A 300-year-old law that banned the use of any other language than English in courts in Northern Ireland has been repealed.
A penal law banning the use of the Irish language in court in Northern Ireland has officially been repealed by the British Government.
The law was first implemented in 1737. It made it a “criminal offence to use any language other than English” in court.
Now, almost 300 years later, the law has officially been repealed. Therefore, it is now legal to use the Irish language in the courtroom.
A ‘major milestone’ for language reform – embracing the Irish language
The repeal of the law banning the use of the Irish language in court has been hailed as a ‘major milestone’ in the fight for comprehensive language rights for Irish speakers in Northern Ireland.
The groundbreaking news comes after Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn signed the commencement order to repeal the act.
The law, which was first implemented in the early 18th century, was called ‘The Administration of Justice (Language) Act 1737’. It stated that all court proceedings of justice, patents, charters, pardons, and commissions “shall be in English”.
A long overdue change – 150 years behind the rest of the UK
The law, which bans the use of the Irish language in court, has been repealed. However, the change comes 150 years after it was repealed in England, Scotland, and Wales.
Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin is the newly elected president of Conradh na Gaelige. He told the Irish Times that the repeal is an “incredibly historic moment for the Irish language.”
He said it represents a “major victory against centuries of exclusion and discrimination.”.
“It is testament to the power and resolve of our community,” he continued.
Niall Murphy is a representative from KRW Law. He told the paper that the law’s repeal represents “a major milestone in the ongoing journey towards comprehensive language rights for Irish speakers” in the North of Ireland.
