Neo-Gaeltacht
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A Neo-Gaeltacht ( ga, Nua-Ghaeltacht) is an area where
Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
has a strong presence as a spoken language but is not part of the officially defined or traditional
Gaeltacht ( , , ) are the districts of Ireland, individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home. The ''Gaeltacht'' districts were first officially reco ...
areas. It has been argued that non-Gaeltacht activist groups wishing to establish an Irish language community need to show that it is large, permanent and formally organised and that it has a growing number of people using Irish as their first language. Another objective is a situation in which children use Irish among themselves and with other Irish speakers in a natural way while being able to deal with a largely English-speaking world. Under the
Gaeltacht Act 2012 The Gaeltacht Act 2012 ( ga, Acht na Gaeltachta 2012) is an Act of the Oireachtas of Ireland. The Act redefined the traditional Irish-speaking areas or ''Gaeltacht'' in the Republic of Ireland on linguistic criteria instead of on geographic areas ...
the
Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...
's
Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media ( ga, An Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán) is a department of the Government of Ireland. The mission of the department is to promote a ...
has said that areas outside the traditional Gaeltacht areas may be designated as
Líonraí Gaeilge Líonraí Gaeilge is the Irish language term for ''Irish Language Networks''. The Gaeltacht Act 2012 (Republic of Ireland) allowed for the formal designation by Foras na Gaeilge and the Irish Department of Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport an ...
/Irish Language Networks, subject to them fulfilling particular criteria. In 2018
Foras na Gaeilge (, " Irish Institute"; ) is a public body responsible for the promotion of the Irish language throughout the island of Ireland, including both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It was set up on 2 December 1999, assuming the role ...
announced that Carn Tóchair in County Londonderry was going to be one of the first five Líonraí Gaeilge (areas with Irish-speaking networks) on the island of Ireland, along with West
Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...
,
Loughrea Loughrea ( ; ) is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The town lies to the north of a range of wooded hills, the Slieve Aughty Mountains, and the lake from which it takes its name. The town's cathedral, St Brendan's, dominates the town's skyline ...
in County Galway, Ennis in
County Clare County Clare ( ga, Contae an Chláir) is a county in Ireland, in the Southern Region and the province of Munster, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council is the local authority. The county had a population of 118,81 ...
, and
Clondalkin Clondalkin ( ; ) is a suburban town situated 10 km south-west of Dublin city centre, Ireland, under the administrative jurisdiction of South Dublin. It features an 8th-century round tower that acts as a focal point for the area. Clondal ...
in Dublin.


Northern Ireland


Belfast

In 2002, a major report of the West Belfast Task Force recommended turning part of West
Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...
into '' /The Gaeltacht Quarter''. The Joint West Belfast/Greater Shankill Task Force Report stated that the aim of the Quarter is to "secure wealth creation by maximising the economic opportunities provided by a growing cluster of Irish Language and cultural based enterprises and activities which additionally have significant tourist potential". The proposal has been accepted and put into force by the
Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL), translated in Irish as and in Ulster-Scots as , was a devolved government department in the Northern Ireland Executive. The minister with overall responsibility for the department was the Mi ...
in Northern Ireland.Irish language
at DCALNI.gov.uk
Belfast's
Gaeltacht Quarter The Gaeltacht Quarter ( ga, An Cheathrú Ghaeltachta ) in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom is an area surrounding the Falls Road in the west of the city. A Gaeltacht is an area where the Irish language is spoken. The Quarter aims to pr ...
is now an area in which the Irish language is spoken widely. The area is home to (Irish-medium primary schools), a (an Irish-medium secondary school), (crèches) and (nursery schools). The area has Irish-speaking staff members working in local restaurants and agencies and is home to both (the city's biggest Irish language cultural centre) and Irish language development organisation . The Gaeltacht Quarter also hosts the community radio station , Northern Ireland's only full-time Irish language radio station which broadcasts across Belfast and which seeks to get a license on FM to broadcast across the state. In 2018 announced that Belfast was going to be one of the first five on the island of Ireland.


South County Londonderry

An area in southern County Londonderry centred on Slaghtneill () and Carntogher (), both outside
Maghera Maghera (pronounced , ) is a small town at the foot of the Glenshane Pass in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Its population was 4,220 in the 2011 Census, increasing from 3,711 in the 2001 Census. It is situated within Mid-Ulster Distri ...
, which had gone from being 50% Irish-speaking in 1901 to having only a few speakers by the end of the century, has seen a language revival since the setting up of a in 1993 and a in 1994. In 2008 two local organisations launched a "strategy for the rebirth of the Gaeltacht", based on Irish-medium primary and secondary education. Announcing the launch, , the Republic of Ireland's Minister for the Gaeltacht, said that the area was "an example to other areas all over Ireland which are working to reestablish Irish as a community language". In 2018 announced that was going to be one of the first five on the island of Ireland, along with Belfast,
Loughrea Loughrea ( ; ) is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The town lies to the north of a range of wooded hills, the Slieve Aughty Mountains, and the lake from which it takes its name. The town's cathedral, St Brendan's, dominates the town's skyline ...
, Ennis and
Clondalkin Clondalkin ( ; ) is a suburban town situated 10 km south-west of Dublin city centre, Ireland, under the administrative jurisdiction of South Dublin. It features an 8th-century round tower that acts as a focal point for the area. Clondal ...
.


Republic of Ireland


Urban language networks

The 2016 census showed that Dublin had the largest concentration of daily Irish speakers, with 14,229 speakers representing 18 percent of such speakers throughout the country. In a survey of a small sample of adults who had grown up in Dublin and had completed full-time education, 54% of respondents reported some fluency in Irish, ranging from being able to make small talk to complete fluency. Only 19% of speakers spoke Irish three or more times per week, with a plurality (43%) speaking Irish less than once a fortnight. There have been several proposals over the years, as in
Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
in the 1960s, to establish an urban Neo-Gaeltacht. In a special report on news in 2009, it was confirmed that a group in
Ballymun Ballymun () is an outer suburb of Dublin, Ireland, at the northern edge of the Northside, the green-field development of which began in the 1960s to accommodate a housing crisis in inner city areas of Dublin. While the newly built housing was ...
, a predominantly working-class area in
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
, had, in conjunction with the local branch of , received planning permission to build 40 homes for people who want to live in an Irish-speaking community in the heart of the city. There is no evidence that this project is still considered viable. and are now well established in the Republic of Ireland, especially in
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
and
Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
, and Ballymun now has two . In 2018 announced that under the
Gaeltacht Act 2012 The Gaeltacht Act 2012 ( ga, Acht na Gaeltachta 2012) is an Act of the Oireachtas of Ireland. The Act redefined the traditional Irish-speaking areas or ''Gaeltacht'' in the Republic of Ireland on linguistic criteria instead of on geographic areas ...
Loughrea Loughrea ( ; ) is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The town lies to the north of a range of wooded hills, the Slieve Aughty Mountains, and the lake from which it takes its name. The town's cathedral, St Brendan's, dominates the town's skyline ...
, Ennis and
Clondalkin Clondalkin ( ; ) is a suburban town situated 10 km south-west of Dublin city centre, Ireland, under the administrative jurisdiction of South Dublin. It features an 8th-century round tower that acts as a focal point for the area. Clondal ...
in the Republic of Ireland were going to be officially recognised among the first five (Irish Language Networks) on the island of Ireland along with Belfast and Carn Tóchair in Northern Ireland.


West Clare

Parts of County Clare were recognised as Gaeltacht areas following recommendations made by Coimisiún na Gaeltachta in 1925. This was enacted by law under the Gaeltacht (Housing) Acts 1929-2001. There were Irish speakers west of Ennis in
Kilmihil Kilmihil () is a village in the Barony of Clonderlaw, west County Clare, Ireland. It is also a civil parish and an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Killaloe. The area was officially classified as part of the West Clare Gael ...
, Kilrush,
Doonbeg Doonbeg () is a village in west County Clare, Ireland on the Atlantic coast. The surrounding natural environment has supported its development as a tourist resort. The area was officially classified as part of the West Clare Gaeltacht, an Irish- ...
,
Doolin Doolin () is a coastal village in County Clare, Ireland, on the Atlantic coast. It is southwest of the spa town of Lisdoonvarna and 4 miles from the Cliffs of Moher. It is a noted centre of traditional Irish music, which is played nightly ...
, Ennistimon,
Carrigaholt Carrigaholt () is a small fishing village in County Clare, Ireland, a castle and a Catholic parish by the same name. The area was officially classified as part of the West Clare Gaeltacht; an Irish-speaking community; until 1956. Location Carri ...
,
Lisdoonvarna Lisdoonvarna () is a spa town in County Clare in Ireland. The town is famous for its music and festivals. Although the music festival was discontinued in the 1980s, Lisdoonvarna still hosts its annual matchmaking festival each September. The pop ...
and
Ballyvaughan Ballyvaughan or Ballyvaghan () is a small harbour village in County Clare, Ireland. It is located on the N67 road on the south shores of Galway Bay, in the northwest corner of The Burren. This position on the coast road and the close proximity ...
. Census figures for Gaeltacht areas in Clare for 1926 show 9,123 female Irish speakers and 10,046 male speakers. Statutory Rules and Orders 1933 No. 85 Vocational Education (Gaeltacht) Area 1933 was made under section 103 of the Vocational Education Act 1930 and set out the names of District Electoral Divisions in Ennis, Ennistymon, Kilrush and
Miltown Malbay Milltown Malbay (), also Miltown Malbay, is a town in the west of County Clare, Ireland, near Spanish Point. The population was 829 at the 2016 Census. Name There is a townland on the southern edge of the town called Poulawillin or Pollawillin ...
that formed part of the Gaeltacht in the Administrative County of Clare. This Statutory Instrument (S.I. No. 85 of 1933) appears to be still on the statute books. In 1956, however, it was decided that there were too few traditional speakers in County Clare to justify its inclusion in the Official Gaeltacht. The main group promoting the language in Clare is Coiste Forbartha na Gaeltachta Chontae an Chláir (The Gaeltacht Development Committee for County Clare). It says that there is a demand for Gaeltacht status. It has also claimed that native speakers who received grants under the Scéim Labhairt na Gaeilge, a scheme first established by the State in 1933 with the aim of supporting the language among traditional speakers, still live in the county and speak Irish. In 2012 it claimed that there were 170 daily speakers. The chair of the Committee, Seosamh Mac Ionnrachtaigh, has stated that West Clare is a "Breac-Ghaeltacht" (an area where traditional Irish is still heard to some degree). There are, however, no official statistics to confirm the number of daily speakers locally. Between 2012 and 2018 Coiste Forbartha Gaeltachta Chontae an Chláir published ''In Ard an Tráthnóna Siar'', an Irish-language journal devoted to the restoration of traditional Irish in West Clare. Events in Clare where Irish is used are regularly organised by language activists. The language group An Clár as Gaeilge organises the festivals Féile na hInse and An Fhéile Scoldrámaíochta, and encourages businesses to use the language. There are also weekly language classes.


North America

Tamworth-Erinsville, Ontario is a planned Neo-Gaeltacht area in Canada. It is unusual in having no resident Irish speakers, serving instead as a meeting place for Irish speakers from elsewhere, and therefore a link for otherwise dispersed networks.


See also

*
Language revitalization Language revitalization, also referred to as language revival or reversing language shift, is an attempt to halt or reverse the decline of a language or to revive an extinct one. Those involved can include linguists, cultural or community groups, o ...
*
Gaeltacht Act 2012 The Gaeltacht Act 2012 ( ga, Acht na Gaeltachta 2012) is an Act of the Oireachtas of Ireland. The Act redefined the traditional Irish-speaking areas or ''Gaeltacht'' in the Republic of Ireland on linguistic criteria instead of on geographic areas ...
* * * Status of the Irish language


Notes


References

Mac Póilin, Aodán (2006), ‘The Universe of the Gaeltacht’ in Andrew Higgins Wyndham (ed.), ''Re-Imagining Ireland''. University of Virginia Press. {{Gaeltacht Gaeltacht places Planned communities