Strength of na Gaeltachtaí?

gentlebenjy

West of Corca Dhuibhne (Kerry), Conamara (Galway) and parts of Tír Chonaill (Donegal). But which of the following 'weaker' Gaeltachtaí would you consider to be strong? And how weak/strong are they?

Gaeltachtaí Maigh Eo
Múscraí (Cork)
Uí Bhráthach (South Kerry)
An Rinn (Waterford)
Rath Cairn (Meath)

And the Neo Gaeltachtaí
West Belfast
Parts of South Dublin
West Clare

I love the language, and would love to hear of it being kept up.

gentlebenjy

Well?

pog it

I would say Múscraí is the stronger of the ones you have listed as in the weak category. West Clare, Mayo in serious trouble... Mayo should be stronger than West Clare though.

You would need to find people from those areas specifically with an interest in Irish to learn more but that shouldn't be hard. Also, Foras na Gaeilge will have reports they can refer you where they have researched this already.
Also worth contacting Irish departments in universities.

AnLonDubh

gentlebenjy wrote: »

Gaeltachtaí Maigh Eo

The Belmullet pennisula is very weak when it comes to Irish, confined to very elderly people who live along the beach past Each Léim. Even in An Fód Dubh those younger than sixty would have as much Irish as somebody from anywhere else in Ireland.

In Ceathrú Thaidhg and Cill Ghallabháin Irish is a good bit stronger, but you're still looking at mostly those over fifty.

Múscraí (Cork)

Very strong in those above fourty. Those younger tend to have grammatically broken Irish. It's a funny place, it varies between people with super-dialectal Munster Irish (ages na buaibh, dhá bhoin, ag an mnaoi), to people who speak standard Irish with English phonology.

Uí Bhráthach (South Kerry)

Essentially dead.

An Rinn (Waterford)

Dialectal Irish among those who speak it. This one is funny in that it is a small percentage who speak it, but there isn't a strong decrease in speakers with lower age.

Rath Cairn (Meath)

Strong enough. Most people from Rath Cairn have good Irish and speak it frequently enough, it's a very small area though.

Gumbi

Does Ballinskelligs (incorrectly named Baile an Sceilg ironically enough) fall under the Gaeltacht of "Uíbh Ráthach" above? I've been there, and can't say I've ever head Irish spoken there, except on one day, whereupon I asked the server at the café at the beach and she stated tat everyone was doing so because the teachers were around.

AnLonDubh

Gumbi wrote: »

Does Ballinskelligs (incorrectly named Baile an Sceilg ironically enough) fall under the Gaeltacht of "Uíbh Ráthach" above? I've been there, and can't say I've ever head Irish spoken there, except on one day, whereupon I asked the server at the café at the beach and she stated tat everyone was doing so because the teachers were around.

Yeah Baile na Sceilge (incorrectly given on local signs and their own webpage, but correct on the French version of wikipedia) is part of Uí' Ráthach (Uí Rá in some dialects).

Your experience is the same as mine.