Gaeltacht in Canada An Gaeltacht Bhuan Mheiricea Thuaidh

Sceala Philosopher Location: NYC

First Gaeltacht outside of Ireland.
Cumann na Gaeltachta in Kingston, Canada, recently purchased a 60-acre parcel of land to establish their permanent Gaeltacht site. The Cumann na Gaeltachta was set up in 1995 by Belfast native Séamus Mac Com Charraite and has flourished since. The 60-acre parcel of land, along the Salmon River, in South Eastern Ontario, was purchased by Cumann na Gaeltachta in Kingston for $60,000 in September 2006. The area, currently unpopulated, has been designated by supporters as An Gaeltacht Bhuan Mheiricea Thuaidh (the Permanent North American Gaeltacht) and intend to use the site as a retreat centre for Irish-speaking Canadians and Americans.
The Irish language came to Newfoundland in the late 1600s and was commonly spoken among the Newfoundland Irish until the middle of the 20th century. There is direct evidence to suggest that as high as 90% of the Irish in Newfoundland spoke only Irish as their mother tongue. Records from Newfoundland's courts, where defendants often required Irish-speaking interpreters, indicate that the dominant language of the Avalon Peninsula was Irish rather than English. Today it remains the only place outside of Ireland that can claim a unique Irish name (Talamh an Eisc, meaning Land of the Fish), and an area where Irish is natively spoken.

The interest in the Irish language is maintained throughout the world among the Irish diaspora and there are active Irish language groups in North American, British, and Australian cities and to a lesser extent on every continet. Many British, American and Australian words and slang words are derived from Gaeilge. A sign of the growing interest in Irish was highlighted this May 2007, when Cambridge University in England started offering courses in Modern Irish and Medieval Irish language.

The Irish language emigrated to North America along with the Irish people. Although Irish is one of the smaller European languages spoken in North America, it has cultural importance in the northeast United States and in Newfoundland, and according to the 2000 Census, approximately 26,000 people in the U.S. speak Irish at home.

The Irish language reached Australia in 1788, along with English. In the early colonial period, Irish was seen as an opposition language used by convicts and repressed by the colonial authorities. Although the Irish were a greater proportion of the European population than in any other British colony, the use of the language quickly declined. As legal barriers to the integration of the Irish and their descendants into Australian life were progressively removed, English became the language of social advancement.
However today in Australia, a network of people have established special Irish schools around the country, once again teaching the language and music. There is a small movement to re-establish the language in contemporary Australia. The Special Broadcasting Service transmits Irish language radio and television. There are arguments that Australian English is more influenced by Irish than other varieties of English.

The first Gaeltacht outside of Ireland, Gaeilge i gCeanada

Irish Community Video

Register

The Irish Community have posted
18 REPLIES TO THIS TOPIC
for logged in members to view.

Irish Forums Message Discussion :: Gaeltacht in Canada An Gaeltacht Bhuan Mheiricea Thuaidh

Gaeltacht in Canada An Gaeltacht Bhuan Mheiricea Thuaidh

Irish Community Video