STORMONT hostility to a proposal for an Irish medium school in 1966 is revealed in confidential cabinet files just released by the PRO in Belfast. In September 1965, Mr James Brown led a delegation from Belfast's Irish speaking community to the Ministry of Education on the possibility of founding what officials described as "a Gaelic speaking school".
At the meeting on October 8th, 1965, the delegation explained that about 20 Gaelic speaking families in the city had formed themselves into an association and purchased a site on which they proposed to build houses for each of the families. They had ear marked a site for a primary school for the children of the families concerned.
"It was their desire that the children (27 at present), coming from Gaelic speaking families, should be educated entirely through the medium of Gaelic and they wondered whether a county school of this nature would be provided."
The secretary of the Ministry of Education, Mr A.L. Williams pointed out that to provide a small school of this type ran counter to government policy. The deputation said it was intended that the school would be open to children of all denominations and that "religious instruction, suitable to all, would, within the terms of the Act, be given".
During the discussion reference was made to the stipulation that pupils should be educated according to the wishes of their parents though the Secretary pointed out that this was subject to financial and other considerations. The question of post primary education was raised and the deputation favoured arrangements for their children's continued education through the medium of Irish in Belfast, or, if this was not possible, "for their attending Gaelic speaking schools in Eire".
The proposal sparked exchanges among Stormont officials on the issue of Irish medium education.
A MISS J. Charleton said: "In theory, there seems to be no reason why children should not receive efficient and suitable instruction through the medium of Irish if Irish is their mother tongue, and if suitably qualified teachers can be found. Primary education through Irish is, after all, provided in the Gaelteacht areas of Ireland. I doubt, however, if it is a very practical proposition in this case.
"The parents apparently intend to form themselves into a small Irish speaking community in which the children will hear only Irish spoken. But, unless they intend to cut off their children from all communication with English speaking children, they are bound, I think, to learn quite a lot of English by the time they reach school going age and, indeed, it would seem to be an advantage for children to become bilingual. I cannot therefore agree that it would be a serious handicap for them to attend a normal primary school. Nor can I envisage the attendance of non Catholic pupils at a school of this type."
In a further revealing memo on October 25th, 1965, Mr A.J. Tulip, a department official, strongly opposed the idea: "It seems to me that the question at issue is one of policy, ie: whether it is desirable that a school for Northern Ireland "nationals" should be registered when it is known that the medium of instruction will not be the official language of the state. I myself see no justification for according registration to such a school.
Finally, after discussion with the Minister, Mr W.K. Fitzsimmons, the Ministry informed the applicants that it would oppose any attempt to register the school on the ground that "instruction given entirely through the medium of Gaelic would not constitute efficient instruction" under the legislation.