Gaeltacht an Oileáin Úir
The North American Gaeltacht
“A small community is drawn here, to a small patch of land in a tiny Ontario town where Gaelic acts as a lifeline to their history, their culture and to the Emerald Isle itself.
This is the Canadian Gaeltacht.”
— Susan Krashinsky, Canadian Broadcasting Coropration
Gaeltacht Events
Our Gaeltacht currently offers four immersion opportunities:
February Féile an tSneachta (Online)
June AGM and immersion (Online)
August Tumsheachtain Samhraidh (Tamworth)
November Féile na Samhna (Online)
Our Story
Cumann na Gaeltachta was founded by Séamus Mac Concharraige in 1994 with the aim to establish and maintaining a Gaeltacht area to provide for learners and speakers across North America.
Our Gaeltacht site in Tamworth, Ontario, was opened officially on 16 June 2007.
Read more below about the objectives and principles that helped guide the establishment of the North American Gaeltacht.
What is the Gaeltacht?
The Gaeltacht is the collective whole of those areas in which Irish is spoken as a community language, and in which the culture and traditions of the language are very much alive and thriving.
What is Our Aim?
The Aim of Cumann na Gaeltachta is to establish and maintain a Gaeltacht in North America.
Our Guiding Principles
A place where Irish is spoken.
A place where families come to nurture Irish among their children.
A place to host Irish speakers from Ireland and other parts of the world.
A place from which Irish culture may be promoted, including language, music drama, dance, art, sport, and literature.
A place where public Irish language courses are run, including intensive courses for fluency.
A place where the history of the early Irish settlement in North America can be recognized and perpetuated.
A place where the spirit of the early Irish nation, dissipated following the Flight of the Earls (September 1607), exists as the primary guiding philosophy.
A place where Irish is taught.
A place where members can celebrate Irish heritage in the Irish language.
An institution to draw together representatives from different Irish language organizations, and coordinate Irish language events.
A place where Irish language summer camps for grade school children are run.
A place where members can spend their holidays in an Irish-speaking environment.
A place where credit courses for high school students are run.
A place where public Irish language gatherings take place: immersion weekends, immersion weeks, and immersion months.
A place where every necessary learning resource in Irish is located: books, tapes, films, Irish speakers, etc.
Our Objectives
To nurture the Irish language as the normal medium of communication between members.
To publish Irish language materials.
To organize events to promote the Irish language.
To promote the development of local businesses in the area of the Gaeltacht that supports the aims of the Gaeltacht.
To encourage the use of Irish among the North American community.
To cooperate with organizations working on behalf of the Irish language, Irish culture and Irish heritage.
To encourage the teaching of Irish in the educational system at every level
To preserve a connection with Irish speakers in Ireland.
The Irish Language in Canada
Céad Míle Fáilte - Discover the hidden history of the Irish language in Canada and its impact on our multicultural tapestry. We hve gathered together a collection of compositions, physical artifacts, and life narratives from Irish speakers, and we invite you to explore the rich history of a language that has never disappeared but has continued to shape Canadian identity. Join us on a journey of discovery as we celebrate the resilience and cultural significance of the Irish language in Canada.
Support our Growth
Help us breathe new life into the Irish language in North America and bring recognition of its cultural richness by supporting Cumann na Gaeltachta, our volunteer-driven not-for-profit.
Your donations or annual renewing website memberships enable us to develop immersive language programs and resources, revitalizing this globally-endangered language for generations to come.
Contact us about donations-in-kind, bequests, or to share your donation story with us.