Unaware visitors to Dun Laoghaire recently may well have thought they were in the middle of some Irish summer course, thanks to the proliferation of bilingual signage around the popular port town.
It was as if the town council suddenly picked up the idea of teaching a bit of Gaeilge to passers-by!
As it happens, the signs were guiding visitors to the annual Festival of World Cultures, an event I haven’t yet had the chance to experience. And I didn’t have much time for it this year either, as the GAA is much more on my mind at present.
I wonder, what would a championship final played by Meath look like? I can hardly imagine this, as I have never personally seen a final game without Kerry – and this year will be no exception, after the Kingdom trounced the Royals in last weekend’s semi-final.
Indeed, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if next year all of Kerry’s opponents suddenly feigned paralysis – something Kilkenny appear to have perfected some time ago.
This column will be full of comments like that at least till the end of September. It’s just because Irish culture appeals more to me than the international mix that takes over Dun Laoghaire every summer, and Dublin streets every day. After all, I am a Pole living in Ireland.
That is why I say ‘bravo’ to the bilingual signs. The more Ireland promotes its own culture as well as others, the better.
– Anna Paluch
