SF Irish language strategy mirrors '˜PIRA cultural struggle'

Sinn Fein's Irish language strategy reflects specific goals of republican '˜struggle' first articulated by the Provisional IRA leadership, a historian has said.
Historian Dr Connal ParrHistorian Dr Connal Parr
Historian Dr Connal Parr

The IRA handbook, known as the Green Book, outlines the revival of the Irish language as a key objective.

The text states: “Culturally we would hope to restore Gaelic, not from the motivation of national chauvinism but from the viewpoint of achieving with the aid of a cultural revival the distinctive new Irish socialist state: as a bulwark against imperialist encroachments from whatever quarter.”

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In 2015 Sinn Fein’s culture minister Carál Ní Chuilín published proposals for an Irish langauge act including Irish services on a par with English in the courts and assembly; an Irish language commissioner with the power to “initiate prosecutions” for lack of cooperation; that all state and semi-state bodies would promote affirmative action for Irish speakers; bilingual roadsigns; and the right to education through Irish.

Asked to compare the IRA Green Book with the Sinn Fein proposals, historian Dr Connal Parr from Northumbria University pointed to Eire Nua, all-Ireland plans published by the Provisional IRA leadership in 1971 which he said were similar to the Green Book on this point.

“What strikes me as ever about this is the cultural aspect to the struggle, something which would become even more pronounced when the guns fell silent,” he said. “This is indeed critical for them because it is one of the last methods of (non-violent) warfare left.”

He added: “The language itself is immaterial; what matters is the symbolic war.”

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Dr Cillian McGrattan, lecturer in politics at Ulster University, said Sinn Fein’s approach is nationalistic.

“The Green Book says that the restoration of Irish is part of a liberationist struggle and is not to do with ‘national chauvinism’,” he said.

“However, Sinn Fein’s current framing of the language issue, seems to me exactly to resort to national chauvinism.”

He added: “I think the whole point of language politics is to polarise.”

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South Armagh UUP councillor David Taylor affirmed that Sinn Fein’s actions in his district had been “divisive” and resulted in “resentment” among the unionist minority.

He added: “Unfortunately, there has been an ideological crusade on the part of republicans to pursue a campaign of cultural supremacy in the Newry, Mourne & Down District Council area and my genuine fear would be that the introduction of any form of Irish language act would result in similar attempts across Northern Ireland.”

But Sinn Fein said that there is “a clear and growing demand” for an Irish language act from across public sectors and political parties.

“The Irish language is an integral part of the lives of a growing number of people who use it daily and their rights should be protected,” a party spokesman said.

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“There are language protections in place in England, Scotland, Wales and for all south of the border, they need to be extended to the North. No one has anything to fear from the Irish language or an Irish language act.”

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