Irish Language Holidays ✈️: Planning to go and have a vacation in Ireland? Then this blog is for you! We give you some fun and worthwhile ideas to immerse yourself in both the Irish language and places where you can have your holidays: the Gaeltacht areas.

 

Who says you can’t enjoy exploring breathtaking areas whilst learning the Irish language? In the Gaeltacht areas (or simply Gaeltachtai), you have the opportunity to explore some of the most beautiful places man has ever seen and encounter locals that have talked, lived and breathed Gaeilge.

 

Are you interested and want to learn more? Then go ahead and read this blog. Below, we give you a few details you have to keep in mind should you want to spend your holidays immersed in the Irish language.

 

Irish language holidays: what is a Gaeltacht?

 

We mentioned above Gaeltacht – or Gaeltachtai in its pluralised form – and ask: do you know what this means? If not, then we have got you!

 

In the simplest of terms we can muster, Gaeltacht pertains to any rural areas found in Ireland wherein the residents there use Irish as their first language on daily basis. Basically, the Irish language and culture is very much alive in Gaeltacht areas, which can offer an authentic Irish experience should an individual want to spend their holidays there.

 

Has this got your interest? If so, we want to recommend you to some of the best counties you can go to for this not-to-be-missed Irish experience!

 

Irish language and holidays together?

 

Ready your common Irish language phrases whilst you look for the best vacation sites in various Gaeltacht areas. We want to suggest a few places you can go to as offered by Ireland’s best. All of these Gaeltacht areas offer a variety of places you can stay in such as  country-style inns and hotels, along with working farms, BnBs and family-run guesthouses.

 

In addition to discovering some of the most beautiful places on Earth, we will also take a look at some offered worthwhile activities tourists and visitors can do whilst spending their holidays in Gaeltacht areas.

 

Discover Ireland offers

 

Should you want to plan your holidays and immerse yourself in the Irish language at the same time, Discover Ireland can help you attain both by offering booking accommodations in any of the Gaeltacht areas or counties. With their descriptions mentioned below, let us take a look and have a good read of some of the places they can accommodate you.

 

Galway

 

As the biggest Gaeltacht area, this is a must-go-to place if you want to discover the old culture and traditions of Ireland are still practised to this day. Galway Gaeltacht gas some of the most stunning scenery where you can find little Irish-speaking villages such as Spiddal, Leitir Moir and Rossaveal. You can even find the famousr Aran Islands of Inis Mor, Inis Meain and Inis Oirr whilst out in Galway Bay, in which we know them for their age-old traditions, timeless scenery and ancient monuments.

 

Donegal

 

Both immersing yourself in the Irish language and spending the holidays, you can also go to Donegal Gaeltacht.

 

If Galway is the largest Gaeltacht area, then Donegal is second. Donegal Gaeltacht area can be found in its far north-western corner in County Donegal. Here, you can find the famous Irish-language speaking areas of Gweedore, Gortahork and Na Rossa. This Gaeltacht area boasts of a craggy coastline of sweeping beaches and dramatic cliffs, remote islands such as Tory, with its own dialect and rugged mountain peaks and windswept moors inland. And, according to Discover Irish, a major part of this area is unspoilt and undiscovered, offering some of Ireland’s most rugged scenery, making this land quite different from other locations in the rest of the country.

 

Mayo

 

This Gaeltacht area is situated in various pockets from the sparsely populated Mullet Peninsula in the far north west of the county, Ireland’s largest island – Achill Island and on the shores of Lough Mask in the south of the country around the quaint Irish speaking town of Tourmakeady. In Mayo Gaeltacht, expect to see the landscape covering bogland and mountains, seas stacks and beaches. You can retrace Ireland’s ancient history at Ceide Fields, whilst folklore and tradition are also celebrated with Irish folk festivals such as Feile Iorras in July.

 

Kerry

 

County Kerry has two Gaealtacht pockets. On the Ring of Kerry, the Inveragh Gaeltacht covers the mountains and lake filled valleys inland around the River Inny, known as the Glen. While along the coast of the Inveragh Peninsula just off the Ring of Kerry is the Ballinskelligs Gaeltacht. This region is renowned for its coastal scenery and sea and birdlife, while off the coast is the 4th Century hermitage and Europe’s largest gannetry on the Skellig Rocks.

 

The most well-known Gaelatcht area, however, is found on the Dingle Peninsula, where the film Ryan’s Daughter was set. Here you can find the town of Dingle in the centre, a colourful little town plenty of tourists and locals mingling with each other. The Gaeltacht, in addition, stretches around the western coast to Slea Head, where you can find dramatic cliffs and amazing beaches. Just near Slea Head, you can find the Blasket Island, once inhabited and written about in the native Irish language. This Gaeltacht on Europe’s most westerly peninsula offers a huge range of watersports from surfing to deep-sea fishing and dolphin watching trips for all the family.

 

Cork

 

Here you can find the Muskerry Gaeltacht and Cape Clear. Move over a bit south and you will see that it encompasses the beautiful Gougane Barra lake and forest park. Now, going off the coast, Cape Clear is Ireland’s most southern isle, which features magnificent sea cliffs, secluded sandy coves and a wealth of archaeological and historic artefacts outlining the maritime heritage of the island.

 

Waterford

 

In Waterford, you can find the Gaeltacht An Rinn. It is famous for its rich heritage of traditional Irish music. In addition, it is home to renowned Irish trad band Danu and well-known, multi-awarded writer and Irish folklorist Liam Clancy. An Rinn also has the famous 100-year old Irish language school that runs summer classes for children and regular ceilidhs (traditional irish music and dance) most summer nights.

 

Meath

 

It has two Gaeltachtai  Baile Ghib and Rathcairn. The story of how the Gaeltachtai were implemented is this: the Irish Government, in the 1930s, gave vast estates (gotten from absentee landlords) to farmers coming from the Gaeltacht areas of Connemara, Mayo and Kerry. What was the government’s aim in doing so? Quite simply, it is to redress a centuries old imbalance, where the Irish farmers were forcibly removed from this land by the English under Oliver Cromwell, with the infamous edict to Hell or Connacht.

As a result of all of this, the farmers settled there and brought their native language and culture along.

 

More offers

 

Note that aside from Discover Irish, you can also contact Saoire As Gaeilge if you want to look for a unique holiday combined with a wide variety of activities in the Kerry Gaeltacht.

 

So if the words June, July and August fill you with dread as a parent and find that these months leave you with the prospect of endless days of rain, filled with demands from your children to entertain them, then you need worry no more!

Or maybe you want to take some time out – a little bit of ‘me time’ to discover the area and learn a bit about the language and culture of the area.  Where better than the Kingdom! 

 

Now, if you want to book a travel, learn the Irish language and engage in different kinds of Irish cultural activities in Gleann Cholm Cille Gaeltacht area, then you should contact Oideas Gael as they have everything for you there.

 

Irish people, drawn from all backgrounds, constitute up to half of those attending, while the remainder travel specially from numerous other parts of the world to attend. The unique blend of expertly prepared courses, together with an attractive mix of cultural sessions, all located within Gaeltacht communities, enable learners to improve their fluency in Irish while, at the same time, enjoying our living culture.

As an alternative to the graded language courses, a broad range of cultural activity programmes is offered to participants interested in experiencing a unique style of learning holiday.

 

Go to their respective websites to learn more.

 

Learn Irish through Fluent Irish

 

 

Now that we have shared with you some ideas should you want to immerse yourself in Irish language whilst planning your holidays at the same time, we also want to discuss with you how we can help you in everything Irish-related.

 

ba mhaith linn plé leat freisin conas is féidir linn cabhrú leat i ngach rud a bhaineann leis an nGaeilge.

 

If you can understand simple Irish, you will want to improve. Fluentirish is here for you. Listen every day to get on with Irish.

Má tá tú ábalta Gaeilge shimplí a thuiscint – beidh tú ag iarraidh biseach a dhéanamh. Tá Fluentirish anseo faoi do choinne. Bí ag éisteacht gach aon lá chun a bheith ag gabháil ar aghaidh i nGaeilge.

We provide informative blogs and helpful podcasts that can help in your quest to learn the Irish language.

 

>>Which level?: Find out which level of spoken Irish you understand!