The Gaeltacht Quarter ( ga, An Cheathrú Ghaeltachta ) in

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

is an area surrounding the Falls Road in the west of the city. A

Gaeltacht ( , , ) are the districts of Ireland, individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home. The ''Gaeltacht'' districts were first officially reco ...

is an area where the

Irish language Irish ( Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was ...

is spoken. The Quarter aims to promote Irish language and

Irish culture The culture of Ireland includes language, literature, music, art, folklore, cuisine, and sport associated with Ireland and the Irish people. For most of its recorded history, Irish culture has been primarily Gaelic (see Gaelic Ireland). It has ...

in the area and to develop associated tourist attractions. Throughout the Quarter many Irish-medium institutions are located: Gaelscoil an Lonnáin, Gaelscoil na bhFál, Bunscoil an tSléibhe Dhuibh and

Coláiste Feirste Coláiste Feirste is the only secondary-level Irish-medium school in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Previously known as ''Méanscoil Feirste'', the (Irish language school) is located in the west of the city in a new facility on Belfast's Falls R ...

. A third-level institution in the area is Coláiste Ollscoile Naomh Muire. Proposals for a Gaeltacht Quarter began in 2002 as a recommendation of the Joint West Belfast/Greater Shankill Task Force. The plan was then adopted by the

Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL), translated in Irish as and in Ulster-Scots as , was a devolved government department in the Northern Ireland Executive. The minister with overall responsibility for the department was the Mi ...

and

Belfast City Council Belfast City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach Bhéal Feirste) is the local authority with responsibility for part of the city of Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The Council serves an estimated population of (), the ...

. Key sites and events in the Gaeltacht quarter include

Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich (An Chultúrlann) is an Irish language cultural centre in The Gaeltacht Quarter and is located on the Falls Road, Belfast. Opened in 1991, the centre underwent renovation in 2010 and was opened the following year by ...

An Ceathrú Póilí An Ceathrú Póilí ( en, The Fourth Policeman; founded 1983) is an independent bookstore based in Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich on the Falls Road in Belfast's Gaeltacht Quarter. The shop primarily sells Irish language books and Irish traditio ...

, Conway Mill and

Féile an Phobail Féile an Phobail (''The Community's Festival''), also known as the West Belfast Festival is a community arts organisation known for its ''August Féile'' (Festival). The organisation is prominent for its promotion of Irish and international cul ...

. Most businesses in the Gaeltacht Quarter have Irish language or bilingual signage. There is also an Irish language radio station

Raidió Fáilte Raidió Fáilte (; meaning "Welcome Radio") is an Irish-language community radio station, broadcasting from Belfast, in Northern Ireland. It started broadcasting under its current licence on 15 September 2006 having operated as a pirate radio ...

References

External links

Quarters of Belfast {{Belfast-geo-stub

See also

References

External links