Irish language
Stories about the Irish language
Was Peig Sayers a true fatalist?
A reader argues that the Blasket storyteller’s life shows resilience rather than helplessness
The 1926 census returns in Irish: A rare window into language and identity
A look back at the 1926 census reveals a nation caught between two scripts
Kneecap’s Móglaí Bap speaks of mother’s death by suicide: ‘We have to alleviate that extra burden of shame’
Activist Aoife Ní Riain died in 2020 and son Naoise Ó Cairealláin has dedicated new song to her
Kneecap ar pholaitíocht, brú agus sícideileacha: “Ar ndóigh, teastaíonn teiripe uainn ... ar feadh na mblianta fada”
Agallamh le Kneecap: Anuraidh, bhí an ceol, an chonspóid agus an chraic fite fuaite i saol an ghrúpa agus i mbliana tá albam nua uathu ar na bacáin
Religion and Irish in schools
No Irish language organisation teaches that non-Irish speakers will go to hell
The late Gabriel Rosenstock wrote Letters to the Editor for 50 years. Here are just a few
The Irish language poet, haikuist, translator and author wrote dozens of Letters to the Editor from 1974-2025
‘My son has an Irish language exemption. Is there anything we need to do?’
National University of Ireland communicates exemption data to the Central Applications Office, which will add it to an application
Síomha Ní Ruairc: ‘It’s satisfying to see that I’ve physically made an extra Gaeilgeoir’
The How to Gael host on finding her tribe in the Irish language sector, and her new TG4 quizshow Slé Anois go Cúramach
Irish public ‘emotionally checking out’ after succession of crises
Instead of panicking in the face of global turmoil, people are emotionally checking out, survey suggests
EL by Thaddeus Ó Buachalla: An early contender for most ambitious Irish novel of the year
Equal parts Flann O’Brien and Dan Brown, EL is a novel of impressively epic sweep
Human rights and Irish language activists among President’s Council of State appointments
Academics added to advisory committee alongside former taoisigh and chief justices
‘We need a culture where people don’t just sell their house to the highest bidder’
New project aims to reduce number of vacant properties in Gaeltacht areas and make them available for Irish speakers
State’s failure to provide homes for Irish speakers ‘threatening future of language’
Young adults cannot remain in Gaeltacht areas because of high prices, holiday homes and planning rules, Oireachtas committee told
Bilingual Brendan Behan and the bards of Glasnevin
As the celebrated Dublin writer’s anniversary falls within Seachtain na Gaeilge, Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire salutes his work in the Irish language
Subtitles would bring TG4 to the next level
Irish-language station has been knocking it out of the park
Queen’s University Belfast students vote on return of Irish-language signage
Members of the Young Unionists society say the return of bilingual signage at students’ union would would create a ‘chill factor’
How to stay cool, calm and collected for your Leaving Cert language oral
With language orals, there is a lot of information to remember before you even greet the examiner
‘My weird Frankenstein Irish’: The rise of Gaeilge in New York
From Brooklyn classrooms to library meet‑ups, there’s a growing Gaeltacht community in the Big Apple
About 4,500 woollen scarves at the heart of Ireland’s diplomacy plans for Europe
Plus: Grand Unesco plans for the Border, a ban on vegan liver and a fada where it possibly shouldn’t be in Kildare
TV guide: the 10 best new shows to watch, starting tonight
March 14th-20th highlights: including Turbulence: The Story of Ryanair, The Other Bennet Sister and the Oscars
Fearmhíniú (mansplaining), báinín (flat white) and other Irish words for modern life
As technology and culture evolve, the Irish language continues to generate new vocabulary
Housing crisis could be the ‘death’ of the Irish language, protest hears
Demonstration aimed at highlighting ‘disproportionate’ impact shortage of affordable housing having on Gaeltacht areas
Adults aged under 35 and women most enthusiastic about learning Irish language, survey finds
Survey on behalf of Údarás na Gaeltachta measures public attitudes towards Irish language and Gaeltacht
‘Growing up I thought Ireland was boring. When I moved to the US that changed’
Molly Nic Céile creates Irish language videos for her Gaeilge i mo Chroí channels and teaches at the Irish Arts Centre in Manhattan
Multilingual families: ‘Many still feel pressure to leave parts of themselves at the door’
More than 70 languages are spoken in Ireland and the Mother Tongues festival is helping pass them on to the next generation
Catherine Connolly’s first 100 days as President: ‘She’s careful, she’s considered, she’s steady’
Expectations that she would enter into open conflict with Government Buildings have not transpired, though some observers believe she is feeling her way into the role
Amhráin do mo Mháthair review: Reminder of how music can express emotions words cannot
Television: Raw and mournful documentary reflects emotions of Pauline Scanlon and her mother, who was forced to give up her first child for adoption
Campaigners warn Irish language action plan may fail to meet public service targets
Action Plan for Irish Language Public Services 2026-2028 is the first of two implementation plans to be implemented by 2030.
Teacher with 15 years’ experience facing €4,000 cost to pursue career in Ireland
‘I don’t think people realise just how many obstacles there are for teachers who qualify abroad’, says Sinéad Ryan
Irish-language courts in North could be ‘open to abuse’, PSNI feared
Giving ‘preferred language’ option would slow down proceedings and potentially lead to challenges, senior officer said
Craicing the Case – Frank McNally on the origins of a cultural and linguistic phenomenon
I also lamented that the compunction to do things for the craic was not yet recognised as a defence in Irish courts
Kneecap release new single about terrorism case against Mo Chara
The track is a collaboration with British producer Sub Focus, and comes ahead of the hip-hop trio’s upcoming Ireland and UK tour
Variation in primary teachers’ proficiency in Irish ‘a matter of significant concern’
Department inspectorate found ‘apparent lack of confidence’ among many teachers using Irish in English-medium schools
First class honours for Catherine Connolly for her ‘astounding’ Irish grammar
Plus: Calendar clash between the President and Remembrance, the worst job in Ireland and a non-cancelled Limerick Christmas market
Writer Eithne Shortall: ‘We put Irish at the heart of family life, one bedtime story at a time’
Three years ago we decided to start speaking Irish to our young children – a steep learning curve for all involved – with leabhair Ghaeilge as a key feature
Ireland remains locked into the anglophone world. Will we ever make the multilingual leap?
Language specialists doubt whether existing educational policies can deliver on State’s linguistic competence deficit
Hugo Hamilton: ‘I love speaking Irish. It places me in a less aggressive country full of musical links to an ancient past’
The author on his new novel, Conversation with the Sea; his German heritage; and how Germany is in denial about Gaza
Ring of untruth – Frank McNally on how the Irish language gave ‘phoney’ to English
A link with telephones was also suspected
The six lines that tell us what sort of president Catherine Connolly will be
A new Republic, a call for Irish unity and a plan to let the language blossom in the Áras
Learning to speak new language can slow biological ageing, TCD researchers find
People from countries where multilingualism was common were 2.17 times less likely to experience accelerated ageing
Irish-language education policy ‘ignores elephant in the room’, advocacy groups warn
Patron body says ‘little progress’ made on similar goals announced 20 years ago
Hector Ó hEochagáin: ‘I’m a hippie. That’s why we live in Galway. It attracts bohemians’
Hector Ó hEochagáin, the presenter and author, on his love of the Irish language, life in the parish and a novel way to stop thumb-sucking
Row over Belfast Irish-language signs to advance to full hearing as Ministerial talks fail
Loyalist activist Jamie Bryson seeking to review approval of Irish signs at Grand Central Station
Northern Ireland’s long argument over Irish language is either going to end or get worse
An Irish language commissioner, an Ulster Scots commissioner and an Office of Identity and Cultural Expression have just been appointed, a classic three legged stool
Daily Telegraph’s agony aunt faces a conundrum – a mother worried that her son is turning ‘Irish’
We are well used in this country to visitors outdoing us in the performative aspects of Irishness
Catherine Connolly wants to make Irish working language of Áras when she takes office
President-elect plans to ‘bring in Irish from the margins’ amid other priorities including disability
Public bodies increase spend on Irish language advertising
About €19 million was spent on Irish language advertising by 397 public bodies and companies last year
‘It could make a difference’: Endometriosis researcher exploring how to calm inflammation
Research Lives: Seoda Ní Chaoimh, research master’s student at the University of Limerick
‘I’ve got an amazing múinteoir’: Kara Owen, the new British ambassador to Ireland
Owen talks about her marriage to a Galwegian, the Irish phrases that were common in her Cumbrian childhood, and her daunting Irish-speaking debut with Michael D Higgins
Court allows legal challenge over Stormont’s failure to deliver Irish language strategy
Conradh na Gaeilge asked for judicial review over lack of progress on initiative agreed in 2006
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Stardust
Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
Family NoticesOpens in new window
Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices