Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

Bhí mé ag rothaíocht ar mo rothar agus fall mé off.

One of the great simultaneous bilingual speakers to whom I really enjoy listening is Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh. During the warm-up to President Obama's arrival at College Green, he introduced six sports people of Ireland who are at the top of their game, to use that phrase. While so doing, he moved seamlessly from English to Irish and back again with the mellifluous music of an anam gaeilgeoir and it was fantastic. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan evoked once again for me what it is all about. Language is what it says; it is using the tongue, making sounds with it, having fun with it. "Riverdance" exploded on to the stage for the entertainment of this country and the world at that Eurovision contest and has never lost its allure and sparkle. It brought Queen Elizabeth down from the viewing ranks of the convention centre and on to the stage because she was thrilled, I would say, literally, by that experience. Our language can do the same but we must unclutter it from the algebra of grammar and all that stuff. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan described his eight-year old becoming a ten-year old and suddenly the language was boring. Let us bring some fun back into the textbooks by introducing quizzes and by cross-blending the learning with sport. "Riverdance" is the badge of the expression, dance and music-wise, of the Gaelic language and tradition. Imagine having the "Riverdance" troupe at the Aviva stadium as the warm-up event for one of the big matches and some Irish language used in the signage. This would express in 21st century terms what it is we love about our language.

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