From constitution to campus:What keeps a language alive?

At Phrase, we’re always inspired by how language connects people, cultures, and ideas. In this post,  Dr Jamie Murphy of University College Dublin (UCD), a member of the Phrase Academic Program, explores Ireland’s centuries-long effort to preserve and promote the Irish language continues to evolve, bringing together history, education, and modern language technology.

With more than 38,000 students, including several hundred enrolled in language courses, UCD is Ireland’s largest and most globally engaged academic institution, and as such has a significant impact on the way Irish is represented throughout society.

For linguists, educators, and anyone interested in how the culture and technology come together, Dr Murphy offers a unique view of how  language policy, academic programs, and digital innovation are shaping the future of multilingual communication.

The legal foundation: Irish as the first official language

For those in the international community, it might come as a surprise that Ireland does in fact have its own official language: ‘Irish’, or Gaeilge in the language itself. Based on the Constitution of Ireland, Bunreacht na hÉireann, Article 8 and Article 25.4.6, Irish takes precedence over English in Irish law and is recognised as the first official language with English as the second. 

On a macro level in Ireland, many efforts have been made to preserve the cultural heritage of Ireland with the Irish language seen as a linchpin in these endeavours for the past 125+ years. 

A century of revival and education

While I can only scratch the surface of Irish-language revival efforts and legislative backing, this post highlights some of the main initiatives central to the Irish language in recent memory. In 1893, Conradh na Gaeilge (The Gaelic League) was founded and has continuously advocated for the rights of Irish-language speakers in Ireland. 

Since 1922, Irish has been compulsory in primary and post-primary education in Ireland and while the vast majority of the population of Ireland have some proficiency in the language, according to the most recent census carried out in Ireland, 1,873,997 (40% of the population) can speak Irish ‘well’ to ‘very well’. The language also enjoys its status as the official language of Ireland at EU level. 

From classrooms to Brussels and Luxembourg: Irish in the European Union

Following lobbying by the government, Irish was adopted (albeit with a derogation) into the European Union as a working language in 2007. In 2022, this derogation was lifted, and Irish is now on par (for the most part) with all the other official working languages in the EU.  

However, the adjustment to a full working language in the EU was not without its difficulties as this meant highly skilled translators, terminologists, interpreters, lawyer linguists and language assistants needed to be sourced. 

While in-house translation has always been carried out at national level within the translation department of the government, Rannóg an Aistriúcháin, the onus was now on the EU institutions as well as the Irish government to train a new cohort of translators and language professionals to undertake work in Brussels and Luxembourg. 

Building language expertise at UCD

Much of this work meant that the government needed to collaborate with third-level institutions in Ireland to provide programmes, modules and specific training in translation. As part of this effort, the MA in Scríobh agus Cumarsáid (Writing and Communication) (MASC) in the School of Irish, Celtic Studies and Folklore was established. 

This was one of many courses and modules offered across the island of Ireland as part of the Tionscnamh Ardscileanna Gaeilge (Advanced Irish-Language Skills Initiative) aiming to address the need for trained language professionals. 

As part of the MASC, UCD strives to provide a well-rounded education in technical and creative writing with many of the students going on to become translators in the EU, the private sector and within the Irish government. 

The course currently focuses on legal translation, terminology, linguistics, creative writing, advanced Irish-language skills, editing as well as an internship or thesis component to ensure that students leave with the necessary skills needed in institutions at home and abroad. 

Embedding Irish in university life

Outside of the School of Irish, Celtic Studies and Folklore, the university is steadfast in its commitment to cultural heritage and cultural preservation. As part of the newly launched strategy to 2030 in UCD, the university is striving to ‘enhance the prominence of the Irish language across our university’. 

As part of this commitment, a newly-appointed Irish-language support board, Bord Tacaíochta na Gaeilge, (which replaced Bord na Gaeilge) was established with representatives from across the university to ensure that Irish is visible, promoted and integral to university life for all students no matter what their background. 

These endeavours, among many others, come under the auspices of Gaeltacht UCD which was established as the Global Centre for Irish Language and Culture and is responsible for UCD’s commitment to the Official Languages Act 2003 (and 2021, as amended). 

Translation as cultural preservation

With a high degree of legislative support and commitment to the Irish language on the island of Ireland, translation is regarded as one of the key driving forces behind cultural preservation. All official documentation in Ireland must be available in both Irish and English, from media announcements and signage to job vacancies and reports. 

It is the responsibility of the organisation or institution concerned to ensure that this requirement is enforced. While some might question the quality of translation output in Ireland at times, the demand for high-level translation services and technology remains strong. 

In my view, the use of technology in the translation sector can only be positive, as the sheer volume of content requiring translation far outweighs the number of dedicated translators available. Human translators for the Irish language will always be needed, as machine output must be checked for nuance and linguistic quality.

Technology as an ally for language and culture

UCD, along with other universities, is driving this commitment to the sustainable use of language technology not only at an administrative and governance level but also academically. 

Students undertaking programmes such as the MASC are equipped not only with Irish-language skills but also with the competence and training to engage with language technology in their work. 

The MASC, as one example, has evolved over time to include as much technology as possible to ensure that students are prepared for industry demands. This includes machine translation technology, terminology management tools, corpus-based management tools, online parallel corpora, national and international terminology databases, as well as traditional online and interactive dictionaries and language tools. 

Although technology is transforming how translation is carried out, its core purpose remains unchanged: preserving language and culture. 

Since the founding of the State, translation has been central to maintaining Irish in public life, from bilingual legislation and official documents to EU integration. Today, incorporating language technology, terminology databases and corpus management systems allow us to meet growing demands without compromising quality. 

These technologies, combined with skilled human translators, ensure that Irish continues to thrive in education, governance and international institutions. Translation is not just a technical process but rather a practical strategy for safeguarding Ireland’s linguistic heritage while adapting to modern realities.