Cúpla Focal le Ciarán Kilkenny

Cúpla Focal le Ciarán Kilkenny

Dublin senior footballer Ciarán Kilkenny was yesterday confirmed by the GAA as one of four ambassadors for a campaign to raise awareness of the ties between the Association and the Irish language and to encourage people to use the 'cúpla focal' they have.

Along with Joe Canning, Neil McGee and Marc Ó Sé, Ciarán recorded a video message explaining his involvement in the project and his passion for the Irish language. The clip, which can be seen below, will be shown on the big screens on match days in stadia around the country and in Croke Park.

At the launch of the campaign in Croke Park on Thursday, GAA.ie sat down with Ciarán to discuss his love of the Irish language, Irish culture and Gaelic Games, and his hope that more people will use whatever 'Gaeilge' they have.

Míle buíochas do Mártan Ó Ciardha as ucht a chuid cabhair ag cur an alt seo le chéile.

GAA.ie: Where does your passion for the Irish language stem from?

Ciarán Kilkenny: My dad always had a passion for the language and the history of Ireland and he instilled that same passion in me. I went to primary school in Scoil Oilibhéir in Blanchardstown and I went to Scoil Chaitríona all-Irish Secondary School in Glasnevin. I then started doing History, Irish and Politics in UCD before I went to Australia and when I go back to college I would like to do History and Irish and hopefully be a primary school teacher in a Gaelscoil.

The Irish language is important to me because it symbolises our Irish identity to have the cúpla focal. It is a privilege to have it as it is our national language and if people could speak it a lot more, even a few words here and there, it would be great. Personally, in the Dublin set-up we would have a lot of lads who can speak Irish. It's beautiful to see it and it's a great link between the GAA and the Irish language.

GAA.ie: An gceapann tú go mbíonn drogall ar dhaoine nach bhfuil Gaeilge líofa acu an teanga a labhairt mar go mbíonn eagla orthu go ndéanfadh siad botúin nó go mbeadh daoine eile a fáil locht ort?

CK: Cuireann sé as dom nuair a bhíonn daoine ag gearán nach bhfuil daoine 100% ceart ó thaobh gramadaí. Is é an toradh a bheidh ar sin nach mbeidh fonn ar na daoine sin Gaeilge a labhairt. Measaim gur cheart seans a thabhairt do dhuine atá ag déanamh a ndíchill - ní Gaeilgeoir líofa í mó mháthair, mar shampla. Fós déanann sí iarracht agus nach iontach an rud é go ndéanann. Is breá an rud é cúpla focal féin a bheith ag duine mar go dtugann sin beocht do chuid thábhachtach dár gcultúr.

GAA.ie: You have forged your name playing GAA, an Association that was founded with one of its primary aims as preserving our national games, language and culture. Is that link important to you?

CK: To be honest, I see the two going hand in hand, the GAA and the Irish language. If I was teaching in primary school I would be teaching all the subjects but Irish and history would be my most passionate subjects. Add Gaelic Games in and they just fit in perfectly.

Meeting lads from other counties I would always try and speak the bit of Irish. Looking back at Joe Connolly in 1980 and Seán Óg Ó hAilpín in 2005 collecting Liam MacCarthy and delivering their winning speeches through Irish is just beautiful to see. Watching Reeling in the Years and old games on TG4 it looks so much nicer when you see speeches in Irish.

GAA.ie: An bhfuil tábhacht leis an gcaoi ar chuidigh Gaelscoileanna le forbairt Chumann Lúthchleas Gael sa phríomhchathair le blianta beaga?

CK: Nuair a bhí mé sa bhunscoil bhí múinteoir as Ciarraí agam darbh ainm Conchubhair Ó Brosnacháin agus ba eisean ba thúisce a mhúscail an grá agus an paisiún atá agam don pheil agus don Ghaeilge. Ba as Loch Garman an múinteoir eile a bhí agam, Antóin Ó Cléirigh, agus chuir seisean daltaí na scoile ag iomáint. Measaim go mbíonn tionchar mór ag múinteoirí ar dhaltaí, go háirithe sa bhunscoil agus creidim go láidir gur cheart na Cluichí Gaelacha agus an Ghailge a chur chun cinn sna scoileanna chomh mór agus is féidir.

GAA.ie: How big a factor do you think TG4's broadcasting of Gaelic Games in Irish has been in putting the language back in the mainstream?

CK: It's been huge. There are so many games that you can only find on TG4 now like club and U21. It's great to have it through Irish because a lot of people that might not have the language will pick up a few words here and there. It's a really important part of our culture and it's great to see people who might not normally get the chance to do so watching games in Irish.

GAA.ie: Le déanaí, dúirt tú le GAA.ie gur é Bernard Dunne do laoch mar gur fhoghlaim sé Gaeilge, cé go bhfuil sé os cionn 30 bliain agus gur bheag den teanga a bhí aige ar fhágáil na scoile dó.

CK: Tugann Bernard Dunne ionsparáid do dhaoine ar mian leo Gaeilge a labhairt mar go bhfuil sé líofa anois cé gur fíor bheagán den teanga a bhí aige cúpla bliain ó shin. Gach uair a chasann mé féin agus Bernard ar a chéile anois, déanann muid iarracht oiread Gaeilge agus is féidir linn a labhairt agus is i nGaeilge a bhíonn na téacsanna a sheolann muid chuig a chéile. Ní féidir ach go dtabharfadh fear a thosaigh agus gan aon Ghaeilge aige agus atá líofa anois spreagadh dúinn ar fad. Tá diongbháilteacht do-chreidte aige.

Tá cara eile a imríonn le mo chlub (Caisleán Chnuca) a d'fhoghlaim Gaeilge cúpla bliain ó shin ionas go mbeadh sé in ann a chuid páistí a chur chuig Gaeilscoil - tá seisean líofa anois freisin. Duine fásta atá ann agus anois tá sé chun scrúdú Gaeilge na hArdteistiméireachta a dhéanamh díreach mar go bhfuil suim agus grá aige don teanga. Tugann rudaí mar sin misneach duit agus cruthaíonn siad duit go bhfuil an teanga fós láidir .

GAA.ie: There are probably a lot of people in the country who have a little Irish from school but are afraid to use it. What steps do you think they can take to improve their confidence?

CK: In my club we meet up every month and everyone is welcome to come and have a chat in Irish. I wouldn't be drinking pints but the others would be having the craic and speaking the language. Some of the lads wouldn't have much Irish but they are there because they are passionate about Ireland and the language. There are so many ways to speak the language, but the main thing is to speak as much as possible with the others.

GAA.ie: Bíonn tionchar go leor ar dhaoine óga ag peileadóirí agus ag iománaithe mar tú féin - an nglacann tú an deis iad a spreagadh chun Gaeilge a labhairt ?

CK: Agus mé ag obair ag na Campaí Samhraidh úsáidim roinnt Gaeilge i gconaí féachaint chun na páistí a spreagadh. De ghnáth freagraíonn siad as Gaeilge mé agus anois tá roinnt acu ag teacht chugam agus ag labhairt Gaeilge liom ón tús, cé go mb'fhéidir nach Gaeilscoil í an scoile ar a mbíonn siad ag freastal. Is iontach an rud sin.

Is cuimhin liom nuair a bhí mé óg go mbíodh mo athair ag labbhairt liom as Gaeilge le linn cluichí ag súil nach mbeadh a fhios ag an bhfoireann eile cad a bhí muid ag rá ! Fiú mar mhionúir, bhíodh go leor Gaeilge á labhairt againn ar pháirc na himeartha.

Click here for more information on the campaign.