disappearance of the irish language
By Seana Ni Cheallaigh
In January 1999 I completed a dissertation, part of my coursework whilst studying a degree in Irish and History at the University of Ulster in Coleraine. Part of the topic I researched was the state of the Irish language in the Parish of Dungiven during the 19th century, paying particular attention to the Benedy.
The Reverend Alexander Ross completed a Statistical Account of the Parish of Dungiven, (part of a Parochial Survey of Ireland) in 1812. He provides us with an interesting historial account of social economics, beliefs, traditions, townlands and indeed the state of the Irish language at that particular time. Although his references to the language are infrequent, we can still decipher a few facts from his account. It would seem that Irish was indeed a "living" language at the beginning of the 19th Century, the language being used by these native inhabitants and the writer is informed that they speak a "very pure dialect."
However, he fails to mention the number of families who were native Irish speakers in the locality. He writes that English was spoken, in particular by the men, in the conduct of their business affairs in the towns. According to his account, although Irish was still spoken, English was gradually becoming the most frequently used means of communication.
The Ordnance Survey memoirs of Ireland, Parishes of County Londonderry 1V, 1833-35, Roe Valley Upper: Dungiven Vol. 15 was written in 1834. John O'Donovan, who spent eight days here in August 1834, states in the memoirs that the local people spent their nights singing "Irish's Songs." He presents us with the example as follows:
| "Siúbhalfaidh mise an ród mór |
| "Siúbhalfaidh mise an ród mór |
| "Siúbhalfaidh mise an ród mór |
| Gan caincidh do mo namaidh" |
| "Amhran Ui Mhaolain" (1892 : L15) |
There was a connection between the decline of the Irish language and the education system. It is written in the Ordnance Survey Memoirs that a Protestant school in Turmeel was closed by the Priest as the lessons were taught through English. The memoirs mentions the nineteen schools in the different townlands of the Parish. A lot of private schools were established by the country people. The "Irish or Gaelic Society" gave financial assistance to thirteen of these schools in the Parish. Therefore, these schools would have helped to sustain Irish as a living language. M O Brolchan wrote, while discussing the question of the Irish language in the Sperrins, that Irish was prohibeted as a medium of education and as a subject from the year 1830 onwards in the National schools. However, he states that an improvement emerged in the year 1870 when Irish was allowed as an optional subject, outside of ordinary teaching hours.
Throughout the 19th Century the Irish language fell into deep decline and only became a distant memory for many. By the end of the century, fewer children were being brought up through Irish. English was viewed as being an advantageous language, more so than Irish. From an extract of an article written in "Irisleabhar na Gaeilge" in July 1846 concerning the objectives of Conradh na Gaelige, it seems that the language had not vanished completely.
"The attention of the Gaelic League has been directed to the state of Irish in County Derry. It is stated that it would be practicable to establish a branch at Maghera or Dungiven in the vicinity of which many inhabitants still speak Irish."
Seamus Hasson, an historian from Dungiven, has written a detailed account which outlines the last remaining families to have spoken our native tongue. (Benbradagh 1980 : P 21-250) There are few reports to suggest that Irish was a spoken language at the beginning of the 20th Century. Seamus writes that two families were McCloskeys, Manus Ban and Phaidi, living in the townland of Cluntygera.
James McCloskey (Manus Ban) married Sally Cassidy from Moneyneana in the 1820s. In Moneyneana, the language was much stronger as a means of communication in the 19th Century and was very much the dominant language. According to John O'Donovan who also visited Ballinascreen in 1834: "Irish is the language of this Parish. The children think, play and box in Irish."
In the Manus Ban family there were seven children who were brought up through Irish. Mary was born in 1826 (deceased before 1900), Margaret was born in 1829 and went abroad. John, who was born in 1831, was in charge of a shop in Cargananna. There were no records available as to when Francey and Nancy were born, but both died sometime between the years 1900 and 1914.
The other Irish speaking family of the McCloskey's (Phaidi) lived in close proximity to the Manus Ban family. The Phaidi children - Mary, Betty and Manus along with the Manus Ban children communicated with each other through the medium of Irish. Thus, the Irish language continued to be spoken in the townland of Cluntygera in the 19th Century.
In Carnaganna, John Manus Ban, son of James was in charge of the shop. Irish was the language spoken in the shop. Francey and Nancy lived next door to the shop. Their sister Brigid, who was married to Patrick McGilligan, lived close by. Manus Mary (McGilligan) and Betty (Phaidi) also lived near and visited the shop namely: Kitty McCloskey (Sean Phoil), Catherine McCloskey (Harry) from Tulach Ard and James, Mary (Jack) another McCloskey family bought their goods in this shop.
Unfortunately, when these people died the language went with them. "During the 1870s, 80s and 90s they have seen the lifeblood of the language ebb away, as older Irish speakers by the score died away." (Benbradagh N10, P21)
Approaching the end of the 19th Century, Irish was rarely heard as a means of communication except for a little in Cluntygera. John Manus Ban, the shopkeeper died in 1914. Mary Phaidi (Mrs McGilligan) died that winter too. Her sister Betty lived until the year 1922, but she had no one with whom to speak, in the native tongue. The Irish of Dungiven was lost, never to return as it once was.
