Nuair a bhíonn an chat amuigh, bíonn an luch ag rince – the rise of the Cumann Gaelach in the midst of a language crisis

Tar éis an Oireachtas, labhraíonn eagarthóir Trinity Life Úna Ní Artaigh le Ciarán Wadd ón Chumann chun solas a scoith ar saol an Ghaeilge ar champas

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“It is a bit sad though that English speakers go there not even attempting to speak Irish. How hard is it to say “pionta Guinness le do thoil”?”

Bhuaileas le Ciarán Wadd, Leas-Reachtaire an Chumainn, atá ina thriú bliain dena chúrsa Gaeilge agus Fraincís ar an gcoláiste. Thosaigh Ciarán a bheith páirteach sa Chumann óna chéad lá i Seachtain na bhFreisir trí bhliain ó shin agus tá sé gan aiféala fós sa lá atá inniu ann. Tá an Chumann tar éis athbhrandáil a dhéanamh ar a lógó i mbliana chomh maith lena chéad ócáid le Trinity Ents a bheith acu riamh chomh maith. Labhair mé le Ciarán maidir faoi.

“It was a massive thing for us this year to have Cóisir with Daithí and to be  collaborating with Trinity Ents. The Bál Gaelach every year is always a big thing too.” Tarlaíonn an Bál Gaelach ag deireadh téarma Hilary agus is am é chun frithchaitheamh a dhéanamh ar an mbliain sin. Le gach aon oíche amach leis an Chumainn téann siad ar aghaidh chuig Club Chonradh na Gaeilge ar Sráid Fhearchair. Chroílár den shaol sóisialta is é an Chonradh ina bhuaileann na Chumainn ó na Coláisti eile le chéile chun píosa chomórtas a bheith acu. Ní bhíonn oíche ann nach ghoideann Cumann UCD “croí” an Chuamainn.

“It is a massive eye opener, the Conradh. You can order drink through Irish, speak to people through Irish and have a bit of a bop through Irish. It is known for dancing on the tables.”

Lean Ciarán ar aghaidh cuimhneacháin cheanúil a tharraing amach maidir leis an gConradh ach labhair sé faoin chustaiméirí le deanaí.

“It is a bit sad though that English speakers go there not even attempting to speak Irish. How hard is it to say “pionta Guinness le do thoil”?”

Tá Cumann Gaelach TCD domhain le stair. Bhunaíodh é i 1907 agus Dubhghlas de hÍde, chéad Taoiseach na hÉireann, mar cheann dos na bunaitheoirí. Labhair Ciarán le mórtas maidir leis na daoine a bhuaileann sé leis a bhí páirteach den Chumann ar feadh na blianta.

“We still have people who come to ‘Anraith agus Arán’ on Wednesdays at one and have been a member of the society for the past sixty years and still comeback to speak Irish with the students.”

Ó thaobh an diúltachas agus an teanga de, bhí Ciarán iomlán ar shon athbheochan an teanga trí ócáidí shóisialta.

“We as Irish social speakers have and do see so much negativity towards Irish in the media. People like Paul Williams and people in government are completely negating everything that’s good for Irish. We’re fighting. Through social events we’re showing them a more positive side to the Irish culture. You can have a pint through Irish, go out through Irish or have lunch through Irish.”

Thosamar ag plé an taobh polaitíocht de; an raibh ar an gCumann seasamh pholaitíochta a thógaint?

“Everyone has a political stance in college, thus should we be sitting back and saying can we make Irish more ‘forleathan’ rather than just focusing on the social side of it?”

Faoi láthair tá an Coláiste i mbun an Triú Scéim a scríobh suas; sé sin an Ghaeilge ar fud an champus a hanailísigh agus na seirbhísí a nuashonraigh chomh fearr agus is féidir. Cheap Ciarán go raibh an Coláiste “very Irish friendly”. Dhírigh sé ar sár-obair atá dhéanta ag Oifig na Gaeilge, Aonghus Dwane.

“It would be very nice to see more of a political stance perhaps if that were to go through the SU. Anuas ar sin, it is at current very difficult to change your name to Irish with Academic Registry. But maybe that’s just my own personal fight.”

Anuraidh chuaigh an Cumann ar thuras go dtí Beirlin. Chuimhníonn Ciarán ar ais chuig an t-am ina shroich sé ar tithe tabhairne ina raibh cách ag labhairt as Gaeilge agus seisiúin trad ar siúl ar chúl an bhéar.

“There was a man there who was a native German and he had picked up the Irish language and culture. It shows how far reaching it is when people say it’s dead.”

Chuaigh Ciarán ar aghaidh faoin Ghaeilge ar champas.

“Working in the SU shop on campus I have customers who come in all the time and speak Irish to me. Trinity doesn’t even know how much Irish is going on all the time socially.”

Ó am go ham cuireann daoine an cheist orm, “conas gur fhéidir liom a bheith bainteach sa Chumann?” Dar le Ciarán is féidir leat ‘like’ a thabhairt donár leathanach Facebook nó teachtaireacht a sheoladh chuige agus is feidir linn do bhallraíocht a thabhairt duit.

“Free soup and sandwiches going on in the Seomra na Gaeilge every Wednesday. Just sit down and someone will chat to you in Irish. We’re not a clique, we’re not a group of nationalistic Irish language nazis. It’s nothing like that; we’re open we want to see new people, we want to see people who are happy to speak the language.”

Ar an nóta sin; beatha an teanga í a labhairt.

Una Harty

Úna is a third year Nanoscience student and Trinity Life editor for Trinity News.