Sorcha de Brún is Associate Professor of Irish at the University of Limerick and author of a number of articles on Irish language literature and culture, most recently her book An Chruinne Fhireann: Micheál Ó Conghaile, Joe Steve Ó Neachtain, Pádraig Ó Cíobháin, agus Fireannachtaí na Gaeilge (Arlen House, 2025).
The significance of Census 1926 for the Irish language is that it was the first time where people had the option to return census forms in Irish. Despite that, only 1% of the population returned the forms as Gaeilge. Fíor-Ghaeltacht, (“Irish-speaking Districts”) was used to denote districts where 80% or more of the population could speak Irish. The term Breac-Ghaeltacht (“Partly-Irish speaking Districts”) was used when between 25-79% of the people could speak Irish. The census form included questions regarding speaking only Irish; speaking Irish and English as a native speaker; speaking English and Irish as a non-native speaker; and the ability to read Irish “without speaking it”.
Yes, if the returns are examined in terms of the country overall, the 1926 census shows an increase in the number of Irish speakers. The overall number of Irish speakers increased by 17.6% in 1911 to 18.3% in 1926, the first increase since 1881. However, if examined more longitudinally, between 1881 and 1926 the number of Irish speakers had declined by 41%. In addition, when we dig into the data a more nuanced and changing picture of Irish in Gaeltacht districts emerges.
Yes. An important aspect to Census 1926 is how the data allows comparison between counties, Gaeltacht classifications, districts, provinces, age groups, and occupations. For example, if we use counties as a unit of comparison, the returns show that an increase in Irish speakers had occurred in the eastern part of the country, particularly in counties Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare. In contrast, the greatest declines were in Galway, Cork, Mayo and Kerry. Furthermore, when one compares the Gaeltacht to the rest of Saorstát Éireann, the number of Irish speakers in the Gaeltacht had declined by 21% compared to 1911. In contrast, the number of Irish speakers in the rest of the Saorstát had increased by 24%. In summary, less than half of Irish speakers were in the Gaeltacht in 1926 at 45%, compared with 57% 15 years earlier in 1911. In Breac-Ghaeltacht districts, the loss of Irish was significant: only 38% of the population could speak Irish as compared with 48% in 1911. Losses are greatest in Clare, Cork, Mayo, and Waterford, which had more Breac-Ghaeltachtaí. Galway recorded the highest level of individuals as Irish speakers at 47.4%. Counties Mayo (37%), Donegal (34.4%), Kerry (33%), Clare (30.3%), Waterford (30.1%), and Cork (21.1%) also show high proportions of individuals recorded as Irish speakers.
The age distribution of Irish speakers is central to an analysis of the 1926 data returns. Ages are categorised in the 1926 Census as 0-4, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19, 20-44, 45-64 and 64 years and over respectively. The 1926 returns show a high proportion of children of school-going age who could speak Irish. Indeed, one-third of Irish speakers comprised children aged less than 15 years. In all provinces, the proportion of Irish speakers is greatest at age group 10-14 years. Overall, 20% or one fifth of children between aged 5-9 years and 10-14 years can speak Irish. However, the number of Irish speakers shows a decrease in the cohort 15-19 years. Some 23% of those who could speak Irish aged 12 in 1911 have lost the language 15 years later by the time of the 1926 census. The greatest percentage loss was in Munster at 30%, and the smallest percentage loss was in the Ulster counties at 12%.
There are greater declines in older age categories. When one compares the 1911 and the 1926 censuses, Irish speakers less than 20 years old have increased by 103,680. However, adult Irish speakers 20 and over have decreased by 113, 886 since 1911. There is a stark decline of 40% of Irish speakers aged 60 years and over in 1926. For example, in the 1911 census, 27% of those aged 60 were returned as Irish speakers. This had fallen to 17% in 1926.
A decline of Irish speakers amongst younger non-school going cohorts is evident in Census 1926. It shows that 17% of children aged 3-9 from the Breac-Ghaeltacht could speak Irish. This compared with 31% of their parents. In the Fíor-Ghaeltacht, 57% of children aged 3-9 could speak Irish, compared with 82% of their parents.
Yes. It shows that 43.5% of Irish speakers as a percentage of the total belonged to the professional classes. Also, those who returned as “out of work” was far lower in Gaeltacht areas than in the country as a whole.
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