This question is primarily directed to fluent Irish speakers living in Ireland or to those who have visited frequently...but open to anyone. Here it is:

If you had the option of visiting only one village in the Gaeltacht and the purpose of your stay was to speak in Irish with as wide a range of people as possible, which would you choose? In other words, a place where it's least likely that you'll to have to switch to English because the other person/people you're interacting with can't continue due to a lack of fluency. A place where you're most likely to hear young people speaking Irish amongst themselves in everyday life etc...

I've spent time in only one area which is undoubtedly in the Fíor-Ghaeltacht, and two places which have no business being in the Gaeltacht at all these days. Even to a non-Irish speaker like me, the difference was like night and day. In one, Irish was everywhere. In the grocery store, the petrol station, the mechanics shop, the pub and the school yard (kids chatting with their teacher).

In the others...nothing.

Ceathrú Rua

I'll be interested in the answers too! I'm in neither of the categories you mention, so the following is pure opinion and speculation...

The fíor-Ghaeltachtaí generally get "níos fíre" the further back you go, so on that theory I'd go to Connemara, the further west from Galway the better.

I'd probably go out to Ceantar na nOileán myself since I have a friend from Leitir Mealláin and I know Irish is strong there.* Some place on the mainland - Carna or an Ceathrú Rua, say - might be just as good though (or maybe better, since there'd be more shops, and hence more excuses for a visitor to engage in conversation.) I just don't have as much information about the Irish in them, so I'd go for the islands as a sure thing.


*She did tell me if I go there, not to give up the first time people answer in English. She said if you're not from the area, often people will switch to English to talk to you. Keep answering in Irish and most of them will switch back.

An Cheathrú Rua for sure.

I was there two weeks ago and while shopping in the local grovery store ( which had trebled in size since the last time I was there ), all I heard was Irish spoken around me...and from all ages ( including teenagers ).

The only disappointment was An Chistin, which I remember as having great traditional music in the past...It had a "pine" makeover and from what I understand from the locals no longer played a lot of trad music, but CW ( and in English), but maybe that was for the summer...

I was pleased with the amount of Irish in and around An Spideal. However, I fall into neither of the categories you mentioned...I'm FAR from fluent (not even close!), don't live in Ireland and have only visited once!

But, when I did visit my goal was to visit the Gaeltachtai. I went to An Daingean, An Spideal and a smaller place Baile Mhuirne (I think). My favorite, by far was An Spideal.

An Cheathrú Rua, without a doubt. Also, I have very good experience from Inis Oírr (one of the Aran Islands) and from Gaoth Dobhair up in Donegal. Each time I've visited these places I never had a problem speaking to random strangers in Irish (and having them reply back likewise).

At the opposite end of the spectrum, I'm afraid I've only had mixed experieces from Corca Dhuibhne in Kerry. This is believed to be one of the "real" Gaeltachts but maybe nobody's told that to the locals yet!

Caitheann tú
a) fanacht siar ó nDaingean
b) Camchuairt na dTurasoirí a sheachaint

Chuala mise muintir na háite ag labhairt i nGaeilge go minic an Samhraidh seo, agus is i nGaeilge a labhair mé leo; ach is minic dream mór gan Gaeilge a bheith i gCorca Dhuibhne san Samhraidh.

Déirtear go bhfuil Melbourne na hAstráile ar an dara chathair is mó labhairt na Gréigise ar domhain agus Nua Eabharach ar an dara chathair is mó labhairt na hEabhraise ar domhain.

Aon sean go bhfuil an dara sráidbhaile is mó labhairt na Gaeilge sa Bhreatain? i Meiriceá?

Tá a lán Gaeigle i Southie i mBostún.

Bhíodh codanna de Londain sách Gaelach.
Ach d'imigh sin is tháinig seo.

Is é Gaoth Dobhair mo rogha, ar ndóighe.

Cósúil leis Aenghus, nuair a bhí mé ag cúrsa Gaeilge i mBaile An Fheirtéaraigh (Corca Dhuibhne)cúpla mí ó shin, bhíodh na daoine aitiúla ag caint na Gaeilge sa siopaí, phub,ar an tsráid srl. Is fear leo a bheidh ag caint na Gaeilge ansin, dar liomsa.
Tar eis sin, chuaigh mé go dtí Gaoth Dobhair agus Gleann Colum Chille freisin ar feadh cúpla seachtain eile. Tá Gaeilge ag na daoine ann, gan dabht - ach sílim gurb (?) is fear leo Béarla a úsáid.
Dáithí Ó Geanainn

Is breac-Ghaeltacht é Gleann Cholm Cille, go bhfios dom.

Agus bric ana bheaga na bric ann!
Teaghlach nó dhó sa ghleann a labhrann Gaeilge, faraor.

Cha sileam go bhfuil sé fíor maidir le Gaoth Dobhair. Nuair a bhí mé ann is Gaeilg is mó a chuala mé, agus char úrt mise focal Béarla ar bith agus ba i nGaeilg a freagradh i gcónaí mé (ach amháin nuair a bhí mé ’labhairt le duine as ceantar nó as tír eile).

Faoi Gleann Cholm Chille a bhí mise ag labhairt. Níl taithí agam ar Ghaoth Dobhair, ach sílim ón méid atá cloiste agam gur fíor dhuitse, a Lughaidh.

Luadh ceantar i gConamara (Sailearna, sílim) agus ceantar in aice le Gaoth Dobhair mar na ceantracha leis an ceatadán is mó cainteoiri laethiúla ar RnaG tamall beag ó shin.

Téigh i dtreo Bhéal Feirste, ag Líos na gCearrbhach tiúnáil an ráidió go 107.1, tá tú ag éisteacht le RF ansin.

Gabh chuig Fáilte Feirste Thiar is socraigh BB a bhfuil Gaeilge acu, má tá bean Mháirtín Dhomhnaill Fhéidhlimidh go fóill a dhéanamh, beidh an t-ádh ort.

Gabh do díreach chuig an Chultúrlann ansin agus bíodh do chuid dinnéar agat ansin agus mar sin de, b'fhéidir go gceannochaidh tú leabhar duit féin. Gabh chuig ócáid éigin thuas staighre.

Ansin is féidir leat dul síos an bhóthair agus roinnt ama a chaitheamh i gCumann Chluain Ard. Is féidir an oíche a chríochniú thíos i dtoigh Mhadáin ag seisiúin ceoil.

Cha bhíonn Béarla de dhíth ort.

Bhíos amach timpeall Ghaeltacht na gaillimhe ansin ar feadh tréimhse. Bialann síneach (nach bhfaigheann deontas) gan ghaeilge ann ar an gCeathrú Rua. Déarfainn go bhfuil meath fós ag teacht ar an dteanga ansin.

Ba bhreá liom aistriú go hInis Meáin.

Have to put in the flag from the Glen Finn valley (Gleann Fhinne)!

Bhí m'iníon i gCeathrú Rua i gColáiste Chíaráin an samhradh seo chaite. Dúirt sí go raibh na grafitti san leithreas sa scoil as Gaeilge. Comhartha cinnte gur fíor-Ghealtacht atá ann, nach ea?

Cé go bhuil formhór turasóirí imithe as áit ag an am seo, cloister an Gaoluinn gan stró i mBaile an Fheirtearaigh, i nDún Chaoin agus fiú go hocáideach sa Daingean!;)

Tá sé suimiúil nach mbíonn córas iompair poiblí ag feidhmiú mar is cóir i gConamara, sé sin, is beag an leas a bhainfeá as busanna a bhíonns ag rith ó Chathair na Gaillimhe suas leis an gcósta thiar. Mara ndéanfaidh mé dearmad, ní bhíonn ann ach coupla bus sa ló chomh fada le Ceantar na nOiléan, agus is dóigh nach bhfuil oiread is ceann amháin isteach i Ros Muc. Sin é is cúis go raibh Conamara siúlta ó cheard go ceard againn an geimhreadh seo caite. Ach sé an taobh eile den scéal gur dóigh gub é an ceantar is gloine "pristine", mar déarfá, gan scataí móra turasóirí ag rith ina réabadh dhearg suas ‘s síos an ceantar.

Indreabhán, mar go labhraíonn formhór na ndaoine óga gaeilge.