Our 1916 tour with Jim Ward in July.

Over the past few weeks, Gaeltacht an Eachreidh has organised fun trips to Conamara, the Aran Islands, and the East Galway sites which featured in the 1916 Easter Rising.

It was brilliant to see so much interest in tours in our native language.

Since April, we have been meeting at Carnmore, Claregalway, and Annaghdown on Wednesday evenings to walk and talk together ‘as Gaeilge’.

At the moment, four teenagers from Claregalway and Annaghdown are enjoying fully paid trips to the summer college on Inis Oirr in the Aran Islands.

Next month, we are hoping to organise a ‘BBQ le Gaeilge’ and a ‘Sauna le Gaeilge’ and to begin organising Irish classes for adults in Claregalway in the winter months.

We are working to revive the Irish language to the east of Galway City and we are gradually building a community of Irish speakers and learners.

Only 2.9 per cent of the people in Gaeltacht an Eachréidh speak Irish every day, from a population of over 8,000 people. And 85% of teenagers in Carnmore, Claregalway, and Annaghdown never hear Irish being spoken outside the classroom.

And yet, according to a 2019 survey, 76.5% of the people living here are really proud of the Irish language heritage of the area and feel it is important to preserve it.

Three years ago, we began to implement a language plan to try to revive Irish in an area where it was widely spoken until a few decades ago. And it has been fantastic to see the response to our adult classes, scholarships for teenagers, conversation circles, and outdoor events during the summer months.

We are only a small committee – and we have had some success in opening new conversation circles, organising events for adults, teenagers, and children, and running Irish classes in Claregalway.

Our scope is limited because we have such a small structure. But we are hoping to expand and to bring new people on board in 2026. If you would like to get involved in boosting Irish in the area, please email Ciaran at optanteachreidh@gmail.com

Please note that Ciaran, the Oifigeach Pleanála Teanga, will be on holidays from August 1 to 8.

A full day tour of Connemara in June.

 

Taking to the roads of Annaghdown during the ‘Siúlach Scéalach’ where people are invited to speak Irish during an hour long walk in Gaeltacht an Eachréidh

 

The QR code for our monthly newsletter. The next one is due in mid-August, with news of events, classes, and a ‘sauna as Gaeilge’.

 

Gathering together after a ‘Siúlach Scéalach’ in Annaghdown on a beautiful July evening.

 

 

People from Gaeltacht an Eachréidh enjoying a trip to the beautiful island of Inis Oirr in June. Our guide Cathleen filled us in on the heritage and history of the Gaeltacht island.