IN THE noisy world of today’s social media, the Irish language is finding itself a powerful new voice in an unexpected digital revival. Lifted from the confines of classrooms and small communities, Gaeilge now echoes across our phones.
This is thanks to a new generation of digital storytellers embracing their native tongue through education, music, and humour. So, what’s the craic? What are these Irish creators doing, who’s watching them and why does it matter? This movement is reimagining how Irish is heard and who’s tuning in. Bilingual creators are incorporating everyday conversation, slang, poetry, and sean-nós music into short TikTok videos, Instagram reels, and podcasts. This content is playful, modern, and unmistakably Irish. Its result? Younger audiences are listening. With humour, music, and casual speech as entry-points, this once endangered language is suddenly cool again. Tiktok’s own newsroom highlighted the rise of the vibrant “#GaelTok” community, with over 39k posts using #Gaeilge earlier this year.
By consequence, Irish is resurfacing beyond influencers, increasingly appearing in pub chatter, daily idioms, and even Instagram captions from non-fluent speakers. The Irish government’s official website notes that Irish now regularly trades places with Spanish as the most learned language on Duolingo in Ireland, proving that the revival isn’t just passively online, but interactive.
But it’s not all polished media. Some of the most powerful voices come from captured everyday moments - with teachers, families, and kids sharing nursery rhymes, Irish name lists, and lost phrases online. It was @rionasally’s instagram videos displaying interactive children’s songs in Irish that inspired this piece. Her simple, enchanting Gaeilge sound attracted a non-irish speaker to follow her page, thereby capturing the essence of this digital revival: connection.
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Whether you’re fluent or just flirting with your first cúpla focal, here are some popular creators right now;
Ireland’s biggest bilingual podcast, ‘How To Gael’, uses conversational Irish to explore daily topics from pop culture to politics, aiming to “bring more Irish into life, no matter your level.”
Influencers such as Instagram’s @Gaelige_bheo have seen a rise in attention due to their weekly series of “cancelling english words to replace them with Gaeilge” in hopes of reintroducing the language in an approachable way, however brief.
Tiktok creators such as Kate Brady (@heyitskate98) have grown a following by displaying fashion videos and OOTDs (outfit of the day) in Irish, demonstrating the popularity of the fashion and wellness Gaeilge community.
So, why does this matter?
The surge in Irish-language content is about pride, visibility, and access. By reaching new audiences at home and abroad, Irish is no longer contained in textbooks or Gaeltacht regions. Through the catalyst of social media, Irish is being reclaimed, reimagined, and powerfully reinserted into conversation. From pop-up Gaeltacht events in cities like New York to viral clips explaining witty Irish phrases, the language does not only survive, it thrives.
Irish is a deeply literal and poetic language, full of colourful proverbs and turns of phrase. The digital generations are pushing away from Gaeilge being a forgotten childhood chore towards it being a fun and expressive form of Irish identity - something to listen to, post about, and be proud of. The best part? This is only the beginning. Bígí ag faire - Watch this space.
See More: Gaeltacht, Irish Language, Social Media, TitTok
