Irish Examiner View: Maith thú, Paul 

Mescal’s unselfconscious Irish should encourage others to use what little Gaeilge they have, fluent or not

The Kildare man’s Irish was at or near the standard you might reasonably expect from someone who was good at the subject at school, but who had not spoken the language for any length of time in quite a few years, an eminently recognisable scenario for many people. Picture: Ian West/PA

Paul Mescal’s turn in Aftersun did not earn him a Bafta gong last weekend, but he did turn in another bravura performance when interviewed by TG4 on the red carpet before the ceremony took place.

What was notable were Mescal’s answers in the first official language of the State — they were not delivered in flawless Irish. They were not grammatically perfect or rich in vocabulary, either — which was the entire point.

The Kildare man’s Irish was at or near the standard you might reasonably expect from someone who was good at the subject at school, but who had not spoken the language for any length of time in quite a few years, an eminently recognisable scenario for many people.

Mescal’s unselfconscious Irish should serve as encouragement to others to use what little Gaeilge they have, whether they are fluent or not.

The reverse argument, of course, is that Mescal is a professional actor accustomed to the rigours of live performance, and also blessed with the ability to make any activity look cool.

A man who can make O’Neill’s GAA shorts a must-have fashion accessory is clearly capable of anything, after all.