The partnership between Wikimedia Ireland and Rising Voices has brought forth an innovative approach to digital language activism, specifically targeting the preservation and promotion of Irish language in online spaces. This collaborative workshop, hosted at the National Library of Ireland on July 14, 2025, gathered twenty participants from diverse backgrounds, all united by their commitment to advancing Irish language presence in digital media platforms.
The event attracted representatives from various organizations including Conradh na Gaeilge, Tuarisc.ie, GaelGoer, and ADAPT’s eSTÓR, alongside educators and content creators. The bilingual nature of the workshop didn’t prevent most attendees from choosing to communicate exclusively in Irish throughout the day, creating an atmosphere of linguistic confidence that encouraged natural language use and cultural connection among participants.
Digital tools and UNESCO’s framework for linguistic preservation
Rising Voices operates as Global Voices’ outreach initiative, dedicated to empowering underrepresented communities in telling their stories through digital channels. The project addresses a critical global challenge : by 2100, approximately 50% of currently spoken languages may face extinction or severe endangerment. Irish holds a concerning position within UNESCO’s Atlas of the World’s Languages, classified as definitely endangered, making initiatives like this workshop particularly urgent.
The workshop centered around UNESCO’s digital initiatives toolkit for indigenous languages, developed specifically for the International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022-2032. This comprehensive resource demonstrates how internet platforms and digital technologies can serve language preservation and promotion efforts. The toolkit recognizes that each endangered or under-resourced language exists within unique contexts, requiring locally adapted strategies rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.
Understanding grassroots needs remains paramount for creating meaningful impact. Effective actions must emerge from lived experience and local expertise, drawn from individuals actively using the language in digital environments. This bottom-up approach ensures authenticity and relevance in revitalization efforts, making strategies more sustainable and culturally appropriate.
| Workshop Component | Key Focus | Participants |
|---|---|---|
| Media panel | Digital transformation impact | Maitiú Ó Coimín, Róisín Ní Mhaoláin |
| Technology presentation | Communication applications | Nóirín Ní Bhraoin |
| Advocacy session | Community organizing | Cassie Ní Chatháin, Kate Ní Dhubhlaoich |
| Research showcase | Machine translation development | Dr. Abigail Walsh, Mark Andrade, Bláithín Heffernan |
Content creation as activism foundation
Laura Pakenham and Cúán de Búrca demonstrated how social media platforms transform into powerful tools for minority language promotion. Pakenham’s approach focuses on inspiring followers to integrate Irish into everyday life situations, from coffee shop interactions to retail experiences in Galway. Her content philosophy emphasizes overcoming imposter syndrome by accepting mistakes as inevitable learning opportunities.
Through lifestyle-oriented videos, Pakenham showcases practical Irish language application, demonstrating that fluency perfectionism shouldn’t hinder daily usage. Her strategy centers on gradually expanding vocabulary through consistent, manageable integration rather than overwhelming learners with comprehensive fluency requirements. This accessible methodology reduces intimidation factors that often discourage language learners from practicing publicly.
De Búrca, working as podcaster and content creator, emphasized that language revitalization begins at community level through simple interactions between speakers choosing Irish over English. He referenced the “Kneecap effect,” noting how the Irish hip-hop band has contributed to making Irish culturally trendy among younger demographics. However, he stressed that superficial engagement differs significantly from deeper linguistic immersion, which provides richer cultural experiences.
Both presenters shared valuable insights about TikTok content creation in Irish, highlighting seemingly minor details that significantly impact digital activism effectiveness :
- Understanding algorithm patterns and platform-specific engagement strategies
- Cultivating authentic audience relationships through consistent interaction
- Balancing entertainment value with educational content delivery
- Leveraging trending formats while maintaining linguistic authenticity
- Building collaborative networks among Irish language content creators
Research initiatives supporting digital equality
Dr. Abigail Walsh and colleagues from ADAPT’s eSTÓR project presented ongoing work focusing on data curation with Vicipéid, the Irish-language Wikipedia. Their research aims to develop crucial resources for Irish machine translation while ensuring optimal quality in digital Irish text processing. This technical work proves essential for achieving linguistic equality in digital spaces, where minority languages traditionally lack sophisticated technological support.
The presentation sparked discussions about disparities between technological tools available to linguistic minorities versus majority languages. Participants recognized the tremendous potential for elevating minority languages in digital spaces through improved translation technologies, artificial intelligence applications, and natural language processing capabilities specifically designed for Irish linguistic structures.
Strategic roadmap for Irish digital presence
Workshop participants collaboratively developed TREORCHLÁR, a comprehensive roadmap outlining Irish digital activism strategies. This framework maps current landscape conditions, identifies challenges, catalogs available tools, establishes objectives, and articulates collective vision for Irish language futures across community and digital contexts. The roadmap acknowledges growing public interest and cultural pride in Irish identity, while recognizing obstacles including limited resources, insufficient governmental support, and inadequate infrastructure.
Primary challenges identified include funding constraints, time limitations, incomplete understanding of community needs, and scarcity of Irish-language digital tools. The roadmap envisions futures where Irish gains widespread spoken usage, enhanced visibility in public and online spaces, robust support from digital translation technologies including applications and AI systems, and seamless integration into daily educational and service contexts. This aspirational vision positions Irish as vibrant, living language used confidently across all societal dimensions.
Rising Voices’ Digital Activism Initiative plans advancing workshop outcomes and roadmap findings to Irish government stakeholders involved in language policy. This advocacy aims securing support for action plans implementing comprehensive Digital Plans for Irish, translating grassroots insights into policy frameworks that enable sustainable language revitalization through coordinated institutional backing.
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