Hildy
03-08-2008, 07:46 PM
New Irish-language group to be named after dead IRA man
Irish News (http://www.irishnews.com/articles/540/5860/2008/3/7/582031_338760083962NewIrish.html)
By Suzanne McGonagle
07/03/08
SINN Fein has named a new Irish language grouping after an IRA man, despite previously calling for the depoliticiation of the Irish language.
Party president Gerry Adams announced that it would name an Irish language group after Caoimhin Mac Bradaigh, who was killed while pursuing Michael Stone at Milltown Cemetery in March 1988.
Mr Mac Bradaigh, from west Belfast, was a fluent Irish speaker who joined the IRA in 1975 at the age of 17.
Speaking ahead of the launch of the first-ever Irish language Sinn Fein cumann in Dublin, Mr Adams said it was clear that his party was “serious” about the language.
“The first group shall be launched in Dublin, a place which has the biggest population in Ireland, a place where much work is being done for Irish-medium education by parents, activists and teachers and a place where Irish language groups are developing the language with young people,” he said.
“The second cumann shall be launched in Belfast in honour of volunteer Caoimhin Mac Bradaigh who was killed by British agents 20 years ago this week.”
Sinn Fein has previously called for politics to be taken out of Irish language discussions.
Just last May, Francie Brolly said the debate around an Irish language act should not become a “political football”.
“This issue is much too serious to become a bone of contention between the parties,” he said.
The education minister Caitriona Ruane has also accused unionists of treating Irish-medium education as a political football.
“More than 40 questions have been asked by the other side of the house – 6.5 per cent of all education questions – about a sector that accounts for approximately 3,750 children or 1.1 per cent of the school population,” she said.
Pobal, an Irish language umbrella group which campaigns for an Irish lanaguge act, declined to comment on the Sinn Fein move.
However, Gordon McCoy from Ultach – a group that promotes the Irish language in Northern Ireland – said he believed the rows about it in the halls of Stormont did not help to keep the politics out of it.
“Nowadays we have more of a cultural conflict, rather than a military one,” he said.
“But we are seeing more of an interest in Irish among Protestants. There is now more of a move into the cross-community image of language, trying to take it away from the politics.
“But the constant rows in the halls of Stormont don’t help, it’s keeping the politics in the language and to what extent that trickles down to the community could be detrimental.”
Feck off Gordon McCoy! Well done SF!:eusa_clap:
Irish News (http://www.irishnews.com/articles/540/5860/2008/3/7/582031_338760083962NewIrish.html)
By Suzanne McGonagle
07/03/08
SINN Fein has named a new Irish language grouping after an IRA man, despite previously calling for the depoliticiation of the Irish language.
Party president Gerry Adams announced that it would name an Irish language group after Caoimhin Mac Bradaigh, who was killed while pursuing Michael Stone at Milltown Cemetery in March 1988.
Mr Mac Bradaigh, from west Belfast, was a fluent Irish speaker who joined the IRA in 1975 at the age of 17.
Speaking ahead of the launch of the first-ever Irish language Sinn Fein cumann in Dublin, Mr Adams said it was clear that his party was “serious” about the language.
“The first group shall be launched in Dublin, a place which has the biggest population in Ireland, a place where much work is being done for Irish-medium education by parents, activists and teachers and a place where Irish language groups are developing the language with young people,” he said.
“The second cumann shall be launched in Belfast in honour of volunteer Caoimhin Mac Bradaigh who was killed by British agents 20 years ago this week.”
Sinn Fein has previously called for politics to be taken out of Irish language discussions.
Just last May, Francie Brolly said the debate around an Irish language act should not become a “political football”.
“This issue is much too serious to become a bone of contention between the parties,” he said.
The education minister Caitriona Ruane has also accused unionists of treating Irish-medium education as a political football.
“More than 40 questions have been asked by the other side of the house – 6.5 per cent of all education questions – about a sector that accounts for approximately 3,750 children or 1.1 per cent of the school population,” she said.
Pobal, an Irish language umbrella group which campaigns for an Irish lanaguge act, declined to comment on the Sinn Fein move.
However, Gordon McCoy from Ultach – a group that promotes the Irish language in Northern Ireland – said he believed the rows about it in the halls of Stormont did not help to keep the politics out of it.
“Nowadays we have more of a cultural conflict, rather than a military one,” he said.
“But we are seeing more of an interest in Irish among Protestants. There is now more of a move into the cross-community image of language, trying to take it away from the politics.
“But the constant rows in the halls of Stormont don’t help, it’s keeping the politics in the language and to what extent that trickles down to the community could be detrimental.”
Feck off Gordon McCoy! Well done SF!:eusa_clap: