Meath Gaeltacht 🇮🇪 – Irish Language In Co Meath
Meath Gaeltacht 🇮🇪: In this blog, we will cover some important information you need to learn about the Gaeltacht areas in County Meath. How many Gaeltacht areas does Co Meath have? What is a Gaeltacht area (for our new and unfamiliar readers)? Moreover, how important are Gaeltacht areas for Ireland as a whole? Continue reading this blog to learn more.
These past few months, we have been talking about Gaeltacht areas from other counties such as Co Tyrone, Armagh and Clare.
Le cúpla mà anuas, bhÃomar ag caint faoi cheantair Gaeltachta ó chontaetha eile ar nós Co ThÃr Eoghain, Ard Mhacha agus an Chláir.
I have really enjoyed researching and talking about the different counties in Ireland because not only you gets to learn lots of things; I do, too! Again, we wander into the world of everything Irish and immerse ourselves in Co Meath.
Below, we will again unravel interesting knowledge about the history of the Irish language and more. So, hold on to your seats and read on to learn more!
ThÃos, nochtfaimid eolas spéisiúil arÃs faoi stair na Gaeilge agus nÃos mó. Mar sin, coinnigh greim ar do shuÃocháin agus léigh ar aghaidh chun nÃos mó a fhoghlaim!
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The two Gaeltacht areas of County Meath
As mentioned, County Meath has two Gaeltacht areas. The Gaeltacht consists of two villages next to each other: Rath Cairn and Baile Ghib. These two Gaeltacht areas of County Meath are located close to Navan town, positioned in the centre of the County.
What notable facts should you know about the Meath Gaeltacht? Let us discover with the help of the Meath County Council.
Cad iad na fÃricà suntasacha ba chóir a bheith ar eolas agat faoi Ghaeltacht na MÃ? Faighimid amach le cabhair ó Chomhairle Contae na MÃ.
Well, the first thing is it is the smallest Gaeltacht area. Moreover, it as a population of 1,771, which encompasses around 17 per cent of the total Gaeltacht population in Ireland.
Is é Contae na Mà an limistéar Gaeltacht is lú. Tá daonra 1,771 aige, arb ionann é agus 17% de dhaonra iomlán na Gaeltachta in Éirinn.
As for land area, the Gaeltacht area of this county encompasses a geographical area of 44 square kilometres. This represents 1 per cent of the total Gaeltacht land area of Ireland in whole.
Learn more about Rath Cairn
Rath Cairn, one of the two Gaeltacht areas of Co Meath, was founded in 1935 when 41 families from Connemara came and lived there on the land that was previously acquired by the Irish Land Commission.
This move was met with a lot of hostility by the local Meath residents. Independent reports:
Chuir cónaitheoirà áitiúla na Mà an-naimhdeas leis an mbogadh seo. Tuarascálacha Independent:
The Meath Chronicle on April 27, 1935 reports that a local Meath resident was arrested for threatening the life of a Land Commission employee for giving the migrants land instead of him. The newly arrived migrant women were harassed by ‘gangs’ and told “to quit talking that gibberish here”. In light of today’s tensions all across Europe with the increasing migration of humans, this might all sound sadly familiar yet one of the slogans painted on the doors shows the dissimilarity. “This land is not for Connemara people – it is for Meath men”.
The people who were planted were arguably more connected to Ireland than the locals and their presence was meant to deepen the culture.
The hostility was obvious enough, given the situation. Back then, the landless people of Meath found themselves without a living in a worldwide depression (i.e., Great Depression back in the 1930s) back then. And then, they suddenly see people from Connemara being granted land. Learn more by reading Independent’s article.
Learn more about Baile Ghib: one more Meath Gaeltacht area
Baile Ghib is another Gaeltacht area in County Meath along with Rath Cairn. Both of these villages make up the Meath Gaeltacht. Two years after Rath Cairn was found, Baile Ghib was another Gaeltacht found. In 1937, other Irish-speaking families were also moved from the Gaeltacht found on the western coast of Ireland under the Irish Land Commission.
Each family was well-compensated. They specifically received 22 acres, farm animals and farm implements in exchange for land and property in their native county. Baile Ghib officially received the Gaeltacht status along with Rath Cairn in 1967.
Definition of Gaeltacht and its importance
Some of our new readers might not have an idea on what Gaeltacht means. As a result, we will define it in this section of the blog.
B’fhéidir nach mbeadh tuairim ag cuid dár léitheoirà nua ar cad is brà le Gaeltacht. Mar thoradh air sin, déanfaimid é a shainiú sa chuid seo den bhlag.
In layman’s terms, calling an area Gaeltacht equates to describing it as a region in Ireland wherein the people that live there primarily use the Irish language. The Government recognises Gaeltacht areas and have acknowledged their funding and structural needs, thereby requiring them for the viability of the Gaeltacht communities – all for the restoration of Ireland’s máthairtheanga.
Do you want to learn Irish through Fluentirish? Read more below!
Now that I have shared with you readers what you need to know about the Gaeltacht areas of County Meath along with other similar information, Fluentirish wants to discuss 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 shimplà a thuiscint – beidh tú ag iarraidh biseach a dhéanamh. Tá Fluentirish anseo faoi do choinne. Bà 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.
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