Gaeltacht Bhaile na hÉireann, or the Permanent North American Gaeltacht (Irish: Gaeltacht Bhuan Mheiriceá Thuaidh, Gaeltacht Thuaisceart an Oileáin Úir) is a designated Irish-speaking area in the community of Tamworth, Ontario, along the Salmon River within the township of Stone Mills in Lennox and Addington County.

Signpost at the entrance to Baile na hÉireann

The neighbouring community of Erinsville was settled by the Irish and its first five mayors were Irish.^[2] It is from this area that the Gaeltacht receives its official name of "Gaeltacht Bhaile na hÉireann" or "Erinsville/Town of Ireland Gaeltacht".

This area is notable mainly in that it is the only officially sanctioned gaeltacht (or 'designated Irish-speaking area') to exist outside of Ireland.^{[1] [3]} It is also the only gaeltacht in the world without any population^{[citation needed]}, thus not a gaeltacht in the Irish sense of the word, an area where Irish remains the daily language. Official support for this gaeltacht was shown during the opening ceremony, which was attended by the Irish ambassador to Canada, Declan Kelly, as well as Helen Gannon of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.^[4] An official statement regarding this site was also released by the Irish Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív. In this, dated 29 May 2007, he states: "I would like to congratulate the Canadian people for establishing a Gaeltacht in Canada, the first outside of Ireland. I wish every success to your work and I hope that it will grow and develop."^[1] Also received from Mr. Ó Cuív was the approval of €20,000 (C$28,835) for the Gaeltacht, for teacher training.^[5]

As of 2007, the site offers Irish language immersion classes (both on site and in Erinsville) as well as céilís and camping (usually August).^[2] Eventually, the organizers plan to build cabins to house up to 100 people, as well as classroom facilities and a museum. The classes will be held in the style of, and are in fact inspired by, the 'Oideas Gael' immersion classes held in the Donegal gaeltacht of Glencolmcille.^[5]

This gaeltacht has been featured in the news, primarily for the fact that it is the first of its kind outside of Ireland, and has been reported on by both the Irish TG4^[6] and the British BBC.^[4] Organizer Aralt Mac Giolla Chainnigh, when speaking with the BBC, stated that although the Irish speakers are all from very different places (Canada, Ireland, the United States, etc.) this site is one on which they may all congregate: "It's a place where they can go when they want to regenerate their cultural batteries and, especially, to come back into contact with the language."^[2]

[edit] See also

• Newfoundland Irish
• Canadian Gaelic

[edit] Notes and references

[edit] External links

• Canadian Gaeltacht website - Official
• Daltaí.com - Listing of upcoming events in the Canadian Gaeltacht
• 'Irish Times' newspaper article (Feb 2007) on the Canadian Gaeltacht
• 'Napanee Beaver' newspaper article about the Canadian Gaeltacht
• 'Celtic Connection' news article about the Canadian Gaeltacht
• YouTube Video of the opening ceremony