Gaeilge i mo chroi; the irish language boom is here

Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam

It is clear to see that there has been a recent boom in the revival of the Irish language, particularly among the young people of today. But why is that and what has made the people of Ireland go from negative aspects of learning Irish in school for the leaving cert to making movements and trying to connect with their native language. 

For so many years, Gaeilge was associated with the intense pressure of secondary school provided by the lead up to the leaving cert exams. Rather than with everyday living or our personal identities. As students we often view it as a subject that needs to be passed rather than our native language. However, recently this attitude has shifted dramatically, with a new generation choosing to reconnect with our native tongue out of pride rather than the obligation school provides. 

One of the most influential factors in this cultural revival was due to the rise of the Belfast based rappers, Kneecap. They use the Irish language confidently and unapologetically. They have played a major role in changing the public’s perception of our language. They use Gaeilge in their music and their film Kneecap released in 2024. They have shown that Gaeilge can exist in modern, and social spaces, it can also be used to express political views, humour and online cultural references. By using Gaeilge in their music and film they have made it more visible in a contemporary context and helped to remove that idea that it is outdated or irrelevant.

Political leadership has also contributed to this ‘cultural comeback’. The recent election of Catherine Connolly, a native gaeilgeoir, as Uachtarán na hÉireann 

There are many different aspects which could have caused the cultural revival.

The first being the rise of kneecap, an irish rap band who claimed their success to fame after releasing a movie with the title; Kneecap in which the irish language is very prominent.

We also have the recent election of Catherine Connolly a native gaeilgeoir as our new Uachtarán na hÉireann. Leading up to the election she made it clear the need to bring the Irish language back into our daily lives, not just as a symbol but as a living means of communication. The lead up also caused many young people and Irish influencers to use their social media platforms to also promote the language. Seeing the head of State promote and speak as Gaeilge encouraged many of us to view the language with more confidence and even national pride. 

We also have an uprise in Gaeilge learning books. Both Gaeilge i mo Chroí and The Gaeilge Guide published recently show how Irish is being reintroduced to young people in a positive and encouraging way. Gaeilge i mo Chroí focuses on helping people to rebuild their relationship with the language, moving away from the negative experiences in school and towards pride, identity and everyday use of Irish. It shows Irish as something more personal and meaningful to us rather than purely academic.

Similarly, The Gaeilge Guide aims to make the language accessible and unintimidating, by combining both useful phrases with cultural insight. It encourages us to see Irish not just as a subject but as part of our heritage and modern life. Together, these books reflect the wider revival of Gaeilge, by helping young people reconnect with the language.

Molly Guidera, the author of the gaeilge guide is also an Irish teacher who uses her online platforms  known as “Irish with Molly” to teach the language on a wider scale. She uses her strong passion to teach through online courses and workshops. Her aim is to make Gaeilge accessible, enjoyable and relevant.

There has also been a rise in Irish clothing brands that reflect the growing cultural pride we all share. Brands such as Debúrca Design, Ditsy Bits and Pellador use Irish language, symbols and heritage in their fashion. Their popularity shows that young people in Ireland are expressing their connection to Irish culture not just through language but also in what we wear. 

We also see the promotion of Irish within DCU, last semester they provided a free Irish learning class and it was so popular that they have provided 2 extra including a more advanced one for students to help reconnect and practice our native language.