The Repository of Irish Dialects was launched this afternoon, 7 March, in Ionad an Bhlascaoid, Dún Chaoin, by Helen Ní Shé, a broadcaster with Raidió na Gaeltachta for many years. The Gaois research group, with RTÉ Archives, collated and prepared the material with support from the Archiving Funding Scheme, Coimisiún na Meán. This event was organised as part of Seachtain na Gaeilge.

The aim of this project is to make a collection of exemplary regional Irish language dialects from the RTÉ Archives available to the public. It includes 200 recordings from twelve counties and they cover Gaeltacht areas as they are understood today as well as areas where the language has long since disappeared. The focus is on the period from the 1940s to the 1990s and includes some of the earliest Irish recordings from the RTÉ Archives.

Outstanding speakers were selected who reflect the diversity of Irish dialects found in the RTÉ Archives. Users of the site will recognise famous Gaeltacht storytellers such as Peig Sayers, Colm Ó Caoidheáin and Micí Sheáin Néil Ó Baoill, and they can listen to native speakers from former Gaeltacht regions such as Mícheál Ó Maoldhomhnaigh from Tipperary, Maggie McGiff from east Mayo or Jane Nic Ruairí from Tyrone. The recordings on this site come from Irish language programmes that were broadcast on RTÉ, both Radio Éireann and Raidió na Gaeltachta. Famous broadcasters of the time, such as Proinsias Ó Conluain, Séamus Ennis and Aindrias Ó Gallchóir can be heard doing fieldwork around the country, as well as interviewers from the early years of Raidió na Gaeltachta, such as Mícheál Ó Sé, Pádraig Ó Catháin and Timlin Ó Cearnaigh, as the station came of age.

The recordings are plotted on an interactive map which acts as a browsing aid for the user. The recordings have been dialectically transcribed and these are available below the audio player and are synchronised word for word with the audio track in a way that will help the user to follow the conversation. The transcriptions have also been standardised and this version is given as a guide wherever the dialectal transcription deviates from standard spelling.

Commenting, RTÉ Director-General, Kevin Bakhurst said:

I am delighted to be in Dún Chaoin to support such a valuable project, particularly during Seachtain na Gaeilge and at a time when the Irish language seems to be having a special cultural moment. RTÉ’s Archives contain a wealth of important material as evidenced by the diversity of Irish dialects from native speakers found in the Archives and digitised – including some famous Gaeltacht storytellers and famous broadcasters on both Radio Éireann and Raidió na Gaeltachta.

This connection with the past is so important. I took Irish language lessons when I was first in RTÉ – with a moderate degree of success – but it gave me greater insight into Irish culture and history. So, I understand what a positive and important resource this is. I’d like to thank all those who have worked hard to continue to support the Irish language and to unearth such wonderful jewels from the past for the benefit of audiences throughout the country, and beyond. 

Commenting, Coimisiún na Meán’s Commissioner for Media Development, Rónán Ó Domhnaill said:

Archiving involves many steps, including conservation, maintenance, access and storage, all of which are essential to ensuring that these valuable materials are well cared for into the future. Thanks to the Media Commission’s Archiving Scheme, we have been able to secure funding of over €8 million to support 33 different projects, all of which are of cultural significance. 

It is important to preserve these collections, but it is equally important to make them accessible to the public, and this launch is a great addition. We appreciate the dedication and hard work that has gone into this project.

Editor’s note: Gaois is a research group in Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, DCU, comprising lecturers, researchers and postgraduate students. Our aim is to sustain and transform Irish language and culture through the development of innovative and trusted resources. Information about each of the projects run by Gaois is available at Gaois.ie. For more information contact gaois@dcu.ie or Úna Bhreathnach (086 386 7106).