With the presidential election imminent, are we right to expect our president to speak Irish?
On October 24th, the electorate of Ireland will come together to elect the next president of Ireland. Prior to Jim Gavin’s withdrawal, there were three candidates taking the field: Heather Humphreys of Fine Gael, Independent candidate Catherine Conolly, and Fianna Fáil’s Jim Gavin. Only one of these three individuals speaks Irish fluently.
A political cartoon by Harry Burton appeared in the Irish Examiner following the first presidential debate, featuring Catherine Conolly saying “Dia Dhaoibh, A Chairde,” which translates to “Hello friends.” The other two candidates, Humphreys and Gavin, respond confused with “What did she say?” in unison. Connolly started the debate speaking in Irish, which was not only a display of her mastery over the language but a dig at her opponents, who have both been in hot water over their inability to speak Irish.
Throughout their campaigns (though with one ending prematurely), Gavin and Humphreys have both taken heat for their inability to speak Irish. Humphreys was Minister for Culture, Heritage, and Gaeltacht under Leo Varadkar from 2016 to 2017, being elected the minister of a government organization in charge of the Irish Language without speaking it. She has vowed in numerous interviews that, “I promise that if I am elected as President, I will return to the Gaeltacht and I will learn Irish,” - a statement made to assure those undecided voters that they will still have an Irish-speaking President of Ireland. One thing has been clear in the process of this election: a large portion of the Irish population cares that their President, the diplomatic figurehead and emblem for the rest of the world, speaks Irish
Despite being an EU language and one of the official languages of Ireland, most of the population in Ireland does not speak Irish fluently. According to 2022 statistics, only 40% of the population claims that they can speak Irish. Only a small percentage of the population claims they speak it daily, and the population of Gaeltachts is decreasing.
This leads to the question: should voters care if the Irish president speaks Irish? The way Connolly views it, a large percentage of the voting population does, which is why she has been using her fluency in the language as a way to show her credibility over Gavin and Humphreys. Much of the population, whether gaeilgeoirí or not, view the Irish language as integral to the Irish identity as our native language.
Even if the Irish language is not being used as the primary language for most of the country, it holds special cultural significance. For many, the Irish language represents a resistance to British colonialism. Ireland may not be seeing a rise in first-language speakers of the language, but it is seeing a rise in enthusiasm for the language, especially amongst the youth. This can be seen with the recent rise in the Belfast Rap group Kneecap, whose mix of the Irish language and hip-hop has encouraged many to learn the language.
On the other hand, there are certain class and regional connotations with the Irish language. For many, the Irish language may not be accessible to them to learn. Full immersion in the language for those living outside of Gaeltacht regions can be costly, with certain gaelscoils, Gaeltacht summer courses, and private tutors falling outside of many families’ budgets. The expectation that our politicians speak Irish could put a class requirement for many from certain parts of the country.
For some of those who have emigrated to Ireland, the process of learning the language can feel daunting, and at times exclusionary. Two non-Irish born citizens spoke to the University Observer anonymously about their experience with Irish. One cannot speak Irish; he speaks Polish at home and had an exemption from Irish during his Leaving Cert. Another immigrant from the Philippines moved here when she was 4 and speaks Tagalog at home. However, she continued learning Irish throughout her educational journey. Individuals who have spent a significant part of their schooling outside the Irish education system are often offered exemptions, and this can impact their ability to connect with the Irish language.
It is sure that the question regarding whether the President should speak Irish is one that will continue to follow this Presidential race.