Members of Gaeltacht community groups and Irish language campaigners have issued a stark warning. They say the lack of housing, and oversupply of short-term holiday lets in Gaeltacht areas, is displacing native Irish speakers from their home counties.

As a result, many fluent Irish speakers, who seek to bring up their families fully immersed in the Irish language and return home to their native town lands or villages, are unable to find a place to live.

Census data in recent years continues to how the language is in decline – the number of daily Irish speakers dropped from 36% to 33% between 2016 and 2022.

And now, the housing crisis in the Gaeltacht is creating a linguistic and cultural crisis.

Campaigners have repeatedly warned that without a national language, Ireland will lose a unique part of its heritage. As the familiar Irish proverb warns – Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam.

Dr Lorcan Sirr, senior lecturer in housing at the Technological University Dublin, discusses how Airbnb landlords and holiday homeowners are squeezing native speakers out of Gaeltacht areas.

And physiotherapist and Gaeltacht housing campaigner Adhna Ní Bhraonáin describes the real-life implications for native Irish speakers who cannot find a place to life.

Presented by Sorcha Pollak. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. 

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