mhwombat wrote:
http://www.galwaynews.ie/27970-concern-over-vandalism-inverin-signage
Sin é é ! I hadn't seen the news article, I just noticed the painted over signage as I was driving by.
I suppose one can take the politically correct route...and meekly accept the destruction of the Gaedhealtachtaí, or we can choose to applaud someones efforts to do something about it, whatever their reasons for doing it are.
For my part, since coming here I see literally hundreds of instances of the downward spiral of Irish in a so-called Gaedhealtacht.
Apart from the hundreds of English signs, both road signs, 'For Sale' signs, (and some of these painted over signs referred to in the newspaper article are 'For Sale' signs)
Specifically, the 'For Sale' signs in this instance are in An Teach Mór, Indreabhán, and are outside the hostel there. It is being advertised as having 'excellent investment potential'. The other is a bi-lingual sign for INVERAN MOTORS/Garáiste Indreabhán (the English all in caps)
Apart from the English For Sale signs everywhere, there are also the incorrectly written Irish road signs, road signs in English (correctly written) planning permission notices in English.
Another thing, in all my time here (which admittadly hasn't been long) I have only ever heard Irish being spoken by children on one occasion, and that was in Inis Oirthir by two 10 year old girls who were speaking Irish among themselves, quite oblivious of any tourists who were listening, it made my day I can tell you, but apart from that one instance, all the kids in Conamara speak English when playing, no exceptions. I know that they mostly all can speak Irish, they just don't !
Then there are the various business's throughout Conamara where it's like trying to extract blood from a stone to get them to speak Irish ! ( I could name and shame most of them too at this stage)
It's a great pity that there isn't some office or something that deals with complaints of this nature.