An Cheathramha Ruadh.

Seaghan · **Joined:** Tue 06 Sep 2011 12:09 pm **Posts:** 118

A few days ago I decided to take the air around the local metropolis. I espied a couple of open air stalls in front of city hall (just opposite Chinatown) As I timidly approached one of the stalls, I was pounced upon by the owner, who joyously announced that I would find no better pair of boots than he was selling, or socks !
Now, I really had no interest in buying a pair of hob-nailed boots or wooly socks, I was in fact curious as to what language he was doing bizz in. No other reason.
It turned out that we instantly had a communication problem ! He spoke no Irish, I refused to speak to him in English. I'm the customer after all, the one with the money, and the customer is always right, right ? Wrong ! At least in An Cheathramha Ruadh. I got the distinct impression that I was the only one who ever upset his day. Was I the only one who ever took such a stance in that town ? Probably. My last word to him was, Come back when you can speak Irish, then I'll consider buying a pair of socks. He didn't seem impressed.

Benjamin · **Posted:** Thu 27 Dec 2012 10:58 pm

Carraroe is a very vibrant Irish speaking village, believe it or not there are people living and working there that isn't from the village just like anywhere else in the world. But I admit, most people who move there don't learn Irish I remember hearing theres someone living there for 50 years without a focal!

By the way they might not even live there, they could have come from Galway city, Moycullen etc.

Bríd Mhór · **Joined:** Sun 28 Aug 2011 8:29 pm **Posts:** 2985

The stall people are not locals. I doubt they live in the village even. They come in to sell.
Sure Fear na hÉadaigh is a Pakistani. Not that would stop him from learning Irish but he probably wouldn't feel a need to.
There was a fishman - he was a local but I don't think he's there anymore.

Seaghan · **Joined:** Tue 06 Sep 2011 12:09 pm **Posts:** 118

Both of these stall owners were Irish, one may be from Maigh Eo (the guy with the boots) the other was selling veggies. My point being of course is that the Irish language doesn't have the luxury of being politically correct. Unfortunately, Irish is spoken by people who are too 'nice'.
Another thing, if one observes the two way traffic in and out of the Gaedhealtacht any morning, going towards Gaillimh are what seems like thousands of (I hope) Irish speakers, yet you never hear any Irish spoken in Cathair na Gaillimhe. Coming in towards the Gaedhealtacht towards Cois Fhairrge are truck, vans, salespeople srl with supplies for the various stores as far out as Carna, yet none of these people speak Irish. All business is conducted through English. Why ? Whose fault is that ? Where is the leadership ?
I'm well aware that sounding off here won't achieve anything, and it doesn't have much to do with 'grammar', but I'm wondering if anybody else has any thoughts or stories from their favorite Gaedhealtacht,

Saoirse · **Posted:** Fri 28 Dec 2012 3:17 pm

Seaghan wrote:

I'm well aware that sounding off here won't achieve anything, and it doesn't have much to do with 'grammar'

ILF is for much more than grammar. I think what you are talking about is very relevant to the forum. You 'sounding off' may encourage someone else to use their Irish in a situation where the other person has Irish. I know your question specifically related to An Ghaeltacht, but there is another thread on the go that may be of interest to you where people have encountered Irish in organisations outside An Ghaeltacht. viewtopic.php?f=28&t=1777 It's the opposite of what you are talking about!

Bríd Mhór · **Joined:** Sun 28 Aug 2011 8:29 pm **Posts:** 2985

They don't speak Irish because they don't have to. Everybody who has Irish is also bi-lingual. I'd imagine that truckers that do business in France would have to have enough French to conduct their business, as the French, whether they have English or not, are not that keen on speaking it.

Even back at the turn of the last century, when nearly the whole population of An Cheathrú Rua had fluent Irish, those that dealt with traders (The Buicíní/shopkeepers etc) had English.
And, I can't be sure, but I'd say that the boatmen from Conamara who brought turf and seaweed across the bay to Cinn Mhara and other places had to have a smattering of English too, enough to get by.

It's sad but that's how it had to be.

Seaghan · **Joined:** Tue 06 Sep 2011 12:09 pm **Posts:** 118

It reminds me of the time a few years ago at the City link ticket office in Gaillimh, the sales girl was quite a fluent speaker, and was Polish, much to the embarassment of her two non-Irish speaking colleagues from Ireland. They hadn't a clue what we were talking about.

Bríd Mhór · **Joined:** Sun 28 Aug 2011 8:29 pm **Posts:** 2985

It's often the case that foreigners have more respect for the Irish language than Irish people have.
Is it because of their own culture. Or that they didn't go through the Irish school system... I don't know.

Everywhere there is one person in the schoolyard or in pub speaking English the rest of the Irish speakers in his company will speak English to accommodate that person.

I have a friend who lived in England for probably the last 15 years or more. And raised the kids with mostly English (as the father was English). Now with circumstances changed she has moved back to her native country. But the little lad is refusing to speak her native language, thinks it's useless, and has the kids in the school speaking what little English they have with him. So it's not just Irish that it happens too.

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