Irish, or Gaeilge, is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages, spoken in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland. It is both the national and the first official language in the Republic of Ireland. In Northern Ireland it has no official status, but some funding is available for Irish-language projects.
According to census figures over a million people are able to speak Irish. Some geographical areas (Gaeltechtaí) or Gaeltacht / Ghaeltacht areas) are regarded as traditional strongholds of the language. There are also Irish speakers in the UK (Ríocht Aontaithe), the USA (Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá), Canada (Ceanada) and Australia (an Astráil).
There are three main dialects of Irish: (Source: Omniglot, 2007)
Basic | |
Buntús cainte : first steps in spoken Irish. Céim a haon = Part one | IR CBEG 5(PACK) |
Buntús cainte : first steps in spoken Irish. Céim a dó = Part two | IR CBEG 6(PACK) |
Buntús cainte : first steps in spoken Irish. Céim a trí = Part three | IR CBEG 7(PACK) |
Complete Irish | IR CBEG 1(PACK) |
Gaeilge agus Fáilte : a first course in Irish language and culture for adults | IR CBEG 4(PACK) |
Irish for beginners | IR CBEG 3(PACK) |
Learning Irish [multimedia]: an introductory self-tutor | IR CBEG 2; IR CBEG 2(CD PACK) |
Progress in Irish : a graded course for beginners and revision | IR CBEG 8 |
Intermediate | |
Irish conversation | IR CINT 1(PACKS 1-2) |
Speaking Irish : An ghaeilge bheo : Take your language skills beyond basics | IR CINT 2(PACK) |
Turas teanga: a multi-media course in Irish, developed and commissioned by RTÉ. | IR CINT 3(PACK); IR CINT 3(DVD PACK) |
Advanced | |
Úrchúrsa Gaeilge | IR CADV 1; IR CADV 1a |
English-Irish dictionary | IR DICO 1 |
Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla | IR DICO 2 |
Irish phrase book (2 copies) | IR DICO 3 |
Aisling : a play set in mythological Ireland | IR FILM 1(DVD)* |
Gearrscannáin DVD | IR FILM 3(PACKS 1-2) |
Mise Éire | IR FILM 2(DVD)* |
Irish grammar | IR GRAM 1 |
Irish grammar : a basic handbook (2 copies) | IR GRAM 2; IR GRAM 2 |
Irish | IR GRAM 3 |
Modern Irish : grammatical structure and dialectal variation | IR GRAM 4 |
New Irish grammar | IR GRAM 5 |
Fiction | |
Bás i mBaile an Ghorta : úrscéal don fhoghlaimeoir fásta | IR RFICT 1(PACK) |
Padraic Pearse short stories | IR RFICT 3 |
Tuairimi | IR RFICT 2 |
Cinema | |
Irish national cinema | IR CINE 1 |
Irish : the Irish language in education in Northern Ireland | IR REF 1 |