What’s TikTok as Gaeilge?

Since papers have been put to print in Ireland, there have been countless articles written from every angle about the Irish language; from its legal status to its cultural role and relevance to its future and survival. As we graduate from paper to tablets, it would be hard to ignore the ever-growing social media presence that an Ghaeilge has developed in the digital world.

As a digital media officer witnessing the continuous evolution of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, I am in constant wonderment at how rapidly these entities help with the growth of the Irish language. It leaves me anticipating what the next big thing could be and furthermore, how it will make our native tongue all the more attractive to hungry beginners eager to learn and hop on the cultural bandwagon.

We see time and time again how businesses big and small rely heavily on social media accounts to promote their niche in the market. Customers equally rely on business pages to prove authenticity and for honest reviews. You’d struggle to find a business or organisation that doesn’t have some sort of a social media presence. Therefore, these organisations cannot afford to be left behind, because the digital world will swiftly move on.

Platforms such as TikTok is the layman’s version of an elite marketing team. It has made advertising and content creation far more accessible for those with a budget. TikTok’s popularity is soaring with now over one billion online users. 

When a social platform expands, it can take users and space from other places such as Facebook, which seems to have peaked in usage. In my role, I have to be thinking about tailormade content for each platform and just when you think you’ve got a grasp on it, well you don’t! 

We are constantly reviewing by what means one gets their organisational, business or political messages out there. With so much content available, these platforms use an algorithm which creates order and relevancy and dictates where you rank on a user’s feed. So, there’s not much room for error.

When I first joined TikTok in a work sense to see where my organisation could fit in, I was overwhelmed I won’t lie. Short, snappy videos that typically don’t last longer than 30 seconds due to the ever-diminishing attention span of Generation Z. 

These bite-size videos have now replaced the five-minute news package that once grasped us back in the late noughties. But now TikTok has taken the 20s decade by a storm and is quickly becoming the top network for young people and it is influencing how the other big networks such as Facebook and Instagram are organising their evolution.

So why is this relevant to the Irish language? Well within all these platforms, an Ghaeilge has found its own online space and is growing from strength to strength across all the social media platforms. With many ‘niche’ accounts and content creators, you can find yourself going down a rabbit hole on comedy sketches, fashion, make-up, travelling, and even farming, thus absorbing the once ‘tedious’ Irish grammar in a new enticing and modern way. 

We can now be bilingual, but not be under any pressure with the realms of grammar. This is all giving the language a powerful boost and thankfully is a trend that we all would like to see develop into something much bigger.

There has been an underbelly of fire against the old-fashioned view of the Irish language. Long gone is the notion that one must be fluent before conversing in our native tongue. Now, we see the rise of the pop-up Gaeltacht, a ‘ciorcal comhra’ (conversation circle) in our local and the ever-increasing presence of Irish being spoken on the radio, television and podcasts. 

Certain manufacturers such as Samsung provide a full interface through Irish and developers have made many applications fully or partially available through Irish such as WhatsApp, Twitter, Google Mail and Facebook. 

Even the grandmothers of Ireland have turned to using Mamó instead of the conforming Granny or Nana, because they themselves wish for a better inclusion and spread of our culture amongst the younger generation. The nation is beginning to understand that “Is fearr Gaeilge briste ná Béarla cliste” and that the only way to get Irish back into society is by practicing it bit by bit.  

Of course, the Irish has been perceived negatively for some. Sometimes, this being due to how one was taught it in school and that negativity has lingered for some, but now attitudes are shifting and people aren’t seeking Irish content online as a tool for education but rather for leisure, and that in itself is connecting us more together. We now have a space where Irish speakers can talk, discuss, and explore their interests through the medium of the language. Thus, creating a new normal as Gaeilge.

At the end of the day, Irish is for everyone. Our native language is of crucial importance to our identity and is what makes us unique. As time goes on, we see people of other nationalities eager to learn our own native tongue. Over a million users are learning Irish on Duolingo, the language app. This can only grow. 

There a range of emerging Irish language sites and personalities on TikTok and other sites. So, check out @seamboyseam, @kerrycowboy, @caoimhechats or @gaylgeoiri or maybe download the fabulous Focloir.ie dictionary app from Foras na Gaeilge.

Irish is going in the right direction online and we need to focus less on talking about the language and practice what we preach by using it where and when we can. We fought for too long for our right to practice, teach, and use our Irish in our everyday lives for us to give up now, because at the end of the day, Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam. 

Anna Carroll is a Digital Media Officer for Sinn Féin