Gaeilge ar Líne: A TV Documentary about the benefits of social media for the promotion and revival of the Irish language

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.