95-589: Tuam ( / ˈ tj uː ə m / ; Irish : Tuaim [ˈt̪ˠuəmʲ] , meaning 'mound' or 'burial-place') is a town in Ireland and the second-largest settlement in County Galway . It is west of the midlands of Ireland , about 35 km (22 mi) north of Galway city. Humans have lived in the area since the Bronze Age while the historic period dates from the sixth century. The town became increasingly important in
190-540: 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
285-580: A Protestant claim. Agreement was reached with the Cross erected halfway between both Cathedrals and positioned so that it was visible from all main streets of the town. It was in the Square in the town centre in 1874. In July 1920, Tuam Town Hall and other properties were attacked and badly damaged by armed Royal Irish Constabulary men, after two had been killed in an ambush by the Irish Republican Army near
380-697: 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
475-560: 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
570-557: A burial ground. The name Tuam is a cognate with the Latin term tumulus (burial mound). The town's ancient name was Tuaim Dá Ghualann , i.e. the burial mound of two shoulders. The name probably refers to the high ground on either side of the River Nanny, overlooking a probable fording point over the River Nanny (or Corchra). In 1875, a Bronze Age burial urn was discovered in the area by workmen, dating from c.1500 B.C. Records date from
665-472: 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,
760-541: 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
855-460: 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
950-576: A new 6,400 capacity stand and ancillary facilities. Tuam Stadium Development Committee is currently fundraising for this project. There are also two soccer clubs in Tuam. Tuam Celtic A.F.C. , founded in 1974, play their home matches at Celtic Park, Cloonthue. Dynamo Blues , founded in 1978, whose temporary home was the College Field Athenry Road, are now back in their original home, Dynamo Blues pitch behind Parkmore Estate. Tuam Rugby Football Club
1045-498: A new chariot made for thou art old; and go thy way in it, and wherever the two hind shafts of the chariot will break, there will be thy resurrection, and that of many others with thee". Jarlath's wheel broke at Tuam and he established a monastery there, known as the School of Tuam . In Ireland, early settlements typically arose through the establishment of a religious site, around which a town subsequently grew. In this way, Tuam grew up around
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#17328477917251140-574: 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
1235-554: 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
1330-555: A portion from another High Cross, the ringed cross-section on top. In addition to the Market Cross, it is likely that there were at least four other carved stone crosses from the Connor's reign in the town. An area close to the town Square, known as the Shambles, which continued to function as a market place until recently, was at one point the location of the Market Cross until 1721. The Cross
1425-611: 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
1520-488: 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
1615-537: 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
1710-584: 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
1805-568: Is a National monument). The original High Cross or Market cross may have been erected close to what is now the Market Square and High Street. When the first Cathedral collapsed after being destroyed by fire in 1184, the High Cross was dismantled into pieces, each under different ownership. The archaeologist George Petrie discovered the base of the High Cross around 1820 and later discovered two other pieces in other locations. The High Cross contains
1900-534: Is a rugby union club based on the outskirts of Tuam in Garraun Park. The club fields two adult junior-standard teams in J1A and J1C, senior women's teams, and different youth age groups, both boys and girls. While football was primarily the first choice sport for many, the rugby club has grown annually since its foundation in 1969. Tuam Golf Club was established on 17 October 1904 with the original clubhouse at Cloonascragh on
1995-606: Is a thriving and somewhat successful club which, in addition to its many juvenile training sessions, holds training sessions and meets for adults. In June 2020, Tuam hosted the Rob Heffernan Academy Grand Final. This event, involving 40 youngsters who race walked in 1 km competitions, was the culmination of a virtual challenge in which young athletes were invited to race walk 100 metres in under 30 seconds and submit videos to 2013 world 50 km race walking champion and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Heffernan. Of
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#17328477917252090-401: 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
2185-574: Is continuing its investigation into who was responsible for the disposal of human remains in this way. A monumental "Chair of Tuam" was unveiled in May 1980 by the late Cardinal Tomás O'Fiaich . The 1980s saw the High Cross re-erected in the south transept of St Mary's Cathedral. On 30 March 1613, Tuam received a royal charter from James I , which enabled the Tuam constituency to send two representatives to Irish House of Commons until its abolition in 1801. The town
2280-511: 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
2375-713: Is located on the disused railway line from Athenry to Sligo. There was a part-successful campaign by West-on-track to have the line reopened as a Western Railway Corridor which was recognised in the Transport21 project. Construction work to reopen the line between Ennis and Athenry was completed in 2009. Passengers trains run between Limerick and Athenry (where connections to Galway can be made) with further extensions planned. Tuam railway station opened on 27 September 1860, closed to passenger traffic on 5 April 1976 and finally closed altogether on 18 December 1978. The railway lines were heavily used by trains transporting sugar beets to
2470-567: 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
2565-653: Is served by the N17 road (to Collooney ) and the N83 road ( Galway to Sinolane Cross) as well as the R332 and R347 . A bypass of the N17, avoiding congestion to the west of the town, involved acquisition of land by Galway County Council in late 2006. The design of this road includes a bridge over the existing closed railway lines, allowing for future re-opening of the line. The M17 was opened ahead of schedule on 27 September 2017. Tuam railway station
2660-412: 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
2755-659: 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
2850-463: The Cross of Cong . Tairrdelbach was succeeded by his son Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair , the last native High King of Ireland. In 1164 , Ruaidrí had a "wonderful castle" erected, with a large courtyard defended by lofty and massive walls and a deep moat into which the adjacent river was diverted through. This was the first Irish built stone castle. A small part of the castle still stands. Following the destruction of
2945-619: 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 ")
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3040-518: The Synod of Kells in 1152 , the centre of government also became the ecclesiastical centre, as Tuam was elevated to an Archbishopric , with Áed Ua hOissín as the first Archbishop. Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair, as High King of Ireland from 1128 – 1156 , was a great patron of the Irish Church and it was due to his patronage that Tuam became the home of some masterpieces of 12th century Celtic art, including
3135-558: The Tuam Herald and the 1901–1911 census on microfilm. Free internet access and Wi-Fi are also available to library users. Tuam is twinned with Straubing in Germany. The High Cross of Tuam was erected in 1152 possibly to commemorate the appointment of the first Archbishop of Tuam , Archbishop Áed Ua hOissín. An inscription at the base calls for "A prayer for O'hOisín; for the Abbot; by whom it
3230-423: The 11th and 12th centuries in political and religious aspects of Ireland. The market-based layout of the town and square indicates the importance of commerce. The red Latin cross of the coat of arms is representative of Tuam's importance as an ecclesiastical centre. The double green flaunches at the sides, represent the two hills or shoulders of Tuam's ancient name, Tuaim Dhá Ghualainn . The two crowns recall
3325-611: 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
3420-524: The 197 entrants, Heffernan initially selected the best ten to be part of the academy, which was subsequently expanded to over 50 athletes who received online coaching from the man himself and former international team-mate / Tuam resident, Pierce O'Callaghan Tuam All Star Gymnastics Club runs classes from its Athenry Road base. In 2010 the club reached the semi-finals of the All Ireland Talent Show . Tuam Swimming Club has been promoting swimming in
3515-769: 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
3610-403: 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
3705-563: 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
3800-631: The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Tuam , which is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tuam , and the Church of Ireland 's St Mary's Cathedral . The town's patron saint is Saint Jarlath . The ancient monastic site of Kilbannon , founded by Benignus of Armagh in the fifth century, lies 3.7 km (2.3 mi) to the northwest of Tuam. Tuam Stars , founded in 1888, is
3895-690: The Athenry Road. The club relocated to Mayfield, on the Dunmore Road in 1937 due to a deterioration of the Cloonascragh course. In March 1940 a new club called the Commercial Golf Club was established, which renovated the course and remained for many years at Cloonascragh. World-renowned Irish golfer Christy O'Connor Snr joined Tuam Golf Club as club professional in 1948. To develop an 18-hole course, Tuam Golf Club relocated to Barnacurragh (close to
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3990-463: 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
4085-532: The High Cross was re-erected in the south transept of St Mary's Cathedral, where it now is, near its original location. St Mary's Cathedral also houses the shaft of a third Cross fashioned from limestone. It is thought that all of the High Crosses would have marked the boundaries of the monastic section of Tuam. Irish language Irish ( Standard Irish : Gaeilge ), also known as Irish Gaelic or simply Gaelic ( / ˈ ɡ eɪ l ɪ k / GAY -lik ),
4180-556: The High Kings, Tairrdelbach and Ruaidrí , who were based in Tuam. The broken chariot wheel is a reference to the foundation of the monastic town when St Jarlath's chariot wheel broke . The motto of the town, Tuath Thuama go Buan , translates as "Long Live the People of Tuam". The record of human settlement in Tuam dates back to the Bronze Age when an area adjacent to Shop Street was used as
4275-648: The Iar Connacht heartland of Maigh Seóla . In the twelfth century, the town became the centre of Provincial power during the fifty-year reign of Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair (r. 1106–1156). He also brought Tuam its most prominent status as seat of the High King of Ireland which he achieved by force of arms during his long career. About 1140 Tairrdelach founded an Augustinian priory in Tuam with possession over three church sites in Ciarraige Airne , east County Mayo. At
4370-799: The Irish Sugar Factory (Comhlucht Siúcra Éireann Teo.) formerly located off the Ballygaddy Road. The railway line was used during the filming of The Quiet Man , and can be seen when John Wayne disembarks at Ballyglunin , around 6 km (4 mi) from Tuam. Tuam is served by multiple Bus Éireann routes. Tuam is the location of several second-level educational institutions, St Jarlath's College , Archbishop McHale College , Presentation College Currylea, and St Bridget's Secondary School. In September 2023 both Presentation College and St. Bridget's amalgamated into High Cross College . St Patrick's College (formerly Tuam Christian Brothers School ),
4465-536: 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
4560-519: The Old Tuam Society ). The Tuam market was revived in 2006 by the Energise Tuam, a group which organised by local traders in conjunction with Tuam Chamber of Commerce in an effort to promote shopping in the town. It currently takes place on the last Saturday of every month, at the plaza in front of Tuam Shopping Centre. In the future, Galway County Council has earmarked the Shambles car park nearer
4655-597: 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 ,
4750-509: The Tuam area since its foundation in 1950. The club season runs from September to the end of June each year. The Marian Choral Society was formed in 1974, with an initial aim to sing church and secular music. Then, in 1977, the first musical production was staged, with an annual show each October since. Earwig! Tuam Community Arts Group was formed in October 2003 to provide Tuam and its surroundings with an outlet for its creative talent. Since 2003,
4845-731: 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
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#17328477917254940-485: The competition began in 1946. The parish has a second Gaelic football club, Cortoon Shamrocks , founded in 1888. Tuam Stadium St Jarlath's Park was officially opened on 21 May 1950 by the Archbishop of Tuam, Rev. Dr. Walsh. It became "the home of Galway football" and has hosted many important matches including Connacht Senior Football Finals. A €5 million redevelopment project has been granted planning permission including
5035-402: The early sixth century and mention that a monk called Jarlath was a member of a religious community at Cloonfush some 6 km (4 mi) west of Tuam and adjacent to the religious settlement at Kilbannon . According to the Life of Brendan of Clonfert , Brendan eventually told Jarlath "Not here at all shall be thy resurrection". When Jarlath asked where this may be, Brendan responded: "Have
5130-664: 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
5225-414: 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
5320-412: The faces of the rest; and four others were killed by the same wind in Machaire-Chonnacht." The High Cross of Tuam was brought to Dublin for the Great Exhibition of 1852. However, prior to its return to Tuam, a disagreement arose between the two Churches. Catholic Archbishop Dr John MacHale claimed the Cross rightfully belonged to Catholics, with Dean Charles Seymour of the Church of Ireland asserting
5415-430: 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
5510-440: The first Cathedral in 1184 , Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair left Tuam and retired to Cong Abbey , where he entrusted the Church valuables from the Cathedral at Tuam into the care of the abbot. This left Tuam as a small settlement and it wasn't until the early 17th century that it began to grow in importance again. Throughout history, Tuam has been an important commercial centre with fairs and markets being an important part of commerce in
5605-412: The group has organised an arts festival which includes visual arts, theatre, drama, spectacle, children's arts workshops, street performance and music. Earwig! also takes part in the annual St Patrick's Day parade in Tuam with an emphasis on bringing movement and spectacle. While The Saw Doctors are perhaps the town's most famous band, in the 1960s, Tuam was known as 'The Showband Capital of Ireland'. At
5700-498: 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
5795-410: 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
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#17328477917255890-425: 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 ,
5985-399: The local Gaelic football team, and are one of Galway's most successful clubs. From 1953 to 1960, Tuam Stars were a dominant force in the Galway County Championship winning seven titles in a row, with players such as Seán Purcell and Frank Stockwell playing at the time. St Jarlath's College , Tuam has won the Hogan Cup (national championship for secondary schools) a record 12 times since
6080-399: 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
6175-401: The monastery and has kept the broken chariot wheel as its heraldic symbol . In 1049, Aedh O'Connor defeated Amalgaid ua Flaithbertaigh, King of Iar Connacht , making the O'Connors provincial kings of Connacht . He then built a castle at Tuam and made it his principal stronghold. This event was directly responsible for the subsequent rise in the importance of the town. Its position dominated
6270-497: 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
6365-409: 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
6460-522: 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
6555-420: The original Cloonascragh course) and a new clubhouse. The first nine holes were opened in 1975. 18 holes came into play by 1979, on the course designed by golf architect, Eddie Hackett . Improvement works have continued over the years with Christy O'Connor Jnr advising the club on course improvement works. The most recent design work has been under the guidance of golf architect Ken Kearney. Tuam Athletics Club
6650-448: 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
6745-415: 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
6840-495: The poor. Excavations carried out between November 2016 and February 2017 that had been ordered by the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation , under Judge Yvonne Murphy , found a "significant" quantity of human remains, aged from 35 foetal weeks to two to three years, interred in a disused former cesspit with twenty chambers. Most of the burials were from the 1950s. The report said: "The Commission has not yet determined what
6935-524: The purpose of this structure was but it appears to be related to the treatment/containment of sewage and/or waste water . The Commission has also not yet determined if it was ever used for this purpose." Carbon dating confirmed that the remains date from the timeframe relevant to the operation of the Mother and Baby Home by the Bon Secours order. The Commission stated that it was shocked by the discovery and that it
7030-476: The region. One of its fairs dates to 1252 when Letters Patent were granted to Archbishop MacFlynn by Henry III of England . Other fairs were authorised by Charters granted by James VI and I and George III of the United Kingdom . The Annals of the Four Masters record that in 1488 "A whirlwind attacked a number of persons, as they were cutting turf on the bog of Tuaim-Mona, which killed one of them, and swelled
7125-487: 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 )
7220-432: 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
7315-683: 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
7410-598: The time, a number of showbands called the market town home, including the Johnny Flynn Showband. In 2009, a compilation CD of over 50 original songs, all by musicians from Tuam, entitled Songs from the Broken Wheel , was released. Tuam is referenced in song " The Rocky Road to Dublin ", popularised by The Dubliners and various other Irish folk artists. The song details a man's experiences as he travels to Liverpool , England from his home in Tuam. The Old Tuam Society
7505-544: The town centre as the market's location on a permanent basis. The Tuam Herald is a weekly local newspaper, founded in 1837 by Richard Kelly, which serves the town of Tuam and the surrounding areas of north County Galway, south Mayo and west Roscommon. It is County Galway's oldest newspaper and the fifth oldest newspaper in the Republic of Ireland. Tuam Library is on High Street, between Temple Jarlath and St Mary's Cathedral. A collection of general interest and local history books are available for reference along with copies of
7600-459: The town the day before. The Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home (St Mary's Mother and Baby Home), or simply The Home, was a maternity home for unmarried mothers and their children that operated between 1925 and 1961 in the town. It was run by the Bon Secours religious order of nuns . From its construction in the mid-19th century until the early 20th century, the building served as a workhouse for
7695-705: 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
7790-594: 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
7885-523: 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
7980-660: Was amalgamated with St Jarlath's College in June 2009. There are five main primary schools: the Mercy Convent and the Presentation Convent, St Patrick's Primary School , the Educate Together National School and Gaelscoil Iarfhlatha, an Irish language primary school (bunscoil lán Ghaeilge). Tuam is home to several large employers, the largest of which is Valeo Vision Systems, which currently employs over 1000 people. Tuam has two cathedrals, Cathedral of
8075-522: Was brought to Dublin for the Great Exhibition of 1852. However, prior to its return to Tuam, a disagreement arose between the two Churches. Catholic Archbishop Dr John MacHale claimed the Cross rightfully belonged to Catholics, with Dean Charles Seymour of the Church of Ireland asserting a Protestant claim. Agreement was reached with the Cross erected halfway between both Cathedrals and positioned so that it
8170-643: 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
8265-520: 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. 1128 in Ireland ← → Events from
8360-500: Was founded in 1942 with a view to preserving a record of the town's past and to foster and promote that knowledge for the benefit of future generations. The new society was open to "all those who are interested in its aims, namely the preservation and study of the antiquities of Tuam and district." An invitation was issued to Tuam people scattered far and wide to join the circle for an annual subscription of two shillings and six pence. The Society publishes an annual called JOTS ( Journal of
8455-513: Was laid out as a market town to its present plan with all the streets converging on the central square. The charter also established a formal local council with an elected sovereign and 12 burgesses. The sovereign was sworn into office at the site of the "Chair of Tuam" which is believed to be within the remaining tower of Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair's castle. The borough was abolished under the Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Act 1840 . The town
8550-681: Was later granted town commissioners under the Towns Improvement (Ireland) Act 1854 . This body became a town council in 2002, under the Local Government Act 2001 . Along with other similar town councils in Ireland, the body was abolished in 2014 under the Local Government Reform Act 2014 . The local electoral area of Tuam elects 7 councillors to Galway County Council and forms the Municipal District of Tuam. Tuam
8645-484: Was made". It is reputed to have been the tallest of the High Crosses of Ireland, but its artistry is scarred by the absence of the top portion of the main shaft. The sandstone Cross was originally erected in proximity to the earliest Cathedral erected in the town, a part of which still remains and is incorporated into St Mary's Cathedral (12th-century red sandstone chancel arch in Irish Romanesque architecture , which
8740-465: 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
8835-678: 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
8930-442: 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,
9025-495: Was visible from all main streets of the town. It was in the Square in the town centre in 1874. By the late 1980s, it was evident that the decorative stone carving of the Cross was deteriorating due to weathering and pollution. Experts thought that there was a danger from traffic passing nearby. After lengthy discussions, the Office of Public Works removed the monument from the Square in April 1992. Following cleaning and minor restoration,
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