Galway's festival season is kicking off a little earlier this year, with a new four-day celebration of the city’s bilingual status.
Organised by Gaillimh le Gaeilge and the City Council, 'Tonnta’ aims to encourage the use of Irish in everyday life through a series of initiatives and events over the Bank Holiday weekend.
It came about as a direct result of local research which found residents of the city were keen to be able to use whatever Irish they had in a relaxed, informal setting.
"We’re asking people to give the language a go, with all the activities over the weekend designed to make that a bit easier" said the CEO of Gaillimh le Gaeilge, Bríd Ní Chonghóile.
She outlined how the city’s Irish Language Plan had identified a need to broaden the opportunities for conversation as Gaeilge, and expressed a hope that the new event would help drive usage, no matter how frequent or fluent those discussions were.
"It’s important to remember that this is for those who are interested in the language and who want to use it a little more. We’re very happy how things have been going over the weekend," said Ms Ní Chonghóile.
"The best way to get over any ‘fear factor’ is to give it a go. Whatever Irish you have, use it, and then build on that. It’s all about re-awakening the interest in the language and re-connecting with it."
Today’s programme of events was geared towards children, with Lá na bPáistí offering rap masterclasses, magic shows, a kid’s disco and other age-appropriate entertainment.
Oisín Ó Cualáin, who runs the Hup! Rap Workshop, says the key to greater participation is making the language as accessible as possible.
"I think you flick that switch by being open to mistakes and in a creative context, you can manipulate words or learn the meaning of them in a more informal way. If you can even use the words you’ve learned in school in a general setting, I think that helps break down the boundary of self-assessment, that can hold people back."
As well as promoting the language, the event also serves as a springboard into a run of festivals here over the next ten months.
Margaret Jenkins from Fáilte Ireland says that as well as the economic benefits that accrue, initiatives like Tonnta also deliver huge visitor satisfaction.
The agency is working to extend the tourist season in the city and says research has shown those travelling to the region want to experience the language during their time in Galway.
Ms Jenkins said "the Irish language is seen as what’s authentic to Galway as a bilingual city, on the doorstep of the biggest Gaeltacht region in the country".
"So, it’s important that things like this allow people to engage with the language, in an easy and relaxed manner."
