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DR VICTOR BAYDA, a native of Moscow, Russia, has been appointed as the Irish Language Planning Officer for the south Kerry Gaeltacht.
His role would be to promote and cultivate the use of Irish from day-to-day.
Comhchoiste Gaeltachta Uíbh Ráthach announced the appointment of Bayda, who was a lecturer of Irish in the Lomonosov State University in Moscow for 15 years.
Speaking to RTÉ, Bayda says he tries to visit Ireland every year to improve his Irish, and said that he’s aware of the challenges of his new role.
He is the tenth Irish language planning officer that has been appointed under the language planning process in the Gaeltacht in recent months.
Bayda’s experience
DCHG / RCOG/TwitterAgallamh le Victor Bayda ar @rtenews
— Tourism-Culture-Arts-Gaeltacht-Sport-Media (@DeptCultureIRL) February 20, 2019
One of ten Irish language planning officers appointed in Gaeltacht areas so far under our @UdarasnaG funded initiative
Guímís gach rath ar Victor ina ról mar Oifigeach Pleanála i nGaeltacht Chiarraí Theas. pic.twitter.com/qge96L9N97
Bayda expressed a huge interest in languages since he was 13 years old, with a particular interest in Celtic languages, according to a statement from Údarás na Gaeltachta; although Welsh and Scots Gaelic first piqued his interest, it was the Irish language that he focused on.
While studying Dutch in Moscow Lomonosov State University, his interest in the Irish language grew and he subsequently undertook a doctorate in Irish.
Victor spent periods in Ireland, in Trinity College and in the Conamara Gaeltacht, learning the language and he achieved fluency with the support of the community in An Spidéal and in Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge in An Cheathrú Rua in Co Galway.
Bayda will be responsible, in collaboration with the community and organisations in the area, for the implementation of an Irish Language Action Plan that has been prepared for the South Kerry Language Planning Area.
The language plan was prepared with the support of the community, and approved in early 2018 for funding of €100,000 to support the implementation of the plan.
Reaction
Bayda said that his appointment was “a privilege and an honour” for the “picturesque” area of south Kerry.
“I am extremely grateful for the warm welcome I have received over the past few days and I am looking forward to starting to work with the community to promote not only the Irish Language but the area itself also.
We have significant challenges ahead certainly but it is very important to keep a positive focus on the Uíbh Ráthach area and to grasp all opportunities presented to the area has with both hands in the years ahead.
Áine Ní Bheoláin, Manager of Comhchoiste Gaeltachta Uíbh Ráthach said that they were “delighted” that Bayda “showed an interest in undertaking the challenge of Irish language planning here in Uíbh Ráthach”.
There are some very interesting years ahead of us here in south Kerry… The challenges must be faced in different innovative ways and that is what we undertake for the years ahead.
Separately, today is International Mother Language Day, which is used to increase awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and promote multilingualism.
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That’s amazing. Imagine becoming so proficient in another language that you could be asked to promote it in the community, especially one as far off the beaten track as Irish!
Fair play to him.
@Veronica: Maith thú Victor!
What a compliment to the Irish language.
I think he’ll do a great job and it’s good because will be good motivation for Irish folks to improve their Irish when they see a Russian speaking it so well.
No excuses!
Irish culture is popular in Russia Serbia etc love the orthodox celts version of the star of the county down with the Russian accent class
So he learned his Irish in Spiddal and Carraroe and he thinks this qualifies him to work in south Kerry? Has he heard the kingdom natives trying to speak English even, never mind Irish? Best of luck victor, you’ve mastered the Irish tongue, but now you must master the sympathetic but confused Irish nod and smile.
@Winston Smith: very true Winston. They are worlds apart the bright lights of Carraroe and Spiddal compared to the backwaters of west Kerry. Fair play to auld Victor but he will get some queer looks from the locals when he lands into the pub full of porter and chat
@Winston Smith: It must be awfully embarrassing pretending to be this big right-wing patriot, but unable to speak your native tongue. Nach gcuimhníonn tú an ráiteas; “Is binn béal ina thost”.
@Orla Smith: you know what’s really embarrassing?
@Anthony Healy: South kerry dope
@Winston Smith: Boom!!
@Orla Smith: Genuinely surprised you don’t think the whole thing is a Putin conspiracy to be honest
@Winston Smith: Hahahah that picture is gold
@Winston Smith: lol
No suprise to me… Lithuanian born and Leaving cert irish here and all the foreigners are top of the class the irish have no interest ij their language and always disturb the class with their foolish behaviour
@Nikas Peckeliunas: yep, it’s really embarrassing but doesn’t surprise me. It’s the Irish people who are indifferent to their language and culture.
@Nikas Peckeliunas: that’s a bit harsh!! I went to Irish college in the summers and for the life of me I could not pick up the Irish language, totally hopeless as most Irish are for some reason, perhaps is the way they teach it, but I would love to be able to speak it, it’s extremely important not to loose it. Foreigners seem better able to pick up languages than English speaking countries. I’ll put it on my bucket list to go to my local conradh na gaeilge and start learning again. ☘️
@Marie Agnew: I tried to learn it once settled in Ireland but gave up immediately :the teaching method is totally useless!
@Nikas Peckeliunas: yep it’s no surprise. Little kids in primary school learn it no bother and enjoy learning but then that old talk of I hate Irish begins to seep in and then they too think to dislike it is culturally and socially acceptable. That puts a barrier up that not even the parents can shift it. Blame that hate on the older generation who had bet into them in the days when corporeal punishment in schools was allowed. Blame it on the teachers lack of real interest or even ability. But don’t blame it on the kids who get to the end of formal education with that aversion to it ingrained in their minds
@Nikas Peckeliunas: “all the foreigners are top of the class” – never even seen a foreign student do Irish, and I haven’t been out of school that long!
Maith thu Victor! Ta failte romhat!
Vladimir CurIsteach must be proud
No doubt Ireland’s yellow vest/pack right wingers will blame it all on George Soros.
@limofax: May I add congratulations and good luck to Victor
@limofax: more like Fine Gael and any other left leaning people will see this as Russian infiltration in our democracy. Subverting our neglect of our native language to brainwash us all.
Jokes aside, best of luck Victor – hopefully the first of many people to venture to Gaeltacht areas in the hope of learning a cupla focail.
@Mushy Peas: How far to the right do you have to be to regard Fine Gael as left-wing?
@Chris Mansfield: so far to the right, you’d actually be left.
@Chris Mansfield: haha fair point. I deem Fine Gael extremely centre, and will tilt right and left as they sway with public opinion and their own interests.
I don’t deem or see myself as right wing at all (but others will), but I tend to believe in free market, monetarist, small government, and libertarian ideals. This viewpoint is not represented at all in Ireland, and for that matter, significantly diminished around the world – that’s democracy.
@Chris Mansfield: or to ignore that it’s a government job and therefore an FG appointment
@Dave O’Keeffe: not ignore, just clueless. I wasn’t aware of the role at all until I seen this article and they don’t break down exactly what the role is and how unsuccessful all previous incumbents were, evidently.
@Mushy Peas: but they told you in the article that you clearly didn’t read before commenting
@limofax: Blame what? It’s the Lefties that have the unhealthy obsession with Russians, you ignoramus.
@Cormac Ó Braonáin:
“So far to the right, you’d actually be left”
So the Khmer Rouge then?
Wonder does his blas have a Russian accent?
Best of luck Dr.
Surely you don’t need to promote Irish in south Kerry Gaeltacht.
@Shane Fleming: Gaeltacht boundaries haven’t been touched since the early 70s and some of them have suffered badly in that time. Look at this map to see what the percentage of Irish-speakers actually is in the South Kerry Gaeltacht
One wonders has Robert Mueller Been Briefted on this emerging story ….
The Tzar of county Down
@Paul Kavanagh: good one high five.
Only in this poxy country..
@Thomas O Connor:
Yes, and developing further as a wonderful meritocracy, open and welcoming to all.
@Thomas O Connor: you’re an awful sour dose
@Thomas O Connor: something wrong with someone who’s not Irish learning the language? Good on him, as for you Thomas, a bit of cop on I think.
He’s not a real doctor tho is he??
@Ole dan tucker: because he doesn’t stick his fingers up people’s bum holes? Cop on would ya
@Ole dan tucker: he’s the definition of a real doctor. Medics and dentists use the prefix as an honorary title.
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