ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - A St. John's man believed to be the last speaker of an obscure dialect of the Irish language died Wednesday morning.
Aloysius O'Brien was 93.
O'Brien, a St. John's farmer, spoke Leinster Gaelic - or Irish of the books - a dialect now extinct in Ireland, which was passed down to him from his Irish-born grandmother.The Leinster dialect became extinct during the 20th century, and O'Brien was thought to be the last person in the world who could speak it. O'Brien spent much of his life working to preserve Irish history and language and instructed classes in "the Gaelic." He received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Memorial University in 1982 for his efforts.
Ac mae'r llithriad yn parhau. Bric arall yn y wal. O leiaf roedd 'na newyddion amdano fo ar sgriniau cyhoeddus yn y tiwb heddiw ar draws Toronto. Mae pethau bach yn cael eu anwybyddu weithiau.
