94-455: Galway ( / ˈ ɡ ɔː l w eɪ / GAWL -way ; Irish : Gaillimh , pronounced [ˈɡal̠ʲɪvʲ] ) is a city in (and the county town of) County Galway . It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay . It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht , the fifth most populous city on the island of Ireland and the fourth most populous in
188-540: A unique dialect of Irish developed before falling out of use in the early 20th century. With a writing system , Ogham , dating back to at least the 4th century AD, which was gradually replaced by Latin script since the 5th century AD, Irish has one of the oldest vernacular literatures in Western Europe . On the island, the language has three major dialects: Connacht , Munster and Ulster Irish . All three have distinctions in their speech and orthography . There
282-697: A bargaining chip during government formation in Northern Ireland, prompting protests from organisations and groups such as An Dream Dearg . Irish became an official language of the EU on 1 January 2007, meaning that MEPs with Irish fluency can now speak the language in the European Parliament and at committees, although in the case of the latter they have to give prior notice to a simultaneous interpreter in order to ensure that what they say can be interpreted into other languages. While an official language of
376-560: A better future for Ireland and all her citizens." The Strategy was produced on 21 December 2010 and will stay in action until 2030; it aims to target language vitality and revitalization of the Irish language. The 30-page document published by the Government of Ireland details the objectives it plans to work towards in an attempt to preserve and promote both the Irish language and the Gaeltacht. It
470-709: A connection to Galway. The writer and publisher Frank Harris was born in Galway. The James Hardiman Library at the University of Galway houses around 350 archived and/or digitised collections including the Thomas Kilroy Collection, the Brendan Duddy Papers on the Northern Ireland conflict, the John McGahern archive and the manuscript Minutes of Galway City Council from the 15th to mid-19th centuries. Among
564-472: A cultural and social force. Irish speakers often insisted on using the language in law courts (even when they knew English), and Irish was also common in commercial transactions. The language was heavily implicated in the "devotional revolution" which marked the standardisation of Catholic religious practice and was also widely used in a political context. Down to the time of the Great Famine and even afterwards,
658-541: A degree course in the NUI federal system to pass the subject of Irish in the Leaving Certificate or GCE / GCSE examinations. Exemptions are made from this requirement for students who were born or completed primary education outside of Ireland, and students diagnosed with dyslexia . NUI Galway is required to appoint people who are competent in the Irish language, as long as they are also competent in all other aspects of
752-460: A fully recognised EU language for the first time in the state's history. Before Irish became an official language it was afforded the status of treaty language and only the highest-level documents of the EU were made available in Irish. The Irish language was carried abroad in the modern period by a vast diaspora , chiefly to Great Britain and North America, but also to Australia , New Zealand and Argentina . The first large movements began in
846-574: A paper suggested that within a generation, non-Gaeltacht habitual users of Irish might typically be members of an urban, middle class, and highly educated minority. Parliamentary legislation is supposed to be available in both Irish and English but is frequently only available in English. This is notwithstanding that Article 25.4 of the Constitution of Ireland requires that an "official translation" of any law in one official language be provided immediately in
940-554: A pass in Leaving Certificate Irish or English, and receive lessons in Irish during their two years of training. Official documents of the Irish government must be published in both Irish and English or Irish alone (in accordance with the Official Languages Act 2003, enforced by An Coimisinéir Teanga , the Irish language ombudsman). The National University of Ireland requires all students wishing to embark on
1034-596: A period of decline, as of the 21st century, Galway is a tourist destination known for festivals and events including the Galway International Arts Festival . In 2018, Galway was named the European Region of Gastronomy . The city was the European Capital of Culture for 2020, alongside Rijeka , Croatia . The city's name comes from the Irish name Gaillimh , which formed the western boundary of
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#17328484004351128-611: A religious context. An Irish translation of the Old Testament by Leinsterman Muircheartach Ó Cíonga , commissioned by Bishop Bedell , was published after 1685 along with a translation of the New Testament. Otherwise, Anglicisation was seen as synonymous with 'civilising' the native Irish. Currently, modern day Irish speakers in the church are pushing for language revival. It has been estimated that there were around 800,000 monoglot Irish speakers in 1800, which dropped to 320,000 by
1222-538: A result of linguistic imperialism . Today, Irish is still commonly spoken as a first language in Ireland's Gaeltacht regions, in which 2% of Ireland's population lived in 2022. The total number of people (aged 3 and over) in Ireland who declared they could speak Irish in April 2022 was 1,873,997, representing 40% of respondents, but of these, 472,887 said they never spoke it and a further 551,993 said they only spoke it within
1316-463: A voyage to Iceland or the Faroe Islands . Seven or eight years later, he noted in the margin of his copy of Imago Mundi : Men of Cathay have come from the west. [Of this] we have seen many signs. And especially in Galway in Ireland, a man and a woman, of extraordinary appearance, have come to land on two tree trunks [or timbers? or a boat made of such?] The most likely explanation for these bodies
1410-537: A wider meaning, including the Gaelic of Scotland and the Isle of Man , as well as of Ireland. When required by the context, these are distinguished as Gaeilge na hAlban , Gaeilge Mhanann and Gaeilge na hÉireann respectively. In English (including Hiberno-English ), the language is usually referred to as Irish , as well as Gaelic and Irish Gaelic . The term Irish Gaelic may be seen when English speakers discuss
1504-694: A year in Galway to hear original actions (actions that are not appeals from lower courts). It also sits twice a year in Galway to hear appeals from the Circuit Court in civil and family law cases. Its decisions can be appealed to the Court of Appeal , or in some instances, to the Supreme Court , which sits in Dublin. Galway is known as Ireland's Cultural Heart ( Croí Cultúrtha na hÉireann ) and hosts numerous festivals, celebrations and events. Every November, Galway hosts
1598-584: Is a Celtic language of the Indo-European language family . It is a member of the Goidelic language group of the Insular Celtic sub branch of the family and is indigenous to the island of Ireland . It was the majority of the population's first language until the 19th century, when English gradually became dominant, particularly in the last decades of the century, in what is sometimes characterised as
1692-448: Is also An Caighdeán Oifigiúil , a standardised written form devised by a parliamentary commission in the 1950s. The traditional Irish alphabet , a variant of the Latin alphabet with 18 letters , has been succeeded by the standard Latin alphabet (albeit with 7–8 letters used primarily in loanwords ). Irish has constitutional status as the national and first official language of
1786-511: Is divided into four separate phases with the intention of improving 9 main areas of action including: The general goal for this strategy was to increase the number of daily speakers from 83,000 to 250,000 by the end of its run. By 2022, the number of such speakers had fallen to 71,968. Before the partition of Ireland in 1921, Irish was recognised as a school subject and as "Celtic" in some third level institutions. Between 1921 and 1972, Northern Ireland had devolved government. During those years
1880-556: Is evenly distributed throughout the year. The average January temperature in the city is 5.9 °C (43 °F) and the average July temperature is 15.9 °C (61 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Galway was 31.7 °C (89.1 °F) in July 1921, whilst the lowest temperature recorded was −11.7 °C (10.9 °F) in January 1945. While extreme weather is rare, the city and county can experience severe windstorms that are
1974-567: Is only in Gaeltacht areas that Irish continues to be spoken as a community vernacular to some extent. According to data compiled by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht , Sport and Media , only 1/4 of households in Gaeltacht areas are fluent in Irish. The author of a detailed analysis of the survey, Donncha Ó hÉallaithe of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology , described
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#17328484004352068-662: Is responsible for indicting the accused and sending them forward for trial at the Circuit Court and the Central Criminal Court . The Circuit Court in Galway tries all indictable offences (those cases triable by a judge and jury), except murder, rape, treason, piracy and genocide, which are reserved to the Central Criminal Court. It can also hear appeals from the District Court. Its decisions can be appealed to
2162-412: Is still spoken daily to some extent as a first language . These regions are known individually and collectively as the Gaeltacht (plural Gaeltachtaí ). While the fluent Irish speakers of these areas, whose numbers have been estimated at 20–30,000, are a minority of the total number of fluent Irish speakers, they represent a higher concentration of Irish speakers than other parts of the country and it
2256-540: Is still used in a purely honorary and ceremonial context. The area is also known for its association with the Claddagh Ring . The Galway City Museum has two main sections: one about the heritage of Galway and one about Irish artists from the second half of the 20th century. This museum also houses the statue of the poet, Pádraic Ó Conaire which was originally located in the Kennedy Park section of Eyre Square, prior to
2350-736: Is that they were Inuit swept eastward by the North Atlantic Current . During the 16th and 17th centuries, Galway remained loyal to the English crown for the most part, even during the Gaelic resurgence, perhaps for reasons of survival. However, by 1642 the city had allied itself with the Catholic Confederation of Kilkenny during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms . During the resulting Cromwellian conquest of Ireland , Cromwellian forces captured
2444-538: Is the smallest museum in Ireland. Nora was the lover, companion and, later, wife of writer James Joyce . Fort Hill Cemetery, on Lough Atalia Road, is the oldest cemetery still in use in Galway City. On the northern wall is a memorial to more than 300 sailors of the Spanish Armada who were executed en masse and buried here in the 1580s. Rahoon Cemetery (officially known as Mount St. Joseph Cemetery), Rahoon Road, on
2538-659: The Fíor-Ghaeltacht (true Gaeltacht ), a term originally officially applied to areas where over 50% of the population spoke Irish. There are Gaeltacht regions in the following counties: Gweedore ( Gaoth Dobhair ), County Donegal, is the largest Gaeltacht parish in Ireland. Irish language summer colleges in the Gaeltacht are attended by tens of thousands of teenagers annually. Students live with Gaeltacht families, attend classes, participate in sports, go to céilithe and are obliged to speak Irish. All aspects of Irish culture and tradition are encouraged. The Act
2632-468: The Court of Appeal . Civilly, the court is limited to compensation claims of not more than €75,000. Both parties may waive this amount and grant the court unlimited jurisdiction. Divorce, Judicial Separation and probate cases can be heard provided they are within the financial parameters of the court's jurisdiction. Decisions in civil cases can be appealed to the High Court . The High Court sits four times
2726-841: The Galway City Museum . In 1579, Elizabeth I confirmed the city's charter and appointed the Mayor as 'Admiral of the Bay and of the Aran islands'. The title, though extant, is rarely used except for ceremonial purposes. The highest honour the city can bestow is the Freedom of the city. Among the names on the Roll of Honour are: Douglas Hyde , President of Ireland , 1939; Éamon de Valera , Taoiseach , 1946; Seán T. O'Kelly , President of Ireland, 1950; Robert F. Wagner , Mayor of New York, 1961; John F. Kennedy , President of
2820-695: The KLM Flight 607-E crash, off the coast of Galway, on 14 August 1958. There are several smaller cemeteries within the city boundaries. Some are no longer in use or are used primarily by families with ancient burial rights. These are St James's Cemetery (Teampall) in Glenina Heights, Menlo Cemetery near Menlo Castle , Ballybrit Graveyard near the entrance to Galway Racecourse , and a very ancient early Christian graveyard at Roscam near Merlin Park. Several city churches have graveyards attached which were formerly used for
2914-766: The Köppen climate classification , being one of the world's mildest cities for latitude, partly because it is on an island. Galway has a year-round mild, moist, temperate and changeable climate, due to the prevailing winds of the North Atlantic Current together with the Gulf Stream (on the other side of the Atlantic temperatures can be 20 °C cooler or more.). The city does not experience temperature extremes, with temperatures below 0 °C (32 °F) and above 30 °C (86 °F) being rare. The city receives an average of 1,156 mm (45.51 in) of precipitation annually, which
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3008-639: The Norman invasion of Connacht in the 1230s, Dún Gaillimhe was captured by Richard Mor de Burgh , who had led the invasion. As the de Burghs eventually became Gaelicised , the merchants of the town, the Tribes of Galway , pushed for greater control over the walled city . This led to their gaining complete control over the city and to the granting of mayoral status by the English crown in December 1484. Galway endured difficult relations with its Irish neighbours. A notice over
3102-619: The Republic of Ireland , and is also an official language of Northern Ireland and among the official languages of the European Union . The public body Foras na Gaeilge is responsible for the promotion of the language throughout the island. Irish has no regulatory body but An Caighdeán Oifigiúil , the standard written form, is guided by a parliamentary service and new vocabulary by a voluntary committee with university input. In An Caighdeán Oifigiúil ("The Official [Written] Standard ")
3196-606: The single transferable vote . The City Council is chaired by a mayor who is elected to a one-year term by fellow councillors. The role of mayor is mainly ceremonial, although they do have the casting vote. The first mayor was Peirce Lynch Fitzjohn, elected in 1485. The current mayor, Cllr. Clodagh Higgins, was elected in June 2022. In 1937, the Urban District of Galway became the Borough of Galway, remaining party of County Galway . In 1986,
3290-518: The " Tribes of Galway ". The city thrived on international trade, and in the Middle Ages , it was the principal Irish port for trade with Spain and France. The most famous reminder of those days is ceann an bhalla ("the end of the wall"), now known as the Spanish Arch , constructed during the mayoralty of Wylliam Martin (1519–20). In 1477 Christopher Columbus visited Galway, possibly stopping off on
3384-611: The 17th century, largely as a result of the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland , which saw many Irish sent to the West Indies . Irish emigration to the United States was well established by the 18th century, and was reinforced in the 1840s by thousands fleeing from the Famine . This flight also affected Britain. Up until that time most emigrants spoke Irish as their first language, though English
3478-769: The 1998 Good Friday Agreement , the language gradually received a degree of formal recognition in Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom, and then, in 2003, by the British government's ratification in respect of the language of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages . In the 2006 St Andrews Agreement the British government promised to enact legislation to promote the language and in 2022 it approved legislation to recognise Irish as an official language alongside English. The bill received royal assent on 6 December 2022. The Irish language has often been used as
3572-617: The 2006 census, 15.4% of the population were aged 0–14, 76.1% were aged 15–64, and 8.5% were aged over 65. 51.9% of the population were female and 48.1% were male. As of the 2016 census , the population of the city and suburbs were 70.8% white Irish, 14.68% other white, 3.08% black/black Irish, 3.07% Asian/Asian Irish, 2.2% other, with 4% not stating an ethnicity. By the 2022 census , 64.3% of respondents identified as white Irish, 12.98% other white, 2.8% black/black Irish, 4.7% Asian/Asian Irish, 2.7% other, with 10.3% not stating an ethnicity. In 2016, there were 16,844 families in Galway City. As of
3666-587: The 2022 census, 17,245 families were reported, an increase of over 2% from 2016. The average number of children per family in the city was 1.10, lower than the national average of 1.34. With a population of 79,934, Galway is the fourth most populous urban area in the State and the 23rd most populous area of local government. Services such as waste collection, recycling, traffic control, parks and housing are controlled by an eighteen-member city council elected to five-year terms by proportional representation through means of
3760-403: The 6th century, used the Latin alphabet and is attested primarily in marginalia to Latin manuscripts. During this time, the Irish language absorbed some Latin words, some via Old Welsh , including ecclesiastical terms : examples are easpag (bishop) from episcopus , and Domhnach (Sunday, from dominica ). By the 10th century, Old Irish had evolved into Middle Irish , which
3854-512: The Act all detailing different aspects of the use of Irish in official documentation and communication. Included in these sections are subjects such as Irish language use in official courts, official publications, and placenames. The Act was recently amended in December 2019 in order to strengthen the already preexisting legislation. All changes made took into account data collected from online surveys and written submissions. The Official Languages Scheme
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3948-631: The Borough of Galway became the County Borough of Galway and ceased to part of County Galway. In 2001, it was renamed Galway City. The symbols of the office of the Mayor and the emblems of the dignity of the City Council are the Civic Sword (1620s) and the Great Mace (1710) which are carried in procession before the Mayor and Council on solemn civic occasions. When not in ceremonial use they can be seen at
4042-609: The Caoċ Arch ( Irish : An Póirse Caoċ , "blind arch") in Galway city, Ireland, are two remaining arches on the Ceann an Bhalla ("Front Wall"). The two arches were part of the extension of the city wall from Martin's Tower to the bank of the River Corrib , as a measure to protect the city's quays, which were in the area once known as the Fish Market (now Spanish Parade). It was constructed during
4136-463: The European Union , only co-decision regulations were available until 2022, due to a five-year derogation, requested by the Irish Government when negotiating the language's new official status. The Irish government had committed itself to train the necessary number of translators and interpreters and to bear the related costs. This derogation ultimately came to an end on 1 January 2022, making Irish
4230-536: The Irish language policy followed by Irish governments as a "complete and absolute disaster". The Irish Times , referring to his analysis published in the Irish language newspaper Foinse , quoted him as follows: "It is an absolute indictment of successive Irish Governments that at the foundation of the Irish State there were 250,000 fluent Irish speakers living in Irish-speaking or semi Irish-speaking areas, but
4324-435: The New Cemetery, as it also known), Cemetery Cross, Bohermore , is the second cemetery operated by Galway City Council. It contains two mortuary chapels and is the burial place of several important Galwegians, including writer Pádraic Ó Conaire , propagandist William Joyce , dramatist Lady Gregory and sports official Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin . The cemetery also contains a gravesite and memorial to those who died in
4418-424: The Republic of Ireland ), new appointees to the Civil Service of the Republic of Ireland , including postal workers , tax collectors , agricultural inspectors, Garda Síochána (police), etc., were required to have some proficiency in Irish. By law, a Garda who was addressed in Irish had to respond in Irish as well. In 1974, in part through the actions of protest organisations like the Language Freedom Movement ,
4512-419: The Republic of Ireland , with a population at the 2022 census of 85,910. Located near an earlier settlement, Galway grew around a fortification built by the King of Connacht in 1124. A municipal charter in 1484 allowed citizens of the by then walled city to form a council and mayoralty . Controlled largely by a group of merchant families, the Tribes of Galway , the city grew into a trading port. Following
4606-423: The River Corrib as it enters the sea is the ancient neighbourhood of The Claddagh. For centuries it was an Irish-speaking enclave outside the city walls. Claddagh residents were mainly fisher folk and were governed by an elected 'King'. The King of the Claddagh settled or arbitrated disputes among the locals and had the privilege of a white sail on his fishing boat. While the last holder of the title died in 1972, it
4700-403: The Square's renovation. A replica of the statue was erected in Eyre Square in 2017. The museum is near the Spanish Arch , the historical remnants of the 16th century wall. The city's university, the University of Galway , has several museums, including the James Mitchell Geology Museum and the Computing and Communications Museum of Ireland . The Nora Barnacle House Museum in Bowling Green
4794-429: The Tulca Festival of Visual Arts as well as numerous festivals. On 1 December 2014, the Director General of UNESCO announced the official designation of Galway as a UNESCO City of Film. In 2004, there were three dance organisations, ten festival companies, two film organisations, two Irish language organisations, 23 musical organisations, twelve theatre companies, two visual arts groups, and four writers' groups based in
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#17328484004354888-461: The US, 1963; Pope John Paul II , 1979; Ronald Reagan , President of the US, 1984; Hillary Clinton , 1999; Richard M. Daley , Mayor of Chicago, 2003; Nelson Mandela , 2003; Aung San Suu Kyi , Burmese activist/leader, 2005; Garry Hynes , Druid Theatre Founder, 2006; and Michael D. Higgins , President of Ireland, 2012. Galway City is part of the Galway West constituency of Dáil Éireann . Its TDs are: President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins
4982-417: The arches were partially destroyed by the tsunami generated by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake . Until 2006, part of the Arch housed the Galway City Museum . At that time, the museum was moved to a new, dedicated building located just behind the Arch. The Long Walk is a promenade to one side of the Arches. As a historical landmark, the Spanish Arch appears in several media works set in Galway , including
5076-577: The beginning of the following academic year. For a number of years there has been vigorous debate in political, academic and other circles about the failure of most students in English-medium schools to achieve competence in Irish, even after fourteen years of teaching as one of the three main subjects. The concomitant decline in the number of traditional native speakers has also been a cause of great concern. In 2007, filmmaker Manchán Magan found few Irish speakers in Dublin , and faced incredulity when trying to get by speaking only Irish in Dublin. He
5170-439: The city after a nine-month siege . At the end of the 17th century, the city supported the Jacobites in the Williamite war in Ireland and was captured by the Williamites after a very short siege not long after the Battle of Aughrim in 1691. The great families of Galway were ruined. The city later suffered further under the Great Famine of 1845–1852 . Like most of Ireland , Galway has an oceanic climate ( Cfb ) according to
5264-401: The city centre, Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe , which was established in 1928 and has produced some of Ireland's most celebrated actors. The Druid Theatre Company has won international acclaim for its cutting-edge production and direction. Irish language Irish ( Standard Irish : Gaeilge ), also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic ( / ˈ ɡ eɪ l ɪ k / GAY -lik ),
5358-478: The city centre: the 11-screen IMC cinema, the 9-screen EYE cinema, the 10-screen Omniplex in Salthill and the 3-screen arthouse cinema Pálás. On 1 December 2014, Galway was granted designation as a Unesco "City of Film" . Galway is home to the Galway Film Fleadh , Ireland's foremost film festival, which takes place over six days each July. The Galway Film Fleadh is a platform for international cinema in Ireland and an advocate for Irish national cinema, for which
5452-411: The city. Furthermore, there were 51 venues for events, most of which were specialised for a certain field (e.g. concert venues or visual arts galleries), though ten were described as being 'multiple event' venues. The main squares in the city are Eyre Square (containing John F. Kennedy Park) in the centre of the city, and Spanish Parade next to the Spanish Arch . In 2007, Galway was named as one of
5546-437: The earliest settlement, Dún Gaillimhe "Fort Gaillimh". (Mythical and alternative derivations of the name are given in History of Galway ). Historically, the name was anglicised as Galliv or Gallive , closer to the Irish pronunciation. The city's name in Latin is Galvia . Residents of the city are referred to as Galwegians. The city also bears the nickname "City of the Tribes" ( Irish : Cathair na dTreabh ) because of
5640-664: The education system. Linguistic analyses of Irish speakers are therefore based primarily on the number of daily users in Ireland outside the education system, which in 2022 was 20,261 in the Gaeltacht and 51,707 outside it, totalling 71,968. In response to the 2021 census of Northern Ireland , 43,557 individuals stated they spoke Irish on a daily basis, 26,286 spoke it on a weekly basis, 47,153 spoke it less often than weekly, and 9,758 said they could speak Irish, but never spoke it. From 2006 to 2008, over 22,000 Irish Americans reported speaking Irish as their first language at home, with several times that number claiming "some knowledge" of
5734-775: The eight "sexiest cities" in the world. A 2008 poll ranked Galway as the 42nd best tourist destination in the world, or 14th in Europe and 2nd in Ireland (behind Dingle ). It was ranked ahead of all European capitals except Edinburgh , and many traditional tourist destinations (such as Venice ). The New Zealand Herald listed Galway as one of 'five great cities to visit in 2014'. Among the poets currently writing in Galway are Fred Johnston , Patrick Deeley , Rita Ann Higgins , Mary O'Malley , Moya Cannon , Eva Bourke , Kevin Higgins , Ndrek Gjini, and Elaine Feeney . Walter Macken , Eilís Dillon , Máirtín Ó Direáin , Máirtín Ó Cadhain , Liam O'Flaherty , Pádraic Ó Conaire and Ken Bruen are well-known writers in both English and Irish with
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#17328484004355828-414: The end of the famine, and under 17,000 by 1911. Irish is recognised by the Constitution of Ireland as the national and first official language of Republic of Ireland (English being the other official language). Despite this, almost all government business and legislative debate is conducted in English. In 1938, the founder of Conradh na Gaeilge (Gaelic League), Douglas Hyde , was inaugurated as
5922-420: The festival's identity has become synonymous. The Galway Film Fleadh is an industry festival, with many industry events taking place under the name of the Galway Film Fair. In 2014, a MovieMaker magazine panel of U.S. filmmakers, critics and industry executives included the Galway Film Fleadh on its list of the "25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World". Galway has a permanent Irish language theatre located in
6016-430: The first President of Ireland . The record of his delivering his inaugural Declaration of Office in Roscommon Irish is one of only a few recordings of that dialect. In the 2016 census, 10.5% of respondents stated that they spoke Irish, either daily or weekly, while over 70,000 people (4.2%) speak it as a habitual daily means of communication. From the foundation of the Irish Free State in 1922 (see History of
6110-443: The fourteen merchant families called the " tribes of Galway " who led the city in its Hiberno-Norman period . Built on the site of an earlier settlement, Dún Gaillimhe ("Fort at the Mouth (bottom) of the Gaillimh") was completed in 1124, by the King of Connacht and High King of Ireland Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair (1088–1156). The castle served as a naval base from which his fleet operated. A new settlement grew around it. During
6204-428: The interment of clergy and parishioners – Castlegar Church, Claddagh Church', St Patrick's Church on Forster Street and St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church. Several bishops are buried in the crypt below the RC Cathedral but this not usually open to the public. The 2022 census indicated that Galway city had a population of 85,910, an increase of over 10,000 from the 2011 census figures. As of 2009, approximately 80% of
6298-498: The language family, is derived from the Old Irish term. Endonyms of the language in the various modern Irish dialects include: Gaeilge [ˈɡeːlʲɟə] in Galway, Gaeilg / Gaeilic / Gaeilig [ˈɡeːlʲəc] in Mayo and Ulster , Gaelainn / Gaoluinn [ˈɡeːl̪ˠən̠ʲ] in West/Cork, Kerry Munster , as well as Gaedhealaing in mid and East Kerry/Cork and Waterford Munster to reflect local pronunciation. Gaeilge also has
6392-410: The language was in use by all classes, Irish being an urban as well as a rural language. This linguistic dynamism was reflected in the efforts of certain public intellectuals to counter the decline of the language. At the end of the 19th century, they launched the Gaelic revival in an attempt to encourage the learning and use of Irish, although few adult learners mastered the language. The vehicle of
6486-425: The language. For most of recorded Irish history , Irish was the dominant language of the Irish people , who took it with them to other regions , such as Scotland and the Isle of Man , where Middle Irish gave rise to Scottish Gaelic and Manx . It was also, for a period, spoken widely across Canada , with an estimated 200,000–250,000 daily Canadian speakers of Irish in 1890. On the island of Newfoundland ,
6580-476: The literary magazines published in Galway are The Galway Review , Crannóg Magazine , which describes itself as 'Ireland's premier independent fiction and poetry magazine since 2002' and ROPES , an annual literary journal published by students of the MA in Literature and Publishing at the University of Galway . Galway also has Charlie Byrne's Bookshop . Gretta Conroy, in James Joyce's short story "The Dead", remembers her lover Michael Furey throwing stones against
6674-418: The mayoralty of Wylliam Martin in 1584, being called ceann an bhalla ( the head of the wall ). In the 18th century the Eyre family of Eyrecourt , County Galway , created an extension of the quays called The Long Walk and created the arches to allow access from the town to the new quays. The designation "Spanish" is not historical to this period and was likely known as the Eyre Arch when built. In 1755 ,
6768-563: The mid-18th century, English was becoming a language of the Catholic middle class, the Catholic Church and public intellectuals, especially in the east of the country. Increasingly, as the value of English became apparent, parents sanctioned the prohibition of Irish in schools. Increasing interest in emigrating to the United States and Canada was also a driver, as fluency in English allowed
6862-771: The name of the language is Gaeilge , from the South Connacht form, spelled Gaedhilge prior the spelling reform of 1948, which was originally the genitive of Gaedhealg , the form used in Classical Gaelic . The modern spelling results from the deletion of the silent ⟨dh⟩ in Gaedhilge . Older spellings include Gaoidhealg [ˈɡeːʝəlˠəɡ] in Classical Gaelic and Goídelc [ˈɡoiðʲelɡ] in Old Irish . Goidelic , used to refer to
6956-463: The new immigrants to get jobs in areas other than farming. An estimated one quarter to one third of US immigrants during the Great Famine were Irish speakers. Irish was not marginal to Ireland's modernisation in the 19th century, as is often assumed. In the first half of the century there were still around three million people for whom Irish was the primary language, and their numbers alone made them
7050-639: The number now is between 20,000 and 30,000." In the 1920s, when the Irish Free State was founded, Irish was still a vernacular in some western coastal areas. In the 1930s, areas where more than 25% of the population spoke Irish were classified as Gaeltacht . Today, the strongest Gaeltacht areas, numerically and socially, are those of South Connemara , the west of the Dingle Peninsula , and northwest Donegal, where many residents still use Irish as their primary language. These areas are often referred to as
7144-498: The other official language, if not already passed in both official languages. In November 2016, RTÉ reported that over 2.3 million people worldwide were learning Irish through the Duolingo app. Irish president Michael D. Higgins officially honoured several volunteer translators for developing the Irish edition, and said the push for Irish language rights remains an "unfinished project". There are rural areas of Ireland where Irish
7238-539: The political party holding power in the Stormont Parliament , the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), was hostile to the language. The context of this hostility was the use of the language by nationalists. In broadcasting, there was an exclusion on the reporting of minority cultural issues, and Irish was excluded from radio and television for almost the first fifty years of the previous devolved government. After
7332-437: The population of Galway were Irish. Following an influx of immigrants to Galway during the 2000s, approximately 20% of the population is non-Irish. Slightly more than half of this group (11.3%) are non-Irish Europeans, coming from Poland and other Central European and Baltic States , such as Latvia and Lithuania . Smaller numbers of Asian and African immigrants come from East Africa, Nigeria , Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka . In
7426-487: The relationship between the three Goidelic languages (Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Manx). Gaelic is a collective term for the Goidelic languages, and when the context is clear it may be used without qualification to refer to each language individually. When the context is specific but unclear, the term may be qualified, as Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic or Manx Gaelic. Historically the name "Erse" ( / ɜːr s / URS )
7520-483: The requirement for entrance to the public service was changed to proficiency in just one official language. Nevertheless, Irish remains a required subject of study in all schools in the Republic of Ireland that receive public money (see Education in the Republic of Ireland ). Teachers in primary schools must also pass a compulsory examination called Scrúdú Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge . As of 2005, Garda Síochána recruits need
7614-414: The result of vigorous Atlantic depressions that occasionally pass along the north west coast of Ireland. Most of these storms occur between late autumn and early spring. Due to the city's northerly location, Galway has long summer days. Sunrise on summer solstice occurs at 05:07 WEST and sunset at 22:07. By contrast, on winter solstice, the sun rises at 08:49 WET , and sets at 16:19. On the west bank of
7708-625: The revival was the Gaelic League ( Conradh na Gaeilge ), and particular emphasis was placed on the folk tradition, which in Irish is particularly rich. Efforts were also made to develop journalism and a modern literature. Although it has been noted that the Catholic Church played a role in the decline of the Irish language before the Gaelic Revival, the Protestant Church of Ireland also made only minor efforts to encourage use of Irish in
7802-608: The vacancy to which they are appointed. This requirement is laid down by the University College Galway Act, 1929 (Section 3). In 2016, the university faced controversy when it announced the planned appointment of a president who did not speak Irish. Misneach staged protests against this decision. The following year the university announced that Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh , a fluent Irish speaker, would be its 13th president. He assumed office in January 2018; in June 2024, he announced he would be stepping down as president at
7896-637: The west gate of the city, completed in 1562 by Mayor Thomas Óge Martyn , stated "From the Ferocious O'Flahertys may God protect us". A by-law forbade the native Irish (as opposed to Galway's Hiberno-Norman citizens) unrestricted access into Galway, saying "neither O' nor Mac shall strutte nor swagger through the streets of Galway" without permission. During the Middle Ages, Galway was ruled by an oligarchy of fourteen merchant families (twelve who claimed to be of Norman origin and two of Irish origin). These were
7990-459: The western edge of the city affords views of the city. It is one of two cemeteries operated by Galway City Council . Among the people buried here are Michael Bodkin (an admirer of Nora Barnacle who was the inspiration for James Joyce's character Michael Furey in " The Dead "), Michael Feeney (the "lover" in Joyce's poem She Weeps Over Rahoon ), and actress Siobhán McKenna . Bohermore Cemetery (or
8084-600: The window of her grandmother's house on Nun's Island, in the city. Joyce's poem She Weeps Over Rahoon describes the grief of Joyce's wife Nora Barnacle over the death of her onetime boyfriend Michael Bodkin. Both Bodkin and Nora were from Galway and Bodkin is buried in Rahoon Cemetery in the western suburbs of the city. Walter Macken 's novel Rain on the Wind is set in the city, as are the "Jack Taylor" crime novels of Ken Bruen . Galway has four cinema complexes within or near
8178-594: The work of such writers as Geoffrey Keating , is said to date from the 17th century, and was the medium of popular literature from that time on. From the 18th century on, the language lost ground in the east of the country. The reasons behind this shift were complex but came down to a number of factors: The change was characterised by diglossia (two languages being used by the same community in different social and economic situations) and transitional bilingualism (monoglot Irish-speaking grandparents with bilingual children and monoglot English-speaking grandchildren). By
8272-481: Was TD for the Galway West parliamentary constituency, of which Galway City is a part, from 1981 to 1982 and from 1987 to 2011. He was also Mayor of Galway for two terms, 1981–82 and 1990–91. Galway's District Court is the main court of summary jurisdiction and hears minor cases without a jury. It is responsible for hearing small civil claims, and certain family law cases, administers the liquor licensing laws and
8366-523: Was also sometimes used in Scots and then in English to refer to Irish; as well as Scottish Gaelic. Written Irish is first attested in Ogham inscriptions from the 4th century AD, a stage of the language known as Primitive Irish . These writings have been found throughout Ireland and the west coast of Great Britain. Primitive Irish underwent a change into Old Irish through the 5th century. Old Irish, dating from
8460-643: Was enacted 1 July 2019 and is an 18-page document that adheres to the guidelines of the Official Languages Act 2003 . The purpose of the Scheme is to provide services through the mediums of Irish and/or English. According to the Department of the Taoiseach, it is meant to "develop a sustainable economy and a successful society, to pursue Ireland's interests abroad, to implement the Government's Programme and to build
8554-529: Was establishing itself as the primary language. Irish speakers had first arrived in Australia in the late 18th century as convicts and soldiers, and many Irish-speaking settlers followed, particularly in the 1860s. New Zealand also received some of this influx. Argentina was the only non-English-speaking country to receive large numbers of Irish emigrants, and there were few Irish speakers among them. Spanish Arch The Spanish Arch ( Irish : An Póirse ) and
8648-465: Was passed 14 July 2003 with the main purpose of improving the number and quality of public services delivered in Irish by the government and other public bodies. Compliance with the Act is monitored by the An Coimisinéir Teanga (Irish Language Commissioner) which was established in 2004 and any complaints or concerns pertaining to the Act are brought to them. There are 35 sections included in
8742-678: Was spoken throughout Ireland, Isle of Man and parts of Scotland . It is the language of a large corpus of literature, including the Ulster Cycle . From the 12th century, Middle Irish began to evolve into modern Irish in Ireland, into Scottish Gaelic in Scotland, and into the Manx language in the Isle of Man . Early Modern Irish , dating from the 13th century, was the basis of the literary language of both Ireland and Gaelic-speaking Scotland. Modern Irish, sometimes called Late Modern Irish, as attested in
8836-442: Was unable to accomplish some everyday tasks, as portrayed in his documentary No Béarla . There is, however, a growing body of Irish speakers in urban areas, particularly in Dublin. Many have been educated in schools in which Irish is the language of instruction. Such schools are known as Gaelscoileanna at primary level. These Irish-medium schools report some better outcomes for students than English-medium schools. In 2009,
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