Gaelgeóirí have no more focal gripes with Gates

AND the Word was made Focal.

“This is happening and Microsoft is committed to making it happen,” said a spokeswoman for Bill Gates’ company.

The Irish Examiner reported last month that the language had been excluded from a project to translate Windows into 40 additional languages, including Welsh and Catalan.

This aroused considerable anger amongst Irish language groups, such as Foras na Gaeilge and Conradh na Gaeilge, who described the decision as “baffling”. Yesterday, the company said some members of staff had been working “informally” on an Irish version of Windows for months and had now been given the go- ahead.

The official Irish language group, an Coiste Termíochta, will provide Microsoft with a glossary of Irish terms to use and the project is expected to be completed within a year.

Microsoft Office programmes such as Word and Excel will also be translated into Irish. Foras na Gaeilge, the body tasked with promoting the Irish language, said it welcomed Microsoft’s announcement.

“We had a very positive meeting with Microsoft yesterday and they seem to be at a reasonably advanced stage. We are looking forward to working with them on the project,” said spokesman Breandán Mac Craith.

Meanwhile, the newly-appointed Irish Language Commissioner has said that Irish speakers do not deserve to be portrayed as narrow-minded and old-fashioned. Seán Ó Cuirreáin said the 100,000 people who speak Irish daily were no different to any other group in society.

“Irish speakers are in favour of the preservation and growth of the language in the same way that people are in favour of flora or fauna. Singer Enya; newsreader Gráinne Seóige and Kerry footballer Dara Ó Cinnéide are all Irish speakers.

“Can you imagine someone saying they are narrow-minded or old-fashioned,” he asked.

Mr Ó Curreáin delivered his remarks at the opening of Conradh na Gaeilge’s Árd Fheis in Ennis last night.

He urged delegates to make full use of the Official Languages Act, which obliges all government bodies to respond to Irish inquiries in the same language. This will soon be extended to the courts, so that Irish speakers will have a clearly defined right to use their language in court proceedings.

Mr Ó Curreáin said this would create a space for Irish in public life. He pointed out that in the latest Central Statistic Office figures, 1.57 million people identified themselves as Irish speakers.

“It’s very difficult to believe that all of these people speak Irish fluently. But it’s a positive indication that there is a silent support for the language,” he said.