Rith is a relay race

Relay race

During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...

 organised in support of the Irish 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...

. It was held for the first time in 2010 and coincided with Seachtain na Gaeilge

Seachtain na Gaeilge

Seachtain na Gaeilge is a non-profit organisation which aims to promote the Irish language during a two week festival held at the beginning of March every year...

, the Week of the Irish Language. It started in Galway

Galway

Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...

 and finished in Belfast

Belfast

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...

, traversing both the Republic of Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

 and Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

.

Rith is a spin-off from the Korrika

Korrika

The Korrika, or Running, is an exhibition race held bi-annually in the Basque Country in order to celebrate and support the Basque language....

, a relay race organised in the Basque in support of the Basque language

Basque language

Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...

 since 1980. It has since spun off the Correllengua

Correllengua

The Correllengua is a campaign that's held annually in the Catalan Countries. Created in 1993 by cultural Catalan association Coordinadora d'Associacions per la Llengua Catalana , it has the aim of promoting the use of Catalan language...

 in Catalonia

Catalonia

Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...

, Ar Redadeg

Ar Redadeg

Ar Redadeg is a relay race modelled on the Basque Korrika. It takes place around Brittany over three days and three nights from Naoned to Karaez...

 in Brittany

Brittany

Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...

 and Corsa d'Aran in the Vall d'Aran.