Is Irish a Language?

Irish Came from Celtic

Irish is derived from Celtic, an ancient language spoken by an Indo-European people who flourished in central Europe between the 2nd millennium BC and the 1st century BC. They were said to be intrepid warriors, and by the 1st century BC, they had moved south into Italy; eastward, toward Turkey; and westward, into the British Isles. And when I say “moved,” I mean they sent raiding parties to take over new territory.

In the British Isles, the Celtic language morphed into Old Irish, spoken around AD 600 to 900; Middle Irish, spoken to around AD 1200, and then Modern Irish, spoken from then onward. Modern Irish is also known as “Irish Gaelic.” 

As Irish people moved into Scotland and to the Isle of Man (a tiny island between England and Ireland), they brought Irish with them, and two additional languages developed: Scottish Gaelic and Manx. These three tongues—really considered three variants on the same language—are referred to as the “Goidelic” branch of Celtic.

Manx began to die out in the 19th century, and the last native speaker died in 1974. Irish Gaelic and Scottish Gaelic, however, continue to live on. 

Sort of. Let’s see what that means.

Irish Is the Official Language of Ireland, but English Dominates

Irish is the first official language of The Republic of Ireland; English is the second. Government documents are published in both languages, and the Irish version of the Constitution takes precedence. Street signs are written in both languages, and in public schools, Irish is a required course for a student’s first 13 of years of school. You even have to pass an exam on Irish to get into college.

However, in practice, English rules the land. It’s spoken by businesspeople, politicians, entertainers, shopkeepers, and regular folk. It’s what you hear on TV, on the radio, and on buses and trains. And although Irish is taught in public schools, school itself is conducted in English. In other words, Irish is essentially taught as a second language.  

In fact, there are only a few areas in Ireland where Irish is spoken as a first, or native language.  These small pockets are known as “Gaeltacht,” and they lie along the western coast of Ireland, in counties Kerry, Galway, and Donegal. 

And, guess what? Even if you visit Gaeltacht, you probably won’t hear people speaking Irish. Just like anywhere else, tourists stand out like a sore thumb. If you’re clearly not from Knocknagoshel or Gaoth Dobhair, you’ll be addressed in English.

Why Did Irish Die Out? 

If you’re wondering why Irish isn’t the dominant language in Ireland, you can chalk it up to the one–two punch of the Irish...

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