NEW light is set to be shone on the Irish language revival in Belfast with the appointment of an Archive Project Officer.
With funding from Archives Revealed, Spórtlann na hÉireann's GaelStair project will organise, publicise and expand its archival collection, which documents the story of the contemporary Irish language revival in Belfast and beyond.
This unique collection, spanning over 100 years, captures how a grassroots community led one of the most remarkable cultural and linguistic revivals in modern European history.
The project will serialise, archive and digitise documents, photographs and artefacts linked to major initiatives such as the establishment of Ireland’s first urban Gaeltacht at Bóthar Seoighe in the 1960s and the growth of Irish-medium education from the 1970s onwards.
Spórtlann an hÉireann Director Seán Mistéil said: “For decades, Gaeilgeoirí have painstakingly gathered documents and artefacts recording how our ancient and sophisticated language was revitalised in the face of near-terminal decline.
“With support from Archives Revealed, we will preserve and protect this history for generations to come, celebrating the historic role of the Irish language in shaping our society for the better.
“The GaelStair project has made great strides in bringing this history to life already, recently hosting the first ever Irish language exhibitions at PRONI and at Ulster Museum respectively. Our archive continues to expand and our understanding of this history will only deepen when we appoint our new Archive Project Officer.
“We would like to thank The National Archives and Archives Revealed for making this invaluable project possible.”
