In her letter to the editor ("Irish language a relic of the past," Oct. 1), Sara Falvey claims that the Irish Language is spoken by few and is a "relic." Recently, I travelled to Ireland and spent several days on an island, Inis Oirr, where the working language was clearly Irish. The island's name is always spelled the Irish way (except in tourist information, for ease of pronunciation by those unfamiliar with the language), and most signs - not just road signs, but also commemorative markers - are as well. The mass I attended was entirely in Irish.
Additionally, I encountered a large group of children from other parts of the country who were sent there to get immersed in the language. Perhaps in parts of Ireland English is the dominant language, but in other areas, Irish holds strong, and there are efforts underway to spread its use.
Jackson Bangs
freshman
Stanford Hall
Oct. 1
