Nicola Flynn & Oisín Nolan
Tá Seachtain na Gaeilge ar ais arís agus chun an teanga a chéiliúradh, Gaeilgeoir and musician Róisín Nic Ghearailt has released a single as Gaeilge. Originally from Shankill i mBaile Átha Cliath, Róisín was born with a grá for the Irish language, and this grá grew when she began attending Scoil Chualann in Bray, who Róisín credits for her love of Gaeilge today.
Ina dhiaidh sin, the Dublin-born singer said her time in Gaelcholáiste Cill Mhantáin inspired her love for na healaíona. After graduating and living in Bristol and Nua Eabhrac, Róisín decided to return to Ireland, saying:
“I realised how hard it was to be a Gaeilgeoir when you don’t live in Ireland. It’s so much easier when Irish is naturally around you – when people are speaking it and when you see it on signposts or ar an mbus, things like that.”
With the Irish language growing gach lá, the musician spoke about how learning a new language can be intimidating:
“It’s all about the people that are ag coinnigh an teanga beo, and it’s so important to bain usáid as do cúpla focal because speaking a language that you aren’t fluent in can be very daunting – níl mo ghramadach go hiontach ar fad but I still try my best and most will get the gist of what you say.”
In contrast to this, Róisín expressed how proud she is to be able to speak her native language:
“Táim chomh brodúil go bhfuil me ábailte Gaeilge a labhairt. An méid sin daoine a bím ag caint leo agus tá siad ag rá ‘Tá an t-ádh dearg ort go bhfuil tú in ann Gaeilge a labhairt.’ Ba bhrea liom Gaeilge a labhairt agus is slí iontach é meoin dearfach náisiúnta a spreagadh i mbealach nach bhfuil sort sáithithe i sort slí diúltach.
Le Gaeilge freisin, is slí é meas a theaspáint chuig na daoine a thainig roimh thú agus meas a theaspáint do na daoine a choimead an teanga beo ar feadh blianta.”
The introduction of Seachtain na Gaeilge has shown that the arts are beo beathach in Ireland, with many singer/songwriters like Sibéal and KNEECAP choosing to release music as Gaeilge. Speaking about the place Gaeilge has in the arts, Róisín said:
“Gan dabht, tá se dochreidte an méid Gaeilge atá sna healíona inniu. Más rud é gur Gaeilgeoir tú agus fiú amháin más rud é go bhfuil cúpla focail agat, ta se feictithe agam, ta daoine chomh cabhrach ó thaobh an teanga a scaipeah agus a spreagadh. Le mo amhrán fein, chonaic me é, bhí daoine chomh cabhrach liom agus bhíodar ag titim síos ar a cheile chun mé fein a cabhrú agus tuigim é sin toisc go bhfuil me mar an gcéanna.”
There is a certain stereotype that ceol as Gaeilge always sounds the same – your typical trad music, it might be a lilt, or a haunting sean-nós song, but that won’t be the case for Róisín’s single:
“Le mo amhrán, duirt me leis na producers gur theastaigh uaim go mbeadh siad in ann an amhrán seo a seinnt i club oíche. Ta an ceol in Éirinn go hiontach faoi lathair le grupaí cosúil le na Mary Wallopers agus Lankum, tá rudaí iontach á dheanamh ag na grupaí sin o thaobh ceoil traidisiúinta de agus tá se sin ar fheabhas. Kneecap chomh maith, ach fós níl an méid sin ceoil gur cloisfeá agus tú amuigh le do chairde. Theastaigh uaim go mbeadh tú in ann an amhrán seo a chur ar siúl agus tú ag ullmhú ar feadh oíche amach ar an Sathairn.”
Róisín’s single ‘An Maighdean Mhara’ is the second track from ‘Birthday Problem’, and is available to stream now.
