Protesters issue call to arms for Irish language in EU

WAVING their pikes, they protested outside the gates of Dublin Castle in a scene reminiscent of the Year of the French.

Neither was the reason behind yesterday's protest too far removed from the cause of the battles of that year. Again it was the plight of the Irish, the downtrodden Gael or in this case Gaeilge that prompted pikemen to march on the former symbol of royal authority in Ireland.

In a bid to embarrass the Government for its failure to insist on the inclusion of Irish on the list of official EU working languages, Irish language enthusiasts timed their protest to coincide with the first Forum of Europe meeting during Ireland's Presidency of the EU.