Galway City Council hosted its second annual Gaeilge Council Meeting this week (Monday 9 March 2026), coinciding with national Seachtain na Gaeilge. A translation service was available throughout the meeting, with meeting documentation and contributions available in Gaeilge and English.
In preparation for the meeting, a number of Elected Members and Senior Management participated in a two-day residential training course with Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta, University of Galway, in their An Cheathrú Rua campus, giving participants the opportunity to practice speaking, and to upskill in Gaeilge.
Mayor of the City of Galway, Cllr Mike Cubbard, said, “Anois agus Seachtain na Gaeilge linn – déanaimid ceiliúradh ar ár dteanga agus ar ár bhféiniúlacht Ghaelach. Galway City has a unique and special relationship with the first language of our country. As a bilingual city and a Gaeltacht Service Town, with two large Gaeltacht areas, Galway City Council has an important role to play in the promotion of our language, and ensuring access to services through Gaeilge. The annual Gaeilge Council Meeting is an opportunity to demonstrate our support and an openness to engage through Gaeilge, for both staff and Elected Members.”
Addressing the Elected Members and Staff participating in the meeting, Councillor Peter Keane who was deputising as Cathaoirleach for the meeting said, “B'fhéidir go bhfuil cuid againn a chaith an foclóir amach leis an mála scoile – agus is ann is mó moladh atá tuilte agaibh as bhur páirt a ghlacadh inniu.”
Leonard Cleary, Chief Executive, Galway City Council said, “Tá uainne anseo i gComhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe go mbeadh Gaeilge i lár na sráide in obair na Comhairle. Chuige sin, beidh muid ag tógáil céimeanna i mbliana —ina measc painéal Gaeilge le haghaidh fostaithe chun déileáil leis an bpobal. Go deimhin, tá eilimintí den Ghaeilge-gan-stró iad féin i mbéal a bhforbartha anseo sa gComhairle agus fás agus nach iontach go deo iad. I am keen that we promote and strengthen the use of the Irish language across the local authority, beyond the annual Gaeilge meeting. The work of the Gaeilge sub-SPC is instrumental in that regard, and I’d like to thank the members of the committee for their engagement and contributions to date.””
In March 2025, Galway City Council hosted a fully bilingual meeting (Gaeilge/ English) – the first such meeting in the Council’s history – with the proposal for the bilingual meeting coming from the Gaeilge sub-SPC. This is the second Gaeilge meeting of the local authority.
Galway is a bilingual city, with two large Gaeltacht areas - in Cnoc na Cathrach, and An Bruach Thoir, comprising Tír Oileáin, Cúil Each, Mionlach, Baile an Dúlaigh, Baile an Phoill, An Pháirc Mhór and parts of An Caisleán Gearr.
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 two such areas, Galway County has eight out of the total of twenty-six in the state.
Galway City has a significant number Irish speakers, with 32,708 people who could speak Irish, recorded in the 2022 Census. Many of those would choose to engage with their local authority in Irish, as well as English.
Pictured at the two-day residential Gaeilge training course with Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta, University of Galway, in their An Cheathrú Rua campus are (left to right): Ailish Rohan, Senior Executive Officer; Cllr Eddie Hoare; Cllr Frank Fahy; Cllr John McDonagh; Leonard Cleary, Chief Executive; Mayor of the City of Galway, Cllr Mike Cubbard; Patrick Greene, Director of Services; Cllr Helen Ogbu; Sally-Ann O’Brien, Head of Tourism; Sharon Carroll, Senior Executive Officer.
