How to make Irish cool again and help us all learn a cúpla focal

The cultural revival of the Irish language hasn’t yet made its way into the school curriculum, where students and teachers are frustrated by how out of touch the Irish reading material is. Yvonne Reddin chats to people who are trying to change that.

Kneecap: new film is an old-time comedy caper worked into their real-life story

You could say the Irish language is having a cultural moment. Right now, that moment is being led by Rich Peppiatt’s movie KNEECAP, which had its world premiere screening at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in January 2024 and is available now on Irish screens. 

The film, which chronicles the origin story of the trailblazing Irish-language rap trio Kneecap, features the acting debuts of the band’s members Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí. They are joined by Academy Award-nominated Michael Fassbender, Simone Kirby and Josie Walker.

KNEECAP was the first non-US film to ever be selected for the NEXT section of the festival. KNEECAP has been selected by the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) to represent Ireland in the Best International Feature Film category at the 2025 Oscars.

Let’s not forget other momentous Irish-speaking films from the past few years. An Cailín Ciúin, the story of Cáit, a nine-year-old girl from an overcrowded, dysfunctional family who is sent away to live with foster parents for the summer, was shortlisted for an Oscar in 2023 in the Best International Feature Film category.

Foscadh, which is based on the book ‘The Thing About December’ by Donal Ryan, was selected by IFTA to represent Ireland in the Best International Feature Film category at the 2022 Oscars. 

The film is a poignant reflection on isolation, neurodiversity and releasing the past, set against the rugged backdrop of Connemara's wild mountains.

Despite the international success and heightened profile of the Irish language, at home and abroad, this thriving cultural revolution hasn’t made its way into the school curriculum, in particular the Irish reading material available to students.

Síle Ní Dhonnabháin-Mhuirthile

Síle Ní Dhonnabháin-Mhuirthile is a retired school teacher from Cork. She got tired of listening to complaints from students on how out of touch with reality their Irish reading material was, so she did something about it – in Irish. Síle spent nearly 40 years teaching at secondary school level before earning a degree in Law. Her vast educational experience and keen insight into teenage perspectives on contemporary Irish literature motivated her to develop and write a book completely in Irish. Her book is titled, Fan Socair agus Bí ag Faire Amach (Stay calm and remain alert) and is a fresh approach to issues facing today's youth. The stories cover a wide array of modern-day topics, including internet dangers, environmental concerns, bullying, homelessness, drug abuse and the plight of refugees.

Síle says, “Students often expressed a desire for stories that reflect their real-life experiences and challenges but there was a noticeable lack of such material in the Irish language. This book is a response to their needs, aiming to make the Irish language more accessible and engaging for them."

Caitríona de Róiste

Caitríona de Róiste is also a qualified Irish teacher and has recently launched a website providing three different animated and interactive Irish courses because she also believes that there is a shift in attitude regarding the Irish language. Similar to Síle Ní Dhonnabháin-Mhuirthile, Caitríona noticed that students and parents were struggling with Irish and so she set up courses on her website, Studybase.com.

Caitríona shared, “I wanted to step away from the old-fashioned way of learning the language and create an opportunity for learners to have some fun when learning Irish. I also wanted to support students trying to learn Irish in the classroom, as I understand the challenges they face due to restrictions on teachers in the Irish education system.” “I have created short video lessons like, “How do you say... as Gaeilge?" for fifth and sixth class students to prepare them for Irish class at second level. The videos are interactive and are followed by quizzes to maintain and allow for self-led learning. All courses are taught through the medium of English also, to cater for all.” 

StudyBase was founded in 2007 by Breandán de Róiste, an Irish speaker, former teacher, translator and linguist. His vision was to create an interactive website and an accessible platform for Irish language learners. Breandán passed away in 2020 but his dream lives on through his daughter, Caitríona who rejuvenated the site in 2021.

This focus on making Irish more accessible and relevant isn’t new. Let’s go back 50 years or so, Úna Ní Fhaircheallaigh (1874–1957) an Irish teacher, playwright and Irish language enthusiast known for her significant contributions to the Gaelic revival movement, was deeply involved in promoting the Irish language and culture. Ní Fhaircheallaigh was a prominent member of Conradh na Gaeilge, which played a crucial role in the revival of the Irish language in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She wrote several plays in Irish, helping to enrich the language's literary tradition and encouraging its use in everyday life.

Her work in education and literature aimed to preserve and promote Irish heritage during a period when the language and culture were under significant pressure from English influence. Ní Fhaircheallaigh’s dedication to the Gaelic revival left a lasting impact on the preservation and promotion of Irish culture. She was a Gaelic pioneer way before her time, undoubtedly leaving her mark for future Irish speaking enthusiasts and innovators.

Úna-Minh Kavanagh

Úna-Minh Kavanagh is a content creator and author from Kerry and shares a deep love for the Irish language. She says, “I've been championing Gaelainn for many years now, having grown up with my Grandad who was a native Irish speaker from the West Kerry Gaeltacht, Corca Dhuibhne. I attended a Gaelscoil in Kerry and Irish was my favourite subject in school and I was able to earn top marks from it.

Úna-Minh created her website WeAreIrish.ie from a project she was working on in 2017. She says her website, “Isn't specifically about the Irish language but I feature a lot of Irish language content because it speaks to me. In fact, the content that performs the best on-site with tens of thousands of views relates to the language (about proverbs) I went on to do a BA in Gaeilge agus Iriseoireacht (Journalism through the Irish language). 

I wrote two eBooks, DIY Gaeilge Part 1 and Part 2 to help learners on their Irish language journey, and I also managed the team that brought the official Irish language translations to popular video games, Among Us and VVVVVV. Irish means the world to me and I'd be lost without it. Being bilingual means I get to enjoy things twice and it's always a thrill to see Irish being put centre stage.” 

Whether it’s for watching inspiring movies, supporting children with homework, or wanting to feel more connected with our heritage, perhaps we could all learn a cúpla focal.