107-578: MacGorman ( Irish : Mac Gormáin ), also known as McGorman , Gorman , or O'Gorman ( Irish : Ó Gormáin ), is an Irish Gaelic clan based most prominently in what is today County Clare . The paternal ancestors of the clan are of the Laigin and emerged in what is today County Waterford . As leaders of the Uí Bairrche , they competed with the Uí Cheinnselaig in the 5th century for
214-560: A topographic name for someone who lived near a triangular piece of land. The German surname ( Görmann ) is sometimes a variant of Gehrmann . German Gorman can also be of Slavic origin, from an occupational name, derived from the Slavic góra meaning "mountain". One of the earliest mentions of the name "Gorman" can be found in a reference by Geoffrey of Monmouth to a Danish king named "Gormandus" who raided parts of Britain around 593 AD and settled near South Wexford. Early bearers of
321-547: 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
428-753: A Catholic priest from Canada ; he found information at the Records Office in Dublin about the fate of the Tullycrine estate and found that Máel Sechlainn Mac Gormáin's property was confirmed by Charles II in 1679 to have passed to one Captain William Hamilton. Family tradition; especially among the diaspora in North America where some descendants ended up; states the land was confiscated during Cromwellian times and this may have simply been
535-717: 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
642-575: 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
749-595: A charter to the Holy Cross Abbey, Thurles . One of the most notable members of the family was a female, who became Queen of Thomond. Éadaoin Nic Ghormáin (1321–1367) married Muirchertach Ó Briain (1289–1343), King of Thomond and they included among their children, two further kings; Mathghamhain Maonmhaighe Ó Briain (died 1369) and Toirdelbach Maol Ó Briain (died 1398). Their descendants include
856-501: A confirmation of an earlier fact. They are later found around their former estates as simply tenant farmers at Tarmon. A significant number of Gormans moved out of County Clare into County Tipperary . During the Penal Laws , Catholics were persecuted and blocks put in their way to stop them from owning significant tracts of land and generally building themselves up in society. It is this social situation which would eventually lead to
963-478: 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,
1070-553: 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
1177-460: 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
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#17327874702641284-604: A group of them made for Ulster and another made westwards towards Daire Seanleath in Uaithne Cliach ( Uaithne Cliach is the modern barony of Owney , in County Limerick ). The family then settled in lands controlled by the O'Briens, settling in the area of Ibrackan. The Mac Gormáin family of Ibrickan were known in the 15th century for their wealth, hospitality and their patronage of the Gaelic poets. The first of
1391-770: A land owner in the area and was raised to Viscount Clare in 1662. After the overthrow of James II of England in the Revolution of 1688 and the failure of the Jacobites during the Williamite War in Ireland , these lands were going to be "given" to the Dutchman, Arnold van Keppel, Earl of Albemarle but as he had no interest in them they were instead “given” over to Francis Burton , Nicholas Westby and James MacDonnell in 1698. According to John Robert O'Gorman,
1498-536: A number of Mac Gormáin are found to have been in prominent clerical roles as writers and teachers. Some of the most significant of these were invited to Airgíalla by Donnchadh Ó Cearbhaill . A religious reformer and a prominent political player, Donnchadh had just conquered territory from the Conaille Muirtheimne (what is today County Louth ) and established Arrouaisian Order religious foundations at Louth , Knockabbey and Termonfeckin there. From
1605-585: 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
1712-575: 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
1819-802: A prophecy which envisaged that Subhne would have his head cut off by his own brother and that his severed head would be thrown in the River Barrow. Suibhne's brother Failbe eventually married Eithne, daughter of Crundmael mac Rónáin , King of the Uí Cheinnselaig. Various branches of the Uí Bairrche are mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters with the advent of the Viking Age in Ireland . This includes Conn mac Cinaedh (died 866) of
1926-582: A reference to their role as hereditary marshals of the O'Briens of Thomond, the standard bearers and lifeguards who would accompany the (O'Brien) king as the first ones on and last ones off the field of battle. The Latin motto translates as "first and last in war". In 1763, the arms were allowed by the Ulster King of Arms to Thomas O'Gorman (fourth in descent from Mahon O'Gorman) and to Thomas O'Gorman (fourth in descent from Denis O'Gorman, brother of Cahir O'Gorman). Surnames that are variants of, or that share
2033-625: 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
2140-599: A similar etymology to Gorman are: 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 the Goidelic language group of the Insular Celtic sub branch of the family and is indigenous to the island of Ireland . It
2247-545: 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
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#17327874702642354-401: A “difficult month” if the 7th century AD poem about the early Kings of Tara named Baile Chuinn Chétchathaig is to be believed. The Uí Bairrche are thought to have originally held lands around what is today County Wexford in the area named after them; Bargy (Uí Bairrche). At this time they were very powerful, as one of the sons of Dáire Barrach named Muiredach Mo Sníthech is listed by
2461-452: 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
2568-601: Is also a Ráth Gormáin (Rathgorman) in County Down . Murchadh mac Eachthighearn was driven from his territories of Uí Bairrche by the Norman invaders Walter de Riddlesford , John de Clahull and Hugh de Lacy during the 1170s. Riddlesford, who took over as a master at Carlow , had married the daughter of a bastard son of a king Henry I of England which left him in a prominent position among his own people. At first Murchadh settled at Daire Seanleath in Uaithne Cliach (what
2675-511: 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
2782-587: 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
2889-412: 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
2996-525: Is today Owney , County Limerick), but his son Cumeth mac Murchadh was invited by Donnchadh Cairprech Ó Briain , King of Thomond to settle in Uí Bhreacáin (what is known as Ibrickan , County Clare ). In fact the Mac Gormáin had built a good relationship with the Ó Briain prior to the Norman invasion, as early as 1168, as Scanlan mac Gormáin supported Domhnall Mór Ó Briain , by witnessing for him
3103-666: 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
3210-550: The Vita sancti Patricii (Life of St. Patrick), contained in the Book of Armagh . When the Uí Bairrche had returned to Leinster, they moved to Slíabh Mairge ( Slievemargy ), in what is today the south-east corner of County Laois , as well as parts of County Carlow and County Kilkenny . The kindred still had a prominent position; the mother of Diarmait mac Cerbaill (died 565), the last High King of Ireland inaugurated according to
3317-595: The Annales of William Camden . What these sources say is that around 593 AD, Gormáin invaded Britain, fought several battles and sacked a number of monasteries. He is said to have sacked the Llanbadarn Fawr monastery, Ceredigion and Camden claims the Amesbury monastery containing three hundred monks was destroyed by him. His name is sometimes stylised differently such as Gormandus, Gordmundus or Gurmundus. In
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3424-557: The Gaelic Mac Gormáin and Ó Gormáin , meaning "son of Gormán " and "descendant of Gormán ". The personal name Gormán is derived from the diminutive of gorm , meaning "dark blue", "noble". One English origin of the name is from the Middle English personal name Gormund ( Old English Garmund ). This name is made up of the elements gar "spear" + mund "protection". The English surname Gorman can also be
3531-616: The Great Hunger in the 1840s. Although the majority of the Gormans remained Catholic, a number converted to the Anglican Church of Ireland for pragmatic reasons. These are listed by James Frost as Sylvester Gorman of Drumellihy in 1750, James Gorman of Killilahane in 1758 and finally Thady Gorman of Sheeaun in 1766. The last two are described as gentlemen. Chevalier Thomas O’Gorman also lived during this time period. He
3638-688: The Kingship of Leinster , ultimately losing out in that specific arena, but holding on to significant lands in the Leinster area. Through influence over the Sletty monastery founded by Fiacha mac Breccáin , the family played a role in early Christianity in Ireland . The Life of St. Patrick from the Book of Armagh was authored on the request of Áed of Sletty . As well as this, the mother of Columba of Iona came from this dynasty. After working to fight off
3745-631: 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 ")
3852-694: The Uí Bairrche Tire , who we are told died while “demolishing the fortress of the foreigners”, most likely the settlement at Dublin on the River Liffey . Around the area of Uí Bairrche and the Laigin more generally, we know that the Vikings pillaged Dún Másc in 842 and established a settlement at Loch Garman (later known as Wexford), close to Bargy. Just prior to the Norman invasion of Ireland ,
3959-624: The Vikings in Dublin and Waterford , the MacGormans eventually lost out to the Normans in the 12th century. The family relocated to Thomond upon being invited by the Ó Briain . From this point on they were Lords of Uí Bhreacáin until losing influence when Thomond's sovereignty came to an end. There are multiple origins for the surname Gorman . The Irish name is an Anglicised form of
4066-634: 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
4173-789: 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
4280-400: 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
4387-563: The 5th century poet Laidcenn mac Bairchid , as a King of Leinster and may have possibly even ruled at the Hill of Tara . The kingship of the Uí Bairrche descended through another son of Dáire named Fiacha. What is known from this time is that the Uí Bairrche lost out in a power struggle with their cousins the Uí Cheinnselaig , who as a consequence pushed them out of their lands and allowed the Déisi Muman to settle there instead, according to
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4494-403: 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
4601-571: 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
4708-826: The Cromwellian side during the conflict, certain Catholics in other parts of Ireland were “transplanted” to Connacht (which then included County Thomond), to make way for the Protestant English incomers on better lands. This included the Norman-descended Catholics, Annie and Martha Eustace who were; according to the Act of Settlement 1662 ; transplanted into the lands of what was Mac Gormáin territory in Dromelihy. Ó Briain himself still remained
4815-404: 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
4922-425: 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
5029-445: The Mac Gormáin family, Máel Caoimhghin Mac Gormáin was put in place as the master of Louth and abbot of Termonfeckin and Máel Muire Mac Gormáin as the abbot of Knockabbey. Máel Muire (Marianus) is the man who authored the Martyrology of Gorman in 1166. There were other prominent Mac Gormáín clerics in the north around this time; Fionn Mac Gormáin , Bishop of Kildare and abbot of Newry (also founded by Donnchadh Ó Cearbhaill, on
5136-497: The Normans in the first place, the Mac Gormáin were not willing to be turned out again. Throughout the rest of the period of Gaelic rule in Thomond, the Mac Gormáin continued to hold a significant position in society. Indeed, Domhnall Mac Gormáin (died 1484) was described as the wealthiest man in all of Ireland in terms of the livestock in his possession. The king during this period would have been Conchobhar na Srona Ó Briain . It must be remembered that, during Domhnall's life, cattle
5243-424: 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 ,
5350-425: The account of Geoffrey of Monmouth he is bizarrely transformed into a king of Africa. Most of the native Annals in Ireland which are untouched by the Normans and Arthurian literature are quiet on the matter. In the 7th century, Suibhne mac Domhnall; grandson of Cormac mac Diarmata; came into conflict with Fintán of Taghmon (died 635), also known as Munnu . After allegedly being insulted by Suibhne, this abbot made
5457-404: The barony of Moyferta, which consisted of 1024 people. In the 17th century O'Gorman was a principal name of County Armagh ; and McGorman was a principal name of counties Monaghan and Louth . In 1890 most O'Gormans are found in County Clare. According to historian C. Thomas Cairney, the MacGormans were one of the chiefly families of the Uí Bairrche who were a tribe of the Erainn who were
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#17327874702645564-420: The battlefield, the shield that covered him." The Wars of Thomond , as the events of these times were called, were essentially a civil war between two rival branches of the Ó Briain; the conflicting branches were known as Clann Tadhg and Clann Brian Ruadh. There was also the added factor of Norman divide and rule intrigue. Briain Ruadh Ó Briain and his nephew Toirdelbach mac Tadhg Ó Briain came into conflict over
5671-577: 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
5778-440: The encouragement of Maelmhaedhoc Ó Morgair ), who helped to author the Book of Leinster with Áed mac Crimthainn and finally Flann Mac Gormáin (1099–1174), the chief lector of the School of Armagh and all Ireland. The latter spent twenty-one years at universities in Paris and Oxford before working on the development of a similar institution at Armagh. This had been established by Ruairí Ó Conchubhair , High King of Ireland and
5885-414: 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
5992-428: The family bear the names Gorman or O'Gorman despite the original Gaelic names was Mac Gormáin . According to MacLysaght , this is because at the time of the Gaelic revival in Ireland, the majority of bearers of the name had dropped all prefixes from their name. Though with the revival many Gormans mistaking added the historically incorrect prefix ( O' ) because they did not know any better. MacLysaght thought that
6099-435: The family to settle in Munster was Murtagh, son of Donogh. The chiefs of the family held parts of the lands of Moyarta and Ibrackan in County Clare . A branch of the family were hereditary marshalls to the O'Briens and held lands in Clare. The family is listed as one of the septs of Thomond in 1317. Today the members of the family bear Anglicised names such as Gorman , MacGorman , McGorman , and O'Gorman . Most members of
6206-432: The family, Fiacha mac Breccáin was said to have been converted to Christianity by Patrick himself. Fiacha was a bard and his uncle Dubthach maccu Lugair was the Chief Ollamh of Ireland ; the conversion of the two helped to reconcile elements of native Gaelic tradition with Christianity. Fiacha founded a monastery at Sleaty and is considered a saint by Christians. His brother Ailill Mór mac Breccáin moved north during
6313-430: 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
6420-410: The highest rank of judge, and an ollam rí the highest rank of king. Ollav was also applied to a druidic rank; meaning much the same as "professor", or person of great learning. There was an official post in ancient Ireland called the " Rí Ollam" or "Ard Ollam" or Chief Ollam of Ireland . The holder of the post had a standing equal to the High King of Ireland. Ollamh Fodhla was the title of
6527-422: The kingship of Thomond. As part of a plan to win back the kingdom, Briain Ruadh went to Thomas de Clare (a Norman), close friend of king Edward I of England and attempted to enlist his support in return for land to colonise. A seven-year civil war ensued with Toirdelbach emerging victorious, with help from the Mac Con Mara , Ó Deághaidh and of course, the Mac Gormáin clans. Evidently, having been driven West by
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#17327874702646634-417: The landing of Oliver Cromwell in 1649; The Mac Gormáin of Cahermurphy actually took part in one of the most significant and controversial events in Thomond of the Rebellion of 1641 and that was the Siege of Tromra Castle . The castle had been taken over by English Protestant settlers, the family of Peter Ward, protected by Sir Domhnall Ó Briain . An ambitious raid on the castle, looking to take livestock,
6741-498: 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
6848-410: 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
6955-425: 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 ,
7062-449: The man who was chiefly responsible for the choice in the prefix was the Frenchman Chevalier Thomas O'Gorman (1725–1808), who constructed Irish pedigrees after being ruined in the French Revolution . Within the 1669 Census of Ireland, the surnames Gormon and Gorman are listed as principal names for two baronies within County Clare: 9 Gormons are recorded in the Islands barony which consisted of 1651 people; and 6 Gormans are recorded in
7169-399: 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
7276-497: 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
7383-409: 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
7490-520: The newly formed Second French Republic in 1840 and returned with the Irish Tricolour which later became the national flag after 1922. The coat of arms of O'Gorman ( pictured ) are blazoned azure a lion passant between three swords erect argent ; the crest an arm embowed in armour, grasping in the hard a sword, blade wavy, all proper. ; and the mottoes "TUS AGUS DEIREADH AN CATHA" (Irish) and "INITIUM FINEMQUE BELLO" ( Latin ). The Irish motto translates as "The beginning and end of battle",
7597-522: 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
7704-503: 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
7811-538: The owner of Tulach an Chrainn ( Tullycrine ) and known for his wife's association with a certain "holy well” at Kilmihil . There was also a Scannláin Mac Gormáin who owned the castle at Cathair Murchadha ( Cahermurphy ) in the early 1620s. The 1640s were a particularly troublesome period, with the Rising of 1641 and all of the events which followed it, including the Irish Confederate Wars and finally
7918-557: 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
8025-516: The political turmoil in Leinster and his grandson Sinnell mac Manach was Abbot of Cleenish ( Cluan Innish ) and later considered a saint; it is here, under Sinnell , that Columbanus began his studies. The mother of Colm Cille ( Columba of Iona ) named Eithne also descended from Ailill Mór mac Breccáin. Later on, in the 7th century, Aodh, the Abbot of Sleaty was the man who requested the writing of
8132-633: The reign of the Stuart dynasty king James I of England , the Mac Gormáin held lands from Tadhg Caech Mac Mathghamha, Lord of West Corcavaskin , specifically named lands in their hands include; Clooncullin , Kilmacduane , Ballynagur , Moyarta , Knockerra , Clohanbeg , Clohamore and Cahermurphy. During the reign of Charles I of England , Máel Sechlainn Mac Gormáin (died 1 May 1605) held lands at Drom Oilche ( Dromelihy ) and passed them onto his son Diarmuid Mac Gormáin. At Drom Díogais ( Drumdigus ) we find lands held by Tadhg Mac Gormáin (died 1630) also
8239-492: 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 )
8346-488: 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
8453-575: The rest of the Kings of Thomond . The context in which this marriage came about, is to be taken from the famous 14th century literary work Caithréim Thoirdhealbhaigh ("The Triumphs of Turlough"), which mentions that the Mac Gormáin family had become Standard Bearers of the Clann Tadhg branch of the Ó Briain, stating that Cuebha Mac Gormáin was for Muirchertach's father Toirdelbach mac Tadhg Ó Briain his "close door of protection while he slept and, on
8560-712: 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
8667-650: The second wave of Celts to settle in Ireland between about 500 and 100 BC . The Uí Bairrche kindred of the Laigin took their name from Dairé Barrach, a son of Cathair Mór , who lived during the 2nd century AD. It is possible that they are mentioned in Ptolemy ’s Geographia as the Brigantes ; it is unknown what connection, if any, they have to similarly named groups in Britain or Europe. Ptolemy may have simply used
8774-694: The surname are William Gorman in 1296 and Adam Garman in 1327. The John atte Gore recorded in 1296 within the Sussex Subsidy Rolls is identical with the John Gorman recorded in 1332. Most of the following is taken from a family history composed by Allan O'Gorman of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in 1966, based largely on notes obtained from Father John Robert O'Gorman of Renfrew, Ontario, Canada, who conducted family research at Dublin Castle in 1903. A copy of Allan O'Gorman's document
8881-595: The tales in the Expulsion of the Déisi . Indeed, they only returned when Eochaidh Guinech of the Uí Bairrche killed his maternal grandfather Crimthann mac Énnai , King of Leinster in 483. Eochaidh “took the oak with its root” (made total war) with the Déisi and subsequently drove part of them into Ossory . The Uí Bairrche had an important role in the early days of the Christian Church in Ireland . A member of
8988-607: The term because of its phonetic similarity. In any case, Dairé lived at Dún Ailinne , one of the ancient Gaelic royal sites of Ireland and capital of the Laigin, located in what is now County Kildare . From here he gained a pupil in Mug Nuadat , ancestor of the Eóganachta , whom he supported in becoming King of Munster in conflict with Conn of the Hundred Battles . Dáire himself may have been High King of Ireland for
9095-514: The traditional Gaelic pagan rites, was Corbach, daughter of Maine, a member of the Uí Bairrche. A notable king of the age was Cormac mac Diarmata , whom many Christian hagiographies associated with their rivals the Uí Cheinnselaig or the Osaraighe; such as that of Abbán and Cainnech of Aghaboe ; paint him as pillaging monasteries and the like. Cormac and his brother Crimthann are also described as being in conflict with Finnian of Clonard . Cormac
9202-726: 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
9309-493: The vocation was usually a family tradition. As early as 574, members of the Ó hUiginn ( O'Higgins ) clan were recorded as hereditary poets in the courts of Irish Princes and Chiefs. As such they were accorded a status of nobility second in rank only to the King and were entitled to wear the same number of colours in their robes. The term was also used to refer to the highest member of any group; thus an ollam brithem would be
9416-594: 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
9523-632: The year 1543, Thomond joined the Kingdom of Ireland under the Tudor dynasty of the king Henry VIII of England . The formerly sovereign King of Thomond, Murchadh Carrach Ó Briain became the Earl of Thomond in the peerage of Ireland . His nephew, Donnchadh Ó Briain , who had long since joined the English service, became Baron Ibrackan (named for the territory associated with the Mac Gormáin). During
9630-411: 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 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
9737-570: Was a High Sheriff of Clare . A nationalist figure, the O'Gorman Mahon , also carried the family name, but this was from his mother Barbara O'Gorman. On the more radical republican end of the political spectrum, Richard O'Gorman (1820–1895) was a member of the Young Ireland movement which rose in the Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848 . Indeed, along with William Smith O'Brien and Thomas Francis Meagher , he visited
9844-648: Was a Jacobite from near Tullycrine and served with the Irish Brigade of the French Army . He married into the French aristocracy but lost out during the French Revolution . He was a noted genealogist, owning for some time the Book of Ballymote . A number of members of the family, under the name O'Gorman, played a prominent role in Irish national politics. Nicholas Purcell O'Gorman (1778–1857)
9951-653: Was a barrister who worked with Daniel O'Connell , "the Liberator" towards the goal of Catholic Emancipation in Ireland; indeed O'Gorman was the Secretary of the Catholic Association . One of his sons, Major Purcell O'Gorman (1818–1888) was a Member of Parliament for Waterford City as a member of the Home Rule League and a supporter of Parnell . His older brother, Nicholas Smith O'Gorman ,
10058-410: Was a master in a particular trade or skill. Generally, ollam referred to a professional poet or bard of literature and history, and a member of the highest of the seven ranks of filí , achieved after at least twelve years of study, As part of a king's court, the ollam might combine the functions of poet, story-teller, and historian, including an accurate recitation of genealogies. The calling to
10165-531: 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
10272-562: Was closely associated with Comgall and gave him some lands, before retiring to become a monk at Bangor . One of the more unusual stories is that of Gormáin mac Diarmata, another brother of Cormac. He is mentioned in various sources, including the Annals of Ireland written by Friar John Clyn and Thady Dowling , the Topography of Ireland by Gerald of Wales , the History of the Kings of Britain by Geoffrey of Monmouth and even
10379-816: Was dedicated to Patrick. This school was never allowed to develop to its full potential as it was soon destroyed by the Normans . It is likely that the latter-day Gormans and McGormans of County Monaghan and County Antrim originate from this population movement. Mac Gormáin heritage in the north is remembered in several place names referencing them. The majority of these are in County Monaghan; Feartach Ghormáin (Fartagorman) in Magheross , Coill Uí Ghormáin (Killygorman) in Killeevan , and Lios Gormáin (Lisdungorman) in Clontibret . Aside from this, there
10486-668: 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
10593-630: 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. Ollave An ollam or ollamh ( Old Irish: [ˈol͈aṽ] ; anglicised as ollave or ollav ), plural ollomain , in early Irish literature ,
10700-598: Was forced from the lands with the arrival of the Normans and moved into County Monaghan . According to James Frost, the family was likely driven from the lands by the Norman lord Walter de Riddlesford, who became the master of Carlow at around this time. A poem, written by Maoelin Oge MacBrody (the MacBrodys were the ollaves of the Uí Bairrche), states that after the Mac Gormáin family was driven from its lands
10807-513: Was led by Edmond O'Flaherty from the Aran Islands , joined by men from Connemara (what used to be Iar Connacht ). Some of the local clans of Thomond also joined in. Three members of the Ward family died but the rest made it out to safety, fleeing to Dublin. In 1641, Dromelihy was under the ownership of Domhnall Mac Gormáin, Cathair Mac Gormáin and Sir Domhnall Ó Briain. After the victory of
10914-474: 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
11021-700: Was presented to Naoise Cleary and Ger Kennedy of the Clare Cultural Centre in Corofin, County Clare, in July, 1989, by Brendan Vincent Justin O'Gorman of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a great-nephew of Father John Robert O'Gorman. According to Keating , the Mac Gormáin family descended from the chieftains of the Uí Bairrche . The family lived in Leinster and held the lands of Slievemargy in present-day County Laois and lands near Carlow . The family
11128-693: 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
11235-537: Was the main element of the pastoral economy; the Gaelic kingdoms did not mint their own coinage. So to be wealthy in terms of livestock was the main measure of wealth in Gaelic Ireland . The Mac Gormáin were known having open houses, nourishing the poor and being patrons of a bardic poet, especially the Mac Bruaideadha family. Indeed, Tadhg mac Dáire Mhic Bhruaideadha authored a poem about them. In
11342-551: 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 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
11449-442: 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,
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