QUB Report says Irish Language And Gaeltacht Community Key To Building A New Ireland
Irish-language and Gaeltacht community are positioned as “integral architects in the building of a new Ireland” – new report by Queen’s University Béal Feirste examines the “failure of both the Northern and Southern jurisdictions to adequately attend to the needs of Irish-language and Gaeltacht communities since partition”
Irish language rights should not be discarded as ‘bargaining chips’, ‘displaced’ or ‘marginalised’ further, but ‘built upon’, as conversations towards a new Ireland grow stronger, new research from Queen’s University Béal Feirste finds.
A new research report has been published by Queen’s University Béal Feirste investigating and analysing the role of the Irish language in the event of a United Ireland. The report, ““A United Ireland: A Transformative Opportunity for the Irish Language and Gaeltacht”, was launched today (Tuesday 5th May 2026) at the Séamus Heaney Centre at Queen’s University in Béal Feirste, and was introduced by its author and lead-researcher Róisín Nic Liam. Also speaking at the event was Conradh na Gaeilge President, Ciaran Mac Giolla Bhéin, and Professor Colin Harvey, Professor of Human Rights Law in the QUB School of Law, who was recently appointed to the Council of State by the Uachtarán na hÉireann/President of Ireland in March 2026. The event was hosted by Dr Síobhra Aiken, Senior Lecturer, Department of Irish and Celtic Studies, Queen’s University Belfast.
The report sets out an overview into how the Irish language has been framed in discussions on a united Ireland, representing a discursive intervention on the Irish-language question, and challenging the persistent negative portrayals of an Ghaeilge in those conversations.
The report argues that the Irish language community “should seize the historic opportunity presented by the conversations on Irish unity to articulate its own progressive vision and its own demands regarding the future of the language and the Gaeltacht.” Accordingly, this report contends that the Irish-language and Gaeltacht communities must “pivot from this defensive position in debates on constitutional change towards a positive, proactive stance”, and that “such a reconfiguration will ensure that the indigenous language of Ireland, and its speakers, are not further marginalised in any future political arrangement.”
The research was commissioned by the democratic forum for the Irish-speaking community, Conradh na Gaeilge.
Speaking at the launch of the research report at the Séamus Heaney Centre at Queen’s University Belfast today, Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, President of Conradh na Gaeilge, said:
“In 2019, as the debate around the constitutional future of Ireland gathered momentum, the Ard-Fheis unanimously agreed a motion to kickstart a new national conversation on the role of the Irish language in a new Ireland, mandating a series of debates, discussions and assemblies concerning language rights and the prospects to transform the status of Irish as a result of constitutional change. Since then, Conradh na Gaeilge has convened conferences relating to the role of the language and the Constitution in a new Ireland, and how a United Ireland could impact Irish Medium Education, the Gaeltacht and Irish language policies, strategies and legislation north and south. In 2023 Conradh branches and members unanimously agreed a motion to develop research into the role of the Irish language and Gaeltacht in a united Ireland and set out our vision for the time ahead. Since then, we have commissioned Queen’s University Belfast to undertake the research and we were delighted to have Roisin Nic Liam author the report.
“We are delighted to finally present the report to the public and we hope it becomes a major catalyst in the reframing of the debate around the Irish language and Irish unity, one based on rights and respect, where constitutional change is viewed as a generational opportunity for genuine equality and transformative change, and an end to centuries of marginalisation and oppression against Irish speakers across this island and in which the language can act as a catalyst to inspire a more inclusive, progressive vision for a new Ireland.”
The author of the report, Róisín Nic Liam, researcher at Queen’s University Belfast, commented:
“This report is a timely intervention which encourages the Irish-language and Gaeltacht community to set out a positive, progressive and rights-based vision for the language in any new political arrangement. Indeed, the transformative opportunities offered by potential constitutional change are outlined, and a new, United Ireland is ultimately determined as an unprecedented opportunity to radically reset the relationship between an Ghaeilge, the state, and the people of Ireland in general, following the failure of both the Northern and Southern jurisdictions, despite some historic progress in recent years, to adequately attend to the needs of Irish-language and Gaeltacht communities since partition.”
“To date, many of the conversations on constitutional change have framed the Irish language through an incredibly regressive and negative lens, rather than as a living community language across Ireland, and subsequently, as a rights-based issue. This has resulted in the Irish language being proposed by academics and senior politicians alike as something which must be reconsidered or ‘de-emphasized’, in the event of Irish unity, or offered up as a bargaining chip or a symbolic concession to be negotiated.”
“The report concludes by positioning the Irish-language and Gaeltacht community as “integral architects” in the shaping a new Ireland, recommending that the community “should seize the historic opportunity presented by the conversations on Irish unity to articulate its own progressive vision and its own demands regarding the future of the language and the Gaeltacht.”
DOWNLOAD THE RESEARCH REPORT IN FULL HERE:
IN IRISH: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UhyrvfWQba29xZVlaI5t1MwBzjwXi9Q8/view
IN ENGLISH: https://drive.google.com/file/d/125g9f938PgovjLR4TD8PK9X3qTbXoYOm/view
Conradh na Gaeilge is the democratic forum for the Irish-speaking community. The Conradh has over 200 branches and numerous individual members registered around the world, members that work hard to promote the use of Irish in their own areas. Conradh na Gaeilge’s main aim is to promote the use of Irish as the standard language in Ireland. Conradh na Gaeilge was established by Douglas Hyde, Eoin Mac Néill, and their colleagues on the 31st of July 1893. The organisation runs Irish-language courses; advocates for the language rights of Irish-speakers; raises awareness about the language; hosts the international Irish-language festival Seachtain na Gaeilge; manages the Irish-language information hub PEIG.ie and the Irish-language bookshop An Siopa Leabhar; supports Raidió Rí-Rá; and much more. More information: www.cnag.ie
Deir Tuarascáil QUB gurb í an Ghaeilge agus pobal na Gaeltachta an eochair chun Éire Nua a thógáil
Pobal na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta aitheanta mar “ailtirí lárnacha i dtógáil Éireann nua” – tuarascáil taighde nua foilsithe ag Ollscoil na Banríona a dhéanann scrúdú ar “teip an dá dhlínse ó thuaidh agus ó dheas freastal ar phobal na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta ó críochdheighleadh an tír”
Níor chóir cearta Gaeilge a iompú ina “gcipíní idirbheartaíochta”, iad a imeallú nó a dhíbirt, ach a mhalairt – ba chóir tógáil ar na cearta reatha, de réir mar a éiriónn an comhrá i dtreo Éireann nua níos láidre – tuarascáil úr Ollscoil na Banríona
Tá tuarascáil nua taighde foilsithe inniu (Máirt 5/5/26) ag Ollscoil na Banríona, Béal Feirste, a dhéanann scrúdú agus anailís ar ról na Gaeilge in Éirinn Aontaithe. Seoladh an taighde, ‘Éire aontaithe: Deis chlaochlaitheach don Ghaeilge agus don Ghaeltacht’ ag Áras Séamus Heaney in Ollscoil na Banríona ar maidin, áit ar chuir údar príomh-thaighdeoir na tuarascála, Róisín Nic Liam, príomh-thorthaí an taighde i láthair. Ag caint fosta mar chuid den seoladh bhí Uachtarán Chonradh na Gaeilge, Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, agus an tOllamh Colin Harvet, Ollamh ar Dhlí Chearta Daonna i Scoil an Dlí san Ollscoil, a cheap Uachtarán na hÉireann ar a Comhairle Stáit ar na mallaibh. Chuir an Dr Síobhra Aiken, Léachtóir Sinsearach, Roinn na Gaeilge agus an Léinn Cheiltigh, Ollscoil na Banríona, an ócáid i láthair.
Leagtar amach sa tuarascáil forléargas ar an fhrámáil atá déanta ar an Ghaeilge i gcomhráití maidir le hÉirinn aontaithe go dáta. Idirghabháil dhioscúrsach atá sa tuairisc seo freisin, a thugann dúsh- lán don fhrámáil leanúnach dhiúltach a dhéantar ar an nGaeilge sa phlé ar Éirinn aontaithe.
Moltar sa tuairisc seo gur cheart don phobal “deis stairiúil na haontachta a thapú lená bhfís fhorásach agus á n-éilimh féin a leagan amach ó thaobh thodhchaí na teanga agus na Gaeltachta”.
Áitítear sa tuairisc, mar sin, gur “gá do phobal na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta tiontú ón seasamh cosantach úd sa phlé ar an athrú bunreachtúil chuig seasamh réamhghníomhach dearfach”.. Ní mór amhlaidh a dhéanamh d’fhonn deimhin a dhéanamh de “nach ndéanfar tuilleadh imeallú ar theanga dhúchais na hÉireann (agus lucht a labhartha) amach anseo”.
Is Conradh na Gaeilge choimisiúnaigh an taighde seo.
Duirt Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, Uachtarán Chonradh na Gaeilge: “In 2019, agus an díospóireacht maidir le todhchaí bhunreachtúil na tíre ag bailiú nirt, d’aontaigh Ard Fheis Chonradh na Gaeilge d’aon ghuth chun tús a chur le comhrá náisiúnta maidir le ról na Gaeilge in Éirinn nua, cinneadh a leag dúshraith do chlár iomlán díospóireachtaí, comhráití agus tionól maidir le cearta teanga agus todhchaí stádas na Gaeilge sa chás go mbeadh athrú bunreachtúil ann. Ó shin, tá comhdhálacha agus seimineáir eagraithe ag an Chonradh chun grinnscrúdú a dhéanamh ar ról na teanga in Éirinn nua, ar ról na Gaelscolaíochta, ar cheist na Gaeltachta, ar chúrsaí reachtaíochta agus polasaí, uilig i gcomhthéacs an athruithe bhunreachtúil. In 2023, vótáil craobhacha agus baill Chonradh na Gaeilge d’aon ghuth arís chun taighde a fhorbairt maidir le ról na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta in Éirinn aontaithe agus ár bhfís don tréimhse atá romhainn a leagan amach. Ó shin, choimisiúnaigh muid Ollscoil na Banríona, Béal Feirste, chun an tuarascáil seo a chur le chéile agus bhí lúcháir mhór orainn gurb í Róisín Nic Liam údar an taighde.”
“Leis sin, tá áthas mór orainn an tuarascáil seo a chur os comhair an phobail agus tá súil againn go bhfeidhmeoidh sé mar mór-fhoinse spreagtha in ath-fhrámáil na díospóireachta maidir leis an Ghaeilge agus aontacht na tíre, bunaithe ar chearta agus ar mheas, díospóireacht a chaitheann leis an athrú bunreachtúil mar dheis aon-ghlúine chun fíor-chomhionannas agus athru claochlaitheach a bhaint amach, chun deireadh a chur leis na céadta bliain d’imeallú agus den chos ar bolg ar phobal na Gaeilge ar fud an oileáin seo. Tá súil againn, sa díospóireacht mhór atá romhainn, gur féidir leis an teanga fís níos ionchuimsithí agus níos forasaí d’Éirinn nua a spreagadh.”
Ag caint ag an seoladh inniu, dúirt údar agus príomh-thaighdeoir na tuarascála, Róisín Nic Liam: “Is idirghabháil thráthúil é an tuairisc seo a mholann do phobal na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta fís dhearfach, fhorásach, cheartbhunaithe a leagan amach don teanga in aon socrú polaitiúil nua. Go deimhin, cuirtear na deiseanna claochlaitheacha a bhainfeadh leis an athrú bunreachtúil ar shúilibh na léitheoirí, agus aithnítear Éire aontaithe nua ar deireadh thiar mar a bheadh deis stairiúil ann an caidreamh idir an Ghaeilge, an stát agus muintir na hÉireann trí chéile a athshocrú ó bhonn. Déantar amhlaidh i gcomhthéacs theip an dá dhlínse ó thuaidh agus ó dheas freastal ar phobal na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta ó críochdheighleadh an tír, d’ainneoin dul chun cinn áirithe le blianta beaga anuas.”
“Is minic a cuireadh an Ghaeilge in iúl sna comhráití ar an athrú bunreachtúil go dtí seo ar bhonn an-diúltach, in áit í a phlé mar a bheadh teanga bheo phobail ar fud na hÉireann í, agus ceist cheartbhunaithe dá réir. Fágann sé seo gur phléigh idir lucht léinn agus pholaiteoirí sinseareacha leis an nGaeilge mar rud go bhféadfaí ísliú céime a thabhairt dó amach anseo, nó mar rud gur gá athmhachnamh a dhéanamh air i gcás aontacht na hÉireann. Go deimhin, is minic an Ghaeilge á cur in iúl mar a bheadh cipín idirbheartaíochta nó ábhar siombalach comhghéillte ann sna comhráití céanna.”
“Cuirtear clabhsúr leis an tuairisc trí phobal na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta a lonnú mar a bheadh “ailtirí lárnacha” ann i múnlú Éireann nua, agus moltar ar deireadh thiar gur cheart don phobal úd “an deis stairiúil seo a bhaineann le comhráití na haontachta a thapú lenár bhfís fhorásach féin a leagan amach ó thaobh [thodhchaí] na teanga agus na Gaeltachta.”
Is féidir an tuarascáil a léamh anseo:
LEAGAN GAEILGE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UhyrvfWQba29xZVlaI5t1MwBzjwXi9Q8/view
LEAGAN BÉARLA: https://drive.google.com/file/d/125g9f938PgovjLR4TD8PK9X3qTbXoYOm/view
