An Cosantóir

4 | An Cosantóir March / April 2026 www.military.ie/magazine I s é Cor Seán Ó Fátharta an tOifigeach Sinsearach Gaeilge i nÓglaigh na hÉireann le tacaíocht ón gComhairle Gaeilge, Bord Pearsanra bunaithe faoin Treoir Ríaracháin A8 Caibideal 5- Polasaí Teangacha Oifigiúla. Chomh maith le faireachán agus monatóireacht a dhéanamh ar chomhlíonacht Óglaigh na hÉireann le hAcht na dTeangacha Óifigiúla 2003 (Leasaithe 2021), tarraingíonn an Chomhairle An Gréasan Gaeilge (Irish Language Network) le chéile. Má tá suim ag éinne pairt a ghlacadh sa nGréasan seól teachtaireacht chuig mdl_gaeilge@defenceforces.ie. As The Senior Irish Language Officer for the Defence Forces I was delighted to get a call from the An Cosantóir Team inviting me to submit an article to coincide with Seachtain na Gaeilge 2026. It is a great opportunity to inform the readers about Óglaigh na hÉireann's relationship with the language, what is happening nationally and what is happening across the Air Corps (an tAer Chóir), The Navy (An Chabhlach) and the Army (An tArm) in terms of Irish language use. If you are wondering why this article isn't "as Gaeilge" I subscribe to Michael Cronin's view that "ironically but understandably it is in English that the fate of Irish will be decided" "Buíon – Buíon Aire" On the very first day of all our careers in the Defence Forces every single one of us heard Irish as we were ordered to stand to attention for the first time by a kind-hearted NCO "Aire!". The giving of this order in Irish can be traced back to the leaders who took over the Headquarters of the British Army in Dublin Castle on 16 January 1922, who were fluent Irish speakers and members or former members of Conradh na Gaeilge. They wove Irish into the ethos of the military and as the new State faced the challenge of building national institutions, the Defence Forces became one of the most visible expressions of new Ireland's identity. The use of Irish in the day-to-day life of the military was formalised on 13 August 1923 when legislation establishing The Defence Forces was enacted; Article 25 of the legislation stated "All Officers and Non Commissioned Officers shall be instructed in giving and receiving executive words of Command in each of the official languages of the state". In 1924 An Chéad Chathlán Coisithe was founded as an Irish Speaking Battalion and remains so designated today. Since then, the use of Irish in the Defence Forces has reflected both society's relationship with the language, and the State's efforts, with varying degrees of success, to increase services provided in Irish by Public Bodies. AN GHAEILGE AGUS AN GHAEILGE AGUS ÓGLAIGH NA ÓGLAIGH NA hÉIREANN hÉIREANN - - TRAIDISIÚN BEO MÍLEATA TRAIDISIÚN BEO MÍLEATA THE IRISH LANGUAGE AND THE DEFENCE THE IRISH LANGUAGE AND THE DEFENCE FORCES - A LIVING MILITARY TRADITION FORCES - A LIVING MILITARY TRADITION Ar Muir Ceolchoirm An Ceathrú rua

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