Cultural Regions

The Gaelteacht

The Gaelteacht is a region defined by its language. This makes it a cultural region where people are united by their common language.

• These are peripheral areas in Ireland where over 80% of the population speak Irish as their first language. An example is An Rinn, Co. Waterford, but they are mostly located on the west coast of Ireland.
• In 2011, 100,716 people lived in Gaeltacht areas, but this is decreasing.
• After the Great Famine in the 1840s, there was huge emigration from these areas. This migration has continued due to factors such as remoteness and lack of funding.

• Outside influences such as radio and TV have encouraged the English language, leading to the decline of the Irish language.
• Several measures were taken to prevent this decline. TG4 was established in 1996, and Ireland was made a bilingual state with two official languages. Údarás na Gaeltachta was set up in 1980 to look after social, cultural, and economic development in these areas. In 2005, Irish became the 21st official language of the EU.
• There are strict planning laws in these areas. Only native speakers or those with reasonable fluency can apply for planning permission after a recent census showed that only 66,000 people use Irish as their first language.
• Sean Nós singing, ceilis, and set dancing are used as activities to support the Irish language.
• The Government's national strategy plan for the Irish language 2010–2030 aims to increase the number of people using Irish on a daily basis beyond their years in school.

Gaelteacht road signs are printed in Irish only

Belgium

Belgium is also a region defined by language. However, while Gaelteacht residents are unified by their shared language, language has caused division and conflict in Belgium.

• Belgium has three official languages: French, Flemish, and German. The capital, Brussels, is a bilingual city with both French and Flemish spoken – since the 1960s, there has been tension between speakers of both languages. In the region close to the German border, people speak German.
• Northern Belgium, known as Flanders, has 60% of the population and a very high birth rate. Residents speak Flemish and are known as Flemings.
• The Flemish economy was traditionally based on agriculture, which was viewed as socially inferior. However, the discovery of oil and gas in the North Sea has boosted economic development, leading to the establishment of many modern industries such as healthcare and electronics.
• Southern Belgium, known as Wallonia, is close to France, so people speak French. Residents are known as Walloons and were historically considered the cultural elite.
• Wallonia's prosperity has declined due to the closure of coalfields (e.g., Sambre-Meuse coalfield in 1984) and high unemployment, resulting in outward migration. There has been a "brain drain" of highly educated people emigrating in search of work elsewhere. Wallonia is a region of Industrial Decline.
• Due to the linguistic and cultural tensions, a new federal-style government was introduced in Belgium. Each language region is responsible for its own educational, social, and cultural affairs. This includes having its own flags, TV stations, and regional parliaments.
• Government officials must answer questions in both main languages at press conferences, reflecting the bilingual nature of the country. The division of the country by language has led to a complex political structure, where cooperation between different language groups is essential.
• Each cultural group in Belgium tends to live apart from each other, attending separate schools, voting for political parties, and marrying within their own groups. Belgium remains a country divided by language, with ongoing efforts to manage and bridge these cultural differences.

*Signs in the other communities language are often defaced in Belgium *