Gaeltacht quarter
Encyclopedia
A Neo-Gaeltacht is an area where Irish
is the predominant spoken language, but is not part of the officially defined or traditional Gaeltacht areas.
into An Ceathrú Gaeltachta/The Gaeltacht Quarter , encompassing a population of 20,000 people as it is widely felt that if the language is to survive, it must make a come-back in Irish cities. The proposal was accepted and put into force by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
in Northern Ireland.
Belfast's Gaeltacht Quarter
is now an area in which the Irish language is spoken widely. The area is home to Gaelscoileanna (Irish-medium primary schools), Gaelcholáistí (secondary schools), Naíonraí (crèches) and Naíscoil
eanna (nursery schools). The area has Irish language restaurants and agencies and is home to both Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich (the city's Irish language cultural centre). The Gaeltacht Quarter also has two community radio stations: Raidió Fáilte
, Northern Ireland's only full-time Irish language radio station and Féile FM
, a third of whose content is in Irish.
news, it was confirmed that a group in Ballymun
, in conjunction with the local branch of Glór na Gael have received planning permission to build 40 homes for people who want to live in an Irish-speaking community in the heart of the city. There are 4 Gaelscoileanna schools and Naíonraí creches in the area, as well as a shop where Irish is spoken. Deposits have been given already by those who want to live in such a community, and are all very positive about the project. Irish language classes will be organised for those who want to improve their Irish. It is expected that the project will be complete by the end of 2009. The group hopes that their project may become a prototype for other similar mini-Ghaeltachts around the country.
centred on Slaghtneill (Sleacht Néill) and Carntogher (Carn Tóchair), which had gone from being 50% Irish-speaking in 1901 to having only a few speakers by the end of the century, has seen a language revival since the setting up of a naíscoil
in 1993 and a gaelscoil in 1994. In 2008 two local organisations launched a "strategy for the rebirth of the Gaeltacht", based on Irish-medium primary and secondary education. Announcing the launch, Éamon Ó Cuív
, the Republic's Minister for the Gaeltacht, said that the area was "an example to other areas all over Ireland which are working to reestablish Irish as a community language".
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
is the predominant spoken language, but is not part of the officially defined or traditional Gaeltacht areas.
Belfast
In February 2002, the report of the West Belfast Task Force recommended turning part of West BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
into An Ceathrú Gaeltachta/The Gaeltacht Quarter , encompassing a population of 20,000 people as it is widely felt that if the language is to survive, it must make a come-back in Irish cities. The proposal was accepted and put into force by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure
The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure is a devolved Northern Irish government department in the Northern Ireland Executive...
in Northern Ireland.
Belfast's Gaeltacht Quarter
Gaeltacht Quarter, Belfast
The Gaeltacht Quarter in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is an area surrounding the Falls Road in the west of the city. A Gaeltacht is an area where the Irish language is widely spoken. The area aims to promote the Irish language and provide tourist attractions associated with it, as well as Irish...
is now an area in which the Irish language is spoken widely. The area is home to Gaelscoileanna (Irish-medium primary schools), Gaelcholáistí (secondary schools), Naíonraí (crèches) and Naíscoil
Naiscoil
Naiscoil is preschool education through the medium of the Irish language. The same teaching and regulations apply to this medium of education as with their English counterparts. The only difference is that all actions within the setting are performed in Irish....
eanna (nursery schools). The area has Irish language restaurants and agencies and is home to both Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich (the city's Irish language cultural centre). The Gaeltacht Quarter also has two community radio stations: Raidió Fáilte
Raidió Fáilte
Raidió Fáilte is an Irish language community radio station, broadcasting from Belfast, in Northern Ireland. It started broadcasting under its current licence on 15 September 2006....
, Northern Ireland's only full-time Irish language radio station and Féile FM
Féile FM
Féile FM was a community radio station based at Conway Mill in the Gaeltacht Quarter in west Belfast.The station first broadcast in July 1996 on a 28-day restricted service licence, operating as an outlet for the west Belfast community...
, a third of whose content is in Irish.
Dublin
In a special report on the 13/1/2009 on Nuacht TG4Nuacht TG4
Nuacht TG4 is a daily half-hour Irish language TV news bulletin produced by RTÉ News and Current Affairs for the Irish language Television station TG4. The programme is broadcast weekday evenings at 19:00, live from the studios of TG4 in Baile na hAbhann, County Galway...
news, it was confirmed that a group in Ballymun
Ballymun
Ballymun is an area on Dublin's Northside close to Dublin Airport, Ireland. It is infamous for the Ballymun flats, which became a symbol of poverty, drugs, alienation from the state and social problems in Ireland from the 1970s...
, in conjunction with the local branch of Glór na Gael have received planning permission to build 40 homes for people who want to live in an Irish-speaking community in the heart of the city. There are 4 Gaelscoileanna schools and Naíonraí creches in the area, as well as a shop where Irish is spoken. Deposits have been given already by those who want to live in such a community, and are all very positive about the project. Irish language classes will be organised for those who want to improve their Irish. It is expected that the project will be complete by the end of 2009. The group hopes that their project may become a prototype for other similar mini-Ghaeltachts around the country.
South Derry
An area in southern County LondonderryCounty Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
centred on Slaghtneill (Sleacht Néill) and Carntogher (Carn Tóchair), which had gone from being 50% Irish-speaking in 1901 to having only a few speakers by the end of the century, has seen a language revival since the setting up of a naíscoil
Naiscoil
Naiscoil is preschool education through the medium of the Irish language. The same teaching and regulations apply to this medium of education as with their English counterparts. The only difference is that all actions within the setting are performed in Irish....
in 1993 and a gaelscoil in 1994. In 2008 two local organisations launched a "strategy for the rebirth of the Gaeltacht", based on Irish-medium primary and secondary education. Announcing the launch, Éamon Ó Cuív
Éamon Ó Cuív
Éamon Ó Cuív is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Galway West constituency since 1992 and was previously a member of Seanad Éireann.-Early life:...
, the Republic's Minister for the Gaeltacht, said that the area was "an example to other areas all over Ireland which are working to reestablish Irish as a community language".