Gaeltacht facts for kids

Areas in Ireland where most people speak Irish as their main language are shown in green.

This sign in County Waterford, Ireland, says "Give way" in Irish.

A Gaeltacht is a special area in the Republic of Ireland where many people speak the Irish language every day. It's where Irish is still the main language used by families and in communities.

You can find the biggest Gaeltacht areas in counties like Kerry, Cork, Galway, Mayo, Donegal, Waterford, and Meath. These places are important for keeping the Irish language alive and strong.

Who Lives in the Gaeltacht?

In 2006, about 91,862 people lived in Gaeltacht areas. This was a small part of Ireland's total population at the time. Most people who speak Irish daily live in the western counties. These include Donegal, Mayo, Galway, Kerry, and Cork. In these specific Gaeltacht areas, a much higher percentage of people speak Irish.

More Pictures

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  An Ghaeltacht in 1926; these areas were considered Gaeltacht by the first Coimisiún na Gaeltachta.

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  An Ghaeltacht in 1956.

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  An Ghaeltacht in 2007, showing Category A zones.

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  This map shows how many people said they spoke Irish daily outside of school in the 2011 census.

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  Signs in Irish in Dungloe, County Donegal.

See also

In Spanish: Gaeltacht para niños