A NEW association is hoping to create an all-Irish speaking housing project in West Belfast.
Known as Lios Loch Lao, it is made up of Irish speakers from a range of backgrounds who will work with Forbairt Feirste to make all the necessary arrangements to realise the construction of an all-Irish speaking housing project.
The small Shaws Road Gaeltacht, which was built in the early 1970s, has been credited as being the seed that led to the blossoming of Belfast’s Irish language revival.
Jake Mac Siacais, from Forbairt Feirste explained: "We are trying to establish the easiest way forward in building a dedicated housing project for Irish language speakers in the Gaeltacht Quarter.
The Gaeltacht Quarter is Belfast at its most unique & innovative. Deriving its name from the Gaelic 'Béal Feirste', the city dates back to an ancient sand ford at River Lagan. Discover the Irish language at its most vibrant in west Belfast.@VisitBelfast @Culturlann @Ffeirste pic.twitter.com/1HJnFt9rrx
— Fáilte Feirste Thiar (@FailteFeirste) November 20, 2021
"We have a committee of 12 people who represent a wide spectrum of the Irish language community.
"We need to secure a site. It would be a mixture of family homes and apartments with all amenities.
"Everyone knows the housing waiting list crisis. It is also the same for young Irish speakers.
"Our goal is to create a unique Irish speaking community in the Gaelteacht Quarter. It will be all about promoting the use of the Irish language and culture in every aspect of the community’s life.
"My hope is that we could start building this within two years."
