The Irish Language: What Is Gaeilge and Why Is It Everywhere?

The Language on the Signs You Can't Quite Read

One of the first things students notice in Ireland is the street signs — many are written in two languages. Below "O'Connell Street" you'll see "Sráid Uí Chonaill". On the Luas, announcements are made in Irish first, then English. Your Leap Card says "Léim" alongside "Leap". You're seeing Irish — also called Gaeilge — and it's everywhere for a reason.

What Is Gaeilge?

Irish (Gaeilge) is a Celtic language and one of the oldest written languages in Europe, with recorded texts dating back to the 6th century. It's the first official language of the Republic of Ireland — ahead of English, at least on paper. About 40,000 people speak it as their daily language (mostly in rural communities called the Gaeltacht), while over 1.8 million people in Ireland have some knowledge of it.

Irish is closely related to Scottish Gaelic and Manx (from the Isle of Man), and more distantly related to Welsh and Breton. It belongs to the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family — genuinely ancient, and quite unlike any language most students will have studied before.

Where You'll See and Hear It

Irish is a visible presence in everyday Dublin life, even though almost everyone you meet will be speaking English:

• Street signs: All street signs in the Republic are bilingual — Irish on top, English below.
• Luas and Dublin Bus: Announcements are made in Irish first, then English. The stop names sometimes differ ("Busáras" for the central bus station, for example).
• Government buildings and institutions: "Dáil Éireann" (parliament), "An Garda Síochána" (the police), "Scoil" (school) — you'll spot these on signs and letterheads everywhere.
• Products and packaging: The Leap Card says "Léim" (Irish for "leap" or "jump"). Many food packages carry bilingual text.
• TG4: Ireland's Irish-language television channel, broadcasting news, sports, and entertainment entirely in Irish. The standard is high and the accents are fascinating.

Words and Phrases You'll Actually Use

You're not expected to speak Irish — but knowing a handful of words will earn you smiles and sometimes a genuine moment of connection:

• Sláinte (SLAWN-cha) — "Cheers" / "Health" — said when raising a drink. One of the most useful words you'll learn in Ireland.
• Fáilte (FAWL-cha) — "Welcome" — you'll see this on signs at airports, hotels, and tourist sites across the country.
• Dia dhuit (JEE-uh gwitch) — "Hello" (literally "God be with you"). A traditional greeting still used in Gaeltacht areas.
• Go raibh maith agat (guh rev MAH ah-gut) — "Thank you". Say it once to a shopkeeper and watch their face change.
• Slán (slawn) — "Goodbye". Often used as a signoff in emails and texts, even by people who only speak English.
• Craic (crack) — "Fun / good times" — borrowed straight into everyday Irish English. "What's the craic?" means "What's going on?" or just "How are you?"

The Gaeltacht: Where Irish Is Still Spoken Every Day

If you want to hear real spoken Irish, visit a Gaeltacht region — a community where Irish is the everyday language. The main Gaeltacht areas are:

• Connemara (County Galway) — the largest and most visited, on the wild Atlantic coast. Stunning scenery and a living language.
• Donegal — two distinct dialects; the rugged, remote northwest of the country.
• Kerry — the Dingle Peninsula has one of the best-preserved Irish-speaking communities in the country.
• The Aran Islands (off the Galway coast) — accessible by ferry or small plane. Step off the boat and you'll hear Irish spoken naturally in shops and on the street.

A day trip from Galway to the Aran Islands is one of the most culturally striking experiences you can have in Ireland — and it makes a great weekend adventure.

Words English Borrowed from Irish

Here's something that might surprise you: English picked up several words from Irish over the centuries without most people realising it:

• Whiskey — from uisce beatha ("water of life")
• Slogan — from sluagh-ghairm ("battle cry")
• Smithereens — from smidiríní ("small fragments")
• Galore — from go leor ("enough" / "plenty")
• Tory — from tóraí ("outlaw" / "pursuer")

Irish has been shaping English far longer than most people know — and it's still very much alive.

How Departi Can Help

Understanding the cultural context of your destination makes every other part of your exchange feel less foreign. Departi's destination guides explore exactly this kind of detail — from language and customs to local habits and social life — so you arrive in Ireland already feeling at home rather than starting from scratch.