Are Gaelic-only laws linguistic apartheid?
The rules caused an uproar over a “Gaeltacht Gestapo” enforcing “linguistic apartheid.” One Gaeltacht resident, a British citizen who bought her property before the new restrictions were announced, told a local newspaper that it was “akin to racism … to refuse someone a place to live because they do not speak a certain language.” In response, the council last year relaxed the rules – a little, no longer applying the rules to Gaeltacht regions where fewer than 20 percent of the population speak Irish daily. The council retains the right to refuse planning permission for housing developments which may not “be beneficial to the usage of the language in the area.” *** Rossaveal is a beautiful fishing village near Spiddal, and smack-dab in the middle of the Galway Gaeltacht. It is perched precariously (or at least that’s how it feels) on the western coast where the angry Atlantic crashes against ragged black rocks and winds almost blow you off your feet. You can taste the sea salt when yo
