Ireland: L á Fhéile Pádraig and a bit of Erse

[Harold Schiffman]

Lá Fhéile Pádraig and a bit of Erse

Since the foundation of the Irish Free State in 1922, successive
governments have struggled to revive the Irish language. Everything
from compulsion to bribery has been tried, but the sad fact is that
the number of native Irish-speakers in the Republic of Ireland today
is a smaller fraction of the population than it was at independence.
At various stages over the past 80 years, Taliban-like linguistic
movements have emerged preaching radical solutions to the problem, but
these humourless ideologues have all been rejected by the vast
majority, who are content to speak their Hibernian variety of English.

Three young Irish guys find themselves in a hip downtown New York
club. The somewhat intimidating bartender insists that they do
something "Irish" (singing, dancing) and in desperation one of the
lads strings together a series of random phrases vaguely remembered
from more than a dozen years of "learning" the Irish language. The
Carlsberg ad says it all. Is maith liom cáca milis ("I like pastry"),
declares the anxious lyricist to the astonishment of the cosmopolitan
crowd. The ancient tongue of the druids and bards soon works its magic
and when the speaker is making his moves on the dance floor, he
bedazzles his partner with Ciúnas bothair. Cailín bainne. ("Quiet
road. Milk girl."). The clip is subversive in how it indicts 80 years
of failed language policy. But that's a scéal (story) for another lá
(day). Meanwhile, Rainy Day wishes a happy and early Lá Fhéile Pádraig
to all its readers, especially those in the Caribbean.

http://www.eamonn.com/2008/03/silent_road_milk_girl.htm
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