Child abuse

                   Child abuse

Whilst doing some research on the status of the Irish language in north and west Inis eoghain based on the 1901 census, my mind as usual began to wander. I was trying to imagine what it was like for a small boy or girl born into a family there at that time. Education was now compulsory and all children were expected to attend school. All schools were instructed to teach in English regardless of the home language. This was also true in Highland Scotland. Parents who often had little or no English themselves were in a dilemma.How best to make sure your child did well at school and have the hope of some government position or perhaps more realistically, a chance in America, largely English speaking. The decision clearly shown in the census is that only English would be spoken at home no matter how poor it was.The little child was in effect being cut off completely from the culture, the songs and poems and stories told around the fireside for centuries. Any Irish still used by children could be severely punished in school by the 'master'. Pearses' 'Murder Machine' was clearly at work in Inis Eoghain.

               When I think of the little child
               boy or girl--barefooted and in rags
               sent to school to 'larn', I rage 
               or cry.
               Each morning shouting out in foreign tongue
               your presence,answering to a false name 
               in an English only roll call.
               Your brother Seamus ,now James
               and Dónall ,Dan
               Your sister Éilís turned to Elizabeth
               In silent fear, not able to speak
               or understand the 'masters' words
               until, as time went by,
               encouraged with stick and cane
               you mumbled your 'yes,sir or 'no,sir'.

               No help at home with books or poems
               not understood by 'athair' or 'mathair'
               Little Irish boy becomes the little English boy
               of use to King and Empire.

               Irish tongue ,broken and beaten
               and the prayers of Granny and Granda
               only a low mumble of meaninglessness
                               The world of your parents, their stories and 
               Songs, alien and strange.
                And the chapels' Hail Mary in place of
                'Se do bheatha, a Mhuire.

               When I think of the little child
               that walked to school in Malin or Glengad
               then I see child abuse officially decreed
               and encouraged.
               Were not our Grannies and their parents too
               victims of the 'Murder Machine?'