Im hearing a lot about these gaelscoils over the last few years.

Why a parent would deliberately stymie their own flesh and blood, to the extent that they force them to study through a dead and irrelevant language is a complete mystery.

I dont doubt that the parents are doing what they think is in the best interests of the child, but they are thoroughly misguided. What happens when the kid grows up and has to work in an environment where english is the official language, and they are uncomfortable writing in it? not to mention all the wasted effort gone into learning irish, effort that would have been better spent on something worthwhile from an economic point of view - eg chinese, indian, science, maths, IT, accounting, etc....

Its a big bad world out there and nobody cares how many gaelic poems you can recite or how well you can debate the finer points of saibh's hot flushes.

Unless the kid is going to get a job presenting the weather on tv ceathair, whats the point?

Horse (Laois) - Posts: 1146 - 31/08/2011 10:12:08    1023616

AboytheHorse!!

Giddy up

This will do the job!!!

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8170 - 31/08/2011 10:25:18    1023626

Theres absolutely no point in gaelscoils what so ever Horse, they're a needless waste of money. Beyond that Irish itself should only be thought in primary schools and made optional for secondary students so other secondary students then have the option to learn something useful and practical like Spanish or French etc etc without distraction.

All the education system done for me regarding the Irish language was make me dispise the damn thing and fail it miserably, well done lads.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 31/08/2011 10:52:12    1023657

Capaillín, nice wind up. There's so many mistakes in your post that it must be a wind up. Have a few sugar lumps and a lie down for yourself.

hurlinspuds (Cork) - Posts: 1494 - 31/08/2011 11:15:24    1023672

ah now horse it has been proven that when a child learns a langauge at a young age it improves their learning capabilities. As this is ireland why shouldn't they learn their native tounge. Is it really that bad of an idea to embrace your culture and heritage and your own unique identity?

Tir gan teanga tir gan anam

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 31/08/2011 12:12:31    1023756

hurlinspuds
County: Cork
Posts: 787

1023672 Capaillín, nice wind up. There's so many mistakes in your post that it must be a wind up. Have a few sugar lumps and a lie down for yourself.

well maybe banning is a bit too far, but certainly tax payer funding should be withdrawn? surely you would agree?

Horse (Laois) - Posts: 1146 - 31/08/2011 12:23:40    1023771

Its Gaelscoileanna Horse :)

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12483 - 31/08/2011 12:26:37    1023774

Ban the Gaa as well and rounders and Irish music and thatch cottages and mugs of Tae in the hand and hang sangers and the cliffs of Moher and Dublin while you're at it Horse

ochonlir (Cavan) - Posts: 4343 - 31/08/2011 12:29:41    1023781

ochonlir

Ban the Gaa as well and rounders and Irish music and thatch cottages and mugs of Tae in the hand and hang sangers and the cliffs of Moher and Dublin while you're at it Horse


Ah but those things serve a purpose ochonlir (yes even Dublin!), the irish language only serves a purpose if some aul geezer out west won't sell you a macaroon bar unless you ask for it in irish. That actually happened to me when I was working for a few days down in Galway 4 years ago, don't know where I find these people.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 31/08/2011 12:44:55    1023808

There you go, who wouldn't be without a macaroon bar when the urge comes on you.

ochonlir (Cavan) - Posts: 4343 - 31/08/2011 12:52:02    1023818

chonlir

There you go, who wouldn't be without a macaroon bar when the urge comes on you.


I was without a bloody macaroon bar when the urge came on me!!! This is a prime example of how the education system has failed me :-)

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 31/08/2011 12:56:53    1023824

The education system has failed the Irish language hense Gaelscoileanna

The Macaroon people should consider an action

ochonlir (Cavan) - Posts: 4343 - 31/08/2011 13:04:38    1023834

Htaem
County: Meath
Posts: 2888

1023657 Theres absolutely no point in gaelscoils what so ever Horse, they're a needless waste of money. Beyond that Irish itself should only be thought in primary schools and made optional for secondary students so other secondary students then have the option to learn something useful and practical like Spanish or French etc etc without distraction.All the education system done for me regarding the Irish language was make me dispise the damn thing and fail it miserably, well done lads.

Maybe it is not Irish that is the problem but the way that it is taught? Going by your poor sentence structure and spelling above it would appear that the education system let you down in respect of the English language as well. I wonder if the people of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the likes would accept their language being disrespected like the Irish do. No respect for ourselves or our culture, always tugging on the apron string of our neighbour

omaghredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 3656 - 31/08/2011 13:24:13    1023854

The teachers and government department have failed the teaching of irish in english schools for decades now. Outdated, learing aul poems from the back of beyonds. Irish should be taught to use in every day language

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11717 - 31/08/2011 13:50:48    1023881

Horse,

Are you one of these people who want to ban the Catholic Church, and the GAA as well?

Scruffy2Donut (Cavan) - Posts: 1112 - 31/08/2011 14:05:27    1023903

How can a language be dead when there are gaeltachts along the west coast and in other inland areas where people go about their daily lives speaking irish? That's highly insulting and disrespectful to the thousands of irish people living in these areas. You are basically calling them irrelevant in the wider context of this country. Any child should have the option of receiving secondary education through irish. Most people who complain about irish language education are those that didn't have the commitment or aptitude to succeed at it.

mikeoc (Kerry) - Posts: 567 - 31/08/2011 14:09:02    1023910

I see you obviously don't share my opinion of the Irish language omaghredhand which is fair enough, but I think it shows a real lack of class and character to have a go at me instead of my opinion, especially seen as how it was a genuine one. Now I haven't bothered going over my previous main comment so why don't you go ahead and correct all the mistakes I made in it omaghredhead and in this one aswell if you have the time, it would be much appreciated, cheers.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 31/08/2011 14:10:39    1023915

Scruffy2Donut
County: Cavan
Posts: 1106

1023903 Horse,

Are you one of these people who want to ban the Catholic Church, and the GAA as well?

Obviously I dont want to ban the gaa, being from the home of football as I am.

The church i could take or leave - i wouldnt say ban it as there are some genuine people involved, but certainly those responsible for the cover ups of child abuse should be jailed as punishment.

Horse (Laois) - Posts: 1146 - 31/08/2011 14:40:42    1023956

mikeoc
County: Kerry
Posts: 551

1023910 How can a language be dead when there are gaeltachts along the west coast and in other inland areas where people go about their daily lives speaking irish?

Tax payer funded enclaves sustained by grant money.

That's highly insulting and disrespectful to the thousands of irish people living in these areas.

I'll respect them when they take their hand out of my pocket.

You are basically calling them irrelevant in the wider context of this country.

Your words not mine, have to agree with you though.

Any child should have the option of receiving secondary education through irish.

What about Polish, Russian, Nigerian, Lithuanian, etc etc? Are we to bankrupt ourselves cossetting every minority who isnt prepared to live in the real world?

Most people who complain about irish language education are those that didn't have the commitment or aptitude to succeed at it.

Thats your opinion. My opinion is that the effort expended on it is a waste of the country's resources - we should be focussed on providing sustainable employment for the next generation, so that they are not forced to emigrate. What good is being able to speak irish if you are forced to live in australia?

Horse (Laois) - Posts: 1146 - 31/08/2011 14:51:36    1023966

Oh sweet lord, not another moronic thread of this nature.

Horse, Htaem a language is firstly a way of communicating but it is in fact also in itself a form of knowledge. Saying a language should be banned is akin to saying knowledge should be banned. To say it is not used widely is irrelevant, how often do you use algebra, trigonometry, equations etc? Why arent you calling for maths to be banned? The reason of course is because all knowledge is useful in it's own right even if not every person has the ability and/or want to use that particular knowledge.

Hopefully someday you will understand.

Goodfella, Tir (None) - Posts: 1652 - 31/08/2011 14:55:06    1023972