The Irish language is spoken by more than 1.6 million inhabitants of the Emerald Isle alone as well as by hundreds of thousands of people spread throughout the world, particularly in places such as Canada, Australia, the United States, and England. The language is known as a Goidelic language and has close ties to Scottish Gaelic. It is recognized by the European Union as one of the supernational body’s official languages.

Irish is a mandatory subject in Ireland’s public schools, although the distribution of fluent speakers is uneven. In the so called Gaeltacht regions of the county, the vast majority of residents are conversant – if not fluent – in Irish and use the language on a daily basis. But the vernacular is far from ubiquitous in the country. According to the recent census, fewer than ten percent of the country’s residents speak the Irish language on a day to day basis. That said, the same census showed that nearly four out of ten native Irish people do have some conversational skills. While English used to be the second language of Ireland, over the past century, the island’s residents have adopted more and more English linguistic traditions and have eschewed or disregarded past requirements to employ Irish language in government offices.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, Irish language communities have proliferated in dozens of countries around the world. Nearly 30,000 citizens in the United States speak Irish Gaelic at their houses. In Australia, fewer than 1,000 native Irish speakers were reported in a recent census, but likely thousands more relatively fluent (or conversant) speakers live on the continent. While the three major dialects of the language are mutually intelligible, there are significant differences among them. The Munster dialect is popular in regions of the country such as County Cork and Kerry. The Ulster dialect, on the other hand, is spoken in certain key regions of Northern Ireland as well as Rosses. The most dominant dialect – the Connacht dialect – can be heard spoken around the Aran Islands as well as the Connemara. There is also a sub dialect, known as Gweedore, which is essentially the same as the Ulster dialect with a few small but important variations. Recent linguistic investigations have revealed that the language is experiencing something of a renaissance both in popular culture and in key local regions of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Canada.

If you’re curious to learn more about the fascinating language and customs of Ireland, don’t hesitate to contact us here at celtic-weddingrings.com. We are one of Dublin’s most successful and enterprising jewelry makers. We have 20 years of solid experience under our belts and a rich catalog of Celtic engagement rings, Celtic jewelry, and traditional gold, silver, and platinum products. We make all of our Irish and Celtic rings and jewelry to order and we’re well versed in the traditions which inform these finely crafted pieces. Whether you’re searching for an exquisite Claddagh ring to present as a gift to a newlywed or you’re simply browsing for ornamental Celtic jewelry to spice up a home collection, we’re ready and able to meet your needs. Call us at 1 800 350-9962. If you’re in Ireland, you can call us at 05786-45502. We also take orders and answer questions online – email us any time for clarification or for special Celtic jewelry requests.