 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
This part of County Clare is not a Gaeltacht (an area where Gaelic Irish is used as day-to-day language.) Even so, the burial ground's entrance sign is in Irish first and English second because it's required by law for any sign made with the help of government funding, even though most Irish don't speak or read Irish. The language is increasingly mandatory in schools, though, and the aggressive attempt to preserve the language may well actually work. We enjoyed watching the Gaelic language news on our little television once in a while -- it is a lilting, lyrical language, and hearing it makes it pretty clear where the "Irish accent" has its roots. |