Gaeilge

Galway is a bilingual city, with two large Gaeltacht areas. Galway City is also a ‘Gaeltacht Service Town’.

Fáilte go dtí Cathair Ghaeltachta - Cathair na Gaillimhe

Galway is a bilingual city, with two large Gaeltacht areas - in Knocknacarra, and An Bruach Thoir, comprising Terryland, Coolagh, Menlo, Ballindooley, Ballinfoyle, Parkmore and parts of Castlegar.

Galway City is also a ‘Gaeltacht Service Town’ – which is a town located in or near a Gaeltacht language planning area, that provides services and amenities to the Gaeltacht community.

Galway City has a significant number Irish speakers, with 32,708 people who could speak Irish, recorded in the 2022 Census.

Map of Gaeltacht Areas

‘Anois teacht an Earraigh, Beidh an lá ag dul chun síneadh...’

Have you seen the new Spring road signs in Galway City?

...this famous introduction to Cill Aodáin by Raiftearaí an File conveys an optimism and renewed sense of purpose with the coming of Spring that is just around the corner. Since an eon, it seems, that people are already excitedly talking about the ‘long stretch in the evenings,’ as we approach the beginning of Gaelic Spring.

 

I say Gaelic Spring because it arrives roughly six weeks before what many from western Europe would call Spring, which is a meteorological spring. There is a straightforward reason for such a difference in that solar spring starts at the beginning of February whereas it takes the weather six weeks to catch up (or warm up). If we consider the ocean has a lag of a further six weeks, then local ocean spring starts as late as May! So its not even ‘Gaelic’ Spring then, it is simply solar spring. But Solar Spring is hardwired into the Irish language because the months and associated seasons in Irish deem that so.

So if February marks the beginning of Spring, then we can trace midwinter to Grianstad (Sun Stop).  The most recent Grianstad took place over the ancient province of Meath on  21 December 2025 at 8:52am the site of Brú na Bóinne. 

Weather permitting, a shaft of sunlight pierces a tunnel thereby  illuminating fully the inner chamber at the exact point of Grianstad. A symbol of birth, rebirth and new beginnings dawns with the lengthening of the days. It provides a spectacular snapshot of the mathematical and astrological sophistication of society in Ireland over 5,000 years ago.

Another visible artefact which provides a lens to the centrality of the sun is the exterior of the Brú na Bóinne mound which is clad with quartz, known even in modern Irish as Cloch na Gréine, Sun Stone.

So the next time you’re asked to explain Irish Spring or an tEarrach Gaelach, you just have to point to the more ancient and universal understanding of the seasons: that earth revolving around daylight rather than the more widespread –  but all too often disappointing, arguably misleading at times - atmosphere. But most remarkable that it is a direct link between our forbearers of 5,000 years ago and our modern Irish language mirrored across modern Irish cultural understanding – a world that revolves around sunlight, a view that is shared accross the ancient world and contemporary.

Marcus Ó Conaire, Irish Officer

January 2026

 


Cill Aodáin (giorraithe) le Reaftaraí an File

Anois teacht an earraigh, beidh 'n lá dul chun síneadh
'S tar éis na Féil' Bríde, ardóidh mé mo sheol,
Ó chuir mé 'mo cheann é ní stopfaidh mé choíche
Go seasfaidh mé síos i lár Chontae Mhaigh Eo.
I gClár Chlainne Mhuiris bheas mé an chéad oíche,
'S i mBalla taobh thíos de thosós mé ag ól,
Go Coillte Mach rachad go ndéanfad cuairt mhíos' ann
I bhfogach dhá míle de Bhéal an Áth' Móir

Fágaim le huacht é go n-éiríonn mo chroíse
Mar éiríonn an ghaoth nó mar scaipeann an ceo,
Nuair 'smaoiním ar Cheara nó ar Ghaileang taobh thíos de,
Ar Sceathach a Mhíl' nó ar phlánaí Mhaigh Eo.
Cill Aodáin an baile a bhfásann gach ní ann,
Tá sméara 's sú craobh ann, is meas ar gach sórt,
'S dá mbeinn-se 'mo sheasamh i gceartlár mo dhaoine
D'imeodh an aois díom is bheinn arís óg.
 

 

Cill Aodáin (translated, abbridged) by Reaftaraí an File (the Poet/Bard)

Rough Translation:

Now with the coming of Spring, the grand strech is coming,
And after St. Bridget's Day, I aim to set sail.
Since it entered my head I won't stop for a second
Till I’m standing in the cenre of  County Mayo.
In Claremorris  I’ll spend the first night,
In Balla beyond there, I'll take my first drink.
To Kiltimagh for month’s sojourn
Two miles down the road from Ballinamore.

I swear it on oath,  my heart rises
Like the rising wind or the drifting fog
When I think of Ceara or Gaileang beyond it
Of Sceathach a’ Mhíle or the plains of Mayo.
Cill Aodáin's the town where everything flourishes,
There's berries and raspberries, and respect for one and all
If I just stood among of my people
The years would disappear and I'd be young lad again!

 

What's my Level?

Check your competency level in Gaeilge on Gaelchultúr’s online test.

 

Gaeilge Resources

  • Focal - online Database of Contemporary Irish Words developed by Foras na Gaeilge
  • Teanglann –  Users will find definitions, grammatical information and sound files for any individual word, including in different dialects
  • Téarma – the national terminology database for Irish
  • Duo Lingo – build your vocabulary and become familiar with putting sentences together on the Duo Lingo app.
  • Forvo pronunciation guide - Type the word you’re looking for into the search bar in Irish and you'll be able to hear how the word is pronounced, as well as the meaning of the word and how it can be used in a phrase.
  • Abair - Translate long text to audio with www.Abair.ie 

  • Library Books – join your local library for free, and download eBooks and eAudiobooks as Gaeilge on Borrowbox on your phone, table or reader. You can also request hard copy books in Irish through your library (online or in the library).

  • Radio – tune into RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, which has a wide range of news, current affairs, music, arts, sports and entertainment programmes

  • TG4 or the TG4 Player – watch TV as Gaeilge on Ireland’s dedicated Irish language TV channel

  • Cúla 4 – is an Irish-language television channel operated by TG4 for children

  • Newspapers – An Páipéar or Tuairisc

  • MOLSCÉAL app -  Irish language short videos

  • Raidió Rí Rá – which mixes chart music with small easily understandable bits of entertainment news.

  • Blas Pod - Irish Language Magazine Podcast  with stories, discussion, news and more

  • Beo ar Éiginn podcast – discussions on daily life with Sinéad Ní Uallacháin, Áine Ní Bhreisleáin and Siún Ní Dhuinn

  • www.Feilire.com - Irish-language events in Galway

Legislation 

The status of the Irish language is set out in the Irish Constitution. Article 8 of the Constitution states:

1. The Irish language as the national language is the first official language.

2. The English language is recognised as a second official language.

 

On 14 July 2003, the President signed the Official Languages Act 2003 into law.

The aim of the Official Languages Act 2003 is to increase and improve in an organised manner over a period of time the quantity and quality of services provided for the public through Irish by public bodies.

 

The Official Languages Act 2003 sets out the duties of public bodies regarding the provision of services in Irish and the rights of the public to avail of those services.

Galway City Council also has an Irish Language Scheme to develop the provision of Irish language and bilingual services on a phased basis.

 

Gaeilge Council Meeting 2025

Galway City Council hosted a fully bilingual meeting (Gaeilge/ English) on Monday 10 March 2024 - the first such meeting in the Council’s history. The meeting acknowledges Galway’s unique position as a bilingual and Gaeltacht city, and as a Gaeltacht Service Town. Coinciding with Seachtain na Gaeilge 2025, the proposal for a bilingual meeting arose from the newly formed sub-Strategic Policy Committee for Gaeilge in December 2024. 

80% of people in Galway would like to use more Irish every day, according to research undertaken by Gaillimh le Gaeilge, with similar messages in surveys from Gaeilge ABC and Ireland Thinks. 

Interpreters were available through headsets throughout the March Ordinary Council meeting, with meeting documentation available in English and Gaeilge. Several councillors put forward motions and made contributions as Gaeilge. 

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