Oireachtas na Gaeilge dates back to 1897, when the Gaelic League (or as it now called, Conradh na Gaeilge) set up the event to organise a wide range of events to celebrate the Irish language and culture.
While it may have started with humble beginnings with only 1,000 people attending, this half-day event of mostly literary awards was popular, but maybe lacked a portrayal of the ordinary Gael or Gaeltacht people.
Today, Oireachtas na Gaeilge can have up to 15,000 people attending.
As the Irish language has evolved, so has the Oireachtas. They have so many competitions and events, such as Irish language book launches, heated debates and even rapping as Gaeilge. And in 2025, the sean nós dancing and amhránaíochta still holds a huge audience.
Ocáid speisialta domsa go pearsanta, chaith mé m'óige ag lorg cead ó mo mham le dul ann. Sa bhliain 1980, scaoil sí liom agus cheap mé go raibh mé ag an gcóisir is fearr riamh.
Bhí an tOireachtas sin air siúl i mBaile Átha Cliath. Chonaic mé damhsa ar an sean nós ó cheantair Ghaeltachta eile, chuala mé canúintí éagsúla le mo chanúint fhéin agus mhothaigh mé gur bhain mé le mo threabh féin.
As sin amach go dtí an lá seo, déanaim gach iarracht le bheith ann.
Bogann an tOireachtas gach cúpla bliain ó chontae amháin go contae eile. Le meadú mór tagtha air, is cinnte nach bhfuil morán ionaid atá in ann na sluaite a bhí i mBéal Feirste i mbliana a óstáil. Beidh na sluaite móra sin ag druidim ar an INEC i gCill Áirne an bhliain seo chugainn arís.
Is cinnte go chuir an ocáid seo leis an nGaeilge, agus an fhorbairt atá ag tarlú i dTuaisceart na hÉireann. Is maith an rud é!
All through my childhood and my adult years, this annual event has been the destination for Gaeltacht communities, from Dún na nGall to Ciarraí, from Conamara to Co na Mí, agus as Co Corcaigh go Phort Láirge.
Craolfar mír speisialta ó Oireachtas na Gaeilge i mBéal Feirste ar Nationwide ag a 7 a chlog ar RTÉ 1 anocht.
