Fáilte go dtí Cathair Ghaeltachta - Cathair na Gaillimhe
Galway is a bilingual city, with two large Gaeltacht areas - in Knocknacarra, and An Bruach Thoir, comprising Terryland, Coolagh, Menlo, Ballindooley, Ballinfoyle, Parkmore and parts of Castlegar.
Galway City is also a ‘Gaeltacht Service Town’ – which is a town located in or near a Gaeltacht language planning area, that provides services and amenities to the Gaeltacht community.
Galway City has a significant number Irish speakers, with 32,708 people who could speak Irish, recorded in the 2022 Census.
What's my Level?
Check your competency level in Gaeilge on Gaelchultúr’s online test.
Gaeilge Resources
- Focal - online Database of Contemporary Irish Words developed by Foras na Gaeilge
- Teanglann – Users will find definitions, grammatical information and sound files for any individual word, including in different dialects
- Téarma – the national terminology database for Irish
- Duo Lingo – build your vocabulary and become familiar with putting sentences together on the Duo Lingo app.
- Forvo pronunciation guide - Type the word you’re looking for into the search bar in Irish and you'll be able to hear how the word is pronounced, as well as the meaning of the word and how it can be used in a phrase.
- Abair - Translate long text to audio with www.Abair.ie
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Library Books – join your local library for free, and download eBooks and eAudiobooks as Gaeilge on Borrowbox on your phone, table or reader. You can also request hard copy books in Irish through your library (online or in the library).
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Radio – tune into RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, which has a wide range of news, current affairs, music, arts, sports and entertainment programmes
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TG4 or the TG4 Player – watch TV as Gaeilge on Ireland’s dedicated Irish language TV channel
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Cúla 4 – is an Irish-language television channel operated by TG4 for children
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Newspapers – An Páipéar or Tuairisc
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MOLSCÉAL app - Irish language short videos
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Raidió Rí Rá – which mixes chart music with small easily understandable bits of entertainment news.
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Blas Pod - Irish Language Magazine Podcast with stories, discussion, news and more
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Beo ar Éiginn podcast – discussions on daily life with Sinéad Ní Uallacháin, Áine Ní Bhreisleáin and Siún Ní Dhuinn
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www.Feilire.com - Irish-language events in Galway
Legislation
The status of the Irish language is set out in the Irish Constitution. Article 8 of the Constitution states:
1. The Irish language as the national language is the first official language.
2. The English language is recognised as a second official language.
On 14 July 2003, the President signed the Official Languages Act 2003 into law.
The aim of the Official Languages Act 2003 is to increase and improve in an organised manner over a period of time the quantity and quality of services provided for the public through Irish by public bodies.
The Official Languages Act 2003 sets out the duties of public bodies regarding the provision of services in Irish and the rights of the public to avail of those services.
Galway City Council also has an Irish Language Scheme to develop the provision of Irish language and bilingual services on a phased basis.
Gaeilge Council Meeting 2025
Galway City Council hosted a fully bilingual meeting (Gaeilge/ English) on Monday 10 March 2024 - the first such meeting in the Council’s history. The meeting acknowledges Galway’s unique position as a bilingual and Gaeltacht city, and as a Gaeltacht Service Town. Coinciding with Seachtain na Gaeilge 2025, the proposal for a bilingual meeting arose from the newly formed sub-Strategic Policy Committee for Gaeilge in December 2024.
80% of people in Galway would like to use more Irish every day, according to research undertaken by Gaillimh le Gaeilge, with similar messages in surveys from Gaeilge ABC and Ireland Thinks.
Interpreters were available through headsets throughout the March Ordinary Council meeting, with meeting documentation available in English and Gaeilge. Several councillors put forward motions and made contributions as Gaeilge.
Read more about this story in News.