More than 1 year ago, on my blog I asked the question “is Gaeilge the Irish Language?”. I have found only a few people who could speak Gaeilge and among them only 4 or 5 were speaking Irish in the daily life. The only city in the whole Ireland where I could hear Irish on the streets was Falls road, West Belfast. For us - Polish - language and history are most important elements of our national identity. So even after my 1,5 year of staying in Ireland I can not understand why Irish people don’t take care about their (or at least grand sons of the Gaelic population) own language. Of course I know all of the stroy about famine, extinction of the Gaelic population of Ireland and the massive emigration to America. Further, I know that it was much more needed to learn English than Irish, since people could emigrate to other English countries (I mean the language spoken). I know that Irish language was forbidden for centuries. It is all clear. However I found that in general Irish society doesn’t care about their language. At present “Celtic Tiger” is the leading European economy and power, and this is the time when you - Irish, could think about bringing back to life Gaeilge, but unfortunately , almost nobody is interested in that.
Thanks to one of the users of newly opened Irish-Polish discussion board I found a great film story by TG4 about one Chinese lad who learnt Irish and came to Ireland, and he was rather disappointed since he didn’t speak English at all.
AtomFilms.com: Funny Videos | Funny Cartoons | Comedy Central
celtic tiger chinese english film story gaeilge gaelic ireland Irish culture irish language irish people irish society massive emigration national identity tg4 west belfast
I have just set up Irish - Polish discussion board. I have been thinking about that for some time. The main reason is to help us to understand and to learn each other, to help Polish people to integrate into Irish community, and to solve any issues that appear during the such a big migration of one nation to the other country. I hope that forum will help us and will produce many interesting conclusions.
Enjoy and browse to: www.irish-polish.eu
Please let me know about any issues that you encounter using the forum and about any of your ideas, what would be good to add to it, or to change.
conclusions discussion board emigrantion forum ireland irish Irish culture irish community migration poland polish Polish and Irish Polish Comm Polish Emigration
I have just came up against the article in Saturday’s Irish Independent about a few Franciscan monks who moved into Moyross district of Limerick and set up the Franciscans friary in a 3 council’s houses previously burnt down, probably by gang members. Moyross is a part of Limerick well known from the gang feud. It seems that what was not done by Garda - bringing the safe and peace for that poor part of Limerick with the biggest unemployment rate in the Republic (according to the Irish Independent) - can be done by a few poor, grey habit monks well experienced in working in the poor and full of crime areas. At least they are trying. The Franciscan Friars of Renewal were set tup in 1987 in New York and they are offshoot of the original Franciscan order. According to Irish Independent the new Moyross friary lacks comfort. Monks sleep on the floor, there is no carpets, no TV, radio etc. The seems to be like the medieval Irish monks. We will see if they bring peace and faith to the society where the new Irish goods (drugs and guns) rule. Though I am an agnostic (born as a catholic, but left the church after first communion) I wish them good luck.
agnostic crime areas first communion franciscans franciscan friars of renewal franciscan monks franciscan order gangs gang members garda ireland Irish culture irish goods irish independent limerick medieval irish monks peace sleep on the floor unemployment rate
Last Sunday I went to Dublin to Croke Park to see GAA games - Gaelic Football (Kerry vs Monaghan) and Hurling (Waterford vs Limerick). I went there with my friends (1 German, 1 English and 2 Spanish). I have known that both disciplines are very important for almost all Irish, but I have realised that on the train to Dublin. It was blue and white inside - full of Waterford supporters. At Heuston station colours mixed together - blue white (Waterford and Monaghan) with green white (Limerick) and green yellow (Kerry). We took a walk from the station to the stadium. At the corner of O’Connell’s Street my friends went into the sport shop to buy some jerseys. As far the sport shop and jerseys are concerned, there is one strange thing that I can not understand. You can buy soccer or rugby jerseys of almost every national team of the world, and jerseys of many English soccer clubs, but… you can not get jersey of national team of England. C’mon lads… isn’t it ridiculous? I know… all the plagues of the world are the fault of bloody Brits, but you support English soccer teams (i.e. Man Utd) but it is still an offence to buy white jersey with the red cross. I am trying to guess how German symbols, flags, jerseys and other things should be banned in Poland if we would have the same attitude. nevermind, it was just my small digression. Maybe some of you can explain me what is going on, because I really can not understand something like that.
We entered the Croke Park, nice stadium, that look like a bit of the Star Wars decoration 
I was expecting white imperial troopers , but honestly - I like the stadium.
The first match was Gaelic football, Monaghan vs Kerry. I found the game very dynamic. For the both halfs Monaghan seemed to be faster and better, and even they scored more points, but finally Kerry won.
The next game was hurling, Waterford vs Limerick. Hurling seems to be even more dynamic and for sure brutal or aggressive. I have seen angry players who were just about to start to fight on the pitch. The only problem is the small ball, very hard to follow with an eye. Waterford was very slow, they were not enough accurate contrary to the Limerick team. They were fast, accurate and they were actually ruling on the pitch.
Here is some photos (unfortunately taken not with my Konica/Minolta A1, but with my mobile - Nokia N73)
Having coffe during one of the breaks I have spotted nice anti “Love Ulster” graffiti:
croke park dublin english soccer clubs english soccer teams football gaa gaa games gaelic football hurling ireland Irish culture limerick man utd match monaghan Photos rugby jerseys waterford
Since my arrival in Ireland I was buying and reading local press in search for some interesting and useful information about the local area I have been living in. Nowadays I am doing it also for gather some information for my town web services. I have noticed that the most popular topics of the articles and columns printed in local press are the ones that concern crime, braking the law, offending the law or court cases. In fact, that sort of information occupying first 5 - 10 pages of the local newspapers, leaving almost no place for other information. Rapes, burglaries, street fighting, drinking and driving, theft and offences, that is the point of excitement of the local journalist.
I am wondering what is the reason of so much attention devoted to crime and law by a local journalists and newspapers. Maybe it is to give the names of those suspected or convicted man to the public information, but it won’t change them. Such information in the press won’t prevent troublemakers thefts, rapists and drinking drivers from doing such things.
Since I have been accused by some of spreading anti Irish propaganda I would like to ask, what is that for. In my opinion the picture of local community described in the local newspapers is not very happy and can leave not good remarks in minds of foreigners. Crime is in every country and Ireland is not worse that the other states in Europe
Latest edition of Carlow People:
FBI captures on-the-run Carlow rapist (front page)
FBI captures wanted Carlow rapist in Boston (page 3)
Gardai appeal for information after another sinister involving apartament “plumber” (page 3)
“The Tullow Case runs into third week” (almost whole page 4 )
Woman accused of assaulting neighbour has case dismised (half of page 6)
Motorist jailed after driving while baned (page 6)
Driver receives six-year driving ban (page 6)
Man jailed for six months for assault (quarter of page 7 )
Man fined E300 for hitting young woman in the face (page 8 )
Exctasy tablets found on accused (page 8 )
Woman who got car keys from Garda later arrested for driving over the limit (page 8 )
Motorist put off road for three years (page 8 )
Woman fined E250 for theft at Potato Market (page 8 )
Man was banging on door for shop (page 11)
Court briefs (page 12)
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breaking the law bulglaries carlow case court crime drinking fighting ireland Irish culture journalist newspapers offences offending the law press rapes theft
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