Towards Inclusion: Protestants and the Irish Language

by Ian Malcolm

Towards Inclusion is a challenging and timely study of the attitudes of Protestant schoolchildren towards the Irish language. From 2003 to 2005 Ian Malcolm conducted extensive research in Protestant grammar schools throughout Northern Ireland, recording the attitudes of the students to the Irish language. Some of these students had attended a Gael-Linn language enrichment course, but the rest had little or no exposure to the language. The results of this research are both surprising and illuminating, and Malcolm's meticulous and insightful analysis makes a significant contribution to our understanding of the complexity of cultural identity in Northern Ireland. ""Of interest to researchers in the field of bilingualism"" -Choice ""Scholars will find this study useful as an insight into the needs of contemporary language planning in Northern Ireland.""-Irish Literary Supplement

275 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2009

Reviews

[Jason Blean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hundreds of grammar school children in state grammar schools in Northern Ireland (so-called "protestant schools") have participated in Gael-Linn's Irish language courses. This is something I was denied, however their (overwhelmingly positive) response to the experience shows the changing attitudes to Irish from Protestants in NI today. While the descriptions, presentation and analysis of the research may appear overly academic to some, the conclusions and "lessons for the future"should be accessible to all. Some fascinating and studiously objective insights into attitudes towards Irish and Ulster Scots within the protestant community today in Northern Ireland. Well worth a read for anyone concerned at efforts to resolve the vexed issues of culture and identity in Northern Ireland.