Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Roimh a chuirim fáilte roimh Linda, aithním go bhfuil uachtarán nuathofa Chonradh na Gaeilge, Paula Melvin, linn sa Ghailearaí, chomh maith le hard-stiúrthóir Chomhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, an iar-Sheanadóir Labhrás Ó Murchú. Tá fáilte roimh an bheirt acu agus na haíonna speisialta uilig atá linn inniu.

Linda agus Brian, tá fáilte romhaibh. It is great to see a few more east Belfast people in the Chamber. They are very welcome. I have watched with great delight Linda’s work, as well as the work of Turas and those who are on the journey with her. I am sure she would acknowledge that there has been a great team around her. For all the negativity you have received, you have also had a lot of support, which I know has been of great importance to you as you have led on this journey.

You and I are both from east Belfast. We are both from different backgrounds and traditions and we both have different world views - or so others would tell us. Does it not say something that what unites us, the commonality we have, is what so many would seek to label as being divisive, that is, the Irish language? That is what binds us. That is the tie that binds. Senator McDowell reflected on the history of the Gaelic League. The first branch of the Gaelic League in Belfast was established on the Beersbridge Road, in what is now a very staunch and proud unionist and loyalist part of the city. Part of the work of Turas is sharing that unique history and telling not just the Protestant, unionist and loyalist, PUL, community but everyone, including all of us here today, that that is the history of the language in our city and, indeed, throughout the rest of the country. My old secondary school, Meánscoil Feirste, was established in the early 1990s in a former Presbyterian church on the Falls Road, which is another symbol of our differences and our linkages. It was set up in Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich, which is named after the late Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich, a great scholar and advocate of the Irish language, and Robert Shipboy McAdam, a Presbyterian who was part of that generation of Presbyterians that did crucial work in preserving the language and keeping that flame alive.

As someone who passed through that education sector, I am acutely aware of the history of Protestants preserving the language and handing it down to us, because we were taught about it. You are the contemporary representation of that, Linda, and what you are doing at Turas is so special. I do not say that to be clichéd or to give you any plámás. Not only is Turas and its ethos and work important because it is reawakening an awareness of the Irish language among the PUL community, but because, like so many others across this country and beyond, it is sharing, teaching, learning and speaking the Irish language, lán stad. That is the jewel in this. That is the real crux and importance of it. I know you want to get to a point where it does not really matter who you are or where you are coming from but what is important and special is learning, sharing and speaking the language. I recall when Turas came to visit me at the parlour in City Hall when I was Lord Mayor and when it walked with us in the St. Patrick’s Day parade. You took a wee bit of flack for that at the time, if I recall correctly. It is a very small group of people and Turas now has some of the biggest, if not the biggest, Irish language classes in the city happening on the lower Newtownards Road. Who would have thought that possible ten or 15 years ago?

The elephant in the room when we come to the Irish language, which Senator Clifford-Lee mentioned, is the need for legislation that protects you and me. It would protect our community and all of us, and develop and enrich our society. You are doing fantastic work. I know you are probably scundered having to sit there and listen to all of this but we are delighted to have you. It is important that we have more opportunities to hear voices like yours in this institution. Guím gach rath ort i do chuid oibre agus táim ag súil go mór le bheith ag labhairt leat. I wish you every success with Naíscoil na Seolta because that is where this is at. It is about giving the language to young children and letting them learn it, live it and speak it. Go n-éirí go geal leat agus go raibh céad míle maith agat as a bheith linn.