An Chonair Chaoch

An Chonair Chaoch: An Mionteangachas sa Dátheagachas
Ciarán Lenoach, Conchúr Ó Giollagáin & Brian Ó Curnáin
400 pp; paperback; 978-1-909907-76-8

“Irish Cloud Cuckoo Land”

A collection of academic essays on uni-directional bilingualism which is now pervasive in Irish-speaking communities, and the manner in which it is having a detrimental effect on the viability of Irish as a communal language in the Gaeltacht.

“The editors of An Chonair Chaoch examine the language specifically in the context of the Gaeltacht and bilingualism. Unsurprisingly, the view of parents, legal issues, language planning, education, and their effect on a very fragile linguistic region, are studied in great detail here…. Many of the conclusions make for stark reading and give the lie to the oft-repeated slur that Irish speakers live in cloud cuckoo land when it comes to Irish. Far from it: serious scholarship is being devoted to understanding language erosion and how best to combat it.”  —Pól Ó Muirí, The Irish Times.

Bilingualism is Bad News for Gaeltacht

“Is é dea-scéala an phlé atá sa leabhar seo ná go dtuigimid gur drochscéala atá sa dátheangachas comhuaineach sa Ghaeltacht agus nach gcuirimid dallamullóg orainn féin i dtaobh impleachtaí na tuisceana seo don féiniúlacht Ghaelach. Le plé eolaíoch macánta agus le léargas fírinneach ar dheacrachtaí ár ndála is ea is féidir linn aghaidh mhisniúil a thabhairt ar an gcinniúint a shárú — coiscéim tosaigh an bheartais dóchais í an tuiscint.” Gaelscéal

Also by Conchúr Ó Giollagáin and Brian Ó Curnáin: Beartas Nua na nGael

Read article in The Irish Times

Read article in Gaelport

An Chonair Chaoch available as an eBook on the Kindle (amazon)