A chara, - It was reported recently in your sports pages (March 25th) that a motion had been received from the Tipperary GAA Board asking for a change in the rule that "requires official documents and correspondence to be in the Irish language". The motion, if accepted, would allow such documentation to be in Irish or in English. This article brought back memories of an incident that happened to me and my team last year.
My school team, Colaiste Eoin (an all-Irish South Dublin secondary school) contested the All-Ireland Senior Colleges `A' football semi-final against Colaiste Chriost Ri from Cork in Semple Stadium in Thurles, Co Tipperary. Shortly before the match the school was contacted by the Tipperary GAA Board's PRO, Liz Howard, requesting that we send the English translation of our names to accommodate the "wider English-speaking community" at the match.
I and my team-mates, as young members of the GAA and as Irish speakers, were disgusted. My name is Marcus O Buachalla. There is no "translation" of it. How does one "translate" De Gaulle, Shakespeare, Clinton, Kohl, Mandela, Arafat?
In view of this incident your report is not all that surprising. Does the GAA in Tipperary have a problem with the Irish language, with the people who speak it and the schools they attend?
Isn't it strange that this attitude to Irish should emanate from the birthplace of the GAA? What would Michael Cusack (an Irish language enthusiast) make of it all? - Is mise,
Marcus O Buachalla, Pairc Mhuire, An Charraig Dhubh, Co Atha Cliath.