We don't speak much Irish because of the way it is taught in schools. We are taught Irish as though we a fluent in it, so similar to how it's taught in gaeltacht areas. So we leave school able to recite poetry as gaeilge, but unable to converse in it.
Ironically, I have to now pay to learn Irish as an Irish adult while spoofers coming into us are been given free English lessons.
Yeah there’s limited funding for the Irish language, only natural it would be diluted by colonisation and the famine in the areas where it would’ve been used the most, we had very little Irish lessons in the north it wasn’t allowed during the troubles, even Irish history was off limits, it’s a bit lame to say people are not true patriots because they had their language taken from them, if he truly understood Irish culture he’d know that
![Face with rolling eyes :rolling_eyes: 🙄](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/joypixels/emoji-assets@5.0/png/64/1f644.png)
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It’s a bit ironic shaming these people for not speaking Irish when the same people would be admonishing the Brits for trying to eradicate(is that the word?) Irish culture for hundreds of years. It would come as no surprise that those in more working class areas probably speak less Irish if it wasn’t a priority in schools.
It’s only recently it’s had an upsurge because of investment and the GFA playing a part, my sons learning it at school and very good at it, we were never afforded that.
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I know a couple of people from west Belfast and was surprised when they told me in the area they are from Irish is pretty much their first language. Possibly same area kneecap are from as they seem pretty fluent.
We did have to do a language at GCSE level. French or German. One thing I regret is not learning more as when I have been on holiday in Europe it is embarrassing that I can’t converse but they always make an effort to speak English.
It’s small pockets get funding …My friend is married to a German she had to jump through hoops to get citizenship they have to learn the language amongst other things they’re not permitted to vote until they’re naturalised citizens…English is more widely used throughout the world, it would be impossible to learn every language unless you’re a frequent visitor.