gaelic . The modern spelling results from the deletion of the silent ⟨dh⟩ in Gaedhilge . Older spellings include Gaoidhealg [ˈɡeːʝəlˠəɡ] in Classical Gaelic and Goídelc [ˈɡoiðʲelɡ] in Old Irish . Goidelic , used to refer to
6052-409: The new immigrants to get jobs in areas other than farming. An estimated one quarter to one third of US immigrants during the Great Famine were Irish speakers. Irish was not marginal to Ireland's modernisation in the 19th century, as is often assumed. In the first half of the century there were still around three million people for whom Irish was the primary language, and their numbers alone made them
6141-451: The nicknames "Pinkie and Perky". In 1986, Steenson, Jimmy Brown , and Martin "Rook" O'Prey formed the Irish People's Liberation Organisation (IPLO), consisting of disaffected and expelled INLA members, with the express intention of wiping out the INLA and IRSP and to replace it with their own organisation. He argued in letters, written while he was in prison in the early 1980s, that the INLA had become militarily "inefficient" and that
6230-522: The number now is between 20,000 and 30,000." In the 1920s, when the Irish Free State was founded, Irish was still a vernacular in some western coastal areas. In the 1930s, areas where more than 25% of the population spoke Irish were classified as Gaeltacht . Today, the strongest Gaeltacht areas, numerically and socially, are those of South Connemara , the west of the Dingle Peninsula , and northwest Donegal, where many residents still use Irish as their primary language. These areas are often referred to as
6319-570: The number of daily users in Ireland outside the education system, which in 2022 was 20,261 in the Gaeltacht and 51,707 outside it, totalling 71,968. In response to the 2021 census of Northern Ireland , 43,557 individuals stated they spoke Irish on a daily basis, 26,286 spoke it on a weekly basis, 47,153 spoke it less often than weekly, and 9,758 said they could speak Irish, but never spoke it. From 2006 to 2008, over 22,000 Irish Americans reported speaking Irish as their first language at home, with several times that number claiming "some knowledge" of
6408-503: The other official language, if not already passed in both official languages. In November 2016, RTÉ reported that over 2.3 million people worldwide were learning Irish through the Duolingo app. Irish president Michael D. Higgins officially honoured several volunteer translators for developing the Irish edition, and said the push for Irish language rights remains an "unfinished project". There are rural areas of Ireland where Irish
6497-557: The political party holding power in the Stormont Parliament , the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), was hostile to the language. The context of this hostility was the use of the language by nationalists. In broadcasting, there was an exclusion on the reporting of minority cultural issues, and Irish was excluded from radio and television for almost the first fifty years of the previous devolved government. After
6586-550: The reforming of the RUC into the PSNI as a cosmetic exercise and strongly opposes 'political policing' by the PSNI. They demand an immediate cessation of the activities of MI5 in the North and calls for their expulsion from Ireland. The IRSP does not believe that there is an ‘independent’ judiciary, or an objective judicial system, and that the judiciary both North and South presides over
6675-492: The relationship between the three Goidelic languages (Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Manx). Gaelic is a collective term for the Goidelic languages, and when the context is clear it may be used without qualification to refer to each language individually. When the context is specific but unclear, the term may be qualified, as Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic or Manx Gaelic. Historically the name "Erse" ( / ɜːr s / URS )
6764-488: The requirement for entrance to the public service was changed to proficiency in just one official language. Nevertheless, Irish remains a required subject of study in all schools in the Republic of Ireland that receive public money (see Education in the Republic of Ireland ). Teachers in primary schools must also pass a compulsory examination called Scrúdú Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge . As of 2005, Garda Síochána recruits need
6853-712: The revival was the Gaelic League ( Conradh na Gaeilge ), and particular emphasis was placed on the folk tradition, which in Irish is particularly rich. Efforts were also made to develop journalism and a modern literature. Although it has been noted that the Catholic Church played a role in the decline of the Irish language before the Gaelic Revival, the Protestant Church of Ireland also made only minor efforts to encourage use of Irish in
6942-465: The right to a home is a fundamental human right and that the state has a responsibility to deal with homelessness. The party's policy on abortion is that it should be legalised, available on demand and free of charge. Party members are often referred to as the "Irps" (pronounced "Erps"). In the late 1970s, Divis Flats in west Belfast became colloquially known as "the planet of the Irps" (a reference to
7031-726: The vacancy to which they are appointed. This requirement is laid down by the University College Galway Act, 1929 (Section 3). In 2016, the university faced controversy when it announced the planned appointment of a president who did not speak Irish. Misneach staged protests against this decision. The following year the university announced that Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh , a fluent Irish speaker, would be its 13th president. He assumed office in January 2018; in June 2024, he announced he would be stepping down as president at
7120-594: The work of such writers as Geoffrey Keating , is said to date from the 17th century, and was the medium of popular literature from that time on. From the 18th century on, the language lost ground in the east of the country. The reasons behind this shift were complex but came down to a number of factors: The change was characterised by diglossia (two languages being used by the same community in different social and economic situations) and transitional bilingualism (monoglot Irish-speaking grandparents with bilingual children and monoglot English-speaking grandchildren). By
7209-531: Was also sometimes used in Scots and then in English to refer to Irish; as well as Scottish Gaelic. Written Irish is first attested in Ogham inscriptions from the 4th century AD, a stage of the language known as Primitive Irish . These writings have been found throughout Ireland and the west coast of Great Britain. Primitive Irish underwent a change into Old Irish through the 5th century. Old Irish, dating from
7298-574: Was an Irish republican paramilitary and a leader of the Irish People's Liberation Organization during The Troubles . A Catholic , the son of Frank Steenson, he was born in 1957 and raised in heavily republican West Belfast . Nicknamed "Doctor Death" by the media and by the Royal Ulster Constabulary for the multiple assassinations he purportedly accomplished according to The New York Times However Fortnight alleges that he got his nickname after he dressed up in
7387-668: Was enacted 1 July 2019 and is an 18-page document that adheres to the guidelines of the Official Languages Act 2003 . The purpose of the Scheme is to provide services through the mediums of Irish and/or English. According to the Department of the Taoiseach, it is meant to "develop a sustainable economy and a successful society, to pursue Ireland's interests abroad, to implement the Government's Programme and to build
7476-589: Was establishing itself as the primary language. Irish speakers had first arrived in Australia in the late 18th century as convicts and soldiers, and many Irish-speaking settlers followed, particularly in the 1860s. New Zealand also received some of this influx. Argentina was the only non-English-speaking country to receive large numbers of Irish emigrants, and there were few Irish speakers among them. Gerard Steenson Irish National Liberation Army (1974–1986) Gerard Steenson (c. 1957 – 14 March 1987)
7565-513: Was eventually corrected. Candidates were fielded in Belfast West (1,103 first preference votes , 2.5%) and Foyle (766 first preference votes, 1.6%). Inactive Defunct The IRSP are Marxist–Leninist and Irish republican , seeking the establishment of an all-Ireland " worker's republic ". As of 2009, the IRSP stated that their objective will only be achieved exclusively through peaceful and political means, and in 2018 they launched
7654-474: Was passed 14 July 2003 with the main purpose of improving the number and quality of public services delivered in Irish by the government and other public bodies. Compliance with the Act is monitored by the An Coimisinéir Teanga (Irish Language Commissioner) which was established in 2004 and any complaints or concerns pertaining to the Act are brought to them. There are 35 sections included in
7743-693: Was spoken throughout Ireland, Isle of Man and parts of Scotland . It is the language of a large corpus of literature, including the Ulster Cycle . From the 12th century, Middle Irish began to evolve into modern Irish in Ireland, into Scottish Gaelic in Scotland, and into the Manx language in the Isle of Man . Early Modern Irish , dating from the 13th century, was the basis of the literary language of both Ireland and Gaelic-speaking Scotland. Modern Irish, sometimes called Late Modern Irish, as attested in
7832-442: Was unable to accomplish some everyday tasks, as portrayed in his documentary No Béarla . There is, however, a growing body of Irish speakers in urban areas, particularly in Dublin. Many have been educated in schools in which Irish is the language of instruction. Such schools are known as Gaelscoileanna at primary level. These Irish-medium schools report some better outcomes for students than English-medium schools. In 2009,
7921-489: Was viewed highly in the movement with Brown calling him a "committed and highly efficient military activist and a dedicated revolutionary". However he was described by Lord Justice Carswell as "a most dangerous and sinister terrorist. A ruthless and highly dedicated, resourceful and indefatigable planner of criminal exploits who did not hesitate to take a leading role in assassinations and other crimes". Henry McDonald and Jack Holland write "Both his friends and enemies spoke in
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