FAOI LÁN SEOIL Pictured at the launch of Seachtain na Gaeilge in Mayo, at Ireland West Airport Knock, were, from left: Austin Vaughan, Mayo County Librarian, Castlebar; Máire Ní Fhiaich, Máirtín Ó Maicín, Seán Bán Breathnach and Brídín Ní Cheallaigh. Pic: Frank Dolan
20-year death knell sounds for Mayo’s Gaeltacht areas DeFacto
Liamy MacNally Minister Éamon Ó Cuív was rather upbeat about the state of Irish today as a living language during a recent visit to Scoil Merriman in Westport. He was also upbeat at the launch, towards the end of last year, of an interesting report called ‘Comprehensive Linguistic Study of the Use of Irish in the Gaeltacht’, or as Gaeilge, ‘Staidéar Cuimsitheach Teangeolaíoch ar Úsáid na Gaelile sa Ghaeltacht’. This study paints a bleak picture of the future of Irish in the Gaeltacht areas. In essence, it states that if current trends continue then the Gaeltacht areas as we know them today will be gone within 20 years. Mayo will be particularly badly hit in its three Gaeltacht areas in Acaill, Iorras and Tuar Mhic Éadaigh.
A presentation by some of the research team was made last week in Ceathrú Thaidhg in north Mayo. The presentation was for the three Gaeltacht areas in Mayo. There was a small turn-out. Ceathrú Thaidhg is about 80 miles from Tourmakeady, perhaps more, one way. It is a long way to go to hear bad news.
At this stage one can only hope that similar presentations will be made in Mayo’s other Gaeltacht areas. The findings should be examined by all elected representatives, from local councillors to TDs.
REPORT SCOPE
The report was prepared by a team from Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, NUIG, in conjunction with the National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis, NUI Maynooth for the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. The research team was Conchúr Ó Giollagáin and Seosamh Mac Donnacha, Co-Directors; Fiona Ní Chualáin, Aoife Ní Shéaghdha, and Mary O’Brien.
The research data was derived mainly from the Irish National Census 1911–2002; Scéim Labhairt na Gaeilge (SLG), the Irish language use support scheme administered by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs; and an original quantitative survey on the language attitudes, ability and behaviour of young people in the Gaeltacht developed and carried out as part of this study. The ‘Survey of Young People’ was based on a detailed questionnaire completed by 965 secondary school students.
In addition, meetings with parents, planning officials, businesses, Gaeltacht focus groups and public meetings featured in the research. The statutory definition of the Gaeltacht from 1956 is: “Specified areas, being substantially Irish-speaking areas and areas contiguous thereto which, in the opinion of the Government, ought to be included in the Gaeltacht with a view to preserving and extending the use of Irish as a vernacular language.”
FINDINGS AND CONCERNS
The language shift away from Irish is being driven by social dynamics – ‘communities are linked into regional, national and international networks which gradually influence the linguistic composition of the Gaeltacht community’. Plus, many people of non-Gaeltacht origin have moved into statutory Gaeltacht areas.
This study suggests that the proportion of active, integrated Irish speakers needs to be maintained above 67 per cent for the use of Irish in a community to be sustainable.
Educationally, ‘one fourth of the school-going population of the contemporary Gaeltacht was born or raised outside of the Gaeltacht…combined with the numbers who live outside Gaeltacht districts but attend Gaeltacht schools and those raised with English as a home language, 46 per cent of school-going children in the core Gaeltacht areas start school with little or no Irish…
The Gaeltacht education system is not succeeding in transforming those who come to school as English speakers into active Irish speakers…the participation of English speakers in the education system in Gaeltacht schools is reinforcing the use of English among young native speakers of Irish…The conclusion is that a radical reorganisation of all elements of the Gaeltacht education system must be undertaken…’
These demographic movements are facilitated by the provision of housing in Gaeltacht areas to people who are not currently Gaeltacht residents with speculative development accounting for between 30 per cent to 47 per cent of new houses. Linguistic sustainability must be part of planning in Gaeltacht communities.
LANGUAGE COMMUNITIES IN THE CONTEMPORARY GAELTACHT
Three distinct types of language community exist: Category A: where more than 67 per cent of the total population (three years+) are daily speakers of Irish; Category B: where between 44 per cent and 66 per cent of the total population are daily speakers of Irish; Category C: where less than 44 per cent of the total population are daily speakers of Irish.
The exception in Category A in Mayo is the electoral division Cnoc an Daimh (Ceathrú Thaidhg). It has a population of 375 with 252 daily speakers, 67.2 per cent. ‘Although 73 per cent of the families with children of school-going age are awarded the full SLG grant, the public meeting brought to light the increasing marginalisation of the use of Irish as a family and community language in the district.
The sociolinguistic dynamics in the Ceathrú Thaidhg area now evidence aspects of both Categories A and B profiles. At the public meeting, institutional support from the primary school was especially credited with supporting and developing Irish language competency among the young, as is evidenced in the statistical data from the SLG. On balance, it is recommended that this electoral division be included in Category A.’
The Mayo exception in Category B is the electoral division of Abhainn Bhrain (Finney, Tourmakeady). ‘It is included, based on statistical data, but for the past ten years only a very small proportion of families have been awarded the full SLG grant.’ It has a population of 242, with 133 speaking Irish daily, 55 per cent.
The remaining electoral divisions in the Mayo Gaeltacht areas are in Category C.
Tourmakeady: Baile an Chalaidh, Baile Óbha, An Cheapaigh Dhuibh, Partraí, Tamhnaigh na Graí; Achill: Acaill, An Corrán and Dumha Éige; Erris: Béal Deirg Mór, An Geata Mór Thuaidh, An Geata Mór Theas, Barr Rúscaí, Béal an Mhuirthead, Gleann na Muaidhe, Gleann Chaisil, Guala Mhór, Cnoc na Lobhar, Moing na Bó, Na Monga, Cnoc na Ráite.
KEY CHALLENGES
A service has been done to lovers of our national tongue by the authors of this report. It is not all doom and gloom and certainly has a set of radical proposals. The report presents many challenges and recommendations. Requirements include statutory reform (house planning and social planning), a dedicated education board, family support services, youth services, business supports, local Gaeltacht councils, Gaeltacht ‘proofing’, Údarás election changes, SLG reform and Gaeltacht services towns. Béal an Mhuirthead (the town formerly known as Belmullet!) is recommended as the service town in Mayo. Only one area councillor, Tim Quinn, attended last week’s meeting.
The main challenge is to let people know about the report. Mayo County Council, under the stewardship of Mr Joe Loftus and aided by Seán Ó Héalaí, is leading the way nationally in ensuring that all road signs have correct Irish spellings. This is an excellent start and commitment from our local authority. For too long road signs with incorrect spellings have been tolerated. Seán Ó Héalaí is also proposing that the authors of the report make a presentation to councillors. Mayo County Council would be to the fore again if they adopt such a proposal.
This is really the ‘last chance saloon’ to ensure that Irish has a future as a spoken and community language in Gaeltacht areas. The report can be downloaded at the website of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, www.pobail.ie.
