Irish language

Irish, also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic, is a Celtic language. It belongs to the Indo-European language family. This language is native to the Irish people and is indigenous to Ireland.

For most of recorded history, Irish was the dominant language of the people. It is a vital part of cultural identity. Today, it holds constitutional status as the national and first official language of the Republic of Ireland. It is also an official language in Northern Ireland and the European Union.

The language has evolved through many distinct historical stages. In the 4th century AD, the earliest written form was known as Primitive Irish. These inscriptions were found in Ireland and on the west coast of Great Britain. By the 5th century, this evolved into Old Irish.

Old Irish used the Latin alphabet and often included Latin words. By the 10th century, the language became Middle Irish. This version was spoken in Ireland, the Isle of Man, and parts of Scotland. Middle Irish served as the language for a large body of literature, such as the Ulster Cycle. From the 12th century, these branches began to separate into modern Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx.

There are different ways to speak and write the language today. On the island of Ireland, there are three major dialects: Connacht, Munster, and Ulster Irish. Each dialect has its own unique speech patterns and orthography, which is the system of spelling.

To create a unified way of writing, a parliamentary commission devised a standardized form in the 1950s. This is called An Caighdeán Oifigiúil, or the Official Standard. While the traditional Irish alphabet used 18 letters, the modern version uses the standard Latin alphabet. Some specific letters are used primarily for loanwords from other languages.

The history of the language also includes a period of significant decline. In the late 18th century, Irish began to lose ground in the eastern parts of the country. This was caused by several complex factors. The Anglo-Irish administration discouraged its use. Additionally, the Catholic Church supported English over Irish. Many people also saw English as a tool for social mobility. Learning English helped people find better jobs, especially when emigrating to Canada or the United States.

During the Great Famine, an estimated 25% to 33% of Irish immigrants to the U.S. were Irish speakers.

Numbers show how much the language changed during these difficult years. In 1800, there were approximately 800,000 people who spoke only Irish. By the end of the famine, that number dropped to 320,000. By 1911, the number of monoglot speakers fell to under 17,000.

Despite this, the language remained a force in the 19th century. In the first half of that century, around three million people used Irish as their primary language. They used it in law courts and for commercial transactions. It was used by all social classes, both in cities and in rural areas.

A movement called the Gaelic Revival helped protect the language in the late 19th century. In 1893, Eoin MacNeill and others established the Gaelic League.

The league's first president was Douglas Hyde. Their goal was to encourage the use of Irish in everyday life. They focused on the rich folk traditions, music, and arts of the culture. They also worked to develop modern literature and journalism to keep the language alive.

Today, Irish remains a living language with many speakers. In 2022, 1,873,997 people in Ireland reported they could speak the language. However, many of these speakers use it in specific ways. For example, 551,993 people said they only speak it within the education system. Others, totaling 71,968, are daily users outside of school. This includes 20,261 people living in the Gaeltacht regions. These are specific areas where Irish is still commonly spoken as a first language.

The public body Foras na Gaeilge works to promote the language across the entire island.