An in-depth survey on the Irish language in Athenry and Ballinasloe is to be carried out by Gaeilge Locha Riach, NUI, Galway, and the Galway County Council.
A follow-up to last year’s survey in Loughrea, this survey of Athenry and Ballinasloe will seek to find how may people can/do use Irish, frequency of use, attitudes to the language, and suggestions as to initiatives that might increase use and acquisition of Irish.
A number of people have been randomly selected in accordance with best practice for surveys and they will be contacted over the coming weeks to fill in a questionnaire.
A letter will be received by all first explaining what the survey is about before interviews take place. The interviewers hope to meet everyone selected by the end of June. Further methods of inquiry will be used later on in order to a get a full picture of all opinions.
The survey is a joint project by Gaeilge Locha Riach, post-graduate language planning students from NUIG in An Cheathrú Rua, and the Galway County Council.
Gaeilge Locha Riach is calling on the public to co-operate with the survey as it is “important we get a true reflection as to people’s opinions towards the language”.
