Is máith liom cáca millÃs!
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In some areas (The Gaeltachts [Aran Islands etc,]) Irish is the first language. But in the majority of Ireland English is the first language. Although all children (there are a few exceptions though) learn Irish when they start school and it is compulsory for all children that come into the country to start school before the age of 11. (ie. if you start in an Irish school before the age of 11 you must learn Irish, but after that age it is optional). How ever, the law states that Irish is the country's first language, followed by English, so it depends on whether you want to look at it legally or socially!
I am Irish!!
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Jo Y
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The everyday language is english. Most schools use english but at the same time have irish classes just like maths and other subjects. But there are also schools were irish is the main language. |
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elephanteyes
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No the first language we speak is usually English, unless we are living in a Gaeltacht area which is where people speak Irish all the time. We choose to speak Irish as an alternative language as most of Europe does not have knowledge of it and it is not very useful in everday situations. Polish/Lituanian/Latvian/ would be more beneficial languages nowadays. |
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Monkey Hanger
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When I went over They where all speaking Englsih so i think its English first |
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Xx-Shexii-Jessii-xX
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Every body speaks english as the first language but we are thought irish in school |
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slipstreamer
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English is what everyone speaks, but Irish/Gaelic is taught in school as well and the signs are in both Irish and English. They are both official languages of the Republic of Ireland. |
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brianeanna
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Officially, Irish is the first language and English the second.
Practically, most people grow up speaking English. About 5% of the population actually grow up speaking Irish (like I did). While most Irish speakers live in the coastal west of the country, many live in the cities.
Like French in Canada, Irish is a required subject in all Irish schools. Some schools teach it better than others. Because Ireland has been absolutely overwhelmed by American and British culture, there's a really weird attitude to Gaelic culture among the Irish, and many people have a chip on their shoulder about it, and particularly about the language.
But things are getting much better. There are more speakers now than ever, there's lots of institutional support for immersion schools (called Gaelscoileanna), and there's a very lively Irish-language media (check out www.tg4.tv).
There's a lot to be optimistic about. Hope to see you at an Irish class soon. |
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Orla C
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Not true, most people learn English first, except for those born and reared in Gaeltacht areas.
There are also Gaelscoileanna, schools where children learn everything through Irish.
Born and reared in Ireland, and living in Ireland still. |
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Liz
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English is the first language here but in schools here they do teach Irish. |
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when the sun goes down
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no,unless you live in a gaelteacht you speak english from birth usually and then learn irish when you go to school |
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Pyro
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We learn English first, (except for in gaeltacht regions) then in school we start Irish around age of like 6ish? Nothing too strenuous, just little things, we then keep it up until 6th year (age of 18ish) but most people in non gaeltacht regions cant actually speak Irish fluently, just kinda little bits here and there, enough to pass their leaving cert! Lol You can go to Irish school at 6 and learn it fluently instead of a regular primary school. |
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Like a Fox
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The first language here is english, the majority of people in this country don't speak irish until they start attending school and even at that most irish people can't speak irish properly, myself included i have a basic grasp of it, mainly because of the way it's taught in schools. |
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Helen Kitty
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everyone irish born and reared person speaks english. well 99% of us. some gaeltacht (irish speaking only) areas have old school elderly folks who just never learnt english, but typically even in gaeltacht areas everyone knows english, but live their lives through gaeilge.
outside of gaeltacht areas children learn gaeilge at school from the age of 5 upto aroung 17/18, yet very few people have any level of fluency. there are some irish speaking only schools, but everything is taught in english in mainstream schools. its an absolute disgrace that a country's people cannot speak their language after 13 odd years of being taught it, but just another example of the failings af a country run by self-indulgent monkeys |
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Ella's MamaÃ
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your right and wrong....in some parts of Ireland Irish is spoken on a daily basis, so those children are speaking irish from the moment they are able to speak....
other areas speak english first and then learn irish in school, but english is the main language spoken in those schools |
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dollymix (now geeky for a month)
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Well we speak English normally, and then we have Irish classes. There are some schools in an area that speak Irish all the time, they're called Gaeltachts so the schoools called a gaelscoil. I live near one and have friends who went and they are fluent in Irish. |
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♣Ireland♣
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They first learn English beacuse that is what the primarly speak then they learn gaelic as a second language. |
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elle
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officially irish is the first and english is the second.. but on a day-to-day basis people speak english in general.however even when speaking we pepper english with irish words (eg.craic which means fun, gra which means love).in the gaeltacht areas irish is spoken and english is not used.personally i speak irish the odd time, but my mother does not know irish so i dont speak it at home.i have enjoyed a few irish books including harry potter agaus an orchlach.when i speak irish most of my friends do not understand and since leaving school my irish has going down hill.however i intend to write nad illustrate irish books in the future. |
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submissivmsle36
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hi you
nearly in all cases it is English is the first they learn but under the Irish Constitution Irish is the first language and English the second |
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Flying mop dog
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They learn English and then they 'learn' Irish except it's taught so badly that none of them actually have a clue how to speak it after 13 years. |
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Niamh
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em ok in Ireland our first offical language yes is irish...Technically and then our second is english
and there are some gaelic school(where only irish is spoken)but there not that many
but the mjority of the country speaks english..(with the exception of the west of ireland)
irish isnt taught very well and people only do it in school and only because were forced to...em must people are far form fluent in it
so the first language learnt by a child is the language the parents speak and everyone in ireland speaks english..
hmm i may have gone a bit of a rant sorry |
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