Gaelic speaker origin .....

[elmca]

Hello again, my g.g.grandmother was born in Ireland but I have no idea whereabout. I have however, noticed on the 1891 census that she is noted as 'G&E' which I take means she spoke Gaelic & English?? If so does the fact she spoke Gaelic point to her likely coming from the southern part of ireland or would it not have made a difference? Thanks for any help

[AnneM]

Hi

People travelled a lot between the West Coast of Scotland and Ireland, mainly the North, so her parents may well have been Scots for whom Scots Gaelic was a first language. I'm not clear if the Gaelic in the census would include Irish Gaelic but no doubt someone knows better.

Anne

[elmca]

Thanks for your reply, I hadn't thought of that scenario. Hopefully someone else will read and add to the possibilities

[DavidWW]

As well the the Western Highlands and the Hebrides, don't forget that there were native Scots Gaelic speakers in Galloway up to just over 100 years ago.

The census question was meant to relate to Scots Gaelic but there could well have been confusion with the Irish version on the part of a householder or an enumerator.

David

[elmca]

Thanks David, I wondered if it related to Scots Gaelic or just any old Gaelic! My g.g.granny was born in Ireland so I reckon she probably spoke Irish Gaelic, which made me wonder if Irish speakers were mainly in the south? Do you know? Thanks

[Andy]

Some dialects of Ulster Irish (originally from Argyll and the Islands) would have been quite understandable to Scottish Gaelic Speakers and vice versa.

Rathlin Irish was a hybrid of northern Ulster Irish and Islay/Jura Gaelic. There is only one remaining speaker, Alex Morrison.

Alex was born in Greenock but was brought up on Rathlin. During his sailing years he could understand the Ulster and Scottish dialects but could not converse in either!!!

Alex married my Grandfather's first cousin. He hasn't had anyone to talk to in the "Old Language" since the late 1950's but, even at 90 years old, is very active in helping linguists in their studies.

[DavidWW]

And then there's Ulster-Scots which is one of the 3 official languages of the temporarily suspended Northern Ireland Assembly.

A sair fecht when Scotland's own parliament won't officially recognize Auld Scots, be it the Doric or Lallans version

David

[elmca]

It's such a pity that these old languages are dying out.
I feel quite proud that my g.g.granny spoke gaelic - whatever version!

[rdem]

She may have been from the Gaeltacht or the west coast of Ireland, places like Clare, Galway or Donegal, did she have a birth name that may have been particular to those areas?

[elmca]

hi, her name was daly or daily, I would love to find out where she came from but she married, gave birth and died in scotland so I have no information about her birthplace. she was married by a catholic priest in portobello and I was told it was really rare to find the marriage record of this (1850) it was suggested I contact the church to try and find additional documents but does anyone know if it is worth doing so? is it likely to say where she actually came from? thanks