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It may sound like a contradiction of terms, but teaching the Irish language in the opening decades of the last century could also be a method of teaching English. Irish was the spoken language in most homes of the west of Ireland, but it was recognised that knowledge of English was essential when emigration was usually the only way a young man or girl could better themselves. It is to the great credit of the Gaelic League, established in 1893 to promote the teaching of Irish in all national schools, that it recognised that fact. The Gaelic League, like its near contemporary the GAA, idealised the culture and way of life of the surviving Gaeltacht areas; and its success was largely due to its understanding that a bilingual approach would best serve everyone’s purposes.

It has been some few weeks in Galway politics - political U-turns, denials of freedom of speech, accusations of homophobia, cynical political skulduggery, dubious explanations of motive, and much embarrassment. With that in mind here is a selection of quotes which sum up Galway’s hectic political summer.

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny used the words dysfunction, disconnection, elitism, and narcissism in describing the culture dominating the Vatican with regard to the cover-ups of clerical sex abuse in Ireland, and rightly so.

There are no winners in this whole sorry saga. Sen David Norris’ bid to address the Galway City Council looks set to be rejected for a third time; Mayor Hildegarde Naughton looks certain to compound her new found reputation as Galway politics’ ‘Calamity Jane’, and Michael J Crowe has come out of this none too well either.

Austerity, reform, what do these words mean? Check out Roscommon Hospital.

Former Retreat Road resident and Marist past pupil Brian Lenihan, who succumbed to pancreatic cancer last Friday after an 18-month battle while carrying out his duties as Minister for Finance, was buried this week at St David’s cemetery in Kilsallaghan, north county Dublin, amid a tsunami of tributes from a grateful nation.

I am sure Stephen Patrick Morrissey would not approve of what Insider is about to do, and as a self respecting Smiths fan I know it is sacrilegious, but here goes: “Hilda take a/Hilda take a bow/boot the grime of this world in the crotch dear/and don’t go home tonight/go out and find the cause that you love.”

RECENTLY INSIDER spent a morning in Galway’s dole office. It was a fruitless stay in the financial sense, but it proved to be beneficial in a contemplative way.

A new Monday night residency at Kytelers Inn, Kieran Street, sees the combination of local politician Andrew McGuinness, who spent many years playing in a band, and well known musician Davey Cashin from The Kilkennys.

What is Michael J Crowe up to now? First there was the ‘I’m sick of trees’ comment, then there was the one man battle against the Galway Alliance Against War, and now he says he is “winding down” from politics - this is despite having three years left of his term as a councillor.