one important fact i would like to point out about the irish speaking populace is this: how would you be able to identify an irish speaker on meeting them for the first time?

Mar a d'aithneofá Béarlóir, 'deile!

1) Labhair leis.
2) Éist leis.

LOL

Did you mean, identify a native Irish speaker?

Ní féidir cainteoir Gaeilge ar bith a aithint gan forrán i nGaeilge a chuir orthu.

Sin ceann des na deacrachtaí.

Níl aghaidh speisealta ag na daoiní a labhras Gaeilge (agus má fhoghlaimeann tú Gaeilg, ní athrann d'aghaidh) :-)

Sin é!

Ba chun dul i ngleic leis sin atá an Fáinne ann, ach d'athraigh nósanna éide, ach ní fheileann an Fáinne níos mó.

Bhíodh fáinne á chaitheamh agam sna déaga, agus casóg míleata orm (agus kefiyah!). Ach anois ní chaithim casóg a bhfeadfá Fáinne a chuir ann ach go hannamh.

ins na siopaí agus ar an mbus, deirim "grma" agus "slan" de gnáth.
Anois is arís, tosaíonn caint.

Is ó Pólainn atá an Búistéir - ta cúpla focail aige anois. ... "gmra" agus "fáilte"

eadaoin

There is a young Irish speaking Polish girl working in the citylink booking office located in the tourist office in Gaillimh. She will always speak to anyone in Irish, usually to the utter embarrasment of the Irish born staff, which I love.
As I always speak i nGaedhilge to all and sundry, whether they like it or not, I can always out the speakers from the non-speakers in double quick time. I have never had a bad reaction from anyone, native or foreign (I presume they want my money) although it must be said that I don't look like your average wimp either, but the foreigners will usually have some words of Irish, which they are more ready to use than the native born.
I was in the supervalue supermarket in Bearna today, and the lady at the checkout (who speaks with an English accent) managed to say 'slan' as I was leaving.
This leads me to another question. If one were to stand at the traffic lights at Bearna and count every car which passed by on the way to Gaillimh, I wonder what the total would be ? Now if all of these people are Irish speakers, why do you not hear them in the city ? Hmm, I have made up my mind on that one !

I think the OP means, eg by the wearing of the Fáinne d'Ór. I think the Fáinne d'Ór idea has slipped, but in some bilingual countries shop assistants wear little flag badges on their lapels to indicate which languages they speak.