Twitter campaign highlights anti-Irish remarks
More than 1,000 Twitter account holders have so far shared their stories of encountering prejudice, rudeness and ignorance
A Twitter campaign to highlight prejudice against the Irish language and ignorant remarks made to Irish speakers in this country has reached more than one million people.
The campaign using the hashtag #Nílsécgl (níl sé ceart go leor) was set up by the teacher and writer known as Ciara Ní É.
The digital communications company Lorg Media, which is monitoring the campaign, says that more than 1,000 Twitter account holders have shared their stories of encountering prejudice, rudeness and ignorance.
The campaign began on the social network on Sunday evening.
Examples from the campaign of remarks directed at Irish speakers include:
- "I suppose you're getting a grant for it and all...!"
- "Oh, you're one of those" when giving my name in Irish about to give birth.
- "Would you rather the English version? The form is easier to read!" Census 2016 enumerator to me.
- "What do you mean your name doesn't translate to English! Of course it does."
Some contributors to the campaign have substituted English for Irish in an ironic manner to highlight the prejudice they have encountered:
- "Shakespeare was bet into me in school so I hate English."
- "I'm not anti-English, but if it can't can't survive without government subsidies for films, and the arts through English, and BILLIONS wasted employing English teachers and civil servants producing pointless documents in English, then maybe it should be allowed to die."
- Person: "Are you guys speaking English?" Us: "Yes, we are" Person: "Oh, Can I go to the bathroom? Hahahaha."
Conradh na Gaeilge say the campaign is important as the examples published can be used by Irish language organisations when engaging with politicians in the future.