Fáilte (Welcome) › Forums › General Discussion (Irish and English) › First time in a Gaeltacht – rather disappointing › 36874
I’ve spent some time in Rinn and I have heard teenagers freely speaking to each other in Irish and other people as well, but there are many too who have moved there and have none and others grown up there who feel their command is inadequate and thus unwilling to speak it.
I live in a very strong Gaeltacht area, 80-90% Irish speaking, but the local pub is owned by two non local Anglophones. One night recently i was there with two visitors , speaking English, there were two Girls from Dublin looking to speak Irish, but there was only the owner and her friend and one other man from outside the Gaeltacht, who did speak Irish, but stayed in English out of politeness for the owner and her friend.
If they had visited another nite they could have found the place packed and no English been spoken except to the bar staff.
It can really depend on the circumstances.