Seachtain na Gaeilge | Death of Dafyyd Elis-Thomas

 

Seachtain naGaeilge

Seachtain na Gaeilgeused to run for one week but because it was so popular it was extended. It nowruns annually from 1 March to 17 March – St. Patrick’s Day. 

Is í Seachtain naGaeilge an ceiliúradh is mó den Ghaeilge agus Cultúr na hÉireann ar domhan. Bhían oiread sin ráchairt uirthi gur síneodh amach chuig coicís í. Bíonn sí arsiúl ó 1 Márta go dtí 17 Márta - Lá Fhéile Pádraig, achan bhliain.

Seachtain na Gaeilgewas founded in 1902 by Conradh na Gaeilge as part the Gaelic  revivalof that time. Initially Seachtain na Gaeilge was limited to theisland of Ireland but today it is now a global phenomenon and the largestcelebration of our language and culture here and overseas.

Seachtain is anopportunity to celebrate our native language and culture and to enjoy itall.  I was lucky to attend the Belfast launch in An Cultúrlann on theFalls Road last week. I certainly enjoyed it. It was a greatevent. Bia blasta agus ceol milis. You could tell a new generation is hereto take the language movement forward with confidence. 

Dearbháil Uí Biataigh,Awareness Campaign Executive with Seachtain na Gaeilge, was a great Bean ATígh. Newly elected President of Conradh na Gaeilge, Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéinwas there also.

Múlú & Catrionawere there from Huartan. They performed their new single - Uiseog. They areabsolutely brilliant. I couldn't wait to download this great recording thefollowing day. 

Ainle Ó Cairealláininspired and updated us on the work being done in Gaza and the West Bank insolidarity with the Palestinian people. 

Breandán Ó Fiaich, anold friend and a former teacher of mine and a great activist enthralled us withhis sense of the importance of our language. All and all a great night outwhich was brought to a singing close by Piaras Ó Lorcáin & Bláithín Mhic Cana.

As Minister AislingReilly MLA said at the launch it is a “celebration of our language, acelebration of our culture, a celebration of our history but - more importantly- a celebration of the future ahead of us.”

In Belfast Seachtainna Gaeilge is organised by Conradh na Gaeilge in a strong partnership withFéile an Phobail agus Féile an Earraigh.  From music to dance, from poetryto plays, to exhibitions, to arts and crafts, sport and much more. Whether youhave a cúpla focal, are fluent in the language or want to enjoy yourself andfind out more, there is an extensive programme of events taking place acrossBelfast and beyond for the next couple of weeks. Belfast City Council is one ofmany councils involved in sponsoring and/or running events as part of the17-day festival. 

Voluntary andcommunity groups, schools, libraries, and organisations linked to sport and thearts are all participating. And the opportunity is there for anyone who has abright idea to join with friends and neighbours and colleagues to organisetheir own event. 

To read what's on inthe festival, go to Seachtainna Gaelige le energia or cnag.ie 

I am particularlyproud of the fact that in Belfast, which has a Gaeltacht Quarter, Raidió Fáilte– a radio station - and several thousand children attending Bunscoil andNaiscoileanna, as well as Coláiste Feirste, it is possible for me to do all mylocal business through the medium of Irish, from buying papers, getting ahaircut, shopping, getting lunch, having a pint or buying a cup of coffee.

Language is not aspectator sport. Language requires learning, whether it is done as a child, inschool or as an adult. The key to growing the use of Irish is to use whateverGaeilge you have no matter how limited. All of us can say ‘Go raibh maith agat,le do thoil, fáilte romhat or Cáide mar atá tú.’ And numerous other littlephrases. Why would we ever say ‘Cheers’ or ‘Cheerio’ ever again when we can say‘Slán’ or ‘Sláinte’?

Meantime the DUP tryto hold back the tide. Irritating but futile. So let’s keep moving forward.Together. There is still a lot of work to be done. Seachtain na Gaeilge is apart of this. Well done to everyone organizing and participating. 

Irish is for everyone,Seachtain na Gaeilge le Energia is for everyone – Bain Triail Aisti –Surprise Yourself

 

Death of DafyydElis-Thomas

Next week the funeralwill take place in Cardiff of Dafyyd Elis-Thomas the former leader of PlaidCymru, the Welsh independence party, who died in February. Forty-four years agoDafyyd was an MP in the British Parliament where he played a pivotal role inthe 1981 hunger strike.

Bobby Sands commencedhis hunger strike on 1 March 1981. He was to be followed in the weeks andmonths that followed by other blanket men. Five days after Bobby first refusedfood Frank Maguire, the Independent Republican MP for Fermanagh South Tyrone suddenly diedof a heart attack. Following days of intense discussion, it wasdecided by Sinn Féin to stand Bobby Sands in the by-election. Harry West wasthe Unionist candidate.

When the result wasannounced on the 9 April in Enniskillen’s Technical College - “Sands,Bobby – Anti H-Block/Armagh Political Prisoner – 30,492; West, Harry – Unionist– 29,046” – history was made and the political landscape on the island of Irelandchanged forever. Bobby was elected with a majority of 1447 on an 87% turnout.

Having just suffered asignificant political defeat the British were in no rush suffer another byholding a second by-election. The law was changed to prevent another prisonercandidate from standing however the intention of the British Tory government andof the Parliament was to avoid a motion being introduced which would allow fora potentially embarrassing second by-election.

Two months afterBobby’s death Dafyyd Elis Thomas stepped forward and moved the motion in theHouse of Commons. Gerry Fitt the SDLP leader tried to have it blocked on atechnicality but it went through.

Own Carron who hadbeen Bobby’s election agent stood in the by-election as an Anti-H-Block ProxyPolitical Prisoner. Ken Maginnis was the Unionist Party candidate. The turnoutwas 88.6%. Owen Carron won with an increased majority of 2,230.

The lesson ofelectoral successes was not lost on republicans. In the South Kieran Dohertyand Paddy Agnew won Dáil seats in the June 1981 general election. The followingyear Sinn Féin won five seats in the 1982 Assembly election. And the year afterthat the party secured over 100,000 votes in the British general election ofJune 1983, including the west Belfast seat for the first time ousting GerryFitt.

They were tumultuoustimes – dangerous times – but they changed the face of Ireland – North andSouth. Dafyyd Elis Thomas played a key role and his courage in taking thatstand will always be appreciated. I want to extend my solidarity andcondolences his wife Mair Parry Jones, and to his three sons, Rolant,Meilyr and Cai, from his first marriage.