THE new Irish Language planning officer for the Cloughaneely region has spent lockdown learning Welsh.
Philip Mac a’ Ghoill from Aighe, Ardara, is now fluent in the Celtic language and is looking forward to his first visit to Wales once restrictions are lifted.
“You’re never finished learning a language. The more you know, the more you want to know,” he explained.
Philip (25) was inspired to start learning Welsh online after attending a Celtic studies conference in Edinburgh two years ago – despite never having been to Wales.
In September last he enrolled in Y Ganolfan Dysgu Cymraeg Genedlaethol, The National Centre for Learning Welsh in the Swansea Bay Area.
“I have a general interest in minority languages. There’s so many social and economic parallels between Welsh and Irish and the difficulties associated with passing the language on to the next generation,” he said.
Philip’s Welsh language journey was recently captured by the BBC. The video of him speaking Welsh with English sub-titles has since gone viral.
Mr Mac a’ Ghoill is looking forward to encouraging new Irish language based enterprises and activities in his new role.
He met with the local Coiste Pleanála Teanga Cloich Cheann Fhaola committee in Falcarragh earlier this week and starts his new job this morning, Thursday.
Philip is an Irish and Music graduate of Trinity College, Dublin. He recently completed his PhD on Classical Irish literature from the Donegal Area.
He has been lecturing in Irish, part-time, in both Trinity and Maynooth universities as well as Gaelchultúr Teo, a private college.
In his role as language planning officer, Mr Mac a’ Ghoill will be tasked with implementing Cloughaneely’s Irish language plan. The area under his responsibility covers Falcarragh, Gort an Choirce, Dunlewey, Magheroarty and outlying areas.
“Hopefully I can help make people more open to the idea of learning and using Irish. One of the biggest challenges across the whole country is the attitude to the Irish language. It’s not a burden. It should not been seen as a school subject but more a community language.
“There’s lot of small steps to be taken and I’ll be working with young people and giving parents support if they want to pass on their Irish language skills to their children. I’ll also be working closely with the schools and the local Cloughaneely GAA club,” he said.
Three years ago, Cloughaneely became the first region in Ireland to appoint an Irish Language planning officer.
The new role, created under the Language Planning Scheme, had been set up to halt the decline in the Irish language in the Gaeltacht and to increase its usage, status and visibility.
Mr Mac a’ Ghoill will look to maintain many projects which began while Mícheál Mac Aoidh was the Irish Language planning officer.
“A lot of these projects have slowed down with the restrictions and it’s harder to bring people together at the moment,” he said.
“There’s a strong community spirit in the region and it will be the people themselves who will be heading up these projects but I’ll be there to provide the support,” he added.
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