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Thousands march in Belfast for Irish language act </h1>
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<img alt="Thousands march in Belfast for Irish language act" src="http://www.irishnews.com/picturesarchive/irishnews/irishnews/2017/05/21/175118488-a5e8d445-6cb9-466b-9422-1dd04f644d40.jpg"></span>
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Youth groups, schoolchildren and politicians from across Ireland joined in the rally. Picture by Mal McCann</figcaption>
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Andrew Madden
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<time class="gmail-lancio-datetime-string" datetime="22-05-2017 01:00">
22 May, 2017 01:00</time>
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<h2 class="gmail-title">Topics</h2>
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<div class="gmail-related-extra__caption">'An Lá Dearg' (the red day) was organised by An Dream Dearg, an Irish language campaign group. Picture by Mal McCann</div>
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<p>THOUSANDS of people have marched in Belfast to demand an Irish language act.</p>
<p>'An Lá Dearg' (the red day) saw activists and supporters from across
Ireland march on the city hall from the Falls Road on Saturday.</p>
<p>Schoolchildren, youth groups and politicians donned red t-shirts
emblazoned with a white circle - which has become the symbol for Irish
language rights - as they joined in chants for legislation protecting
speakers.</p>
<p>An Irish language act has been one the main stumbling blocks in political talks to restore power-sharing at Stormont.</p>
<p>In the run-up to March’s assembly election, DUP leader Arlene Foster
said she would never agree to an act and likened Sinn Féin to a
"crocodile" over its demands.</p>
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Thousands of Irish language activists call for an Irish language act Picture Mal McCann.</figcaption>
<p>However, the former first minister has since met several Irish
language groups and hinted at the possibility of legislation which also
encompasses Ulster Scots and Orange culture.</p>
<p>Saturday's rally was organised by campaign group An Dream Dearg, and was attended by Sinn Féin northern leader Michelle O'Neill.</p>
<p>Among those who took to a specially erected stage at City Hall to
address the large crowd was Caitlín Ní Chathail, who is raising her
child through Irish.</p>
<p>"As a parent who is raising my family as Irish speakers, all I ask is
that the state recognises Irish as our language of choice - to live my
life through the medium of Irish," she said.</p>
<p>"I’m not asking for a special privilege or concession from those in
power, just simply that they recognise my language rights and the
language rights of my children."</p>
<p>Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, spokesman for An Dream Dearg, said the future of Stormont depends on agreement on the Irish language.</p>
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Thousands of Irish language activists call for an Irish language act Picture Mal McCann.</figcaption>
<p>"There is no doubt that the Irish language is now at the very centre
of the current political crisis in the north and An Dream Dearg are
stating clearly that no political institutions or future political
arrangement are tenable in the absence of a rights-based Irish language
act," he said.</p>
<p>"Extensive public support for an Irish language act has been endorsed
by the overwhelming majority across the community in successive public
consultations; a clear majority of newly elected MLAs in the assembly
support our demand, as does the United Nations and the Council of
Europe."</p>
<p>Linda Ervine, an east Belfast Irish language activist and
sister-in-law of the late PUP leader David Ervine, said she attended to
show the diversity in the Irish language community.</p>
<p>"I don't see it that it needs to be de-politicised, I think it needs
to be multi-politicised. I would like to see all parties embracing the
language and saying Irish belongs to it all, because it does," she said.</p>
<p>South Belfast Alliance councillor Emmet McDonough-Brown said his
party has also supported an Irish language officer for Belfast City
Council and a language policy for the city.</p>
<p>"Irish belongs to everybody, threatens nobody, and is a language of
art, poetry, music and much more. I look forward to the next asssembly
passing an act," he said.</p>
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Thousands of Irish language activists call for an Irish language act Picture Mal McCann.</figcaption>
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Thousands of Irish language activists call for an Irish language act Picture Mal McCann.</figcaption>
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Thousands of Irish language activists call for an Irish language act Picture Mal McCann.</figcaption>
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Thousands of Irish language activists call for an Irish language act Picture Mal McCann.</figcaption>
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Thousands of Irish language activists call for an Irish language act Picture Mal McCann.</figcaption>
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Thousands of Irish language activists call for an Irish language act Picture Mal McCann.</figcaption>
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Thousands of Irish language activists call for an Irish language act Picture Mal McCann.</figcaption>
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Thousands of Irish language activists call for an Irish language act Picture Mal McCann.<br><br><br clear="all"></figcaption><a href="http://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2017/05/22/news/thousands-march-in-belfast-for-irish-language-act-1032293/">http://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2017/05/22/news/thousands-march-in-belfast-for-irish-language-act-1032293/</a><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">**************************************<br>N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its members<br>and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message. A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well. (H. Schiffman, Moderator)<br><br>For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to <a href="https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/" target="_blank">https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/</a><br>listinfo/lgpolicy-list<br>*******************************************</div>
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