YESTERDAY the Irish Language was used for the first time during Prime Minister’s Questions. Though Irish has been spoken in the House of Commons before - notably by Thomas O'Donnell in 1901, and as recently as 2017 by Mark Durkan - it has never been a feature of PMQs. Until now.
SDLP leader and MP for Belfast South and Mid Down, Claire Hanna, spoke the utterance to mark Seachtain na Gaeilge and St. Patrick’s Day. She also invited UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the Fleadh Cheoil in Belfast next year, an invitation he accepted.
The Belfast MP said during her speech that it was appropriate to use the Irish language for the occasion, saying that this week marks a period of celebration for ‘Irish culture and heritage’.
“I would also be delighted to take this opportunity to invite Prime Minister Keir Starmer to visit Belfast for the Fleadh Cheoil.
“The Belfast Fleadh will have visitors from right across these islands and further afield flocking to the city to take part in the festivities. It will be a chance for people to come together to see the best of what our city has to offer, and I look forward to welcoming the PM to Belfast.”
The Fleadh Cheoil – which is billed as the biggest gathering of Irish traditional musicians in the world – changes venue to a different Irish town or city every year. It is only the second time in the history of the occasion that the Cheoil will have been held north of the border.
Ms. Hanna said that she wanted her invitation to be seen in the light of improving relations between the UK and Ireland, and that cooperation between the two nations was ‘more important than ever’ amid the turmoil of ongoing global conflict.
“There will always be a close bond between these two islands, and it’s important that we take the opportunity to reach out when it presents itself,” she said.
