Irish language outside Ireland

The Irish language originated in Ireland and has historically been the dominant language of the Irish people. They took it with them to a number of other countries, and in Scotland and the Isle of Man it gave rise to Scottish Gaelic and Manx, respectively.

In the late 19th century, English became widespread in Ireland, but Irish-speakers had already shown their ability to deal with modern political and social changes through their own language at a time when emigration was strongest.[1] Irish was the language that a large number of emigrants took with them from the 17th century (when large-scale emigration, forced or otherwise, became noticeable) to the 19th century, when emigration reached new levels.[2]

The Irish diaspora mainly settled in English-speaking countries, chiefly Britain and North America. In some instances the Irish language was retained for several generations. Argentina was the only non-English-speaking country to which the Irish went in large numbers,[3][4] and those emigrants came in the 19th century from areas where Irish was already in retreat.

An interest in the language has persisted among a minority in the diaspora countries, and even in countries where there was never a significant Irish presence. This has been shown in the founding of language classes (including some at tertiary level), in the use of the Internet, and in contributions to journalism and literature.

  1. ^ "Evidence of Irish speakers participating in the shaping of eighteenth- and nineteenth century cultural and political processes demonstrates to the contrary that this was a speech community that, so long as it existed, was fully capable of negotiating the changes shaping the Ireland that emerged at century's end". Wolf, Nicholas M.. An Irish-Speaking Island: State, Religion, Community, and the Linguistic Landscape in Ireland, 1770–1870. The University of Wisconsin Press (2014): p. 273. ISBN 978-0-299-30274-0
  2. ^ A detailed view of the linguistic geography may be found in Fitzgerald, Garret, 'Estimates for baronies of minimal level of Irish-speaking amongst successive decennial cohorts, 117-1781 to 1861–1871,' pp.117–155, Volume 84, Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. Royal Irish Academy, Dublin. His analysis of the 19th century census figures relating to Irish shows that the language remained very strong in the south-west (Munster) and west (Connacht) until towards the end of the century. He remarks, furthermore, that for the decennial periods of 1841–51, 1851–61 and 1861–71, the results are in all likelihood an underestimate (extrapolations included): p.118.
  3. ^ Viva Irlanda! Exploring the Irish in Argentina
  4. ^ Irlandeses en la Argentina: una verde pasión (in Spanish)