Interview by Alyssa O’Sullivan
What does promoting the Irish language on campus look like in practice, beyond just symbolic gestures?
“Domsa chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn ar champas, caithfear iarracht a dhéanamh bualadh leis na scoláirí sna háiteanna atá siad, agus chun sinn a dhéanamh nó chun dul chuig na sochaithe agus na clubanna agus an gcrann Gaeilge. Caithfidh brú a chur ar na sochaithe agus na clubanna, an áit atá oiriúnach chun oifigí Gaeilge. Tá lear mór Gaelgeoirí ann ach níl oifigeach Gaeilge ann, tá éiginnteacht ach ceapaim go mbeidh sé sin ó am a thosaíodh, agus chomh maith le sin nuair a smaoiníonn tú ar Ghaeilge ‘beyond’ an tsiombail, caithfear cúrsaí a chur ar fáil trí Ghaeilge, modules in ETIM mar shampla, an stair trí Ghaeilge mar a dhéantar sin, beidh níos mó daoine a bheas ag thuiscint trí Ghaeilge agus thar am beidh sé sin i bhfad níos fearr don teanga nó b’fhéidir athrú na cóirigh mar shampla chuig ceann amháin.”
To promote the Irish language on campus, you have to make an effort to meet students where they are, and to engage with them through the societies and clubs as well as those apart of Irish language spaces. We must pressure the societies and clubs to allow places suitable for Irish language officers. Courses must be offered through Irish for students who take modules in STEM. The same applies to history students who must be taught in Irish
How would you encourage engagement with Irish among students who may have little confidence or previous interest in the language?
“Sílim go bhfuil ‘reputation’ ag an Ghaeilge toisc go raibh daoine coinneáil í ar fad na blianta agus tá sin go maith agus coinníodh sé an teanga beo ach níl uainn an teanga a choinneáil beo, tá uainn an teanga a fás má táimid chuig na scoláirí arís ag bualadh sna háiteanna atá siad b’fhéidir, cuir cúpla téarmaí ar fáil sna cúrsaí mar shampla I ETIM b’fhéidir rang a rith ag múineadh téarmaí bitheolaíochta mar shampla an aerchóras mar sin agus do na daoine nach bhfuil a lán muiníne acu as Gaeilge ba chóir dúinn oifigí Gaeilge a chur sna sochaithe an teanga a fás an mheais is féidir leis. Na daoine nach bhfuil muinín acu arís ,thar am tosaím go mbeidh níos mó daoine níos mó muiníne ag labhairt Gaeilge agus dabhair beidh daoine eile ag labhairt as Gaeilge.”
I think that Irish has a reputation because people have been keeping her alive for all these years and that has kept the language alive, but we don’t just want to keep the language alive, we want the language to grow. If we meet with students and try to insert the Irish language within their courses. For example, in STEM maybe a biology class that is learning about the respiratory system can provide the terms in Irish. For people who don’t have a lot of confidence speaking in Irish, I aim to establish Irish offices in societies to grow the language as much as possible. The people struggling with their confidence right now, I hope to see a difference and for more people to gain confidence in speaking Irish over time.
What changes would you like to see in how the university supports Irish language services and visibility on campus?
“Go pearsanta toisc gur scoláire ETIM mé, go maith liom module Gaeilge a chur I gcúrsa ETIM mar shampla bhí module Gaeilge againn agus bhí mé le déanamh an bliain seo. Dúirt an Ollscoil go raibh géantanas fostaíochta ann agus dabhair liomsa agus dabhair le na láithreoirí atá Gaeilge acu níl sé sin ann agus tá go labhair daoine a ba mhaith leo an cúrsa a rith ach deirfinn I gcomparáid leis an méid scoláirí atá Béarla acu agus an méid scoláirí b’fhéidir atá sa mheánscoil for foghlaim Gaeilge beidh sé seo sách deacair sna céad gach bliana ach nuair atá an sliocht nua do scoláirí ag teacht isteach anseo beidh an bonneagair deantá suas againn ag cuir module Gaeilge I gcúrsaí ETIM, cúrsaí staire agus go leor cúrsaí eile má tá an infestruter sin déanta suas againn ansin is féidir leas an teanga a fás agus bheidh go leor daoine an sásta faoi fiú má tá siad gearánach faoi anois. I gcupla bliain ní bheidh sé mar sin agus beidh an Ghaeilge ag fás.”
Personally, because I am a student in STEM, I would like to include an Irish module in the STEM course. For example, we had an Irish module that I was meant to take part in it this year. The University said there was a lack of resources and could not go ahead regardless of the amount of students interested in the module. When the new course of students arrives here, the infrastructure will be there to set up an Irish module in STEM. Not only STEM but LICE, History and many other courses will be available for students. If that infrastructure is there, then the Irish language can grow.
Do you believe the university is doing enough to meet its obligations as the country’s only bilingual campus? And if not, how would you challenge that?
“Ceapaim tá sé sort casta ach ceapaim nach bhfuil an gcoláiste ag déanamh a dhóthain ó gcoir na teanga, mar campus dátheangach sa tír slínach bhfuil siad ag déanamh go leor nó an plean thar tar an Ghaeilge 2021-2025 níl an ceann fa choinne 2026 -2030 mar fós ach sa cheann 2021-2025 doirdear go mbeadh 20% do chuid oibre a chuid obair a dhéanamh trí an Ghaeilge faoin an bhliain 2025 agus tá fhois againn nach bhfuil sé sin for ar an chuir anseo. Fiú gColáiste na Tríonóideacha leis sin a leas uachtarán don aimseareacht atá acu, tá siadsan ag deiridh Gaeilge a chur chun cinn chomh maith agus ceapaim fresin ní féidir linn a bheith ró sort ‘complacient’ tá muid mar an campus gartheanach tá muid abaltá a labhairt bíonn Gaeilge I labhairt ag daoine seo ach is féidir le a bhfad níos mó daoine Gaeilge a labhairt agus sin an rud a chaithfidh muid brú ar agus go pearsanta leis mo scéal féin, nuair a sciobach mó module as Gaeilge agus do cupla scoláire eile atá ana orm orthú nach roimhe an module a dhéanamh tríd Gaeilge toisc roimh gantannas fosteracht nó rud mar sin, ceapaim nach bhfuil sé sin sásúil in aon chur as mar a fheicim tú ar ais 30 bliain tá níos mó module agus cúrsaí atá tríd an Ghaeilge I 1990, 1980 ná atá inniú agus ceapannsa nach bhfuil sin sásúil in áon chuir agus go caithidh an Ollscoil sort ‘nuckle down’ agus iarracht an Ghaeilge a fás.”
I think it is kind of complicated, but I think the college is not doing enough about it. there is still no plan in place for to improve the Irish infrastructure for 2026-2030 . In the 2021-2025 plan it was stated that 20% of the work on campus would be done through Irish by the year 2025 and that has not happened yet. Even Trinity College with their vice president for Irish studies, they are in favour of promoting Irish as well, and I also think we cannot be too ‘complacent’. We are the only bilingual campus in the country, we are able to speak Irish, people speak Irish here, but far more people could speak Irish, and that is the thing we have to push for. And personally, with my own story, when my module as gaeilge was scrapped, along with other students, I was told I couldn’t take the module through Irish due to a lack of resources or something like that. I think that is not good enough. Thirty years ago, there were more modules and courses available in Irish at this collage from the 1990’s and 1980’s than there are today. The University must ‘knuckle down’ and make an effort to grow the Irish language .
By the end of your term, what tangible difference should students notice regarding the status of Irish on campus?
“Is ceist casta é seo mar creidim sa sort ‘mantrach’ ag nach cur síolta nach roimh aiceann tú fás, beidh mise imicidh as an colláiste seo nuair atá muintir suí le breá go hiomlán ach ceapaim gur féidir linn a bheith sách dearfach faoi an caife na Gaeilge mar shampla, toisc b’fhéidir nach bhfuil sé chun osailte mar caife arís ,ach tá sé le oscailte mar áit thoisnach fa choinne scoilairí mar ‘hub’ ach beidh sé go hiomlán tríd an Ghaeilge. Nuair a deannn daoine ioracht, a ioracht is fearr Gaeilge a leabhairt ann agus níos mó spás cáife na Gaeilge beidh sé sin go maith ag coirr daoine mar níl an spás ann faoi láithair. Chomh maith le sin ceapaim gur féidir liom togáil ar obair Julian agus obair Rachel, Aine agus chomh maith, agus module a fáil ar ais sa ETIM as Gaeilge, module a fáil ar ais I staire as Gaeilge mar má tá tú chun staire na tír seo a fhoghlaim ba choirr dúit a bheith ag fhoghlaim tríd an Ghaeilge. Ceapian faoi mó dara téarma go mbeidh sin an cás, go mbeidh daoine ann , fiú amháin module amháin a dheanmah sa dara bhlian nó sa céad bhlian as Gaeilge agus go mbeidh daoine an bheidh déarfach, beidh ag súil, beidh sceitímí ann ar san na modulechun staidair tríd gaeilge agus ceapiann go bhfuil an Coláiste seo, fiú nach bhfuil siad ag dheanmah gach rud go maith, ach go bhfuil siad dul I dtreo déarfach, I dtreo ag fás an Ghaeilge agus go mbeidh na scolairi ar an campus seo in ann gaeilge labhairt go dtí an blian 2050!”
This is a complicated question because I believe in the philosophy that “you shouldn’t plant seeds where there is no growth ” . I think we can be positive about the future of the Irish café, because while it may not open as a café again, it will be used as a space for students like a ‘hub’ but entirely in Irish. The Irish café will be a useful space for many students because there is no other space like that on campus at the minute . Also, I will build on Julieanne’s work and Rachel Áine’s work, and get a module back in STEM in Irish, as well as a module in history. I believe if you are going to learn the history of this country, it is better for you to learn through its native language. I think in another few terms that will be the case, that there will be people taking even just one module in their second year or first year in Irish, and that there will be people who will be positive and there will be excitement over these Irish modules. I think that this College, even though they are not doing everything perfectly, is heading in a positive direction, towards growing the Irish language, and that most students on this campus will be able to speak Irish by the year 2050
