Gaeilge - The Irish Language

Gaeilge is the most popular of the three Goidelic languages,and is the language that most people simply refer to as “Irish”. Approximately 2 million people can speak Irish to some degree, though only a small population on Ireland speaks it as a primary language. This is despite the fact that Irish has been the dominant language on the Island throughout most of its history. English, the current primary language, first became a factor only a mere 200 years ago.

Gaeltacht Regions

The Irish Language saw a rapid decline during the 18th century, as English began to replace it in a phenomenon known as “language shift”. It was brought upon by the British occupation placing restrictions on the language. Also, as a consequence of an Gorta Mór (the Irish Potato Famine), many native Irishmen emigrated from Ireland attempting to escape poverty. After loosing a large portion of the native speakers, English took over easily. English remains the most common language in Ireland, with only a few isolated regions known as Gaeltachtaí. It is estimated that there are currently between 40,000 and 80,000 fully native speakers.

The Irish language is currently experiencing a revival.This is not the first time; during the “Gaelic Revival” during the late 19th century, there was a large attempt to bring back the language, as well other aspects traditional Irish Culture. Many urban areas currently educate students in Irish, causing the percentages of speakers to actually rise in some areas. In 2005, Irish became an official language of the European Union.