Recent research has shown that many Gaeltacht communities are on a cliff-edge, with the number of native speakers at a precariously low point. Rebel interviews a Donegal activist, Danny Brown, about the challenges facing the Gaeltacht and the impact of COVID-19. See here for the English transcription.
REBEL: Is as Béal Feirste ó dhúchas duit. Cá bhfuil tú ag cur fút anois agus cá fhad atá tú ann?
Danny Brown: Tá mé i mo chónaí ar an Bhun Bheag i nGaoth Dobhair ó 2004. Roimhe sin, bhí mé ag cur fúm i nDoire, áit a raibh mé i mo rúnaí craoibhe i gceardchumann agus i mo bhall gníomhach den Socialist Environmental Alliance agus den Derry Anti War Coalition, i measc rudaí eile.
REBEL: Cad iad na hathruithe atá i ndiaidh theacht ar an cheantar sin thar na blianta?
Danny Brown: I ndáiríre, rinneadh slad ar an cheantar seo, ach níor tharla sé thar oíche. Is ceantar measartha iargúlta é agus bhí ganntanas infrastruchtúir ann ó bunaíodh an stát. Dálta go leor ceantracha eile ar chósta thiar na tíre, bhí go leor jabanna ón turasóireacht ach ní bhíonn pá maith leo.
Leoga, tá na ceantracha Gaeltachta ar na ceantracha is boichte sa tír. Ach, ó thit an tóin as an gheilleagar i 2008, druideadh cúig óstán sa cheantar seo. Druideadh dhá chraobh bainc anseo fosta agus cuireadh deireadh le siopaí beaga agus gnónna beaga áitiúla. Chaill muid cúpla comhlacht mór san Eastát Tionsclaíochta fosta. Anuas air sin, druideadh cúig oifig poist sa cheantar anuraidh. Ní áibhéil ar bith é a rá gur stróiceadh an croí amach as an phobal seo.
REBEL: Cad é faoi na heagraíochtaí sin a bhfuil sé d’aidhm acu an Ghaeltacht a chaomhnú? Údarás na Gaeltachta, mar shampla?
Danny Brown: Sin gné eile de pholasaí marfach na déine. Gearradh buiséad an Údaráis ó €25.5 milliún sa bhliain i 2008 go dtí €6 mhilliún sa bhliain i 2011. D’fhág sin iad nach raibh siad ábalta infheistíocht mhór a dhéanamh sa cheantar, fiú dá mba mhian leo.
Tháinig an tÚdarás mar thoradh ar fheachtas radacach Ghluaiseacht Chearta Sibhialta na Gaeltachta go luath sna seachtóidí ach tá dearmad déanta air sin agus níl ann anois ach maorlathas eile nua-liobrálach. Fiú nuair a dúirt na saineolaithe soch-theangeolaíochta go raibh géarchéim sa Ghaeltacht, an t-aon athrú straitéise a rinne siad ná maoiniú suarach a dhéanamh ar choistí áitiúla pleanála teangan.
Cá bith seans a bhí ag an phobal tionchar a imirt ar straitéisí an Údaráis, baineadh sin dínn nuair a chuir an rialtas deireadh le toghcháin do Bhord an Údaráis i 2011. Dúirt siad ag an am go sábhálfadh sé €1 milliún don stát. Mar a tharla sé shábháil siad €500k. Seans maith nach dtuigeann an stát an luach atá leis an daonlathas ach is cinnte go dtuigeann siad an praghas.
REBEL: Le cúpla seachtain anuas bhí an-phlé ann ar na coláistí samhraidh, agus cinneadh déanta anois nach n-osclóidh siad an samhradh seo. Cad é tábhacht na gcoláistí samhraidh do cheantracha Gaeltachta go ginearálta & cad é an tionchar a bheas ag an chinneadh riachtanach sin? Cad é ba ghá a dhéanamh le dul i ngleic le hiarmhairtí na druidime?
Danny Brown: Ní raibh an darna rogha ann. B’éigean na coláistí a dhruid i mbliana ar mhaithe le sláinte an phobail agus le sláinte na scoláirí. Níl dabht ar bith ann ach go mbeidh impleachtaí móra aige seo don cheantar agus, go háirithe do na teaghlaigh atá ag brath ar an ioncam a gheibh siad ó na coláistí.
Thar na blianta, de réir mar a athraíodh na rialacha, bhí ar na teaghlaigh sin morgáistí breise a fháil le cur leis na tithe nó leis na háiseanna a fheabhsú leis na treoirlínte úra a chomhlíonadh. Anois, nuair nach bhfuil scoláirí ar bith ag teacht a stopadh leo, ní bheidh an teacht isteach céanna acu le híoc as na billí seo. Mar sin, caithfidh an rialtas pacáiste a chur le chéile le déanamh cinnte nach mbeidh na teaghlaigh sin as póca de thairbhe an choróiinvíris. Chan é amháin sin, ach ba chóir don airgead gabháil go díreach chuig na teaghlaigh a bheas thíos leis. Tá an chuid is mó de na daoine atá ag reáchtáil na gcoláistí samhraidh fostaithe in obair eile i rith na bliana agus níl siad ag brath ar ioncam ó na scoláirí mar atá na mná tí.
B’fhéidir gur seo an t-am leis an cheist a chur, cad chuige nach bhfuil na coláistí samhraidh i lámha na mná tí? Is iadsan is mó a dhéanann an obair agus, dá mbeadh na coláistí reáchtáilte ag na mná tí, bheadh an brabach ag fanacht sa cheantar, in áit gabháil amach go Béal Feirste, nó Baile Átha Cliath, nó áiteacha eile. Caithfidh an t-éileamh sin theacht ó na mná tí iad féin ach sílim gur seo an t-am le bheith ag amharc ar na féidearthachtaí sin.
REBEL: Ar ndóigh, bhí go leor feachtaisí éagsúla i dTír Chonaill ar ábhair mar chiorruithe agus cúrsaí déine. Tabhair blaiseadh dúinn de na ceisteanna a bhí ag déanamh imní daoibh sular bhuail an víreas seo muid.
Danny Brown: Díreach i ndiaidh don rialtas Fine Gael agus Lucht Oibre babhta ciorruithe a fhógairt, polasaí ar tugadh An Bord Snip Nua air, bunaíodh eagraíocht pobail anseo darbh ainm Guth na Gaeltachta le cur in éadan ciorruithe a bhí beartaithe sa Ghaeltacht. Bhí ag éirí go maith leo go dtí go bhfuair an t-urlabhraí litir óna fhostaitheoir, an Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta, ag bagairt é a bhriseadh as a phost mar gharraíodóir i bPáirc Náisiúnta Ghleann Bheatha. Dóigh iontach éifeachtach ag an stát deireadh a chur le heagraíocht feachtasaíochta agus ní chreidim go dtiocfadh leo fáil ar shiúl leis dá mba in áit ar bith eile taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht a tharla sé. Is beag aird a fuair sé sna meáin Bhéarla.
Bhí an ceantar seo giota maith chun tosaigh ar an chuid eile den tír ag cur in éadan Cháin Tí, Táillí Uisce agus Táillí Dabhaigh Séarachais. Bhí an chéad choiste againn in Anagaire seachtain i ndiaidh an fhógra agus bhí an chéad chruinniú poiblí againn i nDobhar le Thomas Pringle TD agus Joe Higgins TD. Bhí feachtas iontach láidir ar fud na contae.
D’eagraigh muid scaifte maith daoine ón Ghaeltacht le freastal a dhéanamh ar Lá Mór na Gaeilge i mBaile Átha Cliath agus An Lá Dearg i mBéal Feirste in éadan faillí an stáit ar an dá thaobh den teorainn maidir leis an Ghaeilge agus an Ghaeltacht.
Rinne muid obair dhlúthpháirtíochta leis na teifigh agus le muintir Gaza.
Rinne muid iarrachtaí AIB Ghaoth Dobhair, atá folamh le tamall, a fháil don phobal. D’eagraigh muid cruinnithe agus agóidí le cur in éadan druid na n-oifigí poist sa cheantar. Thug muid tacaíocht d’oibrithe RAP a bhí ag iarraidh aitheantas a fháil dá gceardchumann. Agus d’eagraigh muid feachtas le toghcháin a fháil ar ais do Bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta.
REBEL: Tá tuairiscí ann go mbeidh cúlú mór eacnamaíochta i ndán dúinn go luath de bharr an víris. An gcuireann sin buaireamh ort?
Danny Brown: Caithfidh muid bheith ullmhaithe le gabháil chun troda arís le seirbhísí agus jabanna a chosaint. Faoin chóras eacnamaíochta atá againn sa tír seo, is iad an chosmhuintir a bhíonn thíos leis i dtólamh. Caithfidh muid ár gcuid jabanna a shábháil agus caithfidh muid an Ghaeltacht a shábháil. Bíonn daoine ag caint ar thearmainn dúchais (indigenous sanctuaries) a bhunú i dtíortha eile. Tá sin againne cheana féin sa Ghaeltacht ach tá sí i mbaol.
Tá na coistí pleanála teanga ag déanamh a ndíchill ach, muna dtig le daoine óga a tógadh le Gaeilge socrú síos agus clann a thógáil ina gceantar dúchais, tá an cluiche caillte. Mar atá sé anois tá an t-aos óg ar shiúl ag obair agus níl todhchaí ar bith anseo daofa. Caithfear jabanna, tithíocht agus seirbhísí maireachtála a chur ar fáil agus tá eagla orm go mbeidh an rialtas ag iarraidh gearradh siar orthu sin nuair atá an ghéarchéim seo thart. Ní thig linn ligint daofa muid a fhágáil san fhaopach arís, is cuma cá háit sa tír ina bhfuil muid.
Ó thaobh na Gaeltachta de, thiocfadh leat a rá gur seo an seasamh deireanach. Muna n-éiríonn linn an taoide a chasadh, ní bheidh Gaeltacht ar bith ann taobh istigh de chúpla glúin agus beidh rud iontach tábhachtach luachmhar caillte ag Éirinn. Deir siad linn go bhfuil an Ghaeltacht ag fáil bháis ach níl sé sin beacht cruinn. Níl sí ag fáil bháis. Tá sí á tachtadh go mall ag córas polaitiúil eacnamaíochta ar cuma leis an Ghaeltacht ann ná as.
REBEL: You hail from Belfast originally. Where are you living now and how long have you been there?
Danny Brown: I have been living in An Bun Beag in Gaoth Dobhair in the Donegal Gaeltacht since 2004. Before that I lived in Derry, where I was a union branch secretary and an active member of the Environmental Socialist Alliance and the Derry Anti-War Coalition, amongst other things.
REBEL: What changes has that area undergone over the years?
Danny Brown: To be frank, this area has been devastated, but it didn’t happen overnight. It’s a relatively isolated area and it suffered from a lack of infrastructure since the state was founded. Like many other areas on the west coast, it had a fair amount of jobs in tourism, but they don’t pay well.
Of course, Gaeltacht communities are among the poorest in the country. But since the economy fell apart in 2008, five hotels have been closed in this area. Two bank branches were also shut and small shops and local businesses were ruined. We lost some bigger companies in the local industrial estate too. On top of all that, five post offices were closed in this area last year. It’s no exaggeration to say that the heart has been torn out of this community.
REBEL: What about those organisations whose aim it is to protect the Gaeltacht? Údarás na Gaeltachta, for example?
Danny Brown: That’s another aspect of the deadly policy of austerity. The budget of the Údarás was cut from €25.5m a year in 2008 to €6m a year in 2011. That meant that they couldn’t make any large investment into the area, even had they wanted to.
The Údarás came about as a result of Gluaiseacht Chearta Sibhialta na Gaeltachta (‘The Gaeltacht Civil Rights Movement’), a radical campaign in the early seventies – but that is forgotten now and all that’s left is another neo-liberal bureaucracy. Even when the sociolinguist experts said that there was an emergency in the Gaeltacht, the only change of strategy they put in place was providing paltry funding for local language planning committees.
Whatever chance the community had of influencing the Údarás’s strategies, that was taken from us in 2011 when the Government put an end to elections to the Údarás’s Board. They said at the time that it would save the state €1m. As it happened, they saved €500,000. There’s a good chance that the state doesn’t understand the value of democracy, but they certainly understand the price.
REBEL: For a few weeks now there has been a lot of discussion about the Gaeltacht colleges, and the decision has now been made that they won’t open this summer. What importance do the colleges hold for Gaeltacht communities in general, and what effect will this necessary decision have? What should be done to deal with the consequences of closure?
Danny Brown: There was no other option. The colleges had to be closed for the sake of public health and the health of the young people. There’s no doubt that there’ll be huge implications for the area and especially for the families that depend on the income they receive from the colleges.
Over the years as the rules were changed, those families had to get extra mortgages to extend their houses or improve facilities in order to comply with the new guidelines. Now, since no students are coming to stay with them, there won’t be the same income to pay these bills. Therefore the government should put together a package to make sure those families are not out of pocket as a result of the coronavirus. Not only that, but the money should go straight to the families who will lose out. Most of the people running the summer colleges are employed in other work during the year and they’re not dependent on income from the students in the way the mná tí are.
Maybe now is the time to ask the question, why aren’t the colleges in the hands of the mná tí? They are the ones who do the bulk of the work and if the colleges were run by the mná tí the profit would stay in the community, instead of going out to Belfast or Dublin or other places. That demand has to come from the mná tí themselves but I think this is the time to be looking at these possibilities.
REBEL: Of course, there have been many different campaigns in Donegal around issues such as cuts and austerity. Can you give us some examples of the questions that were causing concern before the virus hit?
Danny Brown: Immediately following the announcement of a round of cutbacks by the Fine Gael and Labour government in 2009, a policy known as An Bord Snip Nua, a community organisation called Guth na Gaeltachta (‘Voice of the Gaeltacht’) was formed to oppose the cuts that were planned in the Gaeltacht. They were going well until their spokesperson received a letter from his employer, the Department for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, threatening to sack him from his job as a gardener in Glenveagh National Park. A very effective way for the state to end a campaigning organisation and I don’t think they would have gotten away with it if it had happened anywhere else outside the Gaeltacht. It got little attention in the English language press.
This area was quite a bit ahead of the rest of the county in opposing Water Charges, Local Property Tax and Septic Tank Charges. We had the first committee, in Anagaire, a week after the announcement and had the first public meeting in Dobhar with Thomas Pringle TD and Joe Higgins TD. The campaign was very strong across the county. We organised substantial crowds from the Gaeltacht to attend Lá Mór na Gaeilge in Dublin and An Lá Dearg in Belfast, protesting against the neglect of the Irish language and the Gaeltacht by the state on both sides of the. We did solidarity work with refugees and the people of Gaza. We made efforts to secure the empty premises of AIB Gaoth Dobhair for the community.
We organised meetings and protests to oppose the closing of the post offices in the area. We supported the RAP workers who were seeking recognition for their union. And we organised a campaign to reinstate the elections for the Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta.
REBEL: There are reports that we will soon be facing a huge recession as a result of the virus. Does that worry you?
Danny Brown: We have to be prepared to fight again to protect jobs and services. Under the economic system we have in this country, it is always ordinary people who suffer. We have to save our jobs and we have to save the Gaeltacht. People speak of founding indigenous sanctuaries in other countries. We have that already but it is in danger.
The language planning committees are doing their best but the game is up if young people raised with Irish can’t settle down and raise a family in their native place. As it is now, the young people are away working and there’s no future for them here. Jobs, housing and services necessary to live must all be provided and I’m afraid that the government will want to cut back on those when this crisis is over. We can’t let them leave us in dire straits again, no matter where in the country we are.
In terms of the Gaeltacht, you could say that this is the last stand. If we don’t succeed in turning the tide there will be no Gaeltacht within a few generations/decades and Ireland will have lost something extremely important and valuable. They tell us that the Gaeltacht is dying, but this isn’t at all accurate. It is not dying. It is being slowly choked by an economic and political system that couldn’t care less whether the Gaeltacht exists or not.
