Reviving the regular use of Irish in a once-rural Gaeltacht area that’s now part of Galway City is the challenge that is being embraced by An Bruach Thoir. Micheál Ó hAoidh of the organisation tells JUDY MURPHY about building new communities, the importance of tradition and of change – and why he has the best office in Galway.

Sideways rain and stagnant traffic are combining to create a miserable Friday afternoon in Galway City. But just a few minutes out the road, although the rain is still pelting down, there’s a sense of calm in the small, beautifully maintained thatched cottage that’s HQ to Galway City Gaeltacht, An Bruach Thoir. A stove is belting out heat and the kettle is boiling.

Based in Menlo, An Bruach Thoir grew out of a committee that was founded seven years ago to draw up an Irish language plan for this area on the east of Galway City where Irish was once the daily language. That was the case as recently as 1956 when the Government drew up Gaeltacht boundaries countrywide.

Local man Padhraic Ó Fathaigh grew up in a family where Irish was treasured and can recall when it prevailed locally. But the 64-year-old also recalls how English gradually made its way into daily life, until it ultimately dominated.

There’s no going back to the 1950s but Padhraic and a group of like-minded people have been instrumental in establishing An Bruach Thoir – which translates as east of the river – to revitalise Irish in an area which includes Ballinfoile, Tirellan, Coolagh Castlegar, Ballindooley and Parkmore as well as Menlo.

The initiative, overseen by Údarás na Gaeltachta, is funded by the Department of the Gaeltacht. It was developed as a result of the Gaeltacht Act of 2012,  brought in to steer language planning for Gaeltacht areas.

Communities in areas that were regarded as Gaeltachtaí or potential Gaeltachtaí were supported to draw up language plans, while cities and towns that served Gaeltacht regions, were given similar scope.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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