eprintid: 165
rev_number: 12
eprint_status: archive
userid: 30
dir: disk0/00/00/01/65
datestamp: 2018-04-09 15:04:21
lastmod: 2018-04-09 15:04:21
status_changed: 2018-04-09 15:04:21
type: thesis
metadata_visibility: show
creators_name: Fitzmaurice, Éadaoin
title: Gaeilge ar Líne: A TV Documentary about the benefits of social media for the promotion and revival of the Irish language.
ispublished: submitted
subjects: HT
subjects: T1
divisions: MATRJ
full_text_status: public
keywords: Irish language, Social media and Irish, Gaelige
abstract: I intend to test the perception that social media is a valuable means through which the Irish language can be re-invigorated and made relevant to the 21st century. 
 
Through the examination of various social media platforms, I intend to examine how individuals use such technological tools to revive the language and to assess the benefits of social media for promoting the more widespread use of Irish in daily life. 
 
By making the accompanying documentary bilingual, I can access a much wider audience through the use of sub-titles during the in-depth interviews of Irish speakers who use social media platforms daily with the intention of promoting the language. 
 
To date, there has been no in-depth analysis of the impact of social media on the development of the Irish language which prompted my personal interest in this project and encouraged me to examine if social media is being successful in making Irish “cool “ and trendy. 
 
 
This Dissertation by practice is a filmed, participatory documentary called “Gaeilge ar Líne”. It tells the story of a journey around the country to meet ambassadors of the Irish language online, who use social media to promote the language. They speak about how they have made the language accessible to a wider audience using these platforms.
date: 2017
date_type: submitted
institution: Griffith College
department: Faculty of Journalism and Media Communications
thesis_type: masters
referencetext: …………………………………..p.35 • Appendices…………………………………...p.38 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Firstly, I would like to thank my best friend, Caoimhe Ní Chathail who helped and encouraged me throughout this project. Thank you for listening to my endless

questions, suggesting contacts and for helping me develop my ideas into my final documentary piece. You are to be admired in the Irish community and online.

A big thank you is also in order for my other participants, Michael, Siún Peadar and Osgur. You all had such amazing energy on screen and such great knowledge to share with me, I have learned so much from each and every one of you. Putting yourself out there online is a huge commitment but you have enriched the lives of so many people, brought smiles to their faces, and given the Irish language a new lease of life.

I would also like to thank Mark Crabbe for assisting me during the filming process, without you I could never have gotten the footage I had hoped for. Thank you for your time and dedication and for being the best camera man a girl could ask for.

Thanks to my Griffith girls Lauren, Emma, Hazel and Lydia who were always there when stress levels were high during this challenging year. “The most memorable people in life will be the friends who loved you when you weren't very lovable.” Thank you to my family for always supporting me and encouraging me during the

course of my master's degree. A special thanks to my mother, who passed down her love and passion for Irish to me.

A final thank you to my supervisors Tanya Doyle and Terence Erraught for their help, guidance and suggestions. Without your support my dissertation would not have come to be. Summary I intend to test the perception that social media is a valuable

means through which the Irish language can be re-invigorated and made relevant to the 21st century. Through the examination of various social media platforms, I

intend to examine how individuals use such technological tools to revive the language and to assess the benefits of social media for promoting the more widespread use of Irish in daily life. By making the accompanying documentary bilingual, I can access a much wider audience through the use of sub-titles

during the in-depth interviews of Irish speakers who use social media platforms daily with the intention of promoting the language.

To date, there has been no in-depth analysis of the impact of social media on the development of the Irish language which prompted my personal interest in this project and encouraged me to examine if social media is being successful in making Irish “cool “ and trendy. Gaeilge ar line

-Aithním go bhfuil mo shaol ar fad lonnaithe agus bunaithe sa teanga, sa chultúr agus cinnte sa chraic. - Micheál Ó Ciaraidh (2017)

-Living a bilingual life in Ireland, is a fascinating experience; identifying with a minority group makes you feel part of something, and offers a nuanced perspective on what's going on in the world. At times, however, it can mean marginalization from mainstream discourse and even a sense of detachment. - Siún Ní Dhúinn (2016)

-My loyalty to Irish language media has not let me down as the opportunities are never-ending. I am always looking for new opportunities and my presence on social media through the medium of Irish has given me opportunities to appear on the likes of ‘Róisínánd ‘7 Lá' on TG4, to be a vlogger on a BBC Irish language YouTube channel, as well as run the TG4 Snapchat account. - Caoimhe Ní Chathail (2017)

- It is always said that the life of a language is in its speaking. If there is no career or social reason, then there is no reason other than some kind of cultural ceremony. As the community is spread wider apart, social motivations disappear. If you are not inclined to work in the Irish-language sector, what is left? But the internet is changing all that. - Osgur O Ciaradh (2017) • Chapter One: Introduction:

This Dissertation by practice is a filmed, participatory documentary called “Gaeilge ar Líne”. It tells the story of a journey around the country to meet ambassadors of the Irish language online, who use social media to promote the language. They speak about how they have made the language accessible to a wider audience using these platforms.

The ambassadors are: Caoimhe Ní Chathail, a Snapchatter and journalist from Meon Eile, Micheál Ó Ciaraidh, Cúla4 presenter and Instagrammer, Siún Ní Dhúinn, blogger and Digital Coordinator of Irish in RTÉ and the creators of Pop Up Gaeltacht, Peadar O Caomhánaigh, Raidio na Life Broadcaster and Osgur Ó Ciardha, Manager of the Generator Hostel Dublin.

According to Fisher, “language is the ultimate measure of human society. More than any other of life's faculties, it is language that tells us who we are, what we mean and where we are going” (Fischer, 1999) This quote acts as a driving force for this documentary. Understanding what the language is and where it has come from is a vital part in interpreting why the participants of this film value the language and see it as an obligation to promote it online.

The Irish language has declined throughout history. It can be argued that it has no real value in society and is spoken only by a minority. However, this film demonstrates how the language is living on social media and how this is changing these negative perceptions. This is the leading argument of this dissertation. The Irish language community can be regarded as being in a bubble. This is the biggest problem identified by the participants during the film. This film offers the solution, that social media can involve people outside of this Irish language community and make the language accessible to them. This is a relevant argument for this film as it aims to discuss how this issue is being tackled online and proves social media is the key to opening up the community.

The entire documentary was filmed using a Canon DSLR, an iPhone and a GoPro. This method of filming was chosen, as it is the same quality and style that can be seen on social media sites such as YouTube and Facebook.

According to Sheila Curran Bernard (2003) “a story is a narrative, or telling of an event or series of events crafted in a way to interest the audience.” In regards to format, participatory documentaries add another element to the main topic of the story,. They engage the audience with the journey of the presenter, and show their thoughts and opinions. Personal vlogs and motion graphics feature in this film before meeting each participant. This is done to interest the audience and link to the new-age style of the documentary.

The topic “Gaeilge ar Líne” or “Irish Online” was chosen because it is a revolution or movement that is occurring right under our noses, without many people even realising. One of the first pieces to address this movement was an article published by The Daily Edge (2016) called “How The Irish Language Lives on Snapchat.” The idea for this film was sparked from this and many of the Snapchatters listed feature in the film. This documentary focuses on, and is aimed at this generation of social media users, as they are active and understand the apps which the participants use to promote the language. In Ireland, 59% of the population are active social media users, meaning they use it on a daily basis. (Smart Insights, 2017) This proves that social media is a very powerful platform to reach audiences. During the documentary Micheál describes this generation as “todchaí na teanga”, which means “the future of the language”. It is not only important for the audience to understand how Irish is being used online today, but also to consider its prospect for the future.

According to Forbes (2017) Snapchat is the most searched App on the iOS App Store. In an attempt to connect with and reach out to this younger generation, during the production of this film, I used Snapchat. Shots of this can be seen at the end of each interview, with a record of the progress made in gaining followers. This was done to entice the audience to the idea that the presenter and participants were promoting the language together online, via well known social media platforms.

As reported by Údarás na Gaeltachta (2017) , the Irish language is over 2,500 years old. However, over the last 100 years in particular, its place and status in society has been questioned by the general public. Chapter 2 of this dissertation will examine what the Irish language is and will look into its history. It will argue how and why the language has declined and where these negative attitudes discussed in the film have stemmed from. It is important to understand why the participants are so passionate about the revival of the language and also why it has been so difficult for them to do so in the past.

Social media, unlike the Irish language, is a relatively new concept, which has taken the world by storm. Chapter 2 also considers concept social media and answers the question “why is social media the key to promote the language?” It also examines articles and documentaries that argue the theory regarding social media for the promotion of the Irish language and which inspired this film. Finally, the technical research required to produce a film is displayed and discussed in relation to the practical decisions made during the production process.

In Chapter 3, the practice, design and executive decisions regarding the production of the film will be discussed. This will also present research regarding documentary making and review post production outcomes.

Chapter 4 will reflect on the process of making this film. It will highlight strengths, weaknesses, progress and lessons learned for future productions. It will act as a discussion based on the final product and will also focus on decisions that can be made during future works.

Finally, the conclusion will display how the research and final product confirm that social media is a powerful asset to revolutionise the Irish language. It will outline how this has been proved throughout the film and evaluate the film as a final product. Outcomes for the future of this film, where it may be seen and how it may appear online will also be discussed. • Chapter Two: Evidence of Research:

Experts Consulted/ Evidence of the subject being covered previously online:

In 2016, The Daily Edge released an article called “How the Irish language lives on Snapchat: 5 Gaeilgeoirí leading the way” (Loftus, 2016) The article, which had a positive outlook on the language, had almost 20,000 views and made people aware of a social media movement occurring with regards to the promotion of the Irish language online. The five “Snapchatters” named in this article were Siún Ní Dhúinn, Ian Smith, Caoimhe Ní Chathail, Micheál Ó Ciaraidh and Irish bloggers, Gaeilge Le Glam. Each Snapchatter uses the app on a daily basis speaking, teaching and sharing the language with their followers. They all have one similar aim, to promote and to normalise the language. It was this article that sparked my interest in investigating the link between social media and the Irish language as the topic for this thesis.

Unsurprisingly, this article had mixed reviews:

(Screenshot of comments from The Daily Edge, 2016) From the first two comments on the article, both sides of the argument on whether the language has value or purpose are evident. This shows it is a controversial and widely discussed topic. Even the journalists on this website have a difference in opinion.

The Daily Edge stems from The Journal, which interestingly posted a negative article te previous year questioning the purpose of the language. (O'Keeffe, 2015) O'Keeffe remarks “...Surely Irish should be a living language. The question is do we care enough to keep it alive, though?” Judging by statistics, The Daily Edge article performed better, with 225 more shares and 1170 more views. This suggests a growing sense of promotion for the language online. It also suggests that there is a community who do “...care enough to keep it alive.”

So who are these people? Where can they be found and how can we prove they exist?

Based on online research, there is a strong community of Irish language speakers on the social media app, Twitter. According to Kevin Scannell (Scannell, 2015) there were 37,000 conversations in the Irish language on the Twitter app in 2015. The results and the top Irish language Twitter accounts are shown below:

(From @kscanne - Twitter 20/11/2015) According to a website called indigenoustweets.com, there are 11,402 Twitter users who are actively tweeting in the Irish language. The map below shows the areas where Irish is being tweeted:

(From @kscanne - Twitter 19/01/2016)

There are also many Irish speakers on Facebook. Facebook have a full Unicode support which creates content in virtually any written language. The site is translated entirely by volunteers and a voting system applies to “vote down bad translations and vote up good ones (amazingly, it seems to work)” (Scannell, 2012)

Facebook has an advantage over Twitter for the promotion of the language as posts can exceed 140 characters. Though this can be seen as a positive platform for minority languages, users have found that “at the end of the day, neither Facebook nor Google really cares about minority languages, they want to make money.” (scannell, 2012)

Facebook shows signs of a very present and active Irish language community. A Facebook group called “Gaeilge Amháin” seems to be the most popular page for Irish speakers to gather. It is a public Facebook Group page where members discuss everything from politics, to comedy to poetry and grammar queries. There are currently almost 9,000 members. However, based on the name “Gaeilge Amháin” meaning “Irish Only”, there doesn't seem to be much opportunity for Irish language learners, as posting in English is not accepted. This could be an example of the idea that the Irish language community are living in their own bubble.

The fact that these platforms exist for Irish speakers is a positive thing. However, it does appear to be difficult for someone who wants to learn the language to access it. Based on the above evidence it seems that the bubble which is discussed in the film does exist in some way, but that those promoting the language, like the participants for example, are using social media to reach past this bubble and connect with people who may not be fluent, but have an interest in hearing or learning the language. They hope to make Irish accessible to a wider audience using these social media platforms.

Relevant Programmes:

Some documentaries that stood out for being of a similar theme to the envisioned film were “An Féidir Linn?” (2013) and “Random Acts as Gaeilge”. (2016) These documentaries explored the uses for, and the potential of the Irish language. The difference between these documentaries is that “An Feidir Linn?” is participatory and “Random Acts as Gaeilge” is an observational documentary. The participatory style of “An Féidir Linn?”, is more suited to how the story will be told in “Gaeilge ar Líne”.

During both documentaries, many characters were introduced and every opinion given was entirely different. This sparked a very interesting conversation. “An Féidir Linn” explores the fate of the language, yet there was no mention of the language online. This could suggest that even in 2013, the social revolution of promoting Irish online was not what it is now and that the online community has grown significantly in the last 4 years.

In terms of style, the documentary film “Catfish: The Movie” (2010) inspired some of the shots in this documentary. Catfish incorporates social media into how the movement of the story. There are also vlogs throughout which add to the new-age style of presenting that can be seen in “Gaeilge ar Líne”. They also included shots of the social media sites such as Facebook to show how the story of the protagonist, Nev and his love interest Megan, developed. This influenced the intro of this documentary, where a shot of the Google homepage can be seen searching “Gaeilge ar Líne”. A podcast by Spark called “Language and Diversity in the Digital Age.” (2017) sheds light on Pop Up Gaeltacht and its relevance in this social revolution. Pop Up Gaeltacht was set up by Peadar O Caoimhánaigh and Osgur O Ciardha in November 2016. The pair created the event to give Irish language speakers the chance to meet and share their passion for the language over a few pints. “Pop Up Gaeltacht is a social event for Irish speakers. We get together just to be together, and to speak Irish in places the language wouldn't normally be heard.” (Harford, 2017)

Each month a different bar is chosen in the city and large crowds gather. The entire event is organised and promoted through social media, specifically a Facebook page, which is a very interesting and relevant topic in regards to the subject and message of this film. “The entire organisation is effectively a Facebook account, but yet we have managed to rally a couple of thousand of people onto the streets so far. We have managed to get people to have Pop Up Gaeltachts in 9 countries all over the world.” (O Ciardha on Spark, 2017)

“I suppose all Irish people consider themselves Irish and they begrudge or they see in irish speakers a form of elitism or they see a form of appropriation. What the Pop Up Gaeltacht does is it disrupts that.” (O Ciardha on Spark, 2017)

Pop Up Gaeltacht has demonstrated how social media can be a beneficial mechanism through which the Irish language can be made tangible in modern society.

A recent documentary called “Ó Líófa go Lá Dearg”, released by NVTV (2017) provided information regarding the drive behind An Dream Dearg. This documentary was also filmed in Irish and included subtitles. “Gaeilge ar Líne” took inspiration from it and followed the style of subtitles used in this film.

An Dream Dearg, which means “The Red Movement”, became active again recently (2016) in response to former DUP Minister for Communities, Paul Givan's decision to cut the Líofa Gaeltacht Bursary Scheme. This scheme was set up to enable those who might not have had the chance to learn Irish to attend a Gaeltacht course. It gives “100 people of various ages the opportunity to attend Irish language classes during the summer.” (Líofa.eu 2017) An Dream Dearg was set up to oppose such decisions and bias in Northern Ireland against the Irish language. During “Ó Líofa go Lá Dearg” Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh claims that the ending of the Líofa bursary scheme was “a direct attack on the Irish language and on the young people involved.”

“Anyone who believes in Rights, Respect and Recognition for all is An Dream Dearg. Join this open network of Irish language activists from all corners and backgrounds. Take part. Be #DeargLeFearg.” - An Dream Dearg's Twitter

On Saturday 20 May there was a protest in favour of an Irish Language Act, statutory rights th

and recognition for the language, organised by An Dream Dearg in Belfast, Northern Ireland. During the march members of ADD encouraged participants to cover the event on social media. There were 12,000 people present at the march. Gaeilgeoirí from all over the country came up to support their Northern Irish speaking comrades.

An Dream Dearg have been visible and and active on Twitter using the hashtags #DeargLeFearg and #AchtAnois.They are also using platforms such as Snapchat to engage with their audience, introduce them to the idea of the need for rights based legislation for Irish and to connect with them. As a result of being active and promoting the rights for the language online, An Dream Dearg won a Sockie, the social media awards in Ireland, for “Úsáid Ar Na Meáin Shóisialta” meaning use of social media.

During the documentary we can see Caoimhe tweeting and Snapchatting during the march in Belfast. In the interview she points out that this is essential to reach a larger audience and surpass the bubble that is “Pobal na Gaeilge”.

In “Ó Líofa go Lá Dearg”, Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin explains that as a result of promoting the movement of An Dream Dearg using social media, “...all the newspapers wanted a piece of this story, we were naturally very willing, because the more talk there is about it, the more people know about it, the more people we can influence, and the better chance we can achieve change.” Though he referred to An Dream Dearg specifically, this can also apply to the language in general, and the key message that “Gaeilge ar Líne” hopes to share with its audience.

An Dream Dearg are a strong example of how Irish is being promoted online for a political movement and that they have proven how social media can re-invigorate the language. Literature:

Before making a documentary, it is imperative to understand and to have researched the topics that will be discussed. This not only will allow for a greater understanding of the participants answers and information, but will also be beneficial when it comes to highlighting the important points to include in the final production. The Irish Language:

“A people's language tells us what they were even better than their history” (Kavanagh, 1902)

Irish, also known as Gaeilge, is the national and first official language of Ireland. It was the predominant language spoken in the country up until its decline as a result of British rule and the great Famine in the 1800's. Today 1.76 million people in Ireland claim to be able to speak the language and 73,803 speak the language daily outside of the education system. (Census 2016) Irish is recognised as an official language of the European Union.

One of the key issues opposing the hypothesis of this dissertation, is that the language is seen in a negative light, as a dying language with no real value in modern day Ireland. Examining where these attitudes stem from and investigating evidence to suggest why this opinion exists should be considered.

The Irish language has been facing difficulties as early as the 14 century, when it was th

“...banned in the court system” and for commerce uses. (Carnie, 1995) Problems proceeded into the 16 Century when the Plantations began in Ireland. During this time, English became th

the dominant language in Ireland “...English policies actively promoted the adaptation of the English language in Ireland.” (Darmody et. Al, 2015)

During the reign of the British in Ireland, “expressions of Irishness were aggressively subjugated by imperial power” (Ó Coileáin, 1988) The people of Ireland were stripped of their rights to speak the language, and it began to decline as a result. “It was a history of shame, of self-deprecation and of self-denial. (Mac Murchaidh, 2004) These events clarify when and why Irish lost its status as the predominant language of Ireland, and how negative perceptions began to form. Negative connotations toward the language began to emerge and it was suddenly regarded as worthless and shameful. Speakers of the language were seen to be lower class as they were refused education under The Penal Laws. (1692) As a result, “...considerable numbers of the population switched from Irish to English in order to improve their position in Irish society and to gain access to education” (Hickey, 2008)

Gradually, English became the predominant language of Ireland and Irish became spoken by a minority. However, the language did not die out entirely. In fact, many efforts since that time have been made to ensure it remains a vital part of Irish culture.

Organisations such as the Society for the Preservation of the Irish language (1876) and Conradh na Gaeilge (1893) were established to “gain recognition for the language at every level of the education system.” (Mac Gréil et. Al, 2009) Evidence of this movement and appeal for the revival of the language can be seen in the writings of Ireland's first president, Douglas Hyde:

“I appeal to everyone whatever his politics-for this is no political matter-to do his best to help the Irish race to develop in future upon Irish lines, even at the risk of encouraging national aspirations, because upon Irish lines alone can the Irish race once more become what it was of yore: one of the most artistic, literary, and charming peoples of Europe” (Hyde, 1892)

Little steps of improvement for the revival of the language could be seen during this time. However, in the late 19 century, citizens of Ireland began to recognise the importance of th

their heritage and efforts were made to revive and restore the cultural identity of Ireland. A main aspect of this movement was to introduce a renewed “...emphasis on the value of importance of the Irish language.” (Ó Coileáin, 1988) The language had a strong link with the history and culture of Ireland, therefore this emphasis on the revival of the language was inevitable.

The Irish Free State, established in 1922, “...adopted the revival of Irish as an important national objective.” (Mac Murchaidh, 2004) During that time, Irish was “...adopted as an official language along with English.” (Darmody, 2015) The State had hopes for the language to return, and to be spoken across the country as it once was before the British invasion. They hoped to achieve this by teaching the language in schools and making it “compulsory for all state examinations.” (Mac Murchaidh, 2004) However, this was never going to be an easy task. Up until the 1960's the State continued to believe that language could be completely rectified, even though the results of the previous years had not given that impression. It seemed that outside of the classroom, there were no opportunities to speak the language. This film presents the idea that this concept has changed and the language is now accessible online.

It is clear that the language has had its struggles and that some people in Ireland will never speak it. This information is relevant to understanding why the Irish can be considered a controversial subject and why it is a valid argument. Much like the initiative to revive the language through education, this film delivers a new idea, that social media is an answer to this problem and it will rejuvenate the language to appeal to the modern audience.

Why Social Media?

So why is social media the key to the revitalisation of the Irish language?

Social media refers to “web-based software applications, the content generated by users of those applications, and the services that make both accessible to just about anyone with a web browser.” (Waters, 2010) These platforms can be accessed using computers, smart phones, and tablets.

The aim of social media, or social networking sites, is to allow individuals to create an online profile, share connections and “enable users to articulate and make visible their social networks” (Boyd, 2007) Page profiles allow users to “type oneself into being” (Sundén, 2003) Most people use these profiles to connect with, and keep up to date with friends, or like the participants of “Gaeilge ar Líne”, they use their profiles to share and promote a passion. What also makes these sites interesting is that they give users the chance to connect with others they might never have been able to meet offline, “This can result in connections between individuals that would not otherwise be made.” (Haythornwaite, 2005) This is a concept which Caoimhe discusses in the film. She stresses how she hopes social media will allow her to connect with, and promote Irish to those outside of their community, “tá sé tábhachtach go mbeidh an Ghaeilge le feiceáil ag daoine lasmuigh den phobal.”

Social Media has given rise to a new form of “fame” or internet fame. This refers to a person who has a large following on their social media platform. These figures give their audiences a window into their life and interact with them on a daily basis. To analyse this concept and to see if it can have any real effect on how the Irish language can be promoted, the idea of putting myself on Snapchat emerged.

Social media is now more popular than ever before. In a study conducted by Pew Internet, it found that 73% of wired American teens use social networking sites. (Lenhart et. Al, 2010) This phenomenon now acts as many people's main form of communication. Some of the most widely used social media platforms today include Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Snapchat and Whatsapp. According to DreamGrow, Facebook is the most popular social media application with 1.94 billion users monthly. (DreamGrow, 2017) The popular video uploading website, YouTube is second on this list with just over a billion monthly users.

These findings are a fundamental in understanding why Irish language ambassadors are taking to social media. It is where the people are. Siún points this out during her interview when she says “go to where the people are.” The best way to modernize the language is to make it relevant to the target audience. Using and promoting Irish on social media is doing just this.

Social media platforms are used to share content, opinions, and ideas. However, Micheál highlighted that each platform is used in different ways. For example, Snapchat allows its users to send a 10-second video or picture to selected contacts. They can also choose to send this content to all of their contacts on the app in a section called “My Story”. This will last for 24 hours. After that time the content shared is irretrievable. According to The Daily Edge, “84% of 15-24-year-olds have an account, with 66% using it daily.” (Daily Edge, 2016)

Twitter differs hugely from Snapchat. It is a “…web-based messaging service that allows its users to share short text updates” about their thoughts, feelings or moments in their lives. (Waters, 2010) Unlike Snapchat, that has a 24-hour lifespan, content shared on Twitter remains forever. Most avid social media users tend to use a wide range of apps rather than just one. Micheál believes the best method for promoting the language is in the ways suited to each app. For example, posting pictures on Instagram and events such as music festivals on Snapchat.

Social media is now more accessible than ever, as people can download apps to their smartphones. It is now more unusual to come across someone who does not own a mobile phone than someone that does, “…three-quarters (75%) of teens and 93% of adults ages 18-29 now have a cell phone.” (Lenhart et. al, 2010) Social media apps on smart phones have given light to a new way of living, as users are constantly informed and are able to contact friends or family in a matter of seconds.

However, there are also some disadvantages. It is near impossible to go onto an app such as Facebook without being “bombarded with advertisements.” Fuchs (2017) defines this problem as “…Consumer Culture” and suggests that “the world is turned into a huge shopping mall” (Fuchs, 2017) Instead of selling access to communication, social media sites sell advertisements. Facebook and Google are the world's largest advertising agencies that operate as commodification machines of data collection.

Another fear of social media is that users are also looking into a somewhat post-human world in which “…data do the work” (Chandler, 2015) Social media sites are mainly operated through algorithms. Algorithms manipulate data in different ways. An example of this could be a search on a social media website filtering and only showing a certain type of result. The data shown tends to be “inductive and atheoretical” (Fuchs 2017) and “…mines down from the mass of data to the individual case” (Chandler, 2015) This could be an obstacle in terms reaching the target audience, outside of the Irish language community.

Social media is a fundamental tool for the revival of the Irish language as it is the most popular form of communication at present, therefore it allows the Irish community to connect with a new, larger audience.

Technical Research:

A main form of research conducted for this film centred around developing a strong artistic identity as a producer, director and editor. According to Glynne (2012) “...the best ideas are always the simple ones.” For this reason, it is important not to stray from the key message the documentary hopes to deliver to the audience, to prove that social media is a commodity for the revival of the Irish language.

According to Rabinger (1997) before shooting it is imperative to “...plan everything and make lists of everything you need to remember.” This can apply to scripting and shot preparation, but also to the equipment necessary to bring to the interview. Questions for the participants were written out clearly and rehearsed and a checklist of equipment was ticked off before each interview.

Rabinger (1997) also stresses the importance of the audience's “attitude” toward the film. Keeping this in mind will establish a style for how the film comes across and the message it sends to those that watch it. This is an important point to consider when constructing the storyline of the film.

It was essential for the edit of this film to be of a high standard so that it would catch the attention of the viewers and also resemble real online platforms. Glynne (2012) expresses that it is necessary to “...acquire some really decent skills if you are editing yourself.” As suggested by Glynne (2012), Adobe Premiere Pro was used to edit this film.

During the edit, as suggested by Glynne (2012), rushes were saved in a separate folder. This acted as a track record of edits and displayed the executive decisions made regarding what to keep in and what to take out of the film during the post production process.

The first assembly edit was a key factor in analysing how the story was shaping and what significance the character's opinions had to the message of the film. According to Rabiger (1998) “the first assembly auditions the best material and becomes the launching pad for a denser and more complex film.” It was vital to look over this edit a few times and to take notes on the points which stood out from the rest.

This film was set to follow a modern style and motion graphics were added to portray this. Glynne (2012), encourages to “...think about where in the film they will appear, what kind of animation, how long will it last.” It was important to keep this in mind during the edit of this film. The function of these graphics was to make the audience feel as though they were actively participating in the film. The idea of inserting a moving computer mouse on screen during the film developed from this idea of participation.

Taking these steps into account will ensure the film meets the technical requirements at hand and will improve the film as a whole in terms of structure, content and quality. • Chapter Three: Constructing/Designing your Product:

Design

This participatory documentary was designed to follow a contemporary, new-age style. It not only focuses on social media but also incorporates it into how the story is being told by using YouTube vlogs and Snapchat videos throughout. This method was chosen to also match the informal and colloquial tone of how the documentary is presented.

The documentary begins by setting a one month challenge, to meet four Irish language ambassadors across the country who use social media to promote the language, learn from them and to attempt to gain a following on Snapchat by promoting the language. This constructs the premise for the film and informs the audience of what to expect.

The film is constructed to shed a positive and new-fashioned light on the language, to prove it is a valuable and useful asset online. This is achieved by making the film visually colourful, energetic and fast-paced. Upbeat, bouncy music is used to match this style.

Incorporating the Irish language, which can be perceived as an old, dead language, into these modern technologies links to the powerful message of this film, that the language is alive and revolutionising online. It aims to shed light on a modern, new age of the Irish language. This was displayed through the use of the language in the vlogs. Creating and designing graphics such as the YouTube web page background and using motion graphics during shots of Snapchat following records, really added to this also. After the introduction, a graphic appears pressing a play button. This was done to make the viewer feel as though they are actively participating in the film as it is being played.

It is said that “...in documentaries we find stories or arguments, evocations or descriptions that let us see the world anew.” (Nichols, B. 2002) Everything about the style and design of this film is modern, contemporary and abstract, which is not what people would usually link the Irish language to. It takes a step away from the conventional perceptions of the language e.g education, traditional music, calligraphy, and focuses on how the language appears online today, as a “cool”, trendy and exciting concept.

This documentary is designed to appeal to those who have an interest in the language, so it is in Irish with subtitles provided. Subtitles can also be beneficial for those who wish to watch the documentary without sound, for example watching on the bus home, as Micheál suggested.

Practical Construction:

The entire documentary was filmed on a Canon 700D, switching between 50mm and 18 200mm lenses, depending on the shot. A Culmainn tripod was used, which can also be taken apart and used as a monopod. A RODE Rycote video microphone rested on top of the camera during all shoots. Some shots were filmed using a GoPro HERO 4 and an iPhone 6.

As this documentary was participatory, assistance was required for filming purposes during the interviews. A colleague from my undergraduate degree called Mark agreed to help. This allowed me to be in shot when conducting interviews, which was necessary to tie in with the rest of the storyline.

To stress the power of this movement and revolution, scripting voice-overs was a crucial part in convincing the audience to agree with the argument. Voice overs were recorded using a Zoom H4N. The last sentence of the intro in the film is “...tá athbheochán don Ghaeilge ar líne” meaning there is a revival for the language online. The last line presented in the outro is “Tá an Ghaeilge beo ar Líne”, meaning the language is alive online. This enforces for the audience, that based on the evidence they have seen in the film, there is a strong argument in favour of the Irish language on social media which has allowed for it to grow and to become a valuable part of modern society.

Practical decisions: Interviews

According to Glynne, (2012) when casting for your documentary, “...you need to ask yourself why you want them there what function they serve.” Each participant was chosen based on their online activity. Caoimhe, Siún and Micheál were mentioned in the article by The Daily Edge (Loftus, 2016) “How the Irish language lives on Snapchat”. This sparked interest in getting their opinions on how they promote the language individually.

Pop Up Gaeltacht has quickly become one of the most popular Irish language events across the globe and has done so through the use of social media. During the interview Peadar comments “...níl suíomh idirlíon againn, níl fiú vicipéid againn”, meaning “we don't have a website, we don't even have a wikipedia.” They describe being part of a social revolution as they have promoted the event and language entirely using only social media. They were chosen for this reason.

Each person was contacted through a different social media application asking them to participate. Micheál was contacted on Facebook Messenger, Siún on Instagram, Caoimhe on Snapchat and Pop Up Gaeltacht on Twitter. This was done as this was the platform where they were most active online. This section, though it was filmed, did not make it into the film unfortunately, as it took up too much time.

It was essential to make sure to double-check date, time and location with the participants before the interview. Whenever possible, it is a good idea to arrive roughly an hour before guests to allow time to set up camera and shots correctly. Taking these steps will benefit greatly in post-production.

The footage for this documentary was taken in many different locations, both indoors and outdoors. The locations were: The Cathedral Quarter in Belfast, Belfast City, NUIG Galway, RTÉ and Kchido Mexico in Smithfield. Vlogs were filmed in my home. This added to the visual aesthetic of the story and also proved that Irish is being used by energetic, inspirational people in vibrant and colourful places all around the country. “The background for each of the interviews needs to be different. This gives your production visual variety”. (Hart, C 1999) By varying locations, the viewers will remain interested and active in the storyline.

It was important to make every interview interesting and to catch the eye of the viewer. This was done by filming visuals to overlay during shots of the participantsánswers. According to Hart to make an interview set up look appealing you must “move things about” (Hart, C 1999) This rang particularly true for the interview with Pop Up Gaeltacht as we had to move benches and props about to get the right angle for the shot.

The first interview of the documentary was with Micheál O Ciaraidh. The purpose of this interview was to get an insight into what social media actually is, why it's so important for the promotion of Irish and how each social media platform serves its own purpose. The second interview was with Siún Ní Dhúinn in RTÉ. Siún's interview highlights the importance of knowing the audience and sending the correct message to them. This builds onto Micheál's point about using social media apps for different reasons. She then evaluates my Snapchat story. This was a good way to tie in my progress on the app halfway through the documentary and to get a professional opinion that might also be useful to viewers. Caoimhe discussed why she feels it important to link the language and social media, to reach a larger audience and to impact change. Her interview addresses the argument that the Irish community is a bubble, and presents how she is using social media to break that barrier.

My final interview was with Pop Up Gaeltacht. We met in a Mexican restaurant called Kchmido. Since the creation of Pop Up Gaeltacht, Peadar and Osgur have become connoisseurs of trendy and hip places to be in Dublin. They selected this place as a result. There was lots of life and colour to the place, much like there is at the Pop Up Gaeltacht events. Peadar and Osgur made some very interesting points about the language and stressed how important social media has been for them to promote the language and in a physical space. They stress the importance of changing negative attitudes toward the language and that there are in fact hundreds of people attending Irish language events.

Each participant's interview is relevant to the argument of this dissertation, suggests there is value in the language and proves that social media is the key to changing the perception of Irish and opening up the community.

Post-Production:

According to Rabiger (1998) a “...film is really created in the editing process.” Editing allows for the pieces of the story to come together and make sense of the overall message. It is crucial however, to ensure that irrelevant shots, even though they may have taken time and look well, must be cut out if they serve no purpose to the story. Watching over the film and comparing what is being said to the visuals at hand is one way of achieving this.

The topic “Gaeilge ar Líne”, or “Irish Online” is discussed by all four participants. In postproduction it was important to ensure every answer was different and developed a new idea from the last. This allows audience to learn something new from each interview. This was achieved by examining each interview thoroughly and highlighting the main points made in each.

Colour correction was also used in post-production. The saturation was slightly increased on most shots so that their colours would pop and follow suit to the style and palette envisioned. It is important however to ensure the subject, or interviewee's skin tone remains natural. Vlog scenes were shot with colourful backgrounds also, so that they would contrast with the white border surrounding them in the film. Choosing music for this film was an important aspect. It was important that the music resembled the modern vibe of the message being portrayed throughout the film. All of the songs were taken from the audio library on Youtube, therefore are royalty free. There was a wide variety of songs used in the film, this was done purposely to keep the attention of the audience and to break up sections of the film accordingly.

To give this film a modern twist, animated motion graphics can be seen throughout the film. These were made on Adobe After Effects. They were created taking inspiration from YouTube tutorial videos, but always had their own twist and colour scheme. The most used graphic was made to resemble the YouTube logo. It appears before each vlog to add to the online style of the vlogs. The colour scheme chosen was using different shades of green and white, as they are colours typically associated with the Irish language.

Ethical aspects and limitations:

In terms of an ethical perspective, the film shows bias toward the language. This decision was made to prove the argument of this dissertation. It confirms to those who don't believe in the prospect of Irish that social media has created a new sense of purpose and life for the language.

Participants of this film spoke freely and were not asked to answer in a certain way nor were their answers manipulated in post-production. The interview clips used stayed true to the essence of what they were trying to say.

In terms of limitations, a 15-minute documentary cannot be posted on social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram, as users would lose interest within the first few minutes. A solution would be to split each interview and post them individually in order to capture attention. In contrast, the film is actually too short to appear on broadcast television, with the standard programme time being 24 minutes. YouTube is the perfect site to post such content to, as users are more willing to spend time watching a video and this also allows the film to stay true to its target audience, social media users. • Chapter Four: Discussion

Production:

In terms of production for this documentary, when it began, the idea of presenting and filming alone seemed impossible. It was a good decision to use an additional cameraman for help throughout this project as the documentary wouldn't have become what it is if working alone. Interview shots tied in well with the rest of the storyline as both presenter and interviewee are visible. Each participant was very knowledgeable on the subject and very comfortable in an interview set up.

The documentary was set out to be vibrant and colorful, thankfully each of these places met that requirement. However, the sound was weak in some locations. Busy, colourful places were often quite noisy. A solution to tackle this problem in future would be to double-check with the cameraman how the shot looks and sounds before jumping straight into an interview. Also, to have a checklist of everything that needs to be looked over before going ahead with the interview e.g. sound, lighting, camera angle.

An example of where this could have been improved is Caoimhe's interview. We met in The Cathedral Quarter, Belfast, which was great visually, but a generator in the background interfered with the sound quality. Also, we were sitting in front of a painted mural. The interview shot happened to have a painting of the back of a man wearing a Kippah in between myself and Caoimhe. This could have been avoided if the shot had been double checked before shooting.

During Siún's interview, there was a small monitor behind her head. You can see Mark's reflection in this monitor during the interview. The room also had an echo which interfered with sound quality.

The interview with Pop Up Gaeltacht was in a very busy restaurant. A microphone was placed on the table between both Peadar and Osgur, which worked quite well.

Finally, Micheál's interview in NUIG had some slight sound issues also. He had booked a room and it was quite echoed. This was the most difficult to correct in post-production. As a fluent speaker, it was easy to interact with participants, and difficult to comprehend how the community is associated with being a closed off bubble. However, Mark had little to no Irish, so it was interesting to hear his perspective on how open or welcome the participants were with him.

Mark sent a few words on his experience:

“Initially I was a bit worried I would make it awkward because I speak essentially no Irish but thankfully I couldn't have been more wrong. Everyone we interviewed was so nice and took the time to talk to me and explain what was happening to make sure I was involved in discussions I loved filming with them and would do it again in a heartbeat.”

Post Production:

Luckily, most visual issues could be resolved in post-production by colour correcting each shot, which added shadows to the shots and made the colours vibrant. Fixing the audio however, did prove to be more difficult as echoes can be hard to eliminate. In future, checking the sound on location will be an essential requirement before conducting interviews.

Editing at first was overwhelming, as there was a huge amount of content. It was quite a time consuming process to have to go through all of the clips. To make things easier, interviews and visuals matching the interviews, were edited one at a time. This was done to ensure that the best clips and content for each interview was on the timeline before piecing the rest together.

Many clips from the first assembly edit were taken out as the film was too long. It was essential to keep the film moving at a fast pace which only touched on valid points. Points discussing the history of the language were considered unnecessary in the final production as the focus of the film centred on this current, modern movement.

Because the documentary was in Irish, the first assembly edit was transcribed into English for my supervisors. This was extremely helpful as important points were easy to identify, highlight and to ensure there was no repetition in answers. This is definitely something to be considered for future projects, as it was really helpful. Another difficulty faced during post production was adding subtitles to the film. The captions tool on Premiere Pro was used, however it became temperamental at times and the text would appear off screen. The very last shot was very tight and subtitles were cutting my chin and the application would not allow to move the text further down on screen. Subtitles were moved to the top of the screen for this reason, however they still looked out of place in shot. In future it will be noted to be mindful of tight shots if subtitles are being used.

Using After Effects proved difficult at times, as it is still a new concept for me, but the graphics came out well. Using animations really added to the visual style of the documentary. It is the little things like these graphics that really tie a film together and make it memorable.

Lessons Learned:

Before filming, it is essential to have a clear outline of the message of the film and what you hope to achieve during the film. Writing up a treatment and constructing a storyboard can help hugely with piecing the story together also. In terms of style and design, a visionary board can be beneficial also.

Independently making a documentary takes on huge responsibility and can sometimes be stressful. To reduce stress, it is vital to always be prepared for interviews and to have looked at camera settings, for example ISO, white balance, sound and exposure, before recording.

From a presenting perspective, it is essential to be sure of the questions you want to ask your guest and to make sure the question is relevant to the information you need, that way you will spend less time looking for relevant information during post production.

Editing a large project can take much more time than expected, especially with the addition of subtitles, graphics and photoshopping. It is always wise to allow for as much post production time as possible.

Casting call sheets, editing records and question templates should have been kept during production. This is something that will not be forgotten about in future. Final Thoughts:

Producing this film allowed me to become a member of a new online community through my social media accounts. Snapchatting and recording my progress added to the storyline of the documentary and kept the audience interested to see how I had progressed each week. It gave them an incentive to keep watching.

An unexpected turn however, was the influx of messages during this process. I received messages from all kinds of people from fluent Irish speakers to those with cúpla focal or few words, and to those with virtually no Irish but an interest in hearing or learning the language. This proves further that social media has given the Irish language a chance to expand to audiences that would have never been deemed possible before. • Chapter Five: Conclusion

The theory that social media is a valuable means through which the Irish language can be re-invigorated and made relevant to the 21st century has been proved in this film and dissertation. The participants' knowledgeable answers and the growing rate of my Snapchat account show that the language is able to reach an audience of a wide scale, and that the audience is responding when the message is sent correctly.

It is vital to use each social media site in different ways for two reasons. Firstly, Micheál points out that each platform serves their own purpose in terms of sending a message. For example, Instagram can be used for visual content such as pictures, Snapchat however can be used to cover an event and speak about a certain topic. Siún develops on this point and presents the second reason, that there are different audiences on each platform. To promote the language correctly and appeal to a wider audience, it is imperative to understand your audience and what they wish to hear.

Caoimhe presents evidence that the language already has status and power online as a result of the success of movements such as An Dream Dearg. She does argue the point however that the Irish language community can still appear to be in bubble. Social media however is aiding to the expansion of this community.

Finally, Pop Up Gaeltacht demonstrates the result and effect the language has had online to this point. Peadar and Osgur say that social media has promoted their event worldwide and has influenced the Irish language community to be seen and heard. By doing this, negative attitudes which believe no one speaks the language are being proved wrong, and therefore are changing.

The documentary turned out very strong. The points made by the participants add to the development of the message and the vlogs and Snapchats keep the story moving along at a fast pace. It presents the Irish language in a modern light through the use of vlogs, music, graphics and thought-provoking interviews.

The vlogs and Snapchats tie in with the concept of the film and remind the viewers how people like Micheál, Siún, Caoimhe and Pop Up Gaeltacht are communicating with their followers on a daily basis. It also demonstrates how simplistic and informal it can be to promote and develop a language, thanks to new technologies and social media platforms. The main argument of the film is that the Irish language is not an old, worthless language but that it is in fact thriving as a result of its promotion on social media platforms. It is now possible to login online to learn a cúpla focal, a few words, as you please. As a result of this, a social revolution is occurring whereby the image of the Irish community as a bubble is breaking down and the language is becoming accessible and widely used. However, there is certainly some way to go for this community and movement.

Reaching 347 Snapchat followers shows that there is an interest in the language, but that it also remains as quite a small community. This proves that the revolution is still in its early days and that much work needs to be done for it to reach the masses. When this is done negative attitudes toward the language will diminish and the community will grow as a result.

All participants stressed that a negative attitude does still exist towards the Irish language and noted that many people maintain the view that it holds no place or value in modern Ireland. This seems to be a very subjective matter. If you want Irish in your life it is very easy to come by and a range of facilities, including online platforms are available. Similarly, if you have no interest in the language, it can easily be avoided in your day to day life, bar the odd sign post here and there. The participants however, mentioned that they wish for Irish to be accessible to a new audience which proves that they are trying to tackle the stigmatization of being a closed-off community.

This documentary resembles “Random Acts As Gaeilge” as it is lively, fast-paced and eyeopening. However, it presents a new idea, one that has not been centre stage before, and which gives it a strong sense of originality in terms of subject and content.

In comparison to a wider genre of documentary films, “Gaeilge ar Líne” follows a similar style to that of “Catfish: The Movie”, as it records an individual's journey as they take a trip to reach a certain goal. The use of social media sites can be seen in each documentary and screenshots of computer screens are used as transitions from one theme to the next. However, “Gaeilge ar Líne” differs from “Catfish” in the sense that it aims to learn from the area of expertise of the participants rather than to learn about their own personal lives. This allows for the film to get to the heart of the message it wishes to portray.

At a length of 15 minutes, the film makes the argument that social media is introducing a new audience to the Irish language, and is discussed thoroughly, without making the audience feel overwhelmed with information. It is to the point and bares similarity in terms of length to videos from the YouTube channel Vice. YouTube would be the best social media platform to showcase this film based on its length. If it were to appear on Facebook, the audience would lose attention after a couple of minutes.

Regarding internet fame and influencers, this documentary has given an insight into the importance of numbers in online success. Each week the number of followers on my Snapchat account were counted. This number increased each week and often times large numbers of users would follow the account at one time. This could suggest that users follow content based on popularity rather than on initial interest in the content subject. Appearing on social media apps such as Snapchat gives users a voice and access to a wider audience. It can certainly be regarded as one of the most powerful tools to influence change and promote a language.

In terms of development for this film, there are a few options. The video could be posted online to social media sites, however, it would not profit in a monetary sense in any way, and may not reach a large audience. Though it is not the correct length to be broadcast on television, it could be sent to stations such as TG4 as a pilot and be further developed from :

Bernard, Curran, S. (2003) Documentary Storytelling for Video and Filmmakers. Elsevier: Focal Press

Boyd, D. and Ellison, B. Nicloe (2007) Social Network Sites: Definition, History and Scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication: International Communication Association

Carnie, A. (1995) Modern Irish: A Case Study in Language Revival Failure. MIT Workings Papers in Linguistics: Papers on Endangered Languages.

Census (2016) 7. The Irish language. Available at: http://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/releasespublications/documents/population/2017/7._The_Irish_language.pdf

Darmody, M. and Daly, T. (2015) Attitudes Towards the Irish Language on the Island of Ireland. Foras na Gaeilge: ERSI

DreamGrow (2017) Top 15 most popular social networking sites. Available at: https://www.dreamgrow.com/top-15-most-popular-social-networking-sites/

Fuchs, C. (2017) Social Media - A critical introduction. SAGE, 20 Feb.

Glynne, A. (2012) Documentaries…and how to make them. Oldecastle Books.

Harford, S. (2017) Tír gan teanga, tír gan craic. The City. 27 March. Available at: https://thecity.ie/2017/03/21/tir-gan-teanga-tir-gan-craic/

Hart, C. (1999) Television Program Making, everything you need to know to get started. Oxford Focal Press.

Haythornthwaite, C. (2005) Social networks and Internet connectivity effects. Information, Communication & Society. Vol 8. Issue 2. Hickey, R. (2008) Language use and attitudes in Ireland. A preliminary evaluation of survey results in: Soctheangeolaíocht na Gaeilge (ed. Brian Ó Catháin), Léachtaí Cholm Cille.

Hyde, D. (1892) The Necessity for De-Anglicising Ireland. Delivered before the Irish National Literary Society: Dublin, 25th November. Available at: http://www.gaeilge.org/deanglicising.html

Judge, J. and Ní Chasaide, A. (2012) The Irish Language in the Digital Age/ An Ghaeilge sa Ré Dhigiteach. META-NET White Paper Series. Berlin: Springer-Verlag

Kavanagh, Revd. P.F.K (1902) Ireland's Defence - Her language, The Politics of Language in Ireland 1366-1922. University of Manchester

Lenhart, A. and Purcell, K. (2010) Social Media and Young Adults. Social media and mobile internet use among teens and young adults. Pew Internet & American Life Project

Líofa (2017) Líofa Gaeltacht Bursary Scheme. Available at: https://www.liofa.eu/learning-irish/liofa-gaeltacht-bursary-scheme

Loftus, V. (2016) “How the Irish language lives on Snapchat: 5 Gaeilgeoirí leading the way.” The Daily Edge, 26 December. Available at: http://www.dailyedge.ie/snapchat-as-gaeilge-23139399-Dec2016/

Mac Gréil, M. and Rhatigan, F. (2009) The Irish Language and the Irish People. National University of Ireland, Maynooth.

Nichols, B. (2002) Introduction to Documentary. Indiana: Indiana University Press

NVTV (2017) Ó Líofa go Lá Dearg. [Documentary]. 26 July. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/AnDreamDearg/?fref=ts

O Keeffe, D. (2015) Do we care enough about Irish to keep it alive? The Journal. 6 April. Available at: http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/irish-language-dead-or-alive-2028912Apr2015/

Ó Scolaí, C (2013) An Féidir Linn? [Documentary]. 13 March. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPYdADwLYbQ Rabiger, M. (1997) Directing - Film Techniques and Aesthetics. Second Edition. Focal Press: Butterworth-Heinemann Rabiger, M. (1998) Directing The Documentary. Third Edition. Focal Press: Butterworth Heinemann

RTÉ (2017) Random Acts As Gaeilge [Documentary]. 16 March. Available at: https://www.rte.ie/player/ie/show/seachtain-na-gaeilge-30004560/ (Accessed on 24th May 2017)

Scannell, K. (2012) Facebook in all six Celtic Languages. Department of Computer Science Saint Louis University. Available at: http://borel.slu.edu/pub/naaclt12.pdf

Schulmann, A and Joost, H. (2010) Catfish: The Movie [Documentary]. (Accessed 24th May) 17 September. Available at: http://documentary-movie.com/catfish/

Sundén, J. (2003) Material Virtualities. New York: New York Press.

Údarás na Gaeltachta (2017) An Ghaeltacht. Available at: http://www.udaras.ie/en/an-ghaeilge-an-ghaeltacht/an-ghaeltacht/

Waters, John K. (2010) The Everything Guide To Social Media. Massachuesetts: Adams Media Corporation.

Young, N. (2017) 360: Language and diversity in the digital age [Podcast]. (Accessed: June 18th 2017) Available at: http://www.cbc.ca/radio/spark/360-language-anddiversity-in-the-digital-age-1.4161772
citation:   Fitzmaurice, Éadaoin  (2017) Gaeilge ar Líne: A TV Documentary about the benefits of social media for the promotion and revival of the Irish language.  Masters thesis, Griffith College.   
document_url: http://go.griffith.ie/165/1/MATRJ%20-%20Gaeilge%20ar%20Li%CC%81ne%20-%20Eadaoin%20Fitzmaurice%20-%20VIDEO%20DOCU%20dissertation.pdf