I'd like to get your opinion on what you think are the 10 strongest Irish speaking areas in Ireland.

If you could be very specific by mentioning villages as opposed to general regions, that would be great!

From personal observation
in Corca Dhuibhne
Dún Chaoin
An Buailtín (Baile an Fheirtéirigh)

in Gaillimh
Inis Oírr
Inis Méain

This would probably not be considered in the category of "strongest Irish-speaking areas" because of its very small population but, in Southwest County Cork, specifically Oilean Claire (Cape Clear Island) we've heard Irish spoken frequently. There's a well-respected language school there as well. (Forgive me not inserted the fada but - in my almost "pre-beginner" status, I can't remember where it goes. I know - poor excuse for laziness).

Daoine fásta ag labhairt na Gaeilge go laethúil sa mbliain 1996:

1. Turlach (Ros Muc), Gaillimh: 91.9% (385/419)

2. Scainimh (Cill Chiaráin), Gaillimh: 90.3% (373/413)

3. Mín an Chladaigh (Cnoc Fola), Dún na nGall: 88.5% (832/949)

4. An Crampán (An Cheathrú Rua), Gaillimh: 87.6% (1258/1436)

5. Garmna (Garmna & Leitir Mealláin), Gaillimh: 87.2% (737/845)

6. Camus, Gaillimh: 87.2% (225/258)

7. Cill Chuáin (Feothanach), Ciarraí: 85.9% (256/298)

8. Gort an Choirce, Dún na nGall: 84.7% (933/1101)

9. Dún Lúiche, Dún na nGall: 82.3% (376/457)

10. Cill Chuimín (Tulach/Ros an Mhíl), Gaillimh: 81.9% (671/819)

Amhanc air seo chomh maith:

http://homepage.tinet.ie/~cuisle1/eagran4/census.htm

http://homepage.tinet.ie/~cuisle1/eagran4/census_english.htm

Go díreach, I was about to post the same list. A Aonghuis, the area north of the "scenic route" in Corca Dhuibhne is stronger than both An Buailtín and Dún Chaoin.

Is cinnte go bhfuil. Ach ní raibh mé ag caint le haoinne ann!

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I wonder how accurate that list is...considering it is from 1996. In fact, I wonder how accurate it ever was since it's based on a census, correct?
What are the chances that some people exaggerated how much they use Irish?

So out of those ten or so areas listed which one one do you guys think would be the best for an outsider like myself to visit so as to learn from and converse with locals?

That's up to you. In all those ten areas (and in at least 10-20 more on the complete list) you will have no problem speaking only Irish and hearing only Irish. Which one you should visit depends on what language you wish to speak, what kind of natural sceneries you like, if you want to be close to a city or fram from one, etc. etc.

if you wish to learn irish i would say that the words in munster irish are easier to differentiate in speech. i personally find connnemara irish the most difficult to understand owing to the accent. paradoxically donegal irish even though it has a strong accent i find ok to understand. as towards the areas where i have heard the most irish i would say ballyferriter in kerry and loch an iuir in donegal. the funny thing about gaeltachts is however when a stranger comes into a shop all irish conversation ceases. if i would give any advice to people learning the language in the gaeltacht it would be this. if you talk to someone dont start the conversation off in gaelic, listen and if the subject turns to irish then ask the person if they have irish. the most boring thing for any person is someone who only wants to talk to them because they have irish. i fell into this hole when i started learning.

what about walking into a shop, and actually conducting business? I'm not talking about nonsense small talk, but "where is this?" "what's the total?" "thanx" etc...?

is fir caide a duirt tu. ach is rud grianmhár fasta nuair a deanfá dhicheall le do chuid gailge isteach sa siopa agus thanaig tuilteanach focal ar ais chugam.

Mo thaithí pearsanta sa Daingean (Gaeilgeoirí laethiúla 64% i 2002) ná go raibh mé in ann gnó a dhéanamh tré ghaeilge i ngach siopa seachas le bean eachtrannach amháin agus le bean a gabh léithscéal toisc nach raibh sí ach ag foghlaim. Níor bhraith mé doicheall romham áit ar bith.

Rud eile: is minic a rachainn a cheannacht peitril do mo charr i nDeisceart pharóiste Ghaoth Dobhair, agus cad é ’n teangaí ina labhróchadh fear an stéisiúin pheitril liom ar tús ach Gaeilg cé nach bhfaca sé mé ariamh roimhe, agus chan dóigh liom go bhfuil cuma Ghaeil orm :) .

I measc na n-áiteach is láidire Gaeilg, ba chóir Gaoth Dobhair a chur ins an áireamh, agus Rann na Feirste, agus Oileán Thoraí. Tá na trí áit sin i gCo. Dhún na nGall agus tá ’n Ghaeilg láidir ann: níl sé de dhíth ort Béarla a bheith agat: tá Gaeilg ag achan duine a chasfaí ort agus tú amuigh, ag na páistí féin. Ach amháin cupla stráinséir nó turasóirí atá ann ó am go chéile. Ar Oileán Thoraí char chuala mé focal Béarla ar bith ariamh ó dhuine ’bith, fiú ó na déagóirí ’s iad a’ labhairt le chéile (is iomaí áit sa Ghaeltacht arbh fhearr leis na déagóirí Béarla a labhairt le chéile siocair go bhfuil sé "cool" - chan ar Thoraigh). Leis an fhírinne a ráidht, tá droch-Bhéarla ag muitir Thoraí... Léigh mé féin in áit ineacht gurb í Toraigh an áit is láidire Gaeilg in Eirinn go léir: cha rabh á labhairt ann ach Gaeilg leis na mílte fada, agus tá go fóill inniu.