Tell me something about your country or your language that people always get wrong

When you tell someone you’re from Northern Ireland, you’re usually met with a confused look – are you British? Irish? Some sort of strange hybrid? The answer is we’re both. Or neither. Or one or the other, depending on who you ask. Most of us speak English, although it’s a much- sexier dialect called Hiberno-English. In 2022, in NI, the Identity and Language act was passed, giving minority language status to Irish & Ulster Scots and making them official languages alongside English.

Gaeilge (Irish) is the indigenous Celtic language of the island of Ireland, although most of the population only has a cúpla focal (few words), and native speakers are usually only found in small communities called a Gaeltacht. Thanks to Irish language activists, Irish is seeing a massive increase in learners & speakers!

Is fearr Gaeilge briste ná Béarla cliste (Broken Irish is better than clever English)

Tell me something you would recommend a tourist to try in your country or city

I’ll make this specific to the North of Ireland (NI) as it’s what I know best. The magical thing about our tourism industry is, it’s all based on death and violence!

• Enjoy the deaths of 1500 people who perished on the Titanic, which was designed & built in Belfast, by visiting the Titanic museum, along with the offices it was designed in and the dock it was built in!
• If that’s not enough death for you, take a ‘black taxi’ tour, delivered by reformed political prisoners (paramilitaries lol) to learn about the 3500 lives lost during the 30-year sectarian conflict. See the ‘peace walls’ that separate the two communities to this day. Please note, that depending on which side of the community takes your tour, it may or may not be unbiased 😉
• If fictional death is more your thing, Game of Thrones had some scenes filmed here. You can see where Winterfell, the King’s Road, the Iron Islands were filmed.

For non-violent things to enjoy, there’s the Giant’s Causeway, which was built by the giant Fionn mac Cumhaill, in order to fight a Scottish giant (100% true story). The Giant’s Ring is an ancient ringfort with a stone tomb in the middle, if you fancy a nice walk – it predates the Great Pyramid of Giza (take that, Egypt!)

Recommend me a song in your language

This was tough! Most of my favourite Irish songs are as Béarla (in English)

Óró sé do bheatha abhaile

Recommend me a movie in your language

An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl) #

Kneecap # – NI movie about an Irish language hip-hop group and drugs (there are some.. allegations, about one of the members, so.. I dunno if this is the best representation of the Irish language)

Recommend me a book in your language

Foclóir Gaeilge – Béarla (Irish – English Dictionary 😉)

Recommend me a website or a blog from your country (in your language or in English)

So this was difficult due to the fact I can’t speak Irish fluently, and most websites about Irish, are about learning the language or some weird Leprechaun/famine porn written by an American haha.

• https://www.logainm.ie/en/ - one of my favourite websites, that gives you the translation of Irish placenames.
• Motherfoclóir is a podcast (and Twitter account) about words, Irish, Irish words and words from Ireland. It’s SO GOOD. Foclóir comes from the word focal (Irish for ‘word’), and is pronounced like a certain swear word, so you know it’s good!

What’s your current phone or computer wallpaper? Does it have a particular meaning?

This was Rudy’s first Christmas, as you can see he’s going through puberty & looks a lil awkward.

Send me a representative photo for your country or language

This sign is what you see as you travel over the border from the Republic of Ireland into NI. One of the signs used to be full of bullet holes, so I think this is a good photo to represent my beautiful nation. (I think that will do, without me getting into 800 years of colonial atrocities 😉 )