Stop the Slaughter in Gaza - Belfast protest

by Ciarán Wed Jan 07, 2009 23:53

Mar a tharlaíonn, tá ICTU ag eagrú na hagóide seo seachas IPSC agus TUFP.

As it happens, ICTU are organising this protest instead of the IPSC and TUFP.

by Dillan Fri Jan 09, 2009 15:39

Where is art college squrare, is it down at the university of ulster campus in the city centre? Thanks.

by East Belfast boy Sun Jan 11, 2009 12:42

I can take it from your advert that you are actively trying to discourage people from a protestant background from attending your protests. If that is not the case then why is it in Irish? Why use Irish on your banner when you cannot but know that (unfortunately) this will label you in the eyes of a majority of protestants as republicans.......Drop the Irish, when it comes to politics in Northern Ireland its a political weapon and whether you want it to be or not it does mean that a majority of protestants will just switch off to whatever you are trying to do....

by AM Sun Jan 11, 2009 12:57

I think the problem is with your narrow-minded nature rather than people who chose to use the two languages spoken in Ireland.

by East Belfast Boy Sun Jan 11, 2009 13:20

The problem is not me, I did use the word unfortunately. The problem is people like you are blind to the realities of life in Northern Ireland and would rather push ahead stubbornly using Irish in this way even if it means that the majority section of your society will not listen to you or join and support your activities. That just plain stupid and foolish.

by RedMole Sun Jan 11, 2009 20:40

EBB has a fair point their and the usual rants of the trolls shouldn't drown it out.

by Refusnik Sun Jan 11, 2009 21:50

I agree that Irish should not be used in this context. I think language is there to communicate. There are no Gaeltachts in Belfast so I think it's only being used as a political football. If this noticification was meant to a protest in Galway, Kerry, Mayo, Donegal, Cork etc. then fair enough. But it's not. I think it's sectarian point-scoring and it actually harms the Irish language and the anti-war movement by placing it into the ownership of one section of society.

by Christopher Mon Jan 12, 2009 10:48 cmchugh2001 at hotmail dot com

Actually yes there is.

However the use of Irish however does not only cut out the Unionist side of the community, but many "Nationalists" also do not speak the language. I would not say drop the Irish however. The use off Both languages should be seen as an attempt to appeal to both sides off the divide. I mean 30,000 people turned out to welcome home a Battallion of Soldiers whose own banner has a quote in gaelic, the majority off whom would have been Unionist. I can see however that EEB has a valid point, that unfortunately many people will not be willing to accept that the Gaelic language is used, but I would not say drop it tp appeal to a group of close minded people in society

by Refusnik Sat Jan 17, 2009 21:29

There is no Gaeltacht in Belfast. There is no community in Belfast that has a firm geographic basis to it that speaks the Irish language as the main vernacular. There can be people that speak a language dotted around the place. I'm sure there are many Irish speakers all over Ireland that us the language within their individual homes. For example down South there are thousands of Polish speakers and Chinese speakers. But not concentrated in a geographic area where the language is the vernacular.

by Duine Wed Jan 21, 2009 16:40

Tá súil agam go raibh scread na Gaeilge chomh ard agus scread an bhéarla