Galway city has a special uniqueness over any other city in Ireland because of the strength of the Irish language, music, song and dancing traditions. The city is well known for it’s ‘Irishness’, and mainly due to the fact that it has on it’s doorstep the Galway Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking area). Galway city is the trade, educational and travel capital of the Western region, particularly the Galway Gaeltacht. 45% of the country’s Gaeltacht population lives in the Galway Gaeltacht. Irish speakers from the Gaeltacht or beyond live, work, shop and socialise in Galway city, bringing with them an Irish energy and life into the city.

 

 

The language is visible on the city streets, with bilingual signage on display on shops and road signs, and can be heard by locals around the city. Irish theatre, TV production and Irish music are an integral part of Galway city life, with both An Taibhdhearc, the National Irish Language Theatre, and TG4 headquarters in Galway.  This has brought an Irish-speaking young professional population to the city and county, and has generated a renewal of interest in the language and in language-related activities and social events. Moreover, it has enhanced the awareness of this population to the use of the Irish language and the bilingual identity of Galway city in the commercial sector.