Charles III coronation: DUP welcome inclusion of Irish language in service for the first time

Traditional languages spoken in the four home nations of the UK, including Irish, will for the first time form part of a coronation service.

The congregation gathered for the crowning of the King and Queen Consort at Westminster Abbey will hear three Celtic languages – Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic – alongside English.

Charles famously travelled to Aberystwyth University as a young man to learn the Welsh language under Welsh nationalist Dr Edward Millward, before his investiture as the Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle in 1969.

The then heir to the throne was the first English Prince of Wales in 668 years to take the trouble to learn Welsh, and he and his tutor struck up a friendship that endured.

During the coronation, after a greeting and introduction by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy) prayer will be sung in Welsh.

The words include “Arglwydd, trugarha. Crist, trugarha. Arglwydd, trugarha” – which translates as “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy”.

A Lambeth Palace spokesman said: “After the sermon, the hymn Veni Creator – Come Creator Spirit – will be sung.

“This ancient hymn has been part of coronation services since the 14th century, and is also used in ordination services when people are ordained deacons, priests and bishops.

“For the first time, we will hear this sung in the traditional languages of the nations of the United Kingdom: English, Welsh, Scots Gaelic and Irish Gaelic.”

The Scots verse is:

Fada bhuain iomain ar namh,

Agus builich sa bhad do ghras,

O, treoraich sinn, a Cheannaird ard,

Bho bhuaidh gach beud agus cradh,

It translates as:

Anoint and cheer our soiled face,

With the abundance of thy grace,

Keep far our foes, give peace at home,

Where thou art guide, no ill can come,

Sir Jeffrey said he is forward to attending the coronation and will be honoured to represent Northern Ireland.

“I commend all who have had a hand in creating this Order of Service,” he said.

“It is magnificent and in particular how it breaks with tradition to give the congregation a role in the service in declaring allegiance to King Charles III.

“It is fitting that some of the minority languages from each part of the United Kingdom will be used in the service. I have never had a problem with the Irish language itself and recognise that it’s part of the background in this part of the UK but we’ve opposed those who have sought to weaponise the language and use it for purely political ends.”

However, Mr Allister said the service would create a challenge for Sinn Fein.

“The real test of Sinn Fein’s PR stunt in attending the coronation will be whether she, who aspires to be His Majesty’s first minister in Northern Ireland, participates in the public Proclamation of Allegiance to the King during the coronation service,” Mr Allister said.

“If she does not, then, Sinn Fein’s attendance will stand exposed as cynical hypocrisy. The communal Proclamation of Allegiance will be of much more significance than the Gaelic singing.”

Unionist commentator Alex Kane said unionism needs a total review in order to go forward.

“Michelle O’Neill at the coronation doesn’t weaken the UK or unionism,” he said, after she faced criticism from some unionists last week for accepting the invitation.

“The use of Irish at the coronation doesn’t weaken the UK or unionism. To be blunt, some of the greatest damage being done to unionism and NI’s position within the UK is being done by those who portray themselves as Uber-unionists. The problem, of course, is that no-one outside NI recognises that version.”