Join the #100DaysofGaeilge Challenge in 2025!

Cad é an Scéal? What’s the Story?

There’s no sign-up or membership required. The 100 Days of Gaeilge challenge is simply individual learners of Irish using the hashtag to share their language journey, and to follow that of other learners online. It can be as little or as much time daily as you can give it – but try to make a commitment. You can encourage learners by sharing your own experiences, and keep track of other learners by using the hashtag (#100DaysofGaeilge) on social media platforms such as BlueSky, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Facebook, X etc. 

100 days: 1 January – 10 April 2025

You could start your 100 Days of Gaeilge challenge at any time of the year, but many people choose the start of the year when they want to establish good habits to take them towards their personal goals for 2025. If you want to go from the start of the year you certainly won’t be alone. You could start with as little as 15 minutes a day made up of conversation, study, media, social media reading etc.  

Irish Language Media

There’s so much to engage with! Most people will be familiar with the Irish-language TV station TG4 for news, weather, documentaries and entertainment. Irish language radio can be useful for improving listening comprehension. There’s plenty of choice with RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, Raidió na Life, Raidió Rí-Rá and Raidió Fáilte for that lovely canúint Uladh (Ulster dialect). If you like to read your news online there’s Tuairisc.ie and you’ll be able to keep tabs on contemporary culture with Nos.ie. Many artists and writers are using the Irish medium if you want to find a book or music as Gaeilge. You’ve got your hip hop covered with Kneecap, and following their award winning movie, Kneecap (2024), a growing list of critically acclaimed movies in Irish including An Taibhse (2024), An Cailín Ciúin (2022), Róise agus Frank (2022), Black ’47 (2018) and others.

There are very many Irish accounts to follow on social media. You’ll find podcasts; videos on Youtube and Tiktok, micro-bloggers on Twitter/X, BlueSky, Threads, Facebook and Mastodon etc. There’s music, chat, videos and captioned photos on Instagram.

Forming a Language Habit

How long does it take to form a habit? One study suggested it can take anything from 18 days to several months to form a habit, but typically it can be around 2 months (66 days). If we can manage to use some Irish for 100 consecutive days, we will be en route to creating a positive habit of daily Irish use for 2025. Like all challenges, there will be days when we don’t feel like it. Even if we do 5 minutes of revision, listen to the news on Raidió na Gaeltachta or catch the weather on TG4, that’s still better than doing nothing. Continuity and momentum are important. While everyone is different, some people find that engaging with Irish at the same time every day is easiest. I have previously noticed improvements in my Irish within 10 days of starting a concentrated effort.

Many people start out by using language apps. At a certain point you may want to start interacting more with others or to develop speaking and listening skills. Classes can tick these boxes and there are a whole range of courses available online and in-person. There are literally people from all over the world learning Irish on apps and on online classes. For those in Ireland, Oideas Gael offer courses in Donegal, while there are often events and courses available in the Ráth Chairn Gaeltacht, just a short drive from Dublin. If you get really proficient, we might even see you at Oireachtas na Samhna in November!

You will find lots of support online from other learners and speakers of Irish! I have to acknowledge the role of the community in my gradual path to learning Irish. If you’re on your own language journey, please do share the experience online ‘as Gaeilge nó Béarla’. You’ll encourage the rest of us, and you’ll be playing your part for the Irish language! Scaip an scéál! Spread the word!

Tá obair againn le déanamh. Ar aghaidh linn arís le chéile!

Alt le Derek Hollingsworth, Nollaig 2024 – I ndilchuimhne na nGael a bhásaigh i 2024 Irishlanguagematters.com