There seems to be a general perception thatIreland's national language is perpetually on its last legs. But according toIreland's Higher Education Authority, the number of students studying Irish atthe college level is not only very healthy, but has been described as enjoyinga "mini-revival." There are many possible reasons for the resurgenceof interest in the Irish language. Some point to the steady rise ofIrish-language preschool and primary education since the 1970s, which may nowbe contributing to an increased demand for Irish-language courses at thecollege level. Others suggest that innovative programs at universities andcolleges have revolutionized the way in which students relate to languages. Onthe international front, the Fulbright Commission Ireland, which sponsorsstudent and teacher exchange programs between the U.S. and Ireland, has beengrowing steadily since 2006. Currently, it has links to around 50 college-levelU.S. institutions and 90 community organizations involved with teaching andpromoting Irish. Liam Mac Mathúna, emeritus professor of Irish at UniversityCollege Dublin and editor of Irish studies magazine Éigse, points to thedevelopment of postgraduate research and international interest in languages ascontributing factors in the rise of Irish studies. Mathúna says two otherfactors include the Official Languages Act of 2003 and the fact that Irish isnow one of the official working languages of the EU. "The reason whypeople are so interested [in studying Irish] is that they're realizing there'sa difference between the curriculum that's in the schools and what the languageactually is," says Oisín Ó Doinn, who is working on a PhD on the use oftechnology in teaching Irish. "I'm always surprised at people going, 'Whywould anyone want to learn Irish?' My question would be, 'Why would theynot?'"
From "The Mini-Revival of the IrishLanguage"
Irish Times (Ireland) (04/27/15) Wallace,Arminta
