Tír Gan Teanga - Tír Gan Anam

Language is one of the most important markers of national identity. Languages reflect the unique landscape, climate, flora and fauna of the places where they developed. Beyond the physical landscape, languages reflect the history of the people who speak them, serving as a repository for their collective folklore, beliefs, values and experiences over many centuries.

Cultural conquest is the process by which imperial powers seek to replace native cultures, including native languages, with their own. The English ruling class has targeted the Irish language for centuries. As early as 1366, the Statute of Kilkenny dictated that those who spoke Irish instead of English would forfeit their lands and properties. British government discrimination against Irish language speakers continues to this day in the occupied Six Counties.