Se‡n talks the talk in seven languages

Ever since he was in national school, Seán Ó Riain always loved learning – and unlike most pupils, he didn’t have a favourite subject. He was what might be called a swot.

But, being wise, he kept his passion for learning quiet, realising that most people didn’t share it. Nonetheless, he studied on, and at the age of 16, went to UCG to study Arts.

Because he was so young the Tipperary born student was sent to stay with his uncle’s family in Galway. For two years Seán lived with Michael Leahy – Fianna Fáil Mayor of Galway on several occasions, notably during US President Ronald Reagan’s visit in 1984 – and Michael’s family in Renmore.

Seán did his degree in Galway, followed by a H Dip in Education and an MA in Irish. He subsequently went on to take a PhD in Irish in Trinity and has since built a successful career in the Department of Foreign Affairs, currently being based in Brussels. He speaks Irish, French, German, Polish, Welsh, Scots Gallic . . . and Esperanto. Esperanto is a topic, which causes Seán – the current president of the European Esperanto Union – to bubble with enthusiasm, and he says he could talk about it for hours.

This language was invented at the end of the 19th century by Dr LL Zamenhof (1859-1917). He lived in what is now Poland, but was then divided between Russia, Germany and Austria, explains Seán. Zamenhof grew up in Warsaw, a city of 30,000 people, where five languages were spoken – Russian, German, Polish, Ukranian and Yiddish, with Yiddish being most common.

This situation left a lot of room for misunderstanding and conflict, and Zamenhof wanted to change this. He felt a neutral language that would allow people to communicate on terms of equality, would prevent powerful nations such as Russia imposing its language on weaker neighbours.

It was a vision that struck a chord in early 20th century Ireland, a country with a powerful neighbour which also imposed its will. Two of the 1916 leaders, James Connolly and Joseph Mary Plunkett were fluent Esperanto speakers.

Many of the root words of Esperanto come from European languages with Latin, French, German and English all contributing. But, says Seán, its grammar is easier than any of the languages from which it is drawn.

In the beginning, it was called Lingva Internacia – the International Language. But when Zamenhof introduced it publicly, he used the name Dr Esperanto, which means ‘Doctor who hopes’, and eventually it just became known as Esperanto.

Seán first heard of Esperanto as a 14-year-old schoolboy at school in Roscrea in 1969, when an international conference on the language was held in Dublin. He and a group of fellow students clubbed together and bought a ‘Teach Yourself Esperanto’ book.

“But the general attitude among the teachers was negative,” he recalls, and the boys’ enthusiasm waned. He paid off the others and kept the book.

However, it was many years later – with several other languages under his belt – that he returned to it.

For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.