Sorry, I’ll never be mature enough to honour British war criminals

Apropos of James McClean, here is the BBC reporting last month on the ‘controversy’ surrounding the visit by Japanese politicians to the Yasukuni Shrine in Toyko to honour Japan’s war dead.

 

The Yasukuni Shrine is the Japanese equivalent of the British Poppy, both “honour” their countries’ war dead, but as much as both may try to ignore the facts, these war dead include people who committed crimes against humanity.

There are some differences between here and there however.

*China and Korea actually protest anytime a Japanese politician visits the shrine.

*Korea was part of the Japanese Empire for 35 whole years.

*AFAIK people in the Korean media don’t ask if Koreans are ‘mature’ enough to honour Japan’s war dead or Koreans who fought in the Japanese Army.

 

If anyone wants to honour Irish people who fought in WWI wear an anti-war white poppy, otherwise you’re honouring British war criminals, something I’ll never be mature enough to do I’m sorry to say.

Réiteach simplí ar fhadhb an ‘ch’

Rinne mé gné-alt do Ghaelscéal le déanaí faoin méid a bheadh i ndán don Ghaeilge dá mba rud é go raibh an tuar a rinne an Staidéar Cuimsitheach cruinn – sé sin nach mbeidh an Ghaeilge mar phríomhtheanga na nGaeltachtaí is láidre i gceann 10-15 bliain.

 

Shíl roinnt daoine go raibh an seanscéal á phlé againn – ‘Tá an Ghaeltacht ag fáil bháis, caithfidh muid rud éigin a dhéanamh faoi!’, ach ní hé sin a méid a bhí ar bun. Bhí muid ag cothú díospóireachta faoin méid a tharlódh don teanga mura mbeadh pobal Gaeltachta ann amach anseo.

Ceann de na ceisteanna a phléadh ná caighdeán na Gaeilge san am atá le teacht. Léirigh Máire Ní Neachtain ó Ollscoil Luimnigh imní faoi chúrsaí foghraíochta, an consan caol agus an ‘ch’ ach go háirithe.

Níl an fhuaim sin sa Bhéarla agus ní féidir le go leor daoine atá tar éis an Ghaeilge a fhoghlaim í a rá go nádúrtha. Gan é ní féidir idirdhealú a dhéanamh idir foclaí ar nós ‘cuir’ agus ‘chuir’, ‘cheannaigh’ agus ‘ceannaigh’ srl.

Tá réiteach simplí agam ar an bhfadhb áfach. Is féidir le foghlaimeoirí foghraíocht Uladh a úsáid ó thaobh an ‘ch’ seachas foghraíocht Chonnacht nó Mumhan.

Tá ‘ch’ na nUltach i bhfad níos boige ná ‘ch’ na gConnachtach nó na Mumhanach.

Is cur cíos garbh é seo dar ndóigh ach don chuid is mó bíonn an ‘c’ beagnach ciúin sa ‘ch’ agus fuaimnítear an ‘h’ amháin.

Smaoinigh ar an mbealach a deir Conallaigh ‘chuaigh’ ‘teach’, ‘isteach’, ‘achan’ srl. 

Éist leo anseo.

Dá bhrí sin, má tá muid ag iarraidh go mbeadh foghlaimeoirí Gaeilge ag rá an ‘ch’ le foghraíocht dhúchasach amach anseo is féidir foghraíocht 'ch' Uladh a chur chun cinn!

Mar fhocal scoir, ní hé an ‘ch’ an t-aon "fhadhb" foghraíochta atá ag Éireannaigh. Ní féidir le formhór na nÉireannach ‘th’ an Bhéarla a rá toisc nach bhfuil sé le fáil sa Ghaeilge. De bharr seo ní féidir idirdhealú a dhéanamh idir foclaí ar nós ‘thought’ agus ‘taught’, ‘three’ agus ‘tree’, nó go deimhin féin, ‘third’ agus ‘turd’!

Ainneoin seo is beag duine a deireadh sa lá atá inniu ann go bhfuil droch-Bhéarla ag Éireannaigh, ach sin scéal eile.

Caint bheo Bhaile Átha Cliath ón 16ú Céad

Foilsíodh leabhar dar teideal The Fyrst Boke of the Introduction of Knowledge le Andrew Borde in 1547. Bhí eolas ann faoi roinnt theangacha, an Ghaeilge ina measc. Tá giotaí cainte ón leabhar le fáil in Leabhrann Laighinigh le Daithí Ó hÓgáin, nach maireann.

Dar leis an mbéaloideasóir iomráiteach ba rídhealraitheach gur i mBaile Átha Cliath a bailíodh é. Tá idir uimhreacha agus abairtí ann agus mheas Ó hÓgáin gur bailíodh iad ó níos mó ná cainteoir amháin. Tá roinnt eolais faoi chanúint na ngiotaí níos faide síos.

Tá leaganacha Borde faoi leaganacha Uí Ógáin.

An ólthá deoch, sir. Dé ‘bheatha ‘un an bhaile

(Anoha dewh, sor? De wan wely)

Canas ‘tá tú?’ ‘Tá mé go maith, go raibh maith agat

(Kanys stato? Tam a goomah gramahagood).

Sir, bhfuil Gaeilig agat? Tá suim agam dhi.

(Sor, woll galow oket? [Syr, can you speak Iryshe?] Tasyn agomee).

A chailín, tar anseo – tabhair deoch!

(Kalyn, tarin chow, toor dewh!)

A bhean an tí, ‘bhfuil bia maith agat? Tá go leor.

(Benitee, wyl beemah hagoot? Sor, tha gwyler).

A bhean an tí, tabhair arán! A fhear an tí, tabhair fíon!

(Benytee, toor haran! Farate, toor fyen!)

A chailín, tabhair cáis! A bhean an tí tabhair feoil!

(Kalyn, toor case! Benyte, toor foeule!).

Tabhair iasc! Déanfa’ go subhach!

(Toor yeske! Teena go sowgh!)

Gá ‘fhad as seo go Port Láirge? Míle a haon ar fhichid.

(Gath haad o showh go part laarg? Myle hewryht)

Gá mhéid buille a’ chlog? Sé bhuille a’ chlog.

(Gaued bowleh glog? She wyllya glog)

Gá fhad go racha muid ‘un ar suipéir?

(Gahad rah moyd aner soper?)

Tabhair cuntas dúinn, a bhean an tí. Íocfa’ tú trí pingine.

(Toor countes doyen, benitee. Yeke ke to tre pyniny)

Gathain a racha’ muid a chodladh? Anois féin.

(Gah hon rah moyd holowh? Nish feene)

Oíche mhaith sir! Sor duit sor duit [soraidh duit]!

(Ih may, sor! Sor doyt, sor doyt!)

1 - hewen

2 - dow
3 - tree
4 - kaar
5 - quiek
6 - seh
7 - showght
8 - howght
9 - nygh
10 - deh

11 - hewnek
12 - dowek
13 - tredeek
14 - kaardeek
15 - quiekdeek
16 - sehdeek
17 - showdeek
18 - howghtdeek
19 - nythdeek
20 - feh

21 - ‘haon fichead (hewn feet)

22 - dó fichead (dowfeet)
23 - trí fichead (trefeet)
30 - deich fichead (dehfeet)
40 - daichead (‘eayet)
50 - deich agus daichead (dewhegesdayth)
60 - trí fichid (trefeet)
100 - keede

Dar le Daithí Ó hÓgáin tá foghraíocht thuaisceartach le brath sna focail seo – aon, dó, fiche, daichead, deoch, baile, seo, oíche mhaith, soraidh duit.

Tá foghraíocht thuaisceartach nó lár tíre ag na focail seo  - ceathair, íocfá tú,  racha muid, ár.

Tá samplaí a réitíonn le deisceart Laighin nó oirthear Mumhan freisin – naoi, deoch, déag, céad.

‘Buille a chlog’ a dúradh sa cheantar céanna chomh maith.

Rud spéisiúil eile ná go bhfuil dhá leagan den fhocal ‘agat’ – ‘oket’ (lár-tíre) agus ‘agoot’ (Mumhan).

Tá abairt amháin a mhéascan dhá chanúint – ‘Dé ‘bheatha ‘un an bhaile’. Tá cuma deisceartach ar an tús ach cuma tuaisceartach ar an gcuid eile.

Is cosúil, mar sin, gur meascán mearaí a bhí sa Ghaeilge a labhraíodh i mBaile Átha Cliath san 16ú Céad – Plus ça change!

Dán faoin nGaeilge ó Loch Garman san 18ú hAois

Tá taithí againn ar dhaoine ó thús na hatbheochana go dtí an lá atá inniu ann ag moladh na Gaeilge. Ach ceard faoin am roimhe sin? Ní raibh mórán machnaimh déanta agam ar an gceist, ach is dócha go raibh tuairim éigin agam go raibh meath tagtha ar an teanga gan mórán ráite faoi. B'fhéidir go raibh mé faoi thionchar na bolscaireachta go ndearna muintir na hÉireann cinneadh 'stuama' chun droim láimhe a thabhairt don teanga.

Ní amhlaidh a bhí, bhí daoine in Éirinn a bhí brodúil as an nGaeilge.

Seo thíos dán faoin nGaeilge a scríobh fear ó Loch Garman darbh ainm Pilib Mac Giobúin (1718-c1790). Ba as Cill Haighil i gceantar Dhún Bróithe (thuas) in iardheisceart an contae don scríbhneoir agus file seo agus chaith sé chuid mhaith dá shaol ag múineadh i gCathair Chill Chainnigh.

Tháinig mé ar an eolas faoin dán i Leabhrann Laighnigh. Scríobh Daithí Ó hÓgáin, nach maireann, an leabhair iontach seo agus is sárshaothar amach is amach é. Molaim d’éinne le spéis i nGaeilge agus oidhreacht Ghaelach Chúige Laighean é a cheannach. Beidh mé ag déanamh postaí eile faoi mhíreanna eile sa leabhar amach anseo.


Dánmholadh na Gaeilge

Le Pibib Ó Giobúin

‘Sí an teanga Ghaeilge is greanta cló,
go blasta léitear í mar cheol,
‘Sí a chanadh bréithre binn-ghuth beoil,
‘S is fíor gur mór a háitreabh.
Níl teanga ar domhan dá bhreáthacht í,
Le blas is fonn nár sháraigh sí,
Is go ceart a labhraid dáimhe linn
Na dánta is ceol do fháil ina cóir
Is seanchas na rí-fhlaith mór
Is saoithe cróga chlár Loirc.

Dá mbeadh ríthe Éireann fós ina suí
San ríocht i gcéim is i gcoróin ba bhinn,
Siollaí na Gaeilge leo
Ar chaoinchruit cheoil is táibhleis,
Beidh filí léinn go sásta sóch
Ag déanamh saothair dánta dhóibh –
Gach éigeas díobh san áras mór
Ag moladh an rí is a shár-mhaithghníomh,
Is a shinsir uaisle tréana groí
‘S i gcríocha Fódhla a n-ársacht.

Do bheadh saol órga ag Éirinn arís
Le saibhreas comhachta, réim is brí,
Lucht léinn faoi mhór-chaithréim san ríocht
Is tréanlucht díbirt námhad,
D’éireodh an Ghaeilge i gcéimibh ard’,
I gcló is i gcéill thar Bhéarla cháich –
Is startha Gael dá lé’ do ghnáth,
Is seanchaíocht is teagasc Críost,
Is diagairí Dé go séimh de shíor
Ag léir-mhíniú dlí neámhda.

Fracking-linked University studies environmental impact of fracking

Fracking is either a path to secure, cheap energy for the future or a nightmarish abomination that poisons water supplies with methane as well as toxic and possibly radioactive waste. It can also cause earthquakes.

A number of videos at the end of the article set out the two sides of the argument.

Clare County Council has already banned fracking while Leitrim and Fermanagh have been identified as other areas in Ireland where the controversial practice could be done. Locals and environmentalists have expressed concern about the possibility.

In response, the Environmental Protection Agency has commissioned the University of Aberdeen to study fracking. Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte told the Dáil on 7 March that the EPA “is funding preliminary background research into the environmental aspects of shale gas extraction and the regulatory approaches of other countries, with a view to helping to establish best environmental practice.”

I'm waiting for an answer from the EPA as to why the University of Aberdeen was chosen, but here are some interesting facts about the institution.

The University describes Aberdeen as “the heart of the European oil and gas industry”.

Among the areas the University's Geology section assists in is “the development of unconventional hydrocarbon resources.”

Its 'research partners' include such names as Shell, Exxon Mobil, BP, Chevron, Statoil, Total, BHP Billiton and Halliburton.

Halliburton is one of the pioneers of fracking in the US, and gave its name to the so-called 'Halliburton loophole' – a 2005 exemption from the Safe Drinking Water Act given by the US Congress to fracking developments at the behest of then Vice President, Dick Cheney, former CEO of...Halliburton.

The University of Aberdeen is also a member of the Scottish Oil Club - “The national forum for the presentation and discussion of views on the economic, industrial, technological and political aspects of petroleum and other energy resources.”

The Club organised a seminar last November entitled "Shale Gas Projects and Investments" given by John Logel from Talisman Energy.

Among Talisman's claims to fame is a children's colouring book featuring a character called Talisman Terry “your friendly Fracosaurus”.

“I am here to teach you about a clean energy source called Natural Gas,” Talisman Terry says. You can see some of the pages in this image and watch a report on it below.



This delightful book was eventually withdrawn following a lampooning on the Colbert Report, which also claimed that Talisman was found to have violated Pennsylvania environmental regulations 145 times in 2010.

In light of the facts outlined here it will be interesting to see the results of the University's study.

www.twitter.com/colmobroin

Talisman Terry


Pro-fracking




Anti-fracking




Fracking Debate

Bánú na Gaeilge ó stair na hÉireann

Tá an-suim agam i stair na hÉireann, ach rud amháin a thug mé faoi dheara go minic ná an laghad tagairtí don Ghaeilge a bhíonn i leabhair staire. De gnáth is fo-nóta atá sa teanga, déantar tagairtí anseo is ansiúd dó ach sin é.

An sampla is measa den nós seo a tháinig mé ar riamh ná an leabhar meánscoile – Focus on the Past 2. Foilsíodh an leabhar seo in 1990 - níl a fhios agam an bhfuil sé fós in úsáid, ach tá súil agam nach bhfuil. Clúdaíonn an leabhar Teastas Sóisearaigh stair na hÉireann agus na hEorpa ó 1450-1850. Leagtar béim ar stair shóisialta agus eacnamaíochta mar aon le stair pholaitiúil.

Déanann an leabhar a mhúineann stair do pháistí na Poblachta éagóir uafásach ar an nGaeilge. Tá níos mó ráite ann faoin Réabhlóid Tionsclaíoch ná an Ghaeilge. Tá dhá thagairt don teanga - mír an-bheag ag an deireadh faoi thionchar an Ghorta ar an teanga agus píosa faoin difríocht idir an cultúr Gaelach agus an cultúr Sasanach ag deireadh na meánaoiseanna.

Seo an píosa faoin nGorta:

“The Irish speaking areas of the south and west suffered most from death and emigration, both during and after the Famine. The numbers of Irish speakers fell drastically as a result. These areas continued to experience high levels of emigration in the following decades.”

Ní hamháin nach bhfuil mórán ann faoin nGaeilge (nó faoi mheath na Gaeilge – ceann de na hathraithe sóisialta is mó is stair na hÉireann) tugann sé eolas míchruinn faoi bheocht na teanga freisin.

Breathnaigh ar na léarscáileanna thíos, na cinn a dhéanann 'cur síos' ar staid na Gaeilge in 1851 agus 1891.


Ar thaobh na léarscáileanna deirtear “Between 1851 and 1891, the areas where nearly everyone spoke Irish had been much reduced in size” agus sa mhír é fhéin deirtear “Areas where most people spoke Irish.”

Dóibh siúd le cur amach acu ar bheocht na teanga sa lá atá inniu ann, is léir cé chomh míchruinn is atá an cur síos seo.

Cén áit as ar tháinig na maíomhanna in Focus on the Past? Is ó Dhaonáireamh 1851 agus 1891 a thagann siad. Seo léarscáil a léiríonn na háiteanna sa tír ina raibh Gaeilge ag ar a laghad 25% den phobal de réir Daonáirimh 1851.



An bhféachann sibh cén áit a bhfuair Focus on the Past an fhaisnéis - ceantracha ina bhfuil Gaeilge ag 80% den phobal amháin atá curtha sa leabhar – sin an ciall le “Areas where most people spoke Irish” de réir dealraimh. Déantar neamhaird ar na ceantracha eile ina raibh Gaeilge ag formhór an phobail. Baintear úsáid as an gcleas céanna le daonáireamh 1891.

N'fheadar cén fáth gur cuireadh an t-eolas míchruinn seo os comhar páistí méanscoile, ach is náireach an scéal é gur tharla a leithéad.

Tá sé deacair teacht ar shonraí faoin leabhar, ach de réir na bileoga seo ón bhfoilsitheoir, Gill & Macmillan, bhí an chéad eagrán de Focus on the Past á mhúineadh go 50% de pháistí na Poblachta.

"Study the map showing the decline in the number of Irish speakers in the years after the Famine," a deir an leabhar.

Cén teachtaireacht a thugann na léaráidí míchruinn seo do pháistí a dhéanann staidéar orthu? An teachtaireacht a fhaighim uathu ná gur beag baint a bhí ag an nGaeilge le formhór na tíre le fada fada an lá. Má chreideann páistí nach raibh Gaeilge á labhairt ina gceantar leis na cianta, tá baol ann go gceapfaidh siad nach bhfuil ceangal acu féin leis an teanga, agus níos lú seans go mbeidh fonn orthu í a fhoghlaim (rud a tharlaíonn i mBaile Átha Cliath).

Mar a dúirt an fear – an té a bhfuil smacht aige ar an am atá caite, beidh smacht aige ar an am atá le teacht.

Anois cuir an éagóir i gcomhthéacs measúnaithe eile ar bheocht na Gaeilge, mar shampla an ceann seo ó 1800.



Níl a fhios agam cén faisnéis a úsáideadh don léarscáil seo, ach is dócha go gcuireann an easpa eolais atá againn faoi bheocht na Gaeilge roimh an nGorta leis an bpointe faoi bhánú na teanga ó stair na hÉireann.

198 corporate convictions – and one person goes to jail

A recent look at the annual reports of the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforecement shows that it secured 198 convictions since it was set up in 2001.

Most of the convictions led to disqualifications and fines (mainly between €500-€1,500), while only eight included prison sentences. Of those, seven were suspended or overturned on appeal.

The one person who did go to prison, Kenneth Shanny from Dunshaughlin in Co Meath, was convicted of auditing offences under the 1990 Companies Act. He was sentenced to three years in prison, with the last year suspended, and is currently appealing the sentence.

So in ten years one person has been jailed by the body set up to tackle corporate crime in Ireland.

The Office is also investigating the goings-on in Anglo Irish Bank, an investigation that is in its third year. Due to the workload involved in the Anglo case the number of convictions the ODCE has secured dropped dramatically from 38 and 46 duine in 2005 and 2006 to just two in both 2009 and 2010.

Figures released by the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter in November also showed that ten prison sentences have been handed down for breaches of the Competition Act since 2001, but that all of them were suspended.

Meanwhile almost 7,000 people were jailed in in the first eleven months of 2011 for not paying fines (134 a week) up from 2,000 in 2008.

An torc i logainmneacha na hÉireann

Tá díospóireacht ar siúl faoi láthair maidir le stádas an toirc in Éirinn.

Le blianta beaga anuas thángthas ar an ainmhí sa tír, idir chinn a d'éalaigh ó fheirmeacha agus cinn a scaoil sealgairí d'aon ghnó.

Tá Speicis Ionracha Éireann ag iarraidh stop a chur le scaipeadh an toirc, ach ní aontaíonn an Irish Wildlife Trust leis an bpolasaí seo.

Dar le Speicis Ionracha Éireann ní ainmhí dúchasach iad toisc nár tháinig siad go hÉireann as a stuaim féin i ndiaidh an Oighir Aois deireanach - thart ar 8,000 RC.

Dar leo thóg daoine iad go dtí an tír níos déanaí. De réir cláir sa tsraith 'Ag Dul in Éag' ar TG4 maraíodh an torc deireanach in Éirinn san 12ú hAois.

Ceist chasta atá ann ach níl aon dabht ach go ndeachaidh an torc (nó an collach mar a ghlaodh air chomh maith) i bhfeidhm ar dhaoine in Éirinn - mar a léiríonn an Fhiannaíocht agus na logainmeacha seo.

Inisturk - Inis Toirc - Boar Island
Kanturk - Ceann Toirc - Boar Head
Maamturk - Mám Toirc - Boar Pass
Bailieborough - Coill an Chollaigh - Boar Wood
Ballincollig - Baile an Chollaigh - Boar Townland

Má bhreathnaíonn tú ar 'Ainmneacha Cosúla' ag an nasc seo feicfidh tú go bhfuil go leor logainmneacha eile a bhaineann leis an torc, cúig 'Cluain Torc' ina measc.

www.twitter.com/colmobroin

€860 million worth of fish was taken from Ireland's seas in 2011

The Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney told the Dáil before Christmas that 937,924 tonnes of fish would be taken from Ireland's waters in 2011, worth a total of €1.04 billion.

However, Irish fishers were only allowed to take 17% of this, meaning that €863 million was be fished by foreign trawlers. Only a quarter of the fish taken from Ireland's seas are landed in the country, meaning that the potential to create processing jobs is also being lost.

How did it all come to this?

Lorcán Ó Cinnéide from the Irish Fish Producers Organization (IFPO) explained thus; The EU doesn't view Ireland's territorial waters as 'Irish', they are seen more as a commonage to be divided up between all the nations of the EU. Indeed when Ireland joined the EEC its waters only extended 12 miles from shore. This was increased to 200 miles in the late seventies so foreign trawlers were already fishing in what become Ireland's waters.

The quotas for each EU nation's fishing fleets were set according to the historic size of the fleets. People in Ireland didn't recognise the potential of the fishing industry (and to be honest aren't all that mad about eating fish) and hadn't developed it by the time we joined the EEC.

Ireland had a small fleet when it joined whereas France, the UK and Spain had much larger ones – so we got a tiny quota and they get large ones. In fact, according to Lorcán, France gets about 32% of the fish from Ireland's waters, almost twice what Irish fishers get. To increase Ireland's quota France, Spain, the UK etc would have to reduce theirs and the IFPO don't believe there is much chance of that happening, so short of us leaving the EU there doesn't seem to be much we can do.

Ireland may not have recognised the potential of fishing in the past, but times have changed and it seems a bit unfair that the current quotas should be set in stone forever more. Certainly the next time France raises the issue of Ireland's “unfair” corporate tax rate we should mention the fishing quotas.

www.twitter.com/colmobroin