The country with a bilingual soul
In Ireland, everyone speaks English, but Irish is still the national and official language. Irish, or Gaelic, has become one of the official languages of the European Union.
Irish is a Celtic language related to Welsh, Cornish and Breton. The first speakers of Irish probably arrived from continental Europe over 2,500 years ago. It's certain that other languages were spoken here before Irish, but by the beginning of the Christian era, Irish was spoken throughout Ireland. The earliest traces of Old Irish are inscriptions on Ogham stones dating from the5th and 6th centuries. Early Irish was first written in the Roman alphabet before the beginning of the 7th century, making Irish one of the oldest vernacular languages in Europe.
Of the 1,761,420 people who responded to the latest census question on the use of Gaelic, 23% indicated that they never speak Irish, while 31% speak it only within the educational system. Of the remainder, 33% say they use Irish less than once a week, 6% once a week, and only 4.1% speak it daily. The proportion is higher in regions known as Gaeltachtaí ( singular: Gaeltach ), where Irish is still very much alive.
Although only 4% of the population regularly speak Irish on a daily basis, it is still taught and remains a compulsory subject. It often colors Shakespeare's language, which is also that of Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, James Joyce and Roddy Doyle. It appears in the English sentence, which it spices up on a daily basis. Gaelic lives on in books, newspapers and magazines. The TG television channel is entirely in Gaelic, and it's on the radio and on the Internet.
Why not try out a few words in Gaelic?
Sláinte! cheers!
Dia duit : Hello
Go raibh maith agat: Thank you
Conas atá tú? : How are you?
Fáilte : Welcome
Tá : Yes
Ní: No
Áth Cliath : Dublin
Slán agat: Goodbye
Attractive Ireland
For a long time, Ireland was a country that some of its inhabitants left behind. Families knew that children, brothers and fathers would have to leave to live elsewhere. Having once been a country that people left because they had to, in order to survive, Ireland is now welcoming new inhabitants. Today, young Irish people or descendants of Irish people are returning to the country, and emigrants are arriving from all over the world to live in Ireland. Life in Ireland is enviable. A comparison of GDP per capita shows just how far we've come. While the country's GDP remains that of a small country, its GDP per capita in purchasing power standards is that of a wealthy country. The average GDP in Europe is 29,700 PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) in 2020; in Ireland, it is 62,700 PPP, ranking the island2nd in Europe, just behind Luxembourg. This is, of course, one of the factors enabling Ireland to return to its pre-Great Famine demographics. While the island as a whole is home to 7 million people, there is also a very large and active Irish diaspora.
A diaspora 10 times more numerous than on the island
For 120 years, these emigrants mingled with their hosts. Their descendants have made Ireland's influence felt at every latitude. It is estimated that at least 50 to 80 million people worldwide have Irish ancestors, making the Irish diaspora one of the largest of any nation. If, historically, emigration from Ireland was the result of conflict, famine and economic problems, today this diaspora is an opportunity. It has raised the country's profile around the world. It has also been a strength for Ireland, as expatriates have often come to the rescue of the land of their ancestors. American tourists are still the island's top visitors. The population has finally returned to its pre-Great Famine level (5.11 million according to the 1851 census), and has increased by over 2 million since the 1961 census.
According to the Central Statistics Office, positive net migration and natural increase have resulted in a population growth of 34,000 in 12 months. In 2021, over 30,000 Irish returned to live in Ireland, while 22,000 Irish moved abroad. This is only the third time since 2010 that more Irish have returned than left.
The new face of Ireland
A study by Dublin's Berkeley Solicitors outlines Ireland's population:
Ireland's population growth, with its new figures, is five times higher than the EU average in 2017. The total number of residents in the Republic of Ireland rose by 53,900 last year to almost 4.84 million, an increase of 1.1%. Compared to the EU average of 0.2%, this is a rare 5 times higher growth rate. Ireland recorded the fourth highest population growth rate in the EU during 2017. Ireland has the youngest population in the whole of Europe and retains its position as the country with the lowest mortality rate in the EU: 6.3 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants here, compared with a European average of 10.3 deaths per 1,000 in 2017. At the same time, the population aged 65 and over has increased by 22,200 to April 2021.
A snapshot of population change in Ireland: the population metamorphosis is now well underway. Ireland records a birth every 9 minutes, a death every 17 minutes, a net migrant every 41 minutes, a net gain of one person every 13 minutes.
All this means that Ireland is no longer just a land of tourism or emigration, but a country that makes people want to come and live here for a long time. Like its diaspora, Ireland's inland population is enthusiastic about its transformation. This transformation is also bringing changes to the Irish way of life. The blending of diverse cultural influences is done the Irish way. These changes are taking place with the participation and acceptance of the population. The Irish are taking advantage of the country's mutation and are welcoming newcomers. This is good news for Ireland, which hopes to further expand its sphere of political, economic and cultural influence. Of course, there are times when it's necessary to round off the rough edges and take the new challenges head on.
