Looking ahead to Seachtain na Gaeilge Átha Cliath Theas 2026

Every year, communities across the country gather to celebrate the Irish language during Seachtain na Gaeilge – whether they’re fluent speakers, learners, or just have a few treasured phrases. With a big focus on exploring and enjoying our native tongue, the festival reminds us that Irish is for everyone – with local authorities, clubs, schools, libraries and community organisations all playing an important role in bringing our beautiful language to their local area from March 1–17, through a calendar events for people of all ages and interests.

2026 is already shaping up to be another special year for the festival, with inspiring events taking place in every corner of Ireland – including South Dublin, with Seachtain na Gaeilge Átha Cliath Theas (SnaGÁCT).

Presented by South Dublin County Council (SDCC) and SDCC Libraries, together with Áras Chrónáin – a vibrant hub of Irish language and culture in the heart of old Clondalkin village – SnaGÁCT will feature special workshops, classes, talks, music, coffee mornings and more.

Over the course of the festival, the area’s libraries are set to be at the heart of the action. The bright, modern North Clondalkin Library will be hosting Áine Gallagher’s pop-up project, Cup of Focals at 11.30am on March 5 – in which she offers her unique cup, filled with Irish words, to people in the community, to inspire them to use the language in their everyday life. Later that weekend, on March 7, ‘Mo Chréatúr Gaelach’ will take over the space with an Irish folklore-inspired event for all ages – where participants get to invent and build an original mythical creature.

You’ll also be able to catch broadcaster Sinéad Ní Uallacháin at Ballyroan Library on March 9, for ‘A stíl féin’ – a fascinating discussion about her life and work, with SDCC’s Irish Officer, Muireann Ní Cheannabháin. Tickets for the event are available via Eventbrite.

March 11 will be another busy day for SDCC Libraries – with ‘Finnscéalta agus Béaloideas Gaelach’, a bilingual storytelling event from Róisín Murphy at Lucan Library, and ‘Focail Nár Chóir a Chailliúint’, a typography and print-based workshop focused on preserving beautiful Irish words and phrases at Clondalkin Library, the oldest library in SDCC’s library network.

Tallaght Library, meanwhile, will be the starting point for a special Walking Tour of Tallaght Village as Gaeilge on March 14, with Tomás Maher – a long-time resident of the area, who has always had a deep interest in the Irish language.

SnaGÁCT also stretches even further out in the community – from tea and coffee at Tallaght’s Irish language cafe, Aon Sceal, to intensive Irish classes in Áras Chrónáin. All of the events provide opportunities to interact with Irish in unique ways – to encourage all of  us to take the leap, and start introducing the language into our day-to-day conversations, even if that means starting out with simple phrases, like ‘Go raibh maith agat’ and ‘Slán’.

“There are so many wonderful events being organised throughout South Dublin County this year,” commented this year’s Patrún SnaGÁCT, Bernard Dunne – the former world champion boxer and proud Irish speaker.

“I would like to thank everyone who helped in putting together the calendar. It is a great opportunity for us all to use more spoken Irish.”

Ahead of SnaGÁCT, Pamela Kearns, the Mayor of South Dublin, also encouraged young people “to have fun learning new words as Gaeilge, that you can practise at home with your families and friends.”

With artists like Fontaines D.C., KNEECAP, CMAT and Hozier continuing to proudly fly the flag for the language on the world stage, there’s never been a better time to re-connect – or connect for the very first time – with Irish. You never know – you might even surprise yourself with your cúpla focal…

• For more information about Seachtain na Gaeilge Átha Cliath Theas, see sdcc.ie and snag.ie

Ambassadors for Seachtain na Gaeilge 2026:

Fontaines D.C.’s Conor Curley:
“I learned Irish in school and, similar to a lot of people, I fell away from the language for a while. But I am making my way back to it now, which is the main thing; that it’s never too late to open that door again”.

IMLÉ’s Róisín Seoighe:
“Irish isn’t static for me; it’s a language that grows with you. It’s rooted in tradition, but it finds its own voice in music and in modern life.”

Gach bliain, tagann pobail ar fud na tíre le chéile chun an Ghaeilge a cheiliúradh le linn Sheachtain na Gaeilge – cibé acu cainteoirí líofa, foghlaimeoirí, nó daoine a bhfuil cúpla frása luachmhar acu. Le béim mhór ar ár dteanga dhúchais a fhiosrú agus taitneamh a bhaint aisti, cuireann an fhéile i gcuimhne dúinn go bhfuil an Ghaeilge do chách – agus go bhfuil ról tábhachtach ag údaráis áitiúla, clubanna, scoileanna, leabharlanna agus eagraíochtaí pobail í a thabhairt chun cinn ina gceantair féin ón 1–17 Márta, trí chlár imeachtaí do dhaoine de gach aois agus suime.

Tá 2026 ag múnlú cheana féin mar bhliain speisialta eile don fhéile, le himeachtaí spreagúla ar siúl i ngach cearn d’Éirinn – Átha Cliath Theas san áireamh, le Seachtain na Gaeilge Átha Cliath Theas (SnaGÁCT).

Á chur i láthair ag Comhairle Contae Átha Cliath Theas (CCÁCT) agus Leabharlanna CCÁCT, i gcomhar le hÁras Chrónáin – mol bríomhar don Ghaeilge agus don chultúr i gcroílár sheanbhaile Chluain Dolcáin – beidh ceardlanna speisialta, ranganna, cainteanna, ceol, maidineacha caife agus tuilleadh i gceist le SnaGÁCT.

Le linn na féile, beidh leabharlanna an cheantair i gcroílár an aonaigh. Beidh Leabharlann Thuaidh Chluain Dolcáin, atá geal agus nua-aimseartha, ina hóstach ar thionscadal sealadach Áine Gallagher, Cup of Focals, ag 11.30rn ar an 5 Márta – áit a roinneann sí a cupán uathúil, líonta le focail Ghaeilge, leis an bpobal chun iad a spreagadh an teanga a úsáid ina saol laethúil. Níos déanaí an deireadh seachtaine sin, ar an 7 Márta, glacfaidh ‘Mo Chréatúr Gaelach’ seilbh ar an spás le himeacht spreagtha ag béaloideas na hÉireann do gach aois – áit a mbeidh deis ag rannpháirtithe créatúr miotasach úr a chumadh agus a chruthú.

Beidh deis agat freisin an craoltóir Sinéad Ní Uallacháin a fheiceáil i Leabharlann Bhaile Ruáin ar an 9ú Márta, do ‘A stíl féin’ – plé spéisiúil faoina saol agus a saothar, in éineacht le hOifigeach Gaeilge SDCC, Muireann Ní Cheannabháin. Beidh ticéid don imeacht ar díol ó 10rn ar an 23 Feabhra ar Eventbrite.

Beidh an 11ú Márta gnóthach arís do Leabharlanna SDCC – le ‘Finnscéalta agus Béaloideas Gaelach’, imeacht scéalaíochta dátheangach le Róisín Murphy i Leabharlann Leamhcáin, agus ‘Focail Nár Chóir a Chailliúint’, ceardlann clóghrafaíochta agus priontála a dhíríonn ar fhocail agus frásaí áille Gaeilge a chaomhnú i Leabharlann Chluain Dolcáin, an leabharlann is sine i líonra leabharlanna CCÁCT.

Idir an dá linn, beidh Leabharlann Thamhlachta mar phointe tosaigh do Thuras Siúil speisialta ar Shráidbhaile Thamhlachta as Gaeilge ar an 14ú Márta, le Tomás Maher – cónaitheoir fadtréimhseach sa cheantar a bhfuil suim mhór aige sa Ghaeilge i gcónaí.

Síneann SnaGÁCT níos faide amach sa phobal freisin – ó thae agus caife i gcaifé Gaeilge Thamhlachta, Aon Sceal, go ranganna dian-Ghaeilge in Áras Chrónáin. Tugann gach imeacht deis don phobal idirghníomhú leis an nGaeilge ar bhealaí uathúla – chun sinn ar fad a spreagadh chun an chéim mhór a ghlacadh agus an teanga a thabhairt isteach inár gcomhráite laethúla, fiú más le frásaí simplí mar ‘Go raibh maith agat’ agus ‘Slán’ a thosaíonn sé.

“Tá an oiread sin imeachtaí iontacha á n-eagrú ar fud Chontae Átha Cliath Theas i mbliana,” a dúirt Patrún SnaGÁCT na bliana seo, Bernard Dunne – iar-churadh domhanda dornálaíochta agus cainteoir bródúil Gaeilge.

“Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil le gach duine a chuidigh leis an gclár a chur le chéile. Is deis iontach é dúinn ar fad níos mó Gaeilge labhartha a úsáid.”

Roimh SnaGÁCT, spreag Méara Átha Cliath Theas, Pamela Kearns, daoine óga freisin “spraoi a bheith acu agus focail nua as Gaeilge a fhoghlaim, ar féidir leo cleachtadh a dhéanamh orthu sa bhaile lena dteaghlaigh agus lena gcairde.”

Le ceoltóirí ar nós Fontaines D.C., KNEECAP, CMAT agus Hozier ag leanúint orthu ag ardú bratach na Gaeilge ar stáitse an domhain, ní raibh am níos fearr riamh ann chun athcheangal – nó ceangal den chéad uair – a dhéanamh leis an nGaeilge. Cé a fhios – b’fhéidir go gcuirfidh tú iontas ort féin le do chúpla focal…

• Chun tuilleadh eolais a fháil faoi Sheachtain na Gaeilge Átha Cliath Theas, féach ar sdcc.ie agus snag.ie.

Ambasadóirí Sheachtain na Gaeilge 2026

Fontaines D.C.’s Conor Curley:
“D’fhoghlaim mé Gaeilge ar scoil agus, cosúil le go leor daoine, chaill mé greim uirthi ar feadh tamaill. Tá mé ag filleadh uirthi anois, agus sin é an rud is tábhachtaí; go mbíonn an doras oscailte i gcónaí.”

IMLÉ’s Róisín Seoighe:
“Ní rud seasta í an Ghaeilge domsa, is teanga í a fhásann leat. Tá sí fréamhaithe sa traidisiún, ach faigheann sí a guth féin sa gceol agus sa saol comhaimseartha."