What is the Gaeltacht?
Boats on the Donegal coast. Copyright GaeltachtTravel.com.
What is An Ghaeltacht?
An Ghaeltacht (“The Gaeltacht”) covers all regions in Ireland which are officially recognised to be mainly Irish-speaking areas. More generally, Gaeltacht (plural Gaeltachtaí) is a word in the Irish language to describe any region where Irish (Irish Gaelic) is the main lanauge. Special funding is available for these areas, and the definition of the areas has evolved over decades. Download our free 2009 Gaeltacht calendar.
The Gaeltacht Regions
The Gaeltacht regions are generally scattered along the west coast of Ireland, plus a small Gaeltacht in the south-east in County Waterford, and a Gaeltacht in County Meath. These regions cover some of the most breath-taking landscapes of the island of Ireland. We’ve got great info and photos on all of the Gaeltacht regions in Ireland, along with Gaeltacht accommodation:
- Dún na nGall // Donegal
- Gaillimh // Galway
- Maigh Eo // Mayo
- Ciarraí // Kerry
- Corcaigh // Cork
- An Mí // Meath
- Port Lairge // Waterford
Travel Tips for Ireland
Food, accommodation, pubs and transport.
Gaeltacht and Irish Language Statistics
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Dia dhuit,
It has been great coming across your site. When I was younger I hated doing Irish, maybe because it was forced on me and vowed never to look at the Irish language again. Now many years later I have realised the importance of it to me as an Irish person living in England. I am now learning my language after many years and I now love it. My prayer is that the young people of Ireland will learn to love their language and use it daily.