88-618: The Skellig Islands ( Irish : Na Scealaga ), historically " the Skellocks ", are two small, steep, and rocky islands lying about 13 km (8 mi) west of Bolus Head off the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry , Ireland . The larger of the two is Skellig Michael (also known as Great Skellig), famous for an early Christian monastery that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Together with Little Skellig , they make up
176-547: 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
264-518: A 364-hectare (899-acre) Important Bird Area . Also known as Great Skellig ( Sceilig Mhichíl in Irish ), this is the larger of the two islands, with two peaks rising to over 230 m (750 ft) above sea level. With a sixth-century Christian monastery perched at 160 m (520 ft) above sea level on a ledge close to the top of the lower peak, Great Skellig is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Birdwatch Ireland were concerned that
352-717: 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
440-575: 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
528-404: A chilling mood, but Byzantium struggles to match its creepily alluring atmosphere with a suitably compelling story." Metacritic gave the film a "generally favorable" score of 66 based on reviews from 22 sampled reviewers. Critic Steven Boone, writing for Roger Ebert, wrote that, "the way screenwriter Moira Buffini [...] weaves threads of history, folklore, feminist spirit and universal themes
616-478: 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,
704-553: 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
792-409: A false sense of comfort before killing them. Viewers may be unsettled by her “destructive beauty and charm of womanhood” that conflicts with the brutality of her actions. Interestingly, the monsters of this film are not explicitly called vampires, but are instead soucriants . According to Hobson and Anyiwo (2016), this term “arises from Caribbean folklore of “vampire witch[es].” Witches, throughout
880-560: 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
968-433: A form of feminine agency,” many viewers still find her actions to be the result of her vulnerability to “patriarchal narratives of submission, victimization, and helplessness.” By facilitating the exploitation of women, similar to how she was exploited, she appears to perpetuate and profit from the exploitation of other vulnerable girls. Regardless of its flaws, Byzantium’s exploration of feminine power and motherhood makes it
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#17327804603631056-460: 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
1144-433: A low-born prostitute has joined their ranks but decide to spare her life, warning her that she must abide by their code but that she may play no part in their Brotherhood. Clara, alone and desperate after her banishment, secretly visits Eleanor at night. Shortly afterwards, Clara's decision to spare Ruthven comes back to haunt her, when the vengeful, syphilis-ridden Captain turns up at Eleanor's orphanage and drags her down to
1232-585: 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
1320-575: 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
1408-505: A powerful vampire is limited by her portrayal as a prostitute for the two hundred years of her life. In her meeting with the Brotherhood, after she’s turned, Clara aspires to become an avenging angel for women assaulted by men; however, she remains an active participant in the exploitative system and recruits other women to participate in sex work as well. Though some argue that “Clara’s two hundred years of sex work might be understood as
1496-625: 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
1584-446: A representation of the monstrous feminine, Clara’s embrace of her femininity and sexuality is a tangible realization of the patriarchal fears of the Brotherhood. The “archetype of mother” is a prevalent characteristic of the monstrous feminine. Monstrous motherhood, alongside the exploitation of gender, emphasizes the fragility of human relationships. The focus on the fraught and codependent relationship between mother and daughter blurs
1672-554: A series of flashbacks over the course of the film, begins during the Napoleonic Wars , when a young Clara encounters two Royal Navy officers, Captain Ruthven and Midshipman Darvell. Much to the dismay of Darvell, Clara leaves with Ruthven, who forces her into prostitution after raping her. When Eleanor is born in 1804, Clara leaves her at a private orphanage. Years later, Clara is dying of what appears to be tuberculosis when
1760-526: A vampire so they can be together, since he is dying from leukaemia . Before killing him, Clara finds out from Kevin that Eleanor has told Frank of their past. Noel is accidentally killed, falling down the lift shaft, when Clara tries to prevent Eleanor from leaving the hotel and succeeds in trapping her in the lift. While Clara is out dealing with Frank, Darvell and Savella, the Brethren's leader, posing as police, find out from Kevin's colleague Morag where Clara
1848-545: 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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#17327804603631936-572: Is a 2012 Irish Gothic dramatic horror film directed by Neil Jordan . The film stars Gemma Arterton , Saoirse Ronan , and Sam Riley . Byzantium had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2012, and was released in the United Kingdom on 31 May 2013. The film received generally positive reviews who praised its direction, fresh approach to the vampire narrative and
2024-482: Is a recurring characteristic of vampirism, through both film and literature. Beyond the subversion of gender expectations, Clara and Eleanor challenge traditional vampire norms as they are physically visible. They can be seen in mirrors (as seen in the scene where she kills a member of the Brotherhood) and they can move around in the light. However, unlike The Hunger , in which wealth provides invisibility, Clara
2112-452: 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
2200-542: Is and go to kill her. Clara leaves without killing Frank when she realises that Eleanor is in mortal danger. The Brethren kidnap Eleanor and drive her to an abandoned fairground to destroy her, only to be stopped by Clara. After killing Morag, Savella battles Clara and ultimately subdues her. Savella hands Darvell his sword, which he took from Byzantium during the Crusades , so he can kill Clara. Darvell, who has always harboured feelings for Clara, kills Savella instead. On
2288-406: Is chased from the lap-dancing club where she has been working. Werner, a member of the vampiric Brethren, demands to know where Eleanor is and captures her after an extended chase. Clara decapitates Werner, burns his body and leaves town with her daughter. Eleanor and Clara seek sanctuary in a dilapidated coastal resort. There, Clara sets her sights on a lonely soul named Noel, who has just inherited
2376-504: Is closed to the public. It is also one of the world's largest northern gannet colonies, and is of international importance. The island's highest point is 134 m (440 ft) above sea level and is located approximately 1.5 km (1 mi) east-northeast of the island of Skellig Michael. Both of the Skellig islands are known for their seabird colonies, and together compose one of the most important seabird sites in Ireland, both for
2464-473: Is consistently depicted as inferior to her male counterparts, and her existence as a female vampire inherently alienates her in the patriarchal Brotherhood. Jordan’s use of flashbacks allows viewers to empathize with Clara while also emphasizing the inherent violence of the patriarchy. During her early adolescence, Clara is lured by Ruthven, a captain in the military, reminiscent of the devil’s temptation of Eve . Moreover, as they ride away, viewers are struck by
2552-511: 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
2640-466: Is invisible due to her prostitution. Those vulnerable in society (i.e., sex workers) are often Othered and are considered to be on the outside of “acceptable” society. As a result, they are able to move in the shadows with their social status limiting their visibility. While this invisibility allows Clara to hide from the Brotherhood, it has proved fatal for marginalized populations as they face lower access to social services. For many, Clara’s depiction as
2728-587: 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
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2816-412: 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
2904-507: Is striking," praising also the camera work but finding fault with the amount of violence. Philip French writing for The Guardian, found that "Byzantium is a complex film that combines a traditional gothic horror story (though not one that sticks to traditional vampire law), social history and a realistic account of dealing with authentic physical distress." Both French and Boone were of the opinion that Byzantium compared favorably to director Neil Jordan's previous vampire film, Interview with
2992-666: 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
3080-536: 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
3168-631: 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 ")
3256-634: 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
3344-725: 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
3432-403: 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
3520-571: 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
3608-624: The Byzantium Hotel, a once-thriving business that has fallen into disrepair. Eleanor plays the piano in a restaurant and is approached by a young waiter named Frank, who takes a shine to her. Having seduced Noel, Clara turns the Byzantium into a makeshift brothel and Eleanor joins the local college which Frank also attends. Interested in her past, Frank questions Eleanor, who writes her story for him to read. Not entirely believing it, he shows it to their teacher, Kevin. The story, revealed in
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3696-471: 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
3784-458: The Irish government allowed filming on a seabird sanctuary without third party consent. During the 2014 nesting season, black-legged kittiwake chicks in nests were swept into the sea by the downdraught from a helicopter and devoured by gulls. The smaller of the two islands is Little Skellig ( Sceilig Bheag in Irish ). ( grid reference V268618 ) It is Ireland's largest northern gannet ( Morus bassanus ) colony with almost 30,000 pairs, and
3872-549: 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
3960-620: 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 ,
4048-612: The Skellig Islands served as a location in the Werner Herzog 1976 movie Heart of Glass , where the islands feature in one of the prophecies by the seer Hias. Certain scenes from the 2012 movie Byzantium were also filmed here. In the Witcher fantasy literature series and its related video games, 'Skellige' is an archipelago visited by protagonist Geralt of Rivia . In the video game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt ,
4136-529: The Vampire and to other popular vampire films, with Boone specifically mentioning the Twilight movies. Through the exploitation of the monstrous feminine and female vampire tropes, Neil Jordan ’s Byzantium (2012) is a film that explores humanity through the experiences of the monstrous. This film follows the relationship of two female vampires who are later revealed to be mother and daughter. In contrast to
4224-430: The adoptive mother-vampire seen in Twilight , the vampire mother (Clara) in Byzantium is also her daughter’s (Eleanor) biological mother. As a result, Jordan’s film explores the themes of instinctual motherhood, humanity, and above all, femininity. Clara, as the vampire matriarch , embodies the monstrous feminine and thus “represent[s] [a] liberating and transformative figure.” The monstrous feminine in cinema relies on
4312-400: The basement to rape her. Clara brutally murders him but she is too late; Eleanor is condemned to a slow, painful death. Desperate to save her daughter's life, Clara takes Eleanor to the island and has her transformed into a vampire, violating the Brethren's code. The Brethren begin hunting Clara and Eleanor. In the 21st century, Eleanor falls in love with Frank and decides to help him turn into
4400-746: 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
4488-529: The bite of a vampire. In this film, however, humans are transformed by a faceless monster that bears an exact resemblance to them. The mirror nature of the monster forces individuals to confront their true selves, thus suggesting that eternal life is realized through the reconciliation of human imperfections and weaknesses. Clara’s rebirth as an eternal monster allows her to overcome her human susceptibilities and reconciles her motherhood and femininity. The blood-filled waterfalls seen following her transformation, and
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#17327804603634576-456: The brothel is visited by Darvell, who has become a vampire. He gives Ruthven a map to an island where people can become vampires if they are willing to die. Clara shoots Ruthven in the leg, steals the map and makes her way to the island to become a vampire. Darvell finds Clara and takes her to the Brethren, a secret society of vampires that protects the secret of vampirism. As their members have traditionally been male nobles, they are appalled that
4664-589: The clear water, an abundance of life, and underwater cliffs down to 60 m (200 feet). The final scene of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was shot on Skellig in July 2015, with additional filming taking place there in September 2015 for The Last Jedi , the following film in the series. The remains of the Skellig Michael monastery appear in the film, representing an ancient Jedi temple. Earlier,
4752-436: The course of history, have been targets of male aggression, and they continue to exist as symbols of feminine power as well as marginalization. The ruling vampire group, the Brotherhood, emphasizes Clara’s threat to their existence as they call her a witch while attempting to kill her. Their centuries-long vendetta and persecution parallel the marginalization and religious persecution of ‘deviant’ women believed to be witches. As
4840-474: 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
4928-560: 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
5016-498: The haunting image of the innocent girl in bright red. Her vulnerability is palpable, and her clothing parallels Red Riding Hood further emphasizing Ruthven as the wolf. While his explicit actions are unsettling, the social protection that the military affords him is symbolic of a greater institutional evil. Throughout history, men in positions of authority have utilized their power to exploit and harm women thus reinforcing patriarchal values and systems. To further his malevolent nature,
5104-465: The inhabitants of the islands can be heard speaking with an Irish accent. The manga Berserk (manga) contains a fantastical island called Skellig. 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
5192-716: 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
5280-410: 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
5368-425: 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 ,
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#17327804603635456-435: The lead performances of Arterton and Ronan. In 2010, an old man, Robert Fowlds, picks up a discarded note dropped by teenage vampire Eleanor Webb, who has taken to writing her life story and then throwing the individual pages to the wind. Realising what she is, the old man invites Eleanor to his house and tells her that he is ready for death. Eleanor proceeds to kill him and consume his blood. Elsewhere, Eleanor's mother, Clara,
5544-414: The lines between monstrosity and humanity. Clara’s protection of her daughter, even in situations where she lacks the supernatural advantage, is compelling evidence of her maternal strength. Monstrous motherhood is also seen visually through Clara’s transformation into a vampire. Traditional vampire stories often include the transformation as something intimate and sexual, a transformation that occurs from
5632-582: 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
5720-439: The name Ruthven pays homage to early vampire literature in which this character is “a mysterious, manipulative, and immoral seducer and killer.” Following his rape of a young Clara, Ruthven states “welcome to your adult life, whore.” This male aggression of the feminine body is terrifying as viewers understand that “[Clara] was introduced to her sexuality through sexual violence.” The monstrous brutality of his actions “shift[s]
5808-804: 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
5896-469: 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
5984-655: 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
6072-624: 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
6160-503: 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
6248-557: 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
6336-799: The population size and for the species diversity. The islands have been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because they support breeding populations of several species of seabirds . Among the breeding birds are European storm petrel , northern gannet , northern fulmar , Manx shearwater , black-legged kittiwake , common guillemot , razorbill and Atlantic puffin (with 4,000 or more puffins on Great Skellig alone). Red-billed choughs and peregrine falcons can also be seen. The surrounding waters have abundant wildlife with many Grey seals . Basking sharks , minke whales , dolphins ( Delphinidae ), beaked whales and leatherback sea turtles have also been recorded. The islands have many interesting recreational diving sites due to
6424-434: The qualities and associations of the monstrous away from the female vampire and on to Ruthven.” For female viewers, many of the acts of violence committed by Clara are representative of her revenge on men who abuse their power and authority to abuse women. Many women in similar positions have often fantasized about seeking retribution on their aggressors, and Clara’s revenge may be a form of catharsis for them. Invisibility
6512-492: 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 )
6600-432: 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
6688-647: 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
6776-701: The run again, Clara leaves with Darvell while Eleanor takes a weakened Frank to the island so he can become a vampire. The film premiered at the Irish Film Institute on 28 April 2013 with director Neil Jordan in attendance. It also received a red carpet screening in Hastings on 5 June 2013. The film was shown at the Glasgow Film Festival in February 2013 with Neil Jordan, Saoirse Ronan, and Gemma Arterton in attendance. The film
6864-479: The subsequent menstrual imagery reinforce Clara’s acceptance of her strength, femininity, and womanhood further highlighting her monstrous femininity. Vampires often serve as an important symbol of otherness and alienation, wherein the vampire, through their invisibility, highlights sentiments of otherness that can be recognized in marginalized communities . To further this, the female vampire becomes symbolic of “an object of patriarchal repression or abuse;” Clara
6952-409: The subversion of gender norms and the reclaiming of femininity; this is exemplified through the dichotomy between Clara’s outward femininity and her predatory instincts. As a female vampire, it is evident that “despite her outward physical alignment with the natural, she is rendered monstrous.” There are many scenes in the film in which Clara, a conventionally attractive woman, can lure her victims into
7040-726: 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
7128-594: 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
7216-531: 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
7304-668: 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
7392-502: 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. Byzantium (film) Byzantium
7480-474: 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
7568-493: Was released in the United Kingdom on 31 May 2013, and received a limited release in North America on 28 June 2013. Byzantium received generally positive reviews from film critics. As of June 2020 , the film holds a 66% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes , based on 120 reviews with an average rating of 6.4 out of 10. The site's consensus reads: "Director Neil Jordan remains as expert as ever when it comes to setting
7656-693: 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
7744-442: 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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