THE RSPB’s embracing of the Irish language is certainly worth crowing about.
Visitor Experience Manager at Belfast Window on Wildlife Tim McCann is helping organise an exciting Irish language event this summer which will connect language and nature in a whole new way.
Called ‘It’s in Our Nature – Tá an Dúlra inár nDúchas’, it’s a packed day-long series of Irish language events which will utilise the whole site, including the bird hides, meadows and lagoon.
While some other organisations use the lack of an Irish language Act as an excuse to body-swerve the language, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has been an exemplar.
Almost a decade ago it launched Irish language bird pin badges in the Cultúrlann, and since then it’s been keen to produce literature in Irish and work with Gaelscoileanna. “We’re Europe’s largest wildlife conservation organisation, and for me that it is embracing the Irish language is just huge and something we should be excited by,” Tim said this week
“I remember when Sainsbury’s went bilingual in West Belfast and that was a big thing – for me this is even bigger. It’s something we should be very proud of and something we should be shouting about.”
Tim’s own journey with the language was given a boost when Irish speaker Aoife de Bhál joined the team at the Window on Wildlife as as a warden last year. Aoife is interested in the way in which language, folklore and stories relate to conservation.
Tim said: “My love of the language comes from the world around us and while at primary school learning a little bit. In secondary school it became a school subject so I fell out of love with it but as I got older the language started to interest me again and learning bird names in Irish really brought it home for me.
Tim McCann and Cormac 'Buzz' Ó Briain
“But what reinvigorated me has been Aoife coming to work at the reserve last year and being able to converse with her. It’s all coming back – even small things like ‘Ar mhaith leat cupán tae?’”
Tim and partner Emma are hoping to bring up their three-year-old daughter Evelyn bilingually – and that’s given him extra incentive to keep learning.
August’s event is aimed at adults and it came about after the success of other smaller Irish language and cultural events at Window on Wildlife.
“We started to put on a few bilingual and themed events – small ones like birdwatching, one about Samhain, the winter solstice with the Wren Boys, which we did thanks to musician Cormac ‘Buzz’ Ó Briain. All the events we did with the cultural element sold out and we were engaging with new audiences and being more inclusive.
“It's in our Nature is going to be a fantastic day where we explore the connection between language, culture and nature and I just can't wait to welcome everyone there for it.”
He’s got the backing of West Belfast’s Féile an Phobail and East Belfast’s Turas for the event on Saturday, August 3, which runs from noon to 5pm. It’s aimed at adults although it will be family-friendly.
Tickets cost £10 ( book them at events.rspb.org. uk/events/79057) and people can drop in and out as they wish.
Talks will be in Irish, with some English. People with all levels of Irish – from beginners to fluent – will enjoy the day.
“After the success of all the other events, we decided to do something big – a celebration of the land, or language, our history and our culture,” he said. “It’s in our Nature is a play on words, because nature is also in our DNA – being Irish and the Irish language is about being connected to the land.
“It will be a day when we celebrate where we come from, a day when we celebrate the landscape and the nature around us. A time for us to explore and learn new things in both languages.”
On the day they have many nature experts who will be leading walks and talks in Irish, including Cave Hill conservationist Cormac Hamill and Dublin wildlife and folklore author
Niall Mac Coitir, while music will be provided by An Droichead in South Belfast. Aoife de Bhál herself will lead a foraging expedition on the reserve. More events and speakers will be revealed nearer the time.
In Wales, all RSPB material is bilingual – “It’s a legal requirement,” said Tim. “It’s not a legal requirement here or in Scotland, but in many ways it’s the right thing to do, and RSPB is leading the way.”
Maith sibh!
* If you've seen or photographed anything interesting, or have any nature questions, you can text Dúlra on 07801 414804.
