Máire Nic an Bhaird
Encyclopedia
Máire Nic an Bhaird (ˈmˠaːɾʲənʲəcəˈwaːɾʲdʲ; Moira Ward; born 1982) is a secondary school
teacher and Irish language
activist from Dunmurry
, County Antrim
in Northern Ireland
. On February 26 2007 she was found guilty of disorderly conduct
and fined UK£
100, arising from an incident in May 2006 in south Belfast. She maintained she was arrested for speaking in Irish to an officer of the Police Service of Northern Ireland
(PSNI), and was acquitted on appeal in September, 2007.
on the Malone Road
in south Belfast with friends after a night out. She became involved in an altercation with police officers, who alleged that she said Tiocfaidh ár lá
, Irish for "our day will come", a phrase associated with republican
support for the Provisional Irish Republican Army
. Nic an Bhaird maintains she said Tiocfaidh bhur lá, "your day will come", meaning "you'll have your chance". The court case was adjourned several times between June 2006 and January 2007. At her first court appearance her lawyer made it clear he would be talking to his client in Irish and made a submission that she should have the right to defend her case wholly in Irish. Her counsel was considering on 30 October 2006 whether to apply for a judicial review
of the case. In February 2007, the presiding magistrate ruled that Nic an Bhaird had consumed a "substantial amount" of alcohol, and "continued to address police officers in a loud and aggressive manner", and could thus be found guilty of disorderly behaviour. She was acquitted on appeal in September 2007.
of Irish and attending Belfast's Irish language secondary school, Coláiste Feirste, where she was taught by Sinn Féin
MEP
Bairbre de Brún
. Irish-language organisations, including Na Gaeil Óga ("the Young Gael
s") of which Nic an Bhaird is a member, have condemned her case as victimisation based on language, and have charged that she was assault
ed by the arresting PSNI officer. Nic an Bhaird claims police demanded she speak English before releasing her from custody after her arrest. The Good Friday Agreement does provide for some official accommodation for the Irish language in Northern Ireland, but the required level of support is not precisely specified.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
teacher and Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
activist from Dunmurry
Dunmurry
Dunmurry is an urban townland, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Located between Belfast and Lisburn, it was once a rural village, but is now within the Greater Belfast conurbation...
, County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. On February 26 2007 she was found guilty of disorderly conduct
Disorderly conduct
Disorderly conduct is a criminal charge in most jurisdictions in the United States. Typically, disorderly conduct makes it a crime to be drunk in public, to "disturb the peace", or to loiter in certain areas. Many types of unruly conduct may fit the definition of disorderly conduct, as such...
and fined UK£
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
100, arising from an incident in May 2006 in south Belfast. She maintained she was arrested for speaking in Irish to an officer of the Police Service of Northern Ireland
Police Service of Northern Ireland
The Police Service of Northern Ireland is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary which, in turn, was the successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary in Northern Ireland....
(PSNI), and was acquitted on appeal in September, 2007.
Court case
Nic an Bhaird was arrested after leaving a public housePublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
on the Malone Road
Malone Road
The Malone Road is a radial road in Belfast, Northern Ireland, leading from the university quarter southwards to the affluent suburbs of Malone and Upper Malone, each a separate electoral ward...
in south Belfast with friends after a night out. She became involved in an altercation with police officers, who alleged that she said Tiocfaidh ár lá
Tiocfaidh ár lá
Tiocfaidh ár lá is an Irish language phrase which translates as "our day will come", the hoped-for day being that of a united Ireland. It became a popular slogan with militant Irish republicans in the 1980s.-Origins:...
, Irish for "our day will come", a phrase associated with republican
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
support for the Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
. Nic an Bhaird maintains she said Tiocfaidh bhur lá, "your day will come", meaning "you'll have your chance". The court case was adjourned several times between June 2006 and January 2007. At her first court appearance her lawyer made it clear he would be talking to his client in Irish and made a submission that she should have the right to defend her case wholly in Irish. Her counsel was considering on 30 October 2006 whether to apply for a judicial review
Judicial review
Judicial review is the doctrine under which legislative and executive actions are subject to review by the judiciary. Specific courts with judicial review power must annul the acts of the state when it finds them incompatible with a higher authority...
of the case. In February 2007, the presiding magistrate ruled that Nic an Bhaird had consumed a "substantial amount" of alcohol, and "continued to address police officers in a loud and aggressive manner", and could thus be found guilty of disorderly behaviour. She was acquitted on appeal in September 2007.
Irish language dimension
Nic an Bhaird is a native speakerNative Speaker
Native Speaker is Chang-Rae Lee’s first novel. In Native Speaker, he creates a man named Henry Park who tries to assimilate into American society and become a “native speaker.”-Plot summary:...
of Irish and attending Belfast's Irish language secondary school, Coláiste Feirste, where she was taught by Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
Bairbre de Brún
Bairbre de Brún
Bairbre de Brún is an Irish politician and Member of the European Parliament, representing Northern Ireland.- Political work :...
. Irish-language organisations, including Na Gaeil Óga ("the Young Gael
Gaël
Gaël is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of Brittany in north-western France.It lies southwest of Rennes between Saint-Méen-le-Grand and Mauron...
s") of which Nic an Bhaird is a member, have condemned her case as victimisation based on language, and have charged that she was assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
ed by the arresting PSNI officer. Nic an Bhaird claims police demanded she speak English before releasing her from custody after her arrest. The Good Friday Agreement does provide for some official accommodation for the Irish language in Northern Ireland, but the required level of support is not precisely specified.
External links
- Máire Nic an Bhaird case highlights need for Irish Language Act from Sinn FéinSinn FéinSinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
online - Language protest at Belfast court from Eurolang online
- Máire Nic an Bhaird case thrown out on appeal