The Irish language is a joy not a burden: in what other tongue is a penis a wild carrot? | Una Mullally

"Once the majority's native tongue, it was assailed and diminished as a daily, working, spoken language under British colonialism and became largely confined to rural west coast districts for much of the 20th century, kept alive by generations of families. But over recent decades the number of schools teaching the national curriculum exclusively through Irish has risen significantly, from fewer than 20 in the 1970s, to more than 200 today."

"This makes me sad for the young people who will miss out not just on the growing professional opportunities it provides, but the richness of the language and the window into Irish culture it cracks open. The number of Ukrainians now attending school in Ireland explains at least some of the rise in numbers seeking to opt out. There are close to 7,000 Ukrainian pupils in post-primary schools across the country."

Gaeilge is experiencing a revival alongside broader Irish cultural growth after being diminished under British colonialism and largely confined to rural west-coast areas. The number of Irish-medium schools rose from fewer than 20 in the 1970s to more than 200 today, and the 2022 census recorded a 6% increase in people able to speak Irish compared with 2016. Irish remains a core, compulsory curricular subject, yet a record 14% of post-primary pupils received exemptions in 2024-25. Some exemptions reflect recent migrants, including nearly 7,000 Ukrainian pupils, while parental priorities and perceptions of difficulty also contribute.

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