The Only Gaeltacht Outside of Ireland is In This Small Town in Canada
The Only Gaeltacht Outside of Ireland is In This Small Town in Canada
Land near Erinsville Ontario serves as the only Gaeltacht outside of Ireland and a haven for Irish speakers from across North America. Since 2007, Irish speakers have flocked to Gaeltacht an Oileáin Úir to celebrate Irish culture.
Originally settled by some of the first Irish immigrants seeking refuge from food shortages in Ireland, Erinsville has a deep-rooted history of Irish leadership and population. In the late 19th century, Canada was home to the largest amount of Irish speakers outside of Ireland. Almost 250,000 people spoke Irish as their first language.
Over the years, Gaeltacht an Oileáin Úir has evolved from a small Irish military base which taught weekend Irish classes, to a hub for hundreds to come and experience full Irish immersion. The Gaeltacht also functions virtually, providing an immersive online experience for those in more isolated parts of North America and native Ireland.
Erinsville provides classes in Irish poetry, grammar and dialect-specific language, hosting multiple festivals per year to celebrate the Irish diaspora. It also acts as an online archive for the history of the first Irish settlers in Canada, documenting Claddagh rings, farming equipment and notes home that were found in the area.
Late Irish journalist, Prionsias Mac Aonghus was quoted on the Canadian-Irish diaspora as saying “The overwhelming majority of the millions who reached Canada and the United States from Ireland in the last Century and, of course, before that, were Irish speakers on arrival,”
“If you find joy in Irish, it will just keep giving you more and more joy and keep reflecting it back. It’s an endless pool of joy and just beauty and flexibility.” said Dónall Ó Dubhghaill, the elected head of the North American Gaeltacht.
