"Rich in its complexity, soulful in its expression and resonantly inspirational, the Irish language, too often perceived as a burden, is as important to our identity as the very land upon which it is spoken. Life without it would seem empty and unfulfilled — with it we nurture our sense of place. Too often we hear the cries of regret in advanced years, as if a part of us is missing, and, to remedy this, our challenge is to pass it on to the next generation and to encourage them to do likewise, for the fact remains and always will, the Irish language, battered as it may be, is far too strong to just simply go away."— Fiachna Ó Braonáin ó THE HOTHOUSE FLOWERS

Since its founding, OIDEAS GAEL has grown from offering one course in 1984 to its present-day varied schedule, attracting hundreds of participants to take part in its highly acclaimed language courses and cultural programmes.

Irish people, drawn from all backgrounds, constitute up to half of those attending, while the remainder travel from many other parts of the world especially to attend. The unique blend of our expertly prepared language courses and an attractive mix of cultural sessions enables learners to improve their fluency in Irish, while at the same time enjoying the living culture of our Gaeltacht community.

As an alternative to the graded language courses, a broad range of cultural activity programmes is offered to participants interested in experiencing a unique style of learning activity holiday.

Group Organisers are also catered for! We have created a number of tailor-made programmes that are especially suited to participants' varied interests. Over the years, we have welcomed groups from prestigious universities in the USA and Europe.

We deliver regular semester programmes for the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; Evergreen State College, Olympia; University of Charlston, South Carolina and numerous others. Your visit to Oideas Gael with a group can vary in length from a few days to a five-week programme.

Please see our Active Culture pages or contact us at no obligation to find out how we can help you organise a truly unique and memorable experience for your group.

Contact information:

Post: Oideas Gael, Gleann Cholm Cille,
          Contae Dhún na nGall, Éire

Tel: +353 (0)74 97 30 248;
Facs: +353 (0)74 97 30 348

Ríomhphoist: eolas@oideas-gael.com