I had an interesting conversation with someone last night. This man and his wife are both English, but living in Ireland. They don't know any Irish. Their children are in primary school (not a gaelscoil), and speak Irish to each other every day at home. He says that they switch freely between Irish and English at the dinner table and when playing games.

I know that in my school days, I wouldn't have been able to speak to my sister in Irish. So what do you all think? Are these two kids the exception, or are the schools getting much better at teaching and encouraging children to use Irish outside of school?

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Táim ag foghlaim fós. Fáilte roimh gach aon cheartúchán.

That sounds very positive, but unfortunately I do not think typical at all. Children going to Gaelscoileanna are reasonably bilingual very quickly, but not usually in English medium schools. A teacher, well disposed to Irish, teaching young primary school students can have a considerable effect and maybe both of these children are lucky enough to have teachers who are working through Irish in school, not just teaching it as a subject.

One of the main challenges facing Irish in our primary schools, I believe, is the fact that while many primary school teachers are wonderful teachers, many are not close to being fluent in Irish. Everyone knows that the younger a child is when learning a language, the more fluent they will be (certainly quicker anyway) and effortlessly so.

I hope the experience you have mentioned here is replicated widely. I just have my doubts.....

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I wonder if it isn't just a matter of the kids tossing in Irish terms they've heard at school...even throwing in a bit of Hiberno-English. If the parents are English and have no Irish themselves, they may well take the odd bit of Irish here and there, along with other terms they may not recognize, as "speaking Irish."

I'd be very surprised, if these kids aren't in a Gaelscoil or living in a Gaeltacht, that they'd be able to chat freely with each other in Irish, even if they have a really good, motivated, teacher. A teacher can only do so much...it's using it on the playground, hearing it on TV and in the neighborhood, etc., that reinforces what's happening in the classroom and makes it readily accessible.

Redwolf

I didn't meet the children, so I can't comment on how fluent they are. But the fact that they are using Irish (whatever their level) is a sign that at least one primary school is doing something right.

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Táim ag foghlaim fós. Fáilte roimh gach aon cheartúchán.

True! And with the parents not understanding them, they may well see the value of having a 'code' that their parents can't crack. It may add to the appeal of increased fluency.

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My friends and I used to do that with French in high school until my parents got jack of not understanding the conversation and put their foot down, "no more French in the house!" (That just made us more determined to learn it though.)

At least in this case the parents appear to be sympathetic to the cause and encouraging the kids to use it.

One of the most impressive sights I ever saw was a group of kids in Bangor, North Wales, tomfooling and cajoling each other - well okay that wasn't so impressive - but what was amazing was that they were doing it entirely in Welsh. Welsh was "their" language.

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Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

We could learn a lot from the Welsh.

Unfortunately, we currrently have a Minister for Education who seems to think that there is too much time spent on teaching Irish in primary schools. He is saying that there needs to be a bigger focus on literacy and numeracy. He seems to be completely missing the point that by improving children's Irish, we will improve their literacy. It will reinforce literacy skills.

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Ruairí Quinn & this government are going to set Irish back 10 years. For all their failings, the previous government made some progress with Irish, giving speakers equal rights, but thats all being eroded now despite Fine Gael's facevalue support for the 20 year plan.

From anecdotal evidence I hear the teaching of Irish in english schools is a lot better than it was 10, 15, 20 years ago so its great to hear stories like the above, from what I hear it doesnt sound like kids will come out with the same hatred of it that their parents did, but like Saoirse said I think part of it has to do with the capability of the specific teacher and their enthusiasm, and that goes for any subject! I think they should conduct more than just Irish through Irish, PE could be done through Irish etc. the subject should be split in two, a compulsory spoken class and then an optional litriture class. They should arrange co-education days where kids form the nearest Gaelscoil are bussed in and they do activities, and more trips to the Gaeltacht!

I was having a discussion with someone who said its backwards to require teachers to have to have passed Irish to get the job, but I said 'would you let someone who failed maths teach your child maths?'. He then realised how ridiculous his statement was, but I could tell it was a thinly veiled attack on the language based upon his own prejudices.

I agree with everything Somhairle Óg has just said. Conradh na Gaeilge (CnaG) has been recommending for quite some time now that one subject be taught through Irish. I presume the plan would then be to extend it to other areas of learning.

As soon as Irish is truly seen as a language, its value irrevocably changes for the learner. When it is 'just a subject', its entire raison d'etre is missed.

The single biggest problem with doing this is that many primary teachers lack the confidence to teach anything through Irish. There would have to be a incentive for them to upskill and I do not know what that would be. There is certainly no money these days.

Below are links to the CnaG proposals and campaign: Irish version first and then English version.
https://cnag.ie/index.php?page=feachtai ... =2&lang=ga
https://cnag.ie/index.php?page=feachtai ... =2&lang=en

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Interesting, I didnt Think the proposals were formally there, wonder why the government arent listening? Perhaps they have something to gain from Irish being taught poorly, the more people hate it the more chance they have of getting rid of it off the curriculum? I wouldnt normally believe in conspirisy theories but given it was one of their big proposals in the run up tp the election its obVious they want it gone.

I personally believe its on the people anyway, the government whether they are eroding it or not are doing more for Irish than the general public - although they should be doing a lot better. WE need to be talking to our kids in Irish at home and encourage it, not leave it to the schools cos they clearly arent capable. Trouble is most people are apatheitc.