Oireachtas na Samhna - like the Ploughing but for Gaeilgeoirí

Ever heard of An tOireachtas? Raibh tú riamh ann? An maith leat damhsa ar an tsean-nóis? Góilín? Áine Ní Bhreisleáin will tell you everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask about Oireachtas na Samhna.

Oireachtas, m Gathering for business and pastime, festival.

Na mílte duine, ag comhrá, ag ceol agus ag cliúsaíocht i nGaeilge, istigh in óstán ar feadh 4 lá - caidé an dóigh a gcuirfeá síos ar sin do dhaoine nach dtuigeann Oireachtas na Samhna? Príomhfhéile na nGael agus an ócáid shóisialta is mó san fhéilire, sin atá i gceist!

Thousands of Gaeil, conversing, singing and carousing, in a hotel for four days of ragairne or revelry, entirely as Gaeilge - how can I even begin to explain Oireachtas na Samhna to the unitiated? It's only the biggest festival and social event in the Irish language calendar!

Bríd Ní Mhaoilchiaráin singing the winning song of Corn Uí Riada sean-nós competition in 2022.

Chuaigh mise ag mo chéad Oireachtas ag aois a 10, i nGaoth Dobhair, nuair a ghlac mé páirt san chomórtas amhránaíochta (gan aon ráth!) agus d'fhill mé ar an fhéile arís luath sna fichidí - ó shin lasann sé mo chroí achan bhliain a bheith ag tarraingt ann le cairde buana a fheiceáil agus a bheith ag meascadh le headers ó cheann ceann na tíre.

Seán Ó Loinsigh competing in the Steip sean-nós dancing competition.

After my first Oireachtas foray aged 10 in Gaoth Dobhair, after an unsuccessful appearance in the sean-nós singing, I returned anew to the festival in my early twenties; and my heart is full each autumn since, heading to meet old friends and mix with headers from all over the island.

Ní hamháin gur ardán ar thraidisiúin agus ealaíne na tíre atá san Oireachtas, le béim ar shár amhránaíocht, rince agus ceol, ach tá an chruthaitheach a spreagann léithidí na lúibíní nua-chumtha chomh tógálach, go gcuireann sé fonn agus fuadar faoin tslua bheith rannpháirteach iad féin.

Bíonn comhráití doimhne mall san oíche i mbeár an Gleneagle fá Éire Aontaithe agus ceist na gcanúintí, nó an sin fear Ros na Rún thall ansin ag ceol- achan ábhar faoin spéir, bíonn sé le plé ag an tOireachtas.

The Oireachtas serves not only as a stage for the cream of sean-nós singing, dancing and music, but the eternal appeal to me is the creativity that springs from a competition like the lúibíní - musical comedic verse.

Listen to Pól Ó Ceannabháin sing 'Máire Mhór' at the sean nós competition Corn Uí Riada in 2010

The crowd become so invested in the performances they too become part of the chorus, and many of us leave inspired to enter ourselves next year.

You could become embroiled in an early hours chat at the hotel bar about a United Ireland, dialectal supremacy or passing comment on a star of Ros na Rún’s singing - it is all up for discussion here.

Achan bhliain bíonn muid ag roinnt na sean-scéalta, ag cruinniú thart ar tháblaí áit a bhfuil plúr na ndamhsóirí in airde, ag windeáil le cara agus focla Chasadh an tSúgáin imithe ar strae, ag ól as coirn bainte ag comharsain agus ag déanamh leagan Gaelach den breakdancing le Pólca 4 i gClub na Féile , faoi bhrat allais - ní féile é don te nach maith leo sluaite, tá sin cinnte!

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Listen to Damhnait Ní Fhátharta and Laobhaise Ní Bhéarra perform their lúibín on Iris Aniar.


Gaeilge an teanga ó shiúlann tú isteach san Oireachtas go n-imíonn tú, gan cheist gan leithscéal. Fágaim le ardú croí , pócaí folamh agus cuimhní geala - agus pleananna i gcónaí don chéad spraoi eile i measc na nGael!

Every year we tell the same tales to each other, gather around a table upon which the best dancers strut their steps, wind a friend while trying to remember the words to Casadh an tSúgáin, drink a mixture from trophies won by neighbours, and try out our breakdancing Gaelach to the beat of Pólca 4, while covered in sweat in the festival club.

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Áine Ní Bhreisleáin agus Suzanne Ní Ghallachóir i mbun lúibín sa bhliain 2012.

The Oireachtas, while not being for enochlophobes (those with a fear of crowds), is very welcoming. I leave each year on the Sunday, enriched, broke but full of plans for the next meeting of Gaeil na tíre. If you can’t be there try and catch some of the events and atmosphere on tv, radio or online.

RTÉ Raidio na Gaeltachta and TG4 provide extensive coverage of Oireachtas na Samhna throughout the festival from 30 October to 3 November.