I was wondering over the definition on "Gaeltacht" What do you think is a Gaeltacht?

Is it:
1. The same as the official Gaeltacht?
That would mean counting areas like Uíbh Ráthach and the area east of Dingle in Kerry; Moycullen, Annaghdown and the rest of the area east of Loch Corrib in Galway; Belmullet, Gweesalia and Achill Island in Mayo; The Rosses and Rosgill in Donegal.
Since no Irish is spoken in these areas, I don't see the point in calling them Gaeltachts, but that is of course only my personal opinion.

2. Only the fíor-Ghaeltachtaí?
That would mean the nortwestern coast of Corca Dhuibhne from Dun Chaoin to An Feothanach in Kerry; Ceantar na n-Oileán, Ros Muc agus Cill Chiarráin and Oileáin Árann in Galway; Ceathrú Thaidh in Mayo; Toraigh and Gaoth Dobhair in Donegal.
I guess all of you would agree that these (much to few) villages and islands are Gaeltachts in every sense of the word since Irish is the living language of the place.

3. Na fíor-Ghaeltachtaí and na breac-Ghaeltachtaí?
Apart from the places mentioned under fíor-ghaeltachtaí, this would include Ceann Trá in Kerry; Cúil Aodha and Oileán Chléire in Cork; An Rinn in Waterford; Cois Fharraige in Galway; Tuar Mhic Éadaigh and Eachleim in Mayo; Teileann in Donegal and Ráth Cairn in Meath.
In these areas Irish is spoken about a substantial part of the population, but English is in equal use.

It would be interesting to hear what you think, and if you think that I have done any mistake when "rating" the villages, well, please feel free to attack me. (I would only be delighted to hear that Irish is stronger in any of the villages.)

P.S I would say that Irish is deas as a community language is every village that I haven't mentioned in under headings 2 and 3...

It's a very good summary of the situation in the Gaeltachts.

When you list Teileann, for example, do you mean to include in that neighboring places like Kilcar, Carrick, GCC and Malainn? (Or are the first one or two considered to be part of Teileann?)

As always Jonas your topics are stimulating and many thanks to you. I would think that the third option is what would be considered Gaeltacht. You could include the West B elfast Gaeltacht and Ard Barra the micreagaeltachtin Gleann Maghair(Glanmire).Also Seosamh would you consider Windsor terrace to be a breacgaeltacht:?

I was joking about Windsor Terrace. There are several speakers and learners scattered throught the neighborhood, maybe a handful from Ireland that I don't know about. If it's a breacGhaeltacht, it is very, very breac.

A breacgaeltacht by my reckoning is when it's spoken 50% of the time by the people or 50% of the people speak it all the time.

I'd agree with you Liam. I must say I'm not sure about the position of An Rinn and Cúil Aodha, but I would think they're fairly close to 50%. I know next to nothing about the West Belfast Gaeltacht, so it would be interesting to get some additional info

A Chairde Liom,

Thiocfadh le duine an Ghaeltacht a chúngú an-tanaí ina léamh féin agus roinnt mhaith den Ghaeltacht lag a dhíbirt. Ní bhréagnódh éinne mórán thú, cé nach dtaitneodh an léamh sin ar an nGaeltacht le muintir na breac-Ghaeltachta féin. Bheadh áireamh cinnte againn ansin i ndiaidh na díbirte ar an bhfíor-Ghaeltacht.

Molaim do dhaoine súil a chaitheamh ar leabhar Liam Uí Mhathúna 'Dúchas agus Dóchas'. (Glór na nGael, BÁC 1991) Foilsíodh léarscáil a leag an tUasal Toshi Matsuoka ar lch. 70 an leabhair sin. Bhunaigh Matsuoka-san an léarscáil úd ar líon na gcainteoirí Gaeilge de réir dhaonáireamh na bliana 1971. Bhí na 26 Co. i gceist le léarscáil an tSeapánaigh. Áiríodh Conamara, Corca Dhuibhne, Tír Chonaill, Déise Mumhan agus gach ceantar eile Ghaeltachta de réir cibé barúntachta a raibh siad ann. Níl de dhubh (= os cionn 10,000 duine sa bharúntacht) ar an léarscáil seo ach iardheisceart Thír Chonaill agus a fhad le hAnagaire, Cois Fharraige, Oileáin Árann agus Cathair na dTreabh, Áth Cliath agus tuaisceart Chill Dara, Cathair Luimnigh más cruinn mo léamh, Cathair Chorcaí agus an ceantar máguaird. Is le sciar 5,001 - 10,000 a bhí tuairim is leath de bharúntachtaí eile na 26 Co.

D'fhéadfaí dul i bhfad níos faide le taobh dearfachta an scéil :
Más dubh agus bán a bhíonn na léarscáileanna seo cén fáth go n-áirítear sléibhte, locha agus portaigh sa nGalltacht, nuair nach mbíonn duine ar amharc ná ar éisteacht an chuid is mó den bhliain in áiteanna scéirdiúla mar iad.
Tugaim faoi deara go minic gur 'Gaeilgeoirí', is é sin, cainteoirí leath maith go leor nach mbíonn brath acu ar an mBéarla, a chastar liom sna áiteanna seo amuigh ag spaisteoireacht. Mainistir Lú fágaim. An Ghaeilg a labhraíodh ar ais liom ansin. Ba as Conamara an té a raibh cuma na háite air agus é ag dearcadh ar leacanna uaighe. Ar turas cúpla lá chun na háite as BÁC a bhí sé. Ní bhíonn le déanamh ach 'Conas tá tú' a rá agus is gearr ina dhiaidh sin go gcloisfear an bhfuil blaisín lag nó leath maith go leor ag an duine eile chugat.
Tiománaim trí Mhóin Alúine (Bog of Allen) minic go leor leis an trácht a sheachaint ar an mbealach ó thuaidh. Ní mórán carranna a bhíos ann ag deireadh na seachtaine féin. Is beag an líon tithe cuid mhaith den bhealach sin. Ní bhím ach scread asail soir as Cluain Mhic Nóis, áit a raibh ollscoil Ghaeilge ar feadh 1,007 mbliana. 545 -1552 AD de réir 'Ciste Cúrsaí Reatha' le Jim O Donnell & Seán de Fréine. (BÁC 1992, 232) Idir 3,001 - 5,000 cainteoirí atá go díreach sa gceantar sin le hais na Cluana Ciaráin. Laghad an daonra is bun le laghad na gcainteoirí Gaeilge. Is trí cheantracha 5,001 - 10,000 cainteoirí a bhím lastuaidh de sin arís.

Is cuimhin liom gur cuireadh an cheist seo a leanas suim blianta ó shin ar Feasta, b'fhéidir. Níl a fhios agam arbh é Deasún Breatnach a chuir an cheist :
Arbh fhiú féachaint le léarscáil na hÉireann a fhoilsiú agus lochanna, portaigh, sléibhte, abhainneacha, oileáin tréigthe agus an Ghaeltacht idir bhreac agus fhíor-Ghaeltacht a léiriú go mórtasach uirthi? Is beag an dochar a dhéanfadh sé. Maireann líon maith de mhuintir Chonamara i gCricklewood, i ndeisceart Boston agus in áiteanna nach iad, ach níl sé i gceist a gcumas Gaeilge a áireamh luath nó mall, go bhfios dom. Is réidh againn áireamh an drochscéil, ach tá sinn meáite ar an dea-scéal a choinneáilt uainn féin, is cosúil.

Tá mé a rá nach cás caillte é ná baol air. Is caoithiúil dúinn a bheith seiftiúil agus meabhrach. Cén fáth go nglacaimid leis go mbeidh leagan Gaeilge logainm, an leagan bunaidh, níos lú ná a mhacasamhail Béarla, sin, nó a bheith faoi chló Iodálach ar fhógra bóthair? Cén fáth go nglactar leis go mbeidh fotheideal Béarla le clár físe agus nach mbeadh ar aon chuntar, fotheideal Gaeilge le clár? Ba dheas é, scaití. Ní bheadh ceist ar mhuintir na Breatnaise ná ar mhuintir na Catalónaise in aon chás acu sin, measaim.

An easpa mórtais agus féinmheasa atá orainne mar chainteoirí teangan? An bhfuil sinn ag cuimhneamh i gceart agus ag brath romhainn mar ba cheart? Ghlac sinn leis an gcoimheascar teangan go han-réidh le céad bliain anuas, is féidir a rá. Tá buntáistí ag baint le bheith ciúin fáilí sna cúrsaí seo. Is ciallmhar an méid sin. Ní spreagann sé namhaid inár gcoinne. Is féidir ar an gcaoi sin rudaí a chur i gcrích le himeacht ama. Na muca ciúine a itheas an mhin, deir siad.

Is í an cheist : An bhfuil céad bliain eile le bheith ciúin fáilí againn? Measaim go bhfuil, ach b'fhearr liom a bheith cinnte agus gan a bheith i dtuilleamaí bharúil an duine aonair ar mo nós féin.

Trí ní atá sa meá :
Gaeilg na Gaeltachta,
Gaeilg na Galltachta
agus an Ghaeilg thar lear.

Tá gach ceann acu sin sa mheá agus baineann siad lena chéile.

Cibé cé rachfas i mbun dúnghaois teangan amach anseo, sa nGaeltacht nó taobh amuigh di, caithfidh siad gan faillí a dhéanamh in aon cheann de na trí réim sin thuas.

Irish is spoken in the Rosses .

Is it? I can't say it isn't since I haven't been there (and of course it is GREAT news if it is). The reason for my writing that Irish isn't spoken there was
1. According to the survey of the percentage of daily adult speakers, most of the Rosses returned percentages between 4% and 15%, while Gaoth Dobhair, Gort a' Choirce and some other places to the north returned well over 80%.

2. From what I've heard from friends who have visited the Rosses (and other Gaeltachts) Irish isn't widely spoken.

Then again, I would remember that Rinn na Féirste (Rannafast) is a part of the Rosses, and Irish is definitely spoken there by almost everyone. So yes, Irish is at least spoken in parts of the Rosses. Do you know anything about the rest of the area, Liam?