Croí na Teanga: It’s You! (“The Heart of the Language: It’s You!”)
This is the official slogan of Seachtain na Gaeilge (“Week of the Irish Language”) which runs from March 4 through March 17 this year (yes, that’s longer than a week…more on that in a bit!). What are you doing to celebrate?
A celebration of the Irish language
If you’re new to Irish Gaelic, you may not be familiar with this vibrant, 111-year-old, international, festival that celebrates the Irish language and everything associated with it.
Established in 1902 by the Irish language association Conradh na Gaeilge (The Gaelic League), Seachtain na Gaeilge is now a nonprofit organization administered by Foras na Gaeilge (The Gaelic Institute).
The main points of the festival and its motto — Croí na Teanga: It’s You! — are both to bring attention to the language and to emphasize that everyone who loves Irish Gaelic — in and out of Ireland; from the newest beginner to the native speaker — is an important part of the language’s revival.
WHY NOT “COICIS NA GAEILGE” (IRISH LANGUAGE FORTNIGHT)?
Seachtain na Gaeilge (“Irish Language Week”) seems like an odd name for a festival that lasts two weeks, doesn’t it?
As it happens, when the popularity of the celebration made it necessary to expand it to two weeks, it was decided that the brand Seachtain na Gaeilge was so well-known it would be a mistake to change it.
Thus, for this one time in the year, we have a two-week week!
How is it celebrated?
Seachtain na Gaeilge observances are as varied as the people who love and speak the Irish language!
In Ireland, on a national level, the festival is promoted by well-known Irish TV presenters. One can expect everything from special Irish language inserts in newspapers and additional Irish TV programs to street festivals, library story hours in Irish, quiz nights in Irish…it really runs the gamut!
Outside of Ireland, festivities are limited only by the imagination of local promoters. Here in my neck of the woods (San Francisco Bay Area, California) festivities often include Irish-language film festivals; “Night visiting” with stories, songs and poetry; an Irish language mass, and even wine tasting as Gaeilge!
A complete list of Seachtain na Gaeilge events, in Ireland and abroad, can be found on the official SnaG website.
What if there are no special events in my area?
While the organized events are fun, you can observe Seachtain na Gaeilge in other ways as well. Some suggestions from the SnaG website include:
- Use more Irish from day to day. For people outside of Ireland, this could include using Irish (even if you only have a few words!) on social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter.
- Watch some TV shows or listen to some radio shows in Irish. Both TG4 (Irish language television station) and Raidió na Gaeltachta (Irish language radio station) are available free on-line. For more information on such resources see Watch TG4 Live to Learn Irish and Hear Irish Gaelic Spoken.
- Organize your own Seachtain na Gaeilge event. Even if you think it’s too late to organize something for this year, you can start thinking in terms of next year. For ideas and information, visit the Event Ideas page.
A FEW OTHER IDEAS
- Do more reading in Irish. We offer some suggestions for reading resources here.
- Show your pride in the language and promote discussion by wearing an Irish T-shirt. An Spailpín Fanach in Spiddal has a lot of great options, and they ship worldwide!
- If you haven’t already, consider signing up for Irish classes. Our no-risk free trial is a great way to get started!
Whatever you do, get out there and do it!
As a person who is interested in Irish Gaelic, you’re an important part of preserving and promoting this ancient and living language!
There’s no better way to show your pride in your Irish heritage than to celebrate Ireland’s cultural heart: Its hereditary language.
Croí na Teanga: It’s You!
11 thoughts on “Celebrating the Irish Language: Seachtain na Gaeilge”
Something I did last year was post a YouTube video featuring a different Irish-language song every day during SnaG (I referred to it as my “Anti-Danny Boy Campaign”).
Posted on my Facebook, that is.
I will post an irish proverb incl. translation in my FB-group and started this-months newsletter with a nice proverb as well: Is cuma le fear na mbróg cá leagann sé a chos.
This will do!
Michi
During SnaG, one could try to learn a short Irish poem each day.
Here is a link to several Dánta:
http://comhaltas.ie/education/comhra/danta#an_sneachta
Gearóid
Oh and I love the T-shirt idea too! I didn’t refresh properly before leaving my comment so didn’t catch that update before my last comment. Since I’m in an English speaking country I guess I’d just get a T-shirt with some derivation with I love Gaeilge.
Marlene, how about
Tabhair póg domsa!
(Bad luck, when you can’t speak irish …)
– this would attract men at least.
Michi
Those are great ideas Michi! I especially like the local hunt for Irish inspiration. It took me two years here locally (and I’m only an hour north of San Francisco, considered in the North Bay by many) to find Irish people and speakers without traveling to San Francisco. I know how hard it can be to find others with similar interests. I used to be more active but I’m afraid some financial limitations have slowed much of what I used to do (learner a language can become an expensive habit!). Though I’m still challenging myself with all kinds of language/grammar, especially with Gaeilge, in many ways free for now.
Great ideas, both of you!
A chairde,
Perhaps it would be an idea to get a T-léine printed with “I love Gaeilge” on it in your language or the language of the country u live in?
For example, for Luxembourg, it could be “Ech hun Gaeilge gär!”, in Luxembourgish!
Le dea-mhéin,
Gearóid
“Neuirisch – leider geil!” 😉
Spontanously I had an idea! As I think that there are other misfortune people like me, that live far away from any action. How about some action here or on the forum??
For instance: who creates the best t-shirt logo in irish or a song of the day (ask the users to sing an irish song no matter how it sounds) or the idea I like best … search for traces of irish in your city or county – grab your camera and go for an irish hunt (maybe some words in/at the local irish pub, some instructions in irish …, an ad of an dancing school offering classes in irish dancing, a Christmas card with greetings in irish ….)
Just an idea!
Michi