Let’s have a holiday for the birth of our democracy

JANUARY 21, 2009 will be the 90th anniversary of a very important day in Irish history, but it is very likely that the day will go unnoticed.

Is it too late, two months out, to try to organise a commemoration?

January 21,1919 was one of the most important days in modern Irish history. It was the day when Dáil Éireann first met in the Mansion House in Dublin.

It was proof that the republican revolutionaries were democrats and wanted to see a democratic and constitutional government in an independent Irish Republic.

On that day the first modern Irish constitution was enacted. It laid out that the aireacht (the ministry) would be completely accountable to the Dáil.

This event should be commemorated as a very important national holiday for many reasons. It should be a source of pride and celebration that a democratic assembly was chosen as the system of government of Ireland. We should celebrate the constitutional foundation of modern Ireland. We should celebrate it as a very important event in establishing Irish freedom.

There should be a public holiday with worthy commemorative ceremonies. All political parties would be able to participate in these commemorations, recognising that the foundation of Dáil Éireann gives them their raison d’être.

On a more mundane level, I hear people bemoan the fact that there is no bank holiday between January 1 and St Patrick’s Day. A bank holiday towards the end of January might break the year up a bit.

However a public holiday commemorating the foundation of Dáil Éireann should not be a reason for drunkenness on the streets.

Almost all of the proceedings of the Dáil that day were done in Irish. It is a great pity that TDs today cannot be bothered to speak in Irish even though many of the leaders of the parties, ministers and main spokespeople are very competent Irish speakers. An Coimisinéir Teanga wrote to the current Oireachtas and asked them all to try to speak more Irish. The TDs have language classes in Leinster House. Would it be so hard for those who have Irish to speak it at will and allow those not fluent in Irish to use the simultaneous interpretation system in place? Would it be so hard for journalists to report in Irish proceedings conducted through Irish?

Hopefully we might see some political leadership on these two matters soon and this important anniversary will not go unnoticed.

Seanán Ó Coistín

Port Gleoráin

Cill Choca

Co Chill Dara