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A lot of people, from Ireland and abroad, think that Irish (Gaeilge) is a dead language. But that is simply not true.
For many of us, it may not be our first language anymore and few of us across the island are fluent in our mother language.
Yet recent years have seen a change for the better, more and more people are learning Gaeilge as they get older, and more parents are sending their children to Gaelscoileanna at a primary-school level and for the first time ever there is a huge demand for more secondary level Gaelscoil options as currently there are no option's only unit's inside English speaking schools.
The Sudden Re-Birth of The Irish Language
When I was a wee child, it was the end of "the troubles". The start of the peace talks between the North and the Republic of Ireland. Crossing the border to visit friends or family was an ordeal on one side you were stopped by the Irish, An Garda Síochána and asked where you were going, how long and so on.
On the way home we were often stopped by the British Army usually the same questions were asked occasionally they would check your trunk, as a child, I didn't know why as an adult I now understand it was because we were southern and it was in case we were anti-peace.
They were scary times, the '80s and '90s were kind of a time where we were too pre-occupied with things like peace, politics and education in this country that by the time the '00s came we were being told Gaeilge was a dead language and the Gaeltacht regions would be completely wiped out by 2027, NESCO even added Irish to the Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger.
Well, that was just a big mistake...
First of all, everyone knows millennials don't listen, and they are impossibly nostalgic.
Second of all never tell an Irish person you're taking something away from them because they'll fight twice as hard to keep it!
In the past decade, Irish has become the most popular language for learners in Ireland on the online language app Duolingo, the 16th most popular language worldwide and the fastest growing, Irish was recognised as an official language by the European Union.
Something is Changing
There is an increasingly clear awareness that we must rediscover a connection with nature and a link with the places where we live. In Ireland, the rediscovery of our linguistic heritage is the key to a cultural and psychological renaissance, and the Irish language itself holds some ideas that we may need in our attempts to tackle climate change and social upheaval.
“Soul” is a word that comes up a lot when asking today’s speakers why Irish matters.
"I'd never had any problem finding inspiration; Ireland was always just there, you know? All this richness of culture was there to tap into."
- Brendon Gleeson
Where Are Some of The Places We Use Irish Every Day?
Believe it or not, we actually do use the Irish language every single day in Ireland.
Even just for a moment, it's on our road signs, we use it now in school as every child learns how to ask to go to the bathroom in primary school as Gaeilge, we use it in church, even though many of our main prayers are in our mother tongue both the Our Father (Ár nAthair) and the Hail Mary (Sé do bheatha, A Mhuire) are most commonly spoken in Irish.
Why do we use both English and Gaeilge on road signs in Ireland?
The use of Irish on the country's traffic signs is the most visible illustration of the state's policy regarding our official languages, Irish and English. Some Irish people speak Irish, some speak English, and both languages are recognised by the Constitution.
An Nuacht | The News
Every day in Ireland on most national Television stations and Radio stations at least once a day you can listen to or view the news as Gaeilge, this is called an Nuacht.
I personally try to listen once a day as it helps with Irish listening skills. It's also shorter and much more to the point as it's generally just the headlines for news, sports and weather in as Gaeilge and maybe one or two interviews with the biggest story of the day. I like it because it's less depressing than a whole 40min of what's gone bad in the world.
TG4
There was a three per cent increase in TG4's prime-time audience during 2020, with streams on the TG4 player increasing by 158 per cent. If we compare this again with stats from the next year, TG4's primetime share grew to over 2% in 2021.
Fleadh 2022 was the most watched Fleadh Cheoil on TG4 since 2017, with each day of coverage having an average viewership of 76,200 viewers
Why the rising popularity of Irish language TV?
Yes, more and more people are speaking the language at home and abroad, but it's not just that. TG4 are producing some content that is so powerful and inspiring that it is literally winning international awards.
From the TG4, Screen Ireland and BAI scheme CINE4, An Cailín Ciúin / The Quiet Girl made history as the first Irish-language feature film to be shortlisted for the Oscars 2022.
TG4 also displays the best of Irish musicians, and actors in both drama series and films as well as comedy and documentary series.
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