(Seo alt ónár bhfoireann nua Gaeltachta.  Is féidir an bunleagan as Gaeilge a léamh anseo.)

“IT’S NOT EASY.” That’s what President of Ireland Catherine Connolly admitted as she referred to her campaign promise that Irish would be a working language in Áras an Uachtaráin during her term during an interview on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta this morning.

Speaking on Adhmhaidin and on her first official visit to Connemara since her election, President Connolly referred to the promise she made during her campaign that Irish would be a working language along with other issues such as her role as commander of the Irish Volunteers (the defence forces) and where she would spend her first Christmas as President.

“It’s difficult, it’s not easy but nothing is easy in this world and those are the challenges that lie ahead of us and to tackle those challenges in a positive way and with a sense of humour if possible and a sense of humour is sorely needed from the Irish language perspective,” she said.

President Connolly indicated that the issue was being pursued and that it was receiving “positive feedback”.

“I have begun that journey and I must say that the feedback I have received has been positive, the feedback I have received officially in terms of the Irish language at every event and at every speech.

“I and the team have done my best to use the Irish language, not as a few words, not as a translation but to convey the strongest messages and the important messages.”

She also said that she was in the process of hiring someone to advise her on the Irish language and the thing that interested her the most was that people would have a positive attitude towards the Irish language.

The former Galway West TD said that she and her family were spending Christmas in her Claddagh home in Galway due to renovation work being carried out at Áras an Uachtaráin.

“I would like to go back and maybe have a swim in the sea and put my feet on the ground and reflect,” she said.

Nominations for Council of State

Regarding the Council of State, a committee of figures such as the Taoiseach and the Chief Justice, as well as former Taoisigh who advise the President, the President herself is allowed to nominate seven members.

She said she was ‘very fortunate’ that it had more time than she initially had thought to choose these people yet and added that she was ‘considering’ her nominations.

“But it is very important that there is diversity, that there is expertise and that I am happy that I have chosen the right people.”

‘A voice for peace’

Responding to a question about her role as leader of the defence forces and the need for more resources, President Connolly said that she had a role as leader but that issues of policy and resources were with the Government.

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She said, however, that she had promised during her campaign that she would use her voice ‘for peace’ and stressed that it was ‘defence forces, not an army’.

“I think I or the people of the country have no choice but to use our voices, you have nothing to say about that road and I and you have a duty to do it too.”

She said there was a constitutional duty to use diplomacy to resolve conflicts. “It is set out in the Constitution that we will go down the road of peace to resolve wars,” she said.

While at the RTÉ RnaG studio in Casla, the President planted a holly tree in the garden outside the building to commemorate her visit.

 The Journal’s Gaeltacht initiative is supported by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme