The Current An bhfuil Gaeilge agat? Why Irish ‘isn’t a dead language’
Mar 17, 2026
Padraig Moran, a producer and reporter who researched and narrated this story, explores the revival of the Irish language. He visits Toronto classrooms and Gaeltacht areas. He traces history, hears why young people are learning Irish, and spotlights social media, music and teaching changes that are bringing the language back to life.
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Irish Is A Distinct Celtic Language
- Irish is a distinct Celtic language with syntax and phonology unlike English.
- P. explains Irish uses verb-subject order and a separate 18-letter alphabet, so it isn't a dialect of English but a wholly different language.
Famine And Shame Pushed Irish Westward
- The Great Famine and English colonisation relegated Irish to poorer western regions and associated the language with shame.
- Joe Lohan and P. recount migration to Britain and social ridicule that pushed families to stop using Irish.
Teaching Shift Made Irish Feel Alive Again
- Modern teaching shifts from rote poetry to spoken Irish, helping people reconnect with it as a living language.
- Padraig notes schools now emphasize speaking, aiding revival alongside cultural visibility like Jessie Buckley using Irish publicly.