more replies to "Ireland" and an apology to Strupag:

Yes, there have been Protestants who made important contributions to the study and conservation/revival of Irish. More so in the 19th century than since Irish independence and partition, however. And there are currently a number of Protestants who speak or are learning Irish, but they are the exception rather than the rule and often have to make greater efforts to find classes and discussion groups than do their Catholic counterparts. An example for me of how the language is identified in people's minds with politics is back before the ceasefire, when I was collecting for a flag day for an Irish language nursery school. A few people from the area (and probably Catholic) said "oh, that's Sinn Féin" - simply because it was Irish language - and rejected the project on that basis.

I think "Scotch Irish" is the American term mostly applied to descendents of people who emigrated from Ulster mostly in the 18th century. They were Protestants and had come to Ireland from Scotland but many left after only a generation or so because they weren't happy with the conditions of their tenancies. Lately the term "Ulster Scots" has become a popular term in N Ireland, partly to express the Scottish heritage and identification many people (especially Protestants) here have and partly as a name for local dialect (some call it a language) spoken by both Protestants and Catholics in areas which had significant Scottish settlement. It's not "bad English", but it is non-standard. Did Robert Burns write "bad English"? Influences include archaic forms of English , Norse and (Irish and Scottish) Gaelic. But similar to Irish, support for Ulster-Scots has its political and sectarian dimensions, unfortunately.

Personally, while I want to see Irish used in all "registers", I would support cultural projects in Ulster Scots but I don't see a need for it to be used in official, legal language - translating assembly debates into Ulster Scots etc. While there are differences in syntax and vocabulary, some of the distinctive features are pronunciation and I think "head" can be pronounced "heid" (heed) and "round" "roond" (the "ou" as in "uncouth") without always changing the spelling. In the context of courts and legislatures and so on, the occasional symbolic writing of titles and signs above standard English content seems adequate to me. I would like to hear more Ulster Scots in broadcasting and it should be included in literature and heritage aspects of education. Funding should be (and is) available for study of local dialects.

Language activists Prionsias and Rois Ó Mianáin (see bus pass item in the preceding message) made a big banner proclaiming: "If ye ken Scotch dinnae houl yer wheesht / Má tá Gaelic agat ní binn béal ina thost" (playing on the sayings "houl yer wheest" - be quiet/shut up - and "Is binn béal ina thost" - silence is sweet)

Strupag - sorry for stealing your thread. Irish Gaels do tend to dominate Scots Gaels! Other people, starting with Big Mick, asked and I felt I had to reply. So maybe you should come back and update us with news of the Gaelic language bill debate