Languages of instruction in Ireland 1904–1977

Abstract

Since 1922 governments in the part of Ireland now called the Republic of Ireland have a policy of maintaining and spreading the Irish language. 26.6% of the population declared themselves speakers of Irish at the 1971 census, but probably only 0.98% live in areas where it predominates in everyday communication. No Irish-speaking area survives in Northern Ireland and there are no official figures available to indicate knowledge or use of the language. There has been considerable language development over the past hundred years: vocabulary extension has been steady though somewhat uncoordinated. The spelling and grammar standards of the Dublin Government's Translation staff (published between 1946 and 1961) have become accepted norms in both states. Under British rule teaching Irish in schools was permitted in 1878 and through the medium of Irish in 1904. In the state ruled from Dublin between 1922 and 1960 teacher training and school organisation aimed at establishing a completely Irish-language primary school environment both in Irish speaking and English speaking areas, but since 1965 this policy has been abandoned in practice. At secondary level English is now the sole medium of instruction in the vast majority of schools and the percentage of all-Irish-medium secondary schools is lower than at any time since 1924. The use of Irish at tertiary level is minimal. Administrative lack of commitment to the official policy is a plausible explanation of present trends in the Republic of Ireland. In Northern Ireland Irish is taught as a subject in 13% of the primary schools, 38% of secondary intermediate schools, 39% of grammar schools. There is one private all-Irish primary school. Irish is used as the medium of instruction for Irish language and literature courses at the New University of Ulster.