As Irish culture thrives in music, literature, film, and fashion, the Irish language, Gaeilge, is also making a comeback. Once the main language of the people, it was suppressed and declined as a daily spoken language during British colonial rule, surviving mostly in rural western areas through generations of families. But in recent decades, the number of schools teaching entirely in Irish has grown significantly, from under 20 in the 1970s to over 200 today. The 2022 census showed a 6% rise in Irish speakers compared to 2016. Irish is a core and compulsory subject in all schools.
However, in the 2024-25 school year, a record 14% of secondary students were exempted from studying Irish, which saddens me. These young people are missing out not only on increasing career opportunities but also on the richness of the language and the insight it offers into Irish culture.
The rise in exemptions is partly due to the number of Ukrainian students now in Irish schools, with nearly 7,000 in secondary education. Exemptions are only allowed for students born or educated abroad or with specific learning needs. Yet many Ukrainians, along with Poles and Latvians, are learning Irish.
The bigger issue is long-standing and systemic: despite its growing popularity, some Irish parents don’t see the language as a priority, viewing it as too difficult or unnecessary. Focused on exam points for university, some argue Irish should be optional.
How Irish is taught has been debated since the state’s founding a century ago. Complaints persist that while literature and poetry are studied, everyday use is neglected, leaving students with limited conversational skills after years of learning. Rote memorization and stock phrases are still common, even with oral exams.
I attended an Irish-medium secondary school in Dublin from the 1990s to the 2000s, when it wasn’t seen as trendy and was sometimes viewed as quirky or nationalistic. But for my friends and me, Irish was a shared bond that I’ve kept up. It opened doors: I hosted a music show on TG4, Ireland’s Irish-language TV channel, and this year, I’m writing in Irish for the Irish Times’ new weekly supplement, Scéal (Story).
Though I sometimes struggle with rustiness and confidence, maintaining my Irish has been one of the best gifts I’ve given myself. It’s a lyrical language deeply tied to nature, with early Irish literature among the oldest in Western Europe. Spoken Irish is a thousand years older than English, and its ancient Ogham script uses an alphabet based on trees—beith for birch, dair for oak, coll for hazel, and so on.
Nature is woven into the language in a visceral way. The word for photography, grianghrafadóireacht, literally means “making a chart of the sun.” English can’t match the spirit, fun, and poetry of Irish phrases, many of which were revived when the writer…The writer and documentary maker Manchán Magan, who sadly passed away this week, released his influential book Thirty-Two Words For Field in 2020.
For a playful but firm way to scold someone, you might say, “go n-ithe an cat thú, agus go n-ithe an diabhal an cat” – meaning “may the cat eat you, and may the devil eat the cat.” Irish has numerous words for penis, such as bliúcán, which refers to a wild carrot. One term for menstruation is blathscaileadh, translating to “the release of flowers.”
Then there’s the Kneecap effect. Inspired by the Belfast and Derry rap group, many young people are now embracing the Irish language. Kneecap repurposes old terms for today’s party scene: snaois, originally meaning snuff, now means cocaine; dúidín, a small clay pipe for tobacco, is used for a spliff; and “3CAG” stands for trí chosan agus guta (three consonants and a vowel), referring to MDMA.
While Kneecap’s playful revival of old words is notable, their vision of Irish as a punk language and a tool for personal decolonization has become a powerful cultural and political motivator. Last month, 25,000 people marched in Dublin calling for more investment in the language and Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) regions, with organizers describing Irish as inclusive and opposed to far-right extremism and fascism.
Despite an increase in school exemptions, enthusiasm for Irish is growing, along with a collective confidence in speaking it. As an old saying goes, “is fearr Gaeilge briste ná Béarla cliste” – broken Irish is better than clever English. Even my local Dublin pub offers a euro discount for ordering a drink in Irish.
Some of the most revealing moments, though, happen in private. During the pandemic, my wife and I began speaking Irish more often at home. She grew up in the Irish-speaking northwest of County Donegal but had lost much of her Irish over time after moving to Dublin in the late 1980s, along with her Donegal accent. Irish has distinct dialects and accents (canúint) that reveal a person’s roots, and when she spoke it, I heard her true accent for the first time. With it came the unique vocabulary of her home county’s landscape and culture—an oral artifact, preserved as if in amber, suddenly, or as we say, “go tobann,” alive again.
Una Mullally is a columnist for the Irish Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of helpful and concise FAQs about the Irish language inspired by the delightful nature of its vocabulary
General Beginner Questions
Q1 What does the phrase The Irish language is a delight not a burden mean
It means that learning Irish should be seen as an enjoyable exploration of a unique culture and a beautiful way of thinking rather than just a difficult school subject or obligation
Q2 Is Irish really a difficult language to learn
Like any new language it has its challenges such as a different sentence structure However its phonetic spelling and rich vocabulary make it a fascinating and rewarding language to explore
Q3 Whats an example of a fun or unique Irish word
A great example is the word meacán While it literally means wild carrot its also a playful oldfashioned slang term for a penis showing the languages creative and humorous side
Q4 Why should I bother learning Irish if everyone in Ireland speaks English
Learning Irish connects you directly to Irelands unique cultural identity history and worldview Its not just about communication its about preserving and participating in a living tradition that offers a different perspective on the world
Deeper Dive Advanced Questions
Q5 Beyond funny words what are the real benefits of learning Irish
Benefits include cognitive advantages like improved memory a deeper understanding of Irelands place names and family history access to a rich body of untranslated literature and poetry and a stronger connection to a global Gaelic community
Q6 What is a common misconception about the Irish language
A major misconception is that its a dead or dying language In reality it is a living official language of Ireland and the European Union with a growing number of fluent speakers especially in urban areas and through Irishlanguage media
Q7 Can you give another example of how Irish offers a unique perspective
Yes The Irish language doesnt say I am cold it says Tá fuacht orm which translates to Cold is upon me This reflects a different way of experiencing the world where feelings and states are external forces acting upon a person
