'A revolution of the heart': How the Irish language is poised to take on a new life

Forget the days of rote learning and awkward exams - a modern revival of spoken Irish is being driven by a desire to make it a living language - foghlaimeóir fásta Mike McGrath-Bryan speaks with some of the people at the heart of a new wave.

L-R: Kathy Scott, Diarmuid Lyng, Trevor O'Clochairtaigh

'Beatha teanga í a labhairt' — ‘the life of the language is in the speaking’, imparts my Irish teacher, a seanfhocal (an Irish proverb) that reaches me over the tinny sound and near-impressionistic visuals of a Zoom call. 

Looking at the groundswell of grassroots Irish-language arts, culture, and media, in vibrant and vital evidence all over the country, it’s hard to argue against.