98-650: Sruwaddacon Bay ( Irish : Sruth Fada Con , meaning 'stream of the long hound') is a tidal estuary which runs through the middle of the Gaeltacht Kilcommon parish in Erris , County Mayo , Ireland . It is of historical importance in Irish legend, an important marine habitat, an E.U. Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and an EU Special Protected Area (Birds Directive). Its translated name in English, "Stream of
196-547: 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
294-717: 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
392-523: 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
490-478: 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,
588-553: 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
686-436: A fast flowing channel which widens out into an exposed bay at the mouth of the estuary . The lower portion of Sruwaddacon Bay has exceptionally strong currents. Most of the estuary is dominated by marine species with little depth in the upper and middle sections at low water and a significant intertidal area. It has few anthropogenic impacts with a mostly agricultural catchment and the small village of Rossport located at
784-460: 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
882-530: 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
980-575: 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
1078-625: 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
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#17328020163721176-571: A senior member of the Garda Síochána over the handling of the June 2007 protest. In a separate development, An Bord Pleanála found that up to half of the final section of Shell's proposed route for the onshore pipeline was 'unacceptable' on safety grounds. Shell failed to meet An Bord Pleanala's deadline in February and applied for an extension of time to put their proposals forward as to how
1274-418: A third revised EIS to An Bord Pleanala for a revised pipeline route. In April 2011, it emerged that Gardaí who had just arrested two female protestors had made explicit jokes about raping them. They had inadvertently recorded themselves making the comments on a video camera they had taken from one of the women, which they later returned with the recording on it. The comments were widely criticised. In December
1372-545: 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
1470-523: 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 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
1568-452: 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
1666-493: Is an Irish organisation based in the parish of Kilcommon in Erris , County Mayo . It opposes the proposed construction of a natural gas pipeline through the parish, as well as the ongoing construction—by Royal Dutch Shell , Statoil and Vermilion Energy Trust—of a refinery at Bellanaboy intended to refine the natural gas from the Corrib gas field . It proposes instead that the gas be refined at sea, rather than inland, as
1764-511: 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
1862-535: Is done with Ireland's only other producing gas field off County Cork . Shell to Sea believes the proximity of a raw natural gas pipeline is a risk to local residents. The three stated aims of the campaign, as cited on its website, are that "Any exploitation of the Corrib gas field be done in a safe way that will not expose the local community in Erris to unnecessary health, safety and environmental risks", "To renegotiate
1960-587: 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
2058-516: Is rated average. Mike Cunningham, a former director of Statoil, said: "No country in the world gives as favourable terms to the oil companies as Ireland." This is a result of legislation created by Ray Burke , who served as Minister of Communications and Energy. Many people from outside Erris are concerned about aspects of the proposed project leading to widespread opposition. Some specific concerns are use of compulsory orders to acquire property for private companies and over-generous terms given to
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#17328020163722156-588: 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 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
2254-412: 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
2352-582: Is with the crabs, Your two bright, clear-bright hands Are under the sharp discipline of the salmon". The archaeological survey carried out in 2008 for Royal Dutch Shell by the Archaeological Diving Company in Sruwaddacon Bay took some sample cores from the bay. One of their cores close to Aghoose townland turned up hazelnut shells at a depth of 10.7 metres under the bay. These have been held for analysis to be dated by
2450-666: 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
2548-684: The Garda Water Unit in dealing with the protests. Solitaire was boarded by S2S activists in Killybegs . Not long after it arrived to Mayo's coast, the ship's company said it had suffered damage to its crane. It returned to Britain for repairs. Maura Harrington began a hunger strike to coincide with the arrival of Solitaire , the Allseas pipe-laying vessel, in Broadhaven Bay . Harrington, who had recently retired as principal of
2646-728: The IRA and Sinn Féin to the Shell to Sea campaign. In 2005, Michael McDowell —using Dáil privilege —claimed that Frank Connolly, an investigative journalist and a brother of one of the Colombia Three , had travelled to Colombia under a false passport. McDowell subsequently leaked the alleged faked passport application to a friend, the journalist Sam Smyth of the Irish Independent , and prejudiced any potential Garda investigation. Although Connolly denied McDowell's accusations,
2744-631: 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 ")
2842-406: The blanket bog , particularly in the lower reaches of the bay. Species growing here include sea thrift, sea arrowgrass, sea plantain, common salt marsh grass, Juncus gerardii , Juncus maritimus and turf fucoids. The bay supports breeding terns of several varieties and black-headed gulls, including the red-breasted merganser and sand martin. The 18th-century song Liam Ó Raghallaigh is based on
2940-638: The rosary . The workers turned back after discussions with Gardaí . One week later on 3 October, more Gardaí were brought in from around the country, which increased their numbers to around 170. This marked a departure in Garda tactics which they have held to. An editorial in The Irish Times stated: "The Garda baton charges that occurred on Friday morning in Bellanaboy were not the product of Sinn Féin or Provisional IRA machinations; they were
3038-634: 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
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3136-789: 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
3234-469: The 2005 jailing of the Rossport Five and the public outcry that followed, the 2007 Goldman Environmental Prize received by Willie Corduff (one of the five), local fisherman Pat O'Donnell's laying of 800 crab pots at sea and Maura Harrington 's hunger strike against the Allseas pipe-laying ship Solitaire in 2008, an alleged assault on Corduff in 2009 which was condemned by Desmond Tutu ,
3332-570: The 2011 "rape tape" scandal when Gardaí (police) accidentally filmed themselves joking about the imagined rape of two female protestors after arresting them, and the reports of gifts of alcohol worth tens of thousands of euros from Shell to the Gardaí, which broke in 2013. Opposition to the gas consortium and government 's plans among local residents grew from 2000 when local residents felt they were not adequately consulted. They opposed planning permission and appealed it to An Bord Pleanála twice. It
3430-403: 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
3528-571: 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
3626-595: The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland upheld a complaint about RTÉ's television reporting of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission's interim report. The report confirmed that the tape had recorded Gardaí joking about raping the women. The interim report found no evidence of a criminal offence having been committed by Gardaí and no evidence of a breach of discipline. The complaint, which was upheld, stated that RTÉ's report
3724-471: 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
3822-549: 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
3920-674: The Long Hound", reflects its general shape. It enters the Atlantic Ocean through Broadhaven Bay , another Special Area of Conservation . The estuary measures approximately 8.4 square kilometres and consists of a north-westerly-orientated main channel fed by the Glenamoy and Muingnabo rivers. A second channel flows around the village of Rossport from the northwest and is fed by the Gweedaney stream. Both channels join into
4018-645: The Pipe near the Shell compound in Aughoose, a family friendly gathering with craft workshops, music and food to mark the tenth anniversary of resistance to Shell's activities in Erris. Direct actions continued to hamper construction activities throughout 2011, 2012 and 2013. Another gathering took place over the June bank holiday weekend. In July, Shell attempted to transport the tunnel boring machine from Dubin Port to Ballinaboy, but were met by many direct actions. Close to
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4116-620: 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 ,
4214-653: The Rossport Five, was an election agent for Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny . Werner Blau , a physics professor at Trinity College Dublin , and part-time Rossport resident, told his neighbours that the pipeline intended for Rossport would not even comply with United States standards, which he described as "pretty lax". In its rankings of countries' facilitation of oil and gas companies, the World Bank rates Ireland in its highest, "very favourable" category, along with Pakistan and Argentina . By comparison, Nigeria
4312-654: The Shell compound near the beach at Glengad. It organises informational weekends etc. In the same month they organised a beach party weekend to highlight the Glengad beach landfall site. In June 2009, about 40 Gardaí were stationed below the Camp to prevent activists from accessing either the beach or the sea. The campaign has a diverse support base, including people from many political backgrounds and those with no strong politics at all. Local campaigners include former Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael supporters. Philip McGrath, one of
4410-456: The anniversary of the execution of Ken Saro Wiwa and eight other anti-Shell activists in Nigeria in 1995. When protesters worked their way around Gardaí lines, clashes occurred, resulting in several injuries. Small groups of demonstrators who had been unable to get to the refinery attempted to blockade the nearby Lennon's quarry which supplies material for the construction of the site. There
4508-409: The archaeological team concerned. The latest plans of the controversial Corrib gas project are to run a high pressure, raw, unodourised natural gas pipeline up the middle of this bay. Shell are planning to construct a tunnel under the bay in order to receive planning approval from An Bord Pleanála . The local community and representatives of Pobal Chill Chomáin and Shell to Sea have fought
4606-746: 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
4704-454: The centre of its two main channels. The outer area of the estuary is predominately sand and sand dunes where it flows into and out of Broadhaven Bay , the mid-estuary is mainly hard substrates of cobble and rock while the upper estuary has a mixture of sand and mud substrates. There are patchy areas of Fucus cover in the middle and lower areas of the estuary but the majority is unvegetated. Salinity values recorded at beach sites were high in
4802-471: The charges and sentenced the five protesters from June to community service for threatening and abusive behaviour. The judge also disclosed that she had received "hate mail". In April 2008, a new group was set up by people formerly active in S2S. Pobal Chill Chomáin proposed moving the refinery to Glinsk, which would have removed the necessity to transport the gas near people's homes and under roads. The proposal
4900-428: The compound, the oversize transport lorry drove off the road and remained stuck in the bog for several days. There were several arrests and assaults of protestors. In September, Shell to Sea launched a new report on the location of Ireland's oil and gas reserves, which depicted all the areas of oil and gas exploration, oil and gas discoveries and commercial fields for the first time on a single map, as well as publishing
4998-559: The controversy led to Irish American private donor Chuck Feeney withdrawing funding from the Centre for Public Inquiry , an investigative organisation which of which Frank Connolly was the director had published a report on the Corrib Gas Project, embarrassing the government. Stories of infiltration by political activists from outside the area and intimidation of project supporters had also been rife, but these were denied by
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#17328020163725096-402: The drowning of a young man on his wedding day in Sruwaddacon Bay when he and friends rowed across the bay to collect the priest for his wedding and their boat sank. The song, written in the first person as spoken by his bride and widow, Neilí Nic Siúrtáin, mourns the loss, and curses the craftsmen who made the boat with cheap wood; in translation, she sings: "Your eyes are with the eels, Your mouth
5194-474: 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
5292-412: The expense of communities and the environment where Shell operate". Campaigner Maura Harrington said: "The Government are still willing to force suffering on the people of Ireland through severe cutbacks, yet at the same time give our oil and gas away to multinational companies such as Shell, with no benefit to country. It is time for people to demand that this situation is changed." In 2018, Shell exited
5390-560: 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
5488-605: The gas project, it houses national and international activists. In Spring 2006, the camp was set up again close to the beach at Glengad near the 'landfall' for Shell's proposed pipeline. Mayo County Council evicted the camp and it closed in December 2007. Since then the "camp" has been organised from the Rossport Solidarity House in Pollathomas. On Saturday 16 August 2008, the camp was set up afresh with two large tents. In August 2008, camp members picketed
5586-716: 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
5684-410: 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
5782-476: 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 ,
5880-520: The license holding companies' estimates of how much each was worth. The report, entitled 'Liquid Assets: Ireland's oil and gas resources and how they could be managed for the people's benefit', was launched by Paul Murphy , Socialist Party MEP. In February 2013, with Shell having revealed 2012 profits of €19.6 billion, people blocked trucks on their way to the multinational corporation's tunnelling compound at Aughoose. Campaigner Terence Conway said: "These obscene profits announced by Shell this week come at
5978-595: The local Inver Primary School, continued her protest until the ship left Irish waters. In March 2009, Maura Harrington was sentenced to a month in Mountjoy Prison , for assaulting a Garda at McGrath's pier. In July 2009, Niall Harnett and Maura Harrington, two leading Corrib gas activists were jailed for four months over demonstrations. In November 2009, the Garda Ombudsman Commission recommended that disciplinary action be taken against
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#17328020163726076-479: The meantime, a local Porturlin fisherman, Pat O'Donnell, laid 800 crab pots along the intended path of Solitaire , and defended them from Shell survey boats which attempted to remove them. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food stated that as both parties had licenses for their activities, they would have to sort it out between themselves. Two Irish Navy ships arrived in Broadhaven Bay to assist
6174-429: The men's stance were held in major towns and cities, and Shell and Statoil filling stations were picketed. From these protests emerged the national Shell to Sea campaign. The Rossport Five were released on 30 September, after their imprisonment had dominated proceedings in the parliament. Peter Cassells was appointed as a negotiator to arbitrate between the campaigners and Shell. As his remit did not include discussing
6272-399: 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
6370-495: The middle and lower estuary – around 30 p.p.t. Salinity values close to freshwater were found at the confluence of the Glenamoy and Muingnabo rivers. This estuary and Broadhaven Bay into which it drains, is an important breeding ground for salmon , whales and dolphins and of importance to the local fishing and recreation industries. There are extensive areas of intertidal mudflats characterised by polychaete communities and bivalves. There are Atlantic salt flats which fringe on
6468-497: 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
6566-409: 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
6664-522: 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
6762-570: 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
6860-411: The oil companies by successive Fianna Fáil governments. People from the Niger Delta now resident in Ireland have expressed support. A mural of Ken Saro-Wiwa , who was executed after leading a campaign to reduce Shell's influence in Ogoniland , has been painted on a gable in Rossport and a memorial to the Ogoni Nine erected. In 2006, Shell were accused of trying to influence local business, when
6958-448: 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
7056-414: The owner of a local adventure centre alleged that Shell offered him €15,000 in return for his support for the construction of the pipeline in 2005. Shell said in response, that at no point was such an offer made as it was against their business principles but that Shell had given a donation of €150 to a windsurfing festival following a request by the businessman. Unsubstantiated allegations abound linking
7154-557: 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
7252-488: The product of abject Government incompetence." A decision to avoid arresting protesters in order to damp down the negative publicity that would ensue was discussed in the Garda magazine, Garda Review . A number of people were injured and one young woman was brought to hospital. Protesters occupied Shell Ireland HQ in Dublin 's Leeson Street and daily protests continued at Bellanaboy with some arrests made. A second large scale protest march took place on 10 November,
7350-570: The project might proceed. Pat O'Donnell, from Porturlin , was sentenced to seven months imprisonment in February. In April, Niall Harnett of Kilcommon , was jailed. Little work was carried out by Shell in 2010. The film Pipe Down was a winner in the Waterford Film Festival. Brian Barrington BL in a report commissioned for Front Line Defenders found serious problems in North Mayo. On Monday 31 May 2010, Shell submitted
7448-531: The project through the Courts, through Oral Hearings and through direct action campaigns for the last ten years as gas was first mooted to be flowing from here to Galway in 2002. 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
7546-506: The project, selling its ownership stake to the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and transferring operatorship to minority owner Vermilion Energy . The Rossport Solidarity Camp was originally set up on 'Rossport 5' Philip McGrath's land in early July 2005. The site of the camp was on the proposed pipeline route. Set up at the request of local people who sought outside support in their campaign against
7644-472: The raw gas pipeline would be coming through their lands no matter what, and that they would be subject to Compulsory Acquisition Orders if unwilling to reach a deal with Shell. Some agreed to allow Shell on their lands. Others refused, and Frank Fahey , Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources , signed 34 Compulsory Acquisition Orders. Those who had refused were threatened with legal action. Legal action
7742-399: The refinery, he was regarded as a distraction by Shell to Sea. The pickets at Bellanaboy continued for over a year, during which no work was done by Shell. On Tuesday 26 September 2006, protesters prevented Shell's employees from entering the site of the intended refinery at Bellanaboy to begin work. Around 150 locals and protesters blocked the entrance to the refinery site and began to recite
7840-492: 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 )
7938-432: 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
8036-712: 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
8134-591: The terms of the Great Oil and Gas Giveaway, which sees Ireland's 10 billion barrels of oil equivalent off the West Coast go directly to the oil companies, with the Irish State retaining a 0% share, no energy security of supply and only 25% tax on profits against which all costs can be deducted" and "To seek justice for the human rights abuses suffered by Shell to Sea campaigners due to their opposition to Shell's proposed inland refinery". Incidents of note include
8232-516: The then independent TD Jerry Cowley and local Fine Gael TD Michael Ring . Ring originally supported S2S, though later changed his position. Gardaí also made allegations of intimidation, though no arrests were made or individuals questioned. The president of Belmullet chamber of commerce told the media that what was described as "intimidation" is actually boycotting of pro-Shell businesses by S2S supporters. He told The Irish Times : "It has never been anything more serious than that, but that
8330-675: 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
8428-594: 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
8526-531: 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
8624-537: Was cancelled by the protesters for fear of further serious injuries from Gardaí. On 5 June, five protesters chained themselves together outside the Bord na Móna facility near Bangor Erris where Shell have been dumping the peat removed from Bellinaboy. On 12 September, a protester charged with public order offences had her case dismissed in Belmullet because of conflicting Garda evidence. The judge dismissed most of
8722-668: 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
8820-533: 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. Shell to Sea Shell to Sea ( Irish : Shell chun Sáile )
8918-531: Was felt that government pressure was used to force the planning permission through. They also felt misled about the safety of the gas pipeline which did not require planning permission under the 1976 Gas Act. The first event organised by Shell to Sea was on the June Bank Holiday weekend in 2005 in support of Rossport residents' protests. Local landowners in Rossport had previously been told that
9016-477: Was inaccurate, lacked fairness, objectivity and impartiality and caused the woman involved undue harm and offence. Direct actions continued to hamper construction activities throughout 2011 and 2012. In May, 30 to 35 sections of wooden bog road were removed from their positions in the Shell site at Aughoose in a mass direct action by protestors. In June, between 400 and 500 people attended the Party Against
9114-474: 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
9212-593: Was political controversy in Ireland about the use of such force on a peaceful demonstration. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern , leader of Fianna Fáil , said in a statement that the Irish government 's position was clear in relation to the Corrib gas situation - that the negotiating is over and "that is it". In relation to the policing of the protests, he and the Opposition's Enda Kenny , leader of Fine Gael , would only reiterate that "the law must be obeyed". A further large scale protest at Bellanaboy scheduled for 24 November
9310-415: Was rejected by both Shell and the government. In 2008, a new security firm, Integrated Risk Management Services , was brought in to defend Shell's preparations for the landfall of the raw gas pipeline. In August, S2S began training for marine protests in anticipation of the arrival of the Allseas pipe-laying ship Solitaire , the biggest of its kind in the world, with a collection of small boats. In
9408-693: 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
9506-472: Was taken which eventually culminated in four farmers and their former teacher, who had joined them in blocking Shell workers coming on their lands, being jailed on 29 June for civil contempt of court (at the request of Shell) after refusing to give an undertaking not to interfere with Shell's workers. They became known as the Rossport Five . 24-hour pickets on the Shell sites at Rossport, Bellanaboy and Glengad began after their jailing. Rallies in support of
9604-442: 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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