This Saturday at 2 p.m., iBAMChicago, a local Irish arts festival sponsored by the Irish-American Heritage Center, will feature a panel discussion on the topic "Is the Irish language important?" For reasons which are as unclear to me as I'm sure they will be to others present, I have been asked to sit on this panel. I know basically nothing about the other two panelists--their backgrounds, their points of view, their opinions, etc. From what little direction I've been given by the moderator, I take it I'm supposed to be representing the viewpoint of a typical American learner of the language. (Which I'm not, as I have a degree in linguistics and approach the subject in a rather academic way despite not actually having any other academic qualifications.)

I have some notions of what my take will be, but before I go into them I'd like to hear from you all--and not just from fellow Gaeilgeoirí Meiriceánacha like me, but from learners of all backgrounds and native speakers, too. Obviously the answer we would all give is, "Yes, it's very important." But why do we think that?

It sounds like it will be an interesting discussion.

Ah, that's a very interesting topic. I wish I was around Chicago to hear it. Any chance of getting a video of it up?

Also, you might be interested in McCloskey's 2006 talk at Notre Dame titled Irish as a World Language.

GRMA! (De réir cuma, ba mhian agesna heagraithe cuireadh a thabhairt ar Bhrian Ó Conchubhar, ach ní raibh sé ar fáil.)

Is mór an trua é sin.

'Sea, mhuise! Chnuic a ainm ar an sceideal tamall ó shin agus chuireas ríomhphost chuige. "Ni raibh aon duine ag caint liom," ar seisean ina fhreagairt. Ní beag an míchompord a chuir sé sin orm!