Life in The Connemara Gaeltacht, Ireland 1969

Tusicint nua ar an nGaeltacht. A look at modern life in the Connemara Gaeltacht.

For many people, the Connemara Gaeltacht is associated with summer holidays, and tourists are well catered for in villages like An Spidéal.

Teacher Pól Ó Foighil moved to Cois Fharraige from County Tipperary seven years ago and is the founder of Coláiste Lurgan, a Irish language summer school in Indreabhán. He is aware that people need to make a living twelve months of the year, and creating secure employment starts with improving basic infrastructure, such as local water schemes.

Gan usice ní féidir linn dul áith ar bith.

At Rosmuc a Gaeltarra Éireann factory employs thirty people. It is powered by electricity from the ESB Screebe turf-burning power station.

Pádraic Ó Catháin a lecturer in University College Dublin grew up in this area. He shows An Cheathrú Rua, the largest village in the Conemara Gaeltacht which has its own dance hall, bank, national school and comprehensive school.

People here make a living from many jobs, and while living standards in general have improved, he is not happy with modern house building styles which bear little resemblance to traditional Connemara cottages,

Tá na sean-nósanna imithe anois, fiú amháin na tithe.

This episode of 'Gaeltacht’ was broadcast on 13 March 1969. The commentator is Annraoi Ó Liatháin.

'Gaeltacht' was a series of programmes looking at life in the Gaeltacht in the late 1960s. Over the course of a year producer and director Colm O Laoghaire and a film crew visited eight Gaeltacht areas. These are An Rinn (Ring) in Waterford, Bhaile Bhuirne agus Cúil Aodha (Ballyvourney and Coolea) in Cork, Corca Dhuibhne (Corkaguiny) in Kerry, Conamara (Connemara) in Galway, Oileáin Árann (Aran Islands) in Galway, Iorras (Erris) in Mayo, Anagaire, An Fál Carrach, Croithlí, Gaoth Dobhair agus Rann na Feirste (Annagary, Falcarragh, Crolly, Gweedore and Rannafast) in Donegal and Ráth Chairn (Rathcairn) in Meath.

'Gaeltacht' was first broadcast on 13 February 1969.