fainne

A pin badge worn to indicate a fluency in, or a willingness to speak, the Irish language.

1966 The Irish answer: an anatomy of modern Ireland. Tony Gray In the past, the 'Fainne' got something of a bad name because not all of its wearers were prepared to confine their attempts to converse in Gaelic to fellow-members of the League; some insisted on trying to do all their shopping in Irish...

1996 Presbyterians and the Irish Language By Roger Blaney In 1922 he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and the following year became Chief ... that he always wore his fainne (the Irish language badge) at work and that much more Irish than English was spoken in his ...

Alternative form of fainne.