The Irish Language: A Portal to Imagination
Journalist Una Mullally argues that the Irish language is a joy, not a burden, citing its unique expressions, such as referring to a penis as a "wild carrot".
Despite a boom in Irish culture, record numbers of pupils are seeking opt-outs from compulsory Irish language learning, a trend Mullally considers misguided.
The Irish language, or Gaeilge, has experienced a revival in recent decades, with the number of schools teaching the national curriculum exclusively through Irish rising from fewer than 20 in the 1970s to over 200 today.
- The 2022 census showed a 6% increase in the number of people able to speak Irish compared to 2016.
- Irish was once the majority's native tongue but was diminished under British colonialism and largely confined to rural west coast districts.
The Irish language is a portal to a world of imagination.
Author's summary: Irish language is a joy, not a burden, and its revival is a positive trend.