In the Softness of Gaeilge
Irish (Gaeilge) is one of the oldest written languages in Europe, with roots going back over 2,500 years. Though English is more commonly spoken today due to colonisation, Gaeilge remains a vital expression of Ireland’s identity, resilience, and cultural heritage. Gaeilge’s structure, idioms, and vocabulary are rich with nature imagery, emotional subtlety, and metaphor, shaped by centuries of oral tradition, poetry, and music. Our words carry deep poetic sensitivity, often indirect, fluid, and often emotionally loaded, unlike the direct and utilitarian nature of the English language. ‘Tá brón orm’ means ‘I am sad’ but its direct translation is ‘sadness is upon me’. ‘Go n-éirí an bóthar leat’ means ‘best of luck’ but its direct translation is ‘may the road rise with you’.It’s therefore, no surprise, that some of the worlds most creative individuals come from Ireland; James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, W.B Yeats, Sally Rooney, Sinéad O’ Connor, Cillian Murphy, Saoirse Ronan, The Cranberries, Hoizier.Gaeilge is seeing a resurgence, especially among young people and in media, which is vital as it was previously considered a dying language.
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