Cultural

Cultural

Nearly three quarters of Erris is an official Gaeltacht area. Failte go dti an Gaeltacht - Welcome to the Gaeltacht. In the Gaeltacht, this is the language that you will see and hear. The Gaeltachtai are small rural pockets of Ireland, where the Irish language (Gaeilge) is the first language of those that live there and is widely used on a day-to-day basis.  Gaeilge is the community language in the Gaeltacht and here, Irish culture and traditions are kept very much alive, offering an authentic Irish experience for visitors. Many of the Gaeltachtai are situated along the western seaboard of Ireland's Atlantic Coast, well off the beaten track and set amongst some of the finest, timeless scenery of the Emerald Isle. The language conveys a sense of history and place with a vocabulary of over 4000 words. The Erris Gaeltacht has produced many poets, songwriters, writers and cultural icons over the centuries. Be it haunting Sean nós style singing of famous songs such as Abhainn Mhór or Sail Óg Rua, the poetry of Raifertaí or the writings of Sean O Nuadhain, the cultural and linguistic history of Erris is there to be enjoyed.  


The strongest Gaeltacht areas in the Erris Gaeltacht are in Ceathrú Thaidhg and Eachléim where every summer over 1000 children come to learn the language. The traditional arts are truly alive in the area with a modern Arts Centre producing both traditional and contemporary performances ranging from cinema or a cosy Ceoltas session.