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17/09/2004
Delegates arrive at Queen's for language and politics conference
Delegates from Northern Ireland, Scotland, the Republic of Ireland and further afield have come together at Queen's University Belfast today to explore issues of language and politics.
Language and the development of language policy in Northern Ireland has been propelled centre stage following the Good Friday Agreement, the North-South Implementation Body Act and other legislation.
In the Republic of Ireland, an Official Languages Act was passed last year, and a Language Commissioner appointed. The Republic of Ireland has also made a bid for Irish to become a working language of the European Commission, inspired perhaps by the success of Maltese, which is now a recognised EC language. In Scotland, it is reported that the Scottish Executive is now seriously examining the Scots language issue.
"The conference is an excellent forum to bring together all those interested in discussing language policy pertaining to Irish, Ulster-Scots and Gaelic in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Scotland,” said Professor Dónall Ó Baoill and Dr John Kirk of Queen's University, organisers of the fifth language and politics symposium. "The speakers this week include not only academic researchers, but politicians, economists, journalists and other informed individuals."
In partnership with the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry, the conference welcomed award-winning novelist Christopher Whyte of the University of Glasgow to speak on the work of the acclaimed twentieth century Gaelic poet Sorley MacLean.
The Language and Politics Symposium is a project with the AHRB Research Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies, in which Queen’s University is a partner.
(MB/GB)
Language and the development of language policy in Northern Ireland has been propelled centre stage following the Good Friday Agreement, the North-South Implementation Body Act and other legislation.
In the Republic of Ireland, an Official Languages Act was passed last year, and a Language Commissioner appointed. The Republic of Ireland has also made a bid for Irish to become a working language of the European Commission, inspired perhaps by the success of Maltese, which is now a recognised EC language. In Scotland, it is reported that the Scottish Executive is now seriously examining the Scots language issue.
"The conference is an excellent forum to bring together all those interested in discussing language policy pertaining to Irish, Ulster-Scots and Gaelic in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Scotland,” said Professor Dónall Ó Baoill and Dr John Kirk of Queen's University, organisers of the fifth language and politics symposium. "The speakers this week include not only academic researchers, but politicians, economists, journalists and other informed individuals."
In partnership with the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry, the conference welcomed award-winning novelist Christopher Whyte of the University of Glasgow to speak on the work of the acclaimed twentieth century Gaelic poet Sorley MacLean.
The Language and Politics Symposium is a project with the AHRB Research Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies, in which Queen’s University is a partner.
(MB/GB)
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