There has been a 600% increase in TikTokers posting content as Gaeilge, according to TikTok HQ. 

The community is informally known as the ‘GaelTok’ and users can use the hashtag to watch the latest videos posted by Gaeilgeoirí. 

One well known content creator in the Gaeltacht is Máire na Greine, a native speaker who grew up in County Meath. 

Her grandparents moved to the village of Ráth Cairn in the 1930s from Connemara and learnt English watching Disney programmes. 

“We grew up with Irish all around us in our village in County Meath but English in the town,” she told Lunchtime Live. 

“We were very used to having Gaeilge sa mbaile [Irish at home] but knowing that when we went to the town, they might not understand us. 

“No panic but we’d keep speaking Irish to each other anyway.

“So, we didn’t grow up with this shame of being different.” 

A sign in Irish language welcoming visitors to the Gaeltacht. Image: Alamy

Máire describes the GaelTok as  “very exciting” and a “great way to come across new TikTokers”. 

“Even on my For You page, my TikTok knows what I’m into and I’d say every day I come across three or four different creators vlogging as Gaeilge,” she said. 

“It’s just so exciting.” 

Although Máire feels social media is “not as personal” as real life, she really enjoys learning about her followers' attitudes to the Irish language. 

“Hearing people’s stories of, ‘Gosh, I’d love to speak Gaeilge, where do I start?’” she said. 

“Or, ‘My Gaeilge isn’t that bad’ and I’m like, ‘Go for it’.” 

Níos fearr Gaeilge bhriste ná Béarla cliste

Máire added that far too many people feel awkward about speaking Irish, even if they spent years learning it in school. 

“That shame is there having been colonised by you know who for so long,” she said. 

“But it is really, really lovely to see that the shame is being addressed and that’s still there for many generations. 

“Where it’s like, ‘Oh gosh, I do have Gaeilge but it’s not perfect.’

“My big message is, ‘Please do not wait till it’s perfect to speak it.’”

Main image: A split of a Gaeltacht sign and TikTok sign.