Irish language was marginalised by history

YOUR correspondent, Padraig Óg Ó Ruairc (‘If Maltese is a European language, why not Irish?, Irish Examiner letters, June 22) seems to miss the point of my letter (‘Irish language will never be the talk of Europe, Irish Examiner, June 15).

The fanatics I referred to were those who were blind to the reality of the true status of Irish, not someone like Pádraig who has gone to the trouble of learning what should have been his natural inheritance if history had been kinder to Ireland.

If independence had been achieved say 100 years earlier, then the language might have stood a chance.