Irish in South Kerry: Statistics
Census
Here are statistics from the Census, as it is available on the website of the Central Statistics Office www.cso.ie, which shows how the use of Irish in South Kerry was changing between 2011 and 2022.
There were 3 Censuses in that period: 2011, 2016 and 2022.
Daily speakers of Irish - the most important indicator
The aspect that best shows the use of the language in the community is the number of people who claimed in the Census that they use Irish (a) daily and (b) outside the education system, or inside and outside the education system. These people are called Canteoirí Laethúla Gaeilge / Daily Irish Speakers. This is the most important indicator for us to understand the use of the language in South Kerry.
The National Picture: Language Planning Areas
'Language Planning Area' means 'Gaeltacht area'. The South Kerry LPA covers the Gaeltacht area of Uíbh Ráthach: The Glen, Baile an Sceilg, am tImleach Mór, An Dromaid, An Lóthar and An Gleann Mór, Doire Fhíonáin and areas around Caherdaniel.
According to the 2022 Census there was a 10% increase in the number of Daily Irish Speakers outside the education system in the Uíbh Ráthach Gaeltacht. This is the second highest number among all the Gaeltacht areas.
In the table above the change is shown as a comparison between the number of Daily Irish Speakers in 2016 and in 2022.
The table below shows the change in the number of Daily Irish Speakers as part of the total population.
The Local Picture: Areas of Uíbh Ráthach
Electoral divisions
There are 17 electoral divisions (toghranna) in Uíbh Ráthach:
This is how the number of Daily Irish Speakers was in the South Kerry electoral divisions in 2011, 2016 and 2022.
The changes that occurred in the number of Daily Irish Speakers in the Uíbh Ráthach electoral divisions in 2011-2016 and 2016-2022 are shown below.
Below is the percentage of Daily Irish Speakers in each South Kerry electoral division in 2011, 2016 and 2022.
These figures are also shown in the maps below.
The maps below are interactive: click on a constituency to see the exact numbers.
The change in the percentage of Daily Irish Speakers in the Uíbh Ráthach electoral divisions in 2011-1016 and 2016-2022 is shown below.
This change in the percentage of Daily Irish Speakers between 2011 and 2016 and between 2016 and 2022 is also shown in the two charts below.
A brown color is a decrease and a blue color is an increase.
It is clear that there was mostly a decrease between 2011 and 2016 but an increase in most of the proposals between 2016 and 2022.
Small Areas
However, to obtain more detailed statistics, it would be better to look at the statistics of the Small Areas available at the Central Statistics Office.
Here are the statistics from the 2016 and 2022 Censuses.
This is the change in the number of Daily Irish Speakers according to the Small Areas.