Opinion: Irish is no longer just the language of saints and scholars, but of queer poets and writers who are sharing their stories (tá leagan Gaeilge den alt seo thíos)
I think it is safe to say that the Irish language is having a moment. From TikTok creators, to Oscar-nominated Irish-language films, and a wave of engaging and entertaining podcasts (I recommend What the focal?), Irish is gaining ground in new and innovative ways. The language is beginning to shed its long-standing, often inaccurate associations with conservatism, and a more liberal mindset is beginning to emerge culturally.
Over the last few years, the Irish language community is starting to embrace voices once unheard or silenced. Among them are queer Irish language writers who, since the 1990s particularly, are boldly bringing new themes to readers. While many might not associate Irish-language literature with LGBTQ+ themes, there is a growing number of books in the language that deal with the queer community. In his sociolinguistic research, John Walsh notes queerness had been frequently 'erased’ from Irish language discourses until relatively recently. With Pride in full swing, let’s see what we can be bródúil about through and with Irish!
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
From RTÉ Archives, How the the early life in Limerick of novelist and playwright Kate O'Brien impacted on her work
Homoerotic bards
While there are many English language Irish queer writers such as Oscar Wilde, Kate O’Brien, Colm Tóibín, and Emma Donoghue, there have been glimpses of LGBTQ+ themes in the Irish language that go back farther than contemporary times. Some scholars, such as Sarah McKibben, who studies gender in the bardic poetry of the Early Modern Period (13th – 18th century), have deemed some of the period’s poetry as homoerotic. The poetic patronages of the period saw the phenomenon of the fear éinleabtha (bed fellows), where poets would share the bed of their patrons. Some of the poetry written, from the likes of Eochaidh Ó hEoghusa (1567–1617), could be seen as forms of public relations spin of the time. Poetry was written praising the patron excessively, but some researchers think that more may have been at play. On the other hand, other scholars see it as nothing more than artistic expression where the male poet takes on a female voice while writing lyrical love poetry. Whether it is, in James Carney’s word, a conceit, or whether there was genuine intimacy is up to the reader to decide.
Sowing seeds: Micheál Mac Liammóir (1899-1978)
One notable figure often overlooked in conversations about queer Irish-language culture and literature is Micheál Mac Liammóir. Though widely recognised as a playwright in both Irish and English, Mac Liammóir was, in fact, English-born and was christened Alfred Willmore. His life changed dramatically after moving to Ireland, where he met fellow English dramatist and life partner Hilton Edwards. From that moment on, the two men entered into a lifelong romantic and professional partnership. Both men founded The Gate Theatre in Dublin, which remains a cornerstone of the city’s theatre life.
Remarkably, in a time not known for tolerance, Irish society largely accepted their loving partnership. When they both subsequently died (first Micheál and then Hilton a decade after), they were buried in the same grave. Mac Liammóir wrote extensively in both Irish and English and has written some sexually-charged queer work. Micheál, along with other gay writers around the same time, such as Pearse Hutchinson (1927-2012) and later Seán Hutton (1940 – 2024), planted the seeds for LGBTQ+ literature in the Irish language and began a quiet revolution.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
From RTÉ Archives, The tenth issue of poetry magazine 'Innti' is launched at a press conference in December 1986
The nineties and beyond
In the 1970s, the UCC-based Innti literary magazine sparked a literary movement as it offered fresh voices to the Irish language with well-known poets such as Michael Davitt, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill and Gabriel Rosenstock all welcoming countercultural themes to their poetic projects, reflecting the shifting cultural tectonic plates of the time. The impact the Innti movement has been linked with the modernisation of Irish language literature ever since. Interestingly, since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland in 1993, Pádraig Standún (who is also a Catholic priest) wrote the novel Cion Mná, which dealt with a lesbian couple in the Conamara Gaeltacht.
A few years later, Micheál Ó Conghaile, from Inis Treabhair in Galway, also began writing openly about queer sexuality in short stories such as ‘Athair’ from the collection An Fear a Phléasc (1997) which is now on the new Leaving Certificate syllabus. This was followed by his own bildungsroman Sna Fir (1999), where Micheál wrote about the life of a young gay Gaeltacht man learning about gay life in Dublin. Other writers such as Alex Hijmans, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Éilis Ní Dhuibhne, and Pádraig Ó Cíobháin have also woven queer themes into their work in the Irish language, showing a growing maturity and openness in the language’s literary world.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Ó RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta's Iris Aniar, Ag labhairt faoin dráma, Grindr, Saghar agus Cher agus faoi Aerach, Aiteach, Gaelach
AerachAiteachGaelach
AerachAiteachGaelach, like Innti, has gone on to shape Irish language literary discourse. Established in 2020 in Dublin by poets Eoin McEvoy and Ciara Ní É, the group has produced plays, drag nights, queer balls, and even have a working group for queer terminology. One particularly powerful poem was penned by poet and actor Sam Ó Fearraigh, who wrote ‘Mise Aerach’ (a play on words of ‘Mise Éire’ by Patrick Pearse) in 2022. The poem itself addresses fundamental tension between ‘traditional’ Irishness and queer sexual identity:
Mise aerach –
Sine mé ná Cailleach Bhéara,
cros na sagart,
teacht na nGael
ná fiú an t-ainm ‘Éire’ (Ó Fearraigh 2023: 240)
Let’s be proud!
Suffice to say, queer Irish language literature doesn’t just exist, or is purely just for show or acts as a gimmick; it resists and redefines ideas of what it is to be Gaelach and consequently shows that Irish identity is not in a static or fixed state. From bards to bilingual drag nights, Irish language writers and artists are not only queering the language, but claiming it as their own, and so they should. What once seemed like a language bound by toxic nationalism is now a vibrant space for experimentation and liberation that builds on tradition.
While the Foclóir Aiteach (The Queer Dictionary) gives us the terms we need when discussing various aspects of queer life in Irish, it is clear that there is a vibrant LGBTQ+ community within the Irish language world – between cultures or idir dhá chultúr. The language no longer just the language of saints, scholars and the sraith pictiúr, it's the language of queer poets, of radical drag artists, dramatists all of whom are sharing stories that dare to be both gay and gaelach — with pride.
Irish-language Queer texts I would recommend
Novels
Pádraig Standún: 1993, Cion Mná, Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 9781874700067
Micheál Ó Conghaile: 1999, Sna Fir, Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 9781902420202
Alex Hijmans: 2011, Aiséirí, Cois Life, 9781907494024
Graphic Novels
Alice Oseman (translated to Irish by Eoin McEvoy): 2018, Heartsopper, FutaFata, 9781915684172
Alice Oseman (translated to Irish by Eoin McEvoy): Heartstopper (2025), Futa Fata, 1915684242
Plays
Micheál Ó Conghaile: Cúigear Chonamara (2003), Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 9781902420868
Micheál Ó Conghaile: 2008, Go dTaga do Ríocht, Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 781905560479.
Bardic Poets
Sarah McKibben: 2010, Endangered Masculinities in Irish Poetry: 1540 – 1780, UCD Press, 9781906359508.
Poetry
Micheál Mac Liammóir,1946, Bláth agus Taibhse: dánta próis. Sáirséal agus Dill.
Caitríona Ní Chléirchín, 2021, Safó, Cois Life.
Follow RTÉ Brainstorm on WhatsApp and Instagram for more stories and updates
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
Tuairim: Ní teanga naomh agus scoláirí amháin atá sa Gaeilge a thuilleadh, ach teanga filí agus scríbhneoirí aeracha atá ag roinnt a gcuid scéalta
Le roinnt blianta anuas, is féidir a rá go bhfuil borradh faoin nGaeilge i gcomhthéacsanna éagsúla. Ó chruthaitheoirí TikTok, go scannáin Ghaeilge atá i ndiaidh ainmniúchán a fháil do ghradaim Oscars, agus fás agus forbairt phodchraoltaí suimiúla (molaim What the focal? go pearsanta), tá an Ghaeilge, agus an cultúr a bhaineann léi, ag dul ó neart go neart. Tá pobal na teanga anois tar éis droim láimhe a thabhairt d'íomhánna seanaimseartha seanchaite i dtaca leis an gcultúr mar a bhí, amhail an cultúr coimeádach, agus tá meon níos oscailte ag teacht chun cinn sa phobal céanna.
Le roinnt blianta anuas, tá pobal na Gaeilge ag glacadh le glórtha nach mbíodh le cloisteáil tráth agus an tost á bhriseadh. Ina measc sin tá scríbhneoirí aeracha agus aiteacha Gaeilge a d’oscail doirse nua téamacha don phobal go háirithe ó na 1990idí ar aghaidh. Tugann na saothair seo ábhair úra do léitheoirí na Gaeilge go misniúil agus go cróga. B’fhéidir nach gceapfá go bhfuil léirithe den phobal LADTA+ i litríocht chomhaimseartha na Gaeilge, ach tá líon na leabhar a phléann leis an gcineál seo ábhair ag méadú bliain i ndiaidh bliana. Ina chuid taighde sochtheangeolaíochta, maíonn an Dr John Walsh gur minic a chuirtí an aiteacht as an áireamh i dioscúrsaí Gaeilge go dtí le fíordhéanaí, ach a mhalairt atá fíor anois. Le ceiliúradh agus comóradh Bród faoi lán seoil, breathnófar anseo ar a bhfuil sa litríocht Ghaeilge agus gur cúis bhróid í an litríocht chéanna.
Filíocht na mBard agus an Aiteacht
Cé go bhfuil aitheantas fairsing bainte amach ag scata scríbhneoirí aeracha agus aiteacha Béarla amhail Oscar Wilde, Kate O’Brien, Colm Tóibín, agus Emma Donoghue, táthar ann ag ceapadh go bhfuil téamaí LADTA+ sa Ghaeilge ó thréimhsí eile ama. Tá roinnt scoláirí, cosúil leis an Dr Sarah McKibben, a dhéanann staidéar ar cheist na hinscne i bhfilíocht na Nua-Ghaeilge Moiche (13ú – 18ú haois), a mheasann go bhfuil cuid den fhilíocht seo thar a bheith homo-earótach. Tá coincheap ar nós an 'fear éinleabtha’ le feiceáil sa taighde agus go stairiúil, áit a roinneadh filí leaba lena bpatrúin.
D’fhéadfadh filíocht a chum Eochaidh Ó hEoghusa (1567–1617) a chur san áireamh mar shampla den fhilíocht ‘aiteach’ nó ‘aerach’ seo ina molann an file a phátrún go hard na spéire. Ach tá roinnt taighdeoirí den tuairim go raibh caidreamh rómánsúil i gceist leis an dinimic seo ó am go chéile. Ar an láimh eile, deir scoláirí eile gur consaeit fileata (mar a mholann James Carney) atá ann, áit a nglacann an file guth baineann agus é ag cumadh dánta grá. Bíodh siad aiteach nó ná bíodh, is fúinne mar léitheoirí na saothair seo a mheas!
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Ó RTÉ Archives, Hilton Edwards and Michael Mac Liammóir recount how they met and formed their lasting theatrical partnership
Síolta á gcur: Micheál Mac Liammóir (1899–1978)
Is minic a dhéantar dearmad ar dhuine suntasach i gcultúr agus i litríocht aerach nó aiteach na Gaeilge: Micheál Mac Liammóir. Bhí cáil ar Mhicheál mar dhrámadóir i mBéarla agus i nGaeilge ach suimiúil go leor ba de bhunadh Shasana é ar baisteadh Alfred (Willmore) air. Tar éis dó bogadh go hÉirinn, áit ar bhuail sé le Hilton Edwards, d'athraigh a shaol ó bhonn agus cothaíodh caidreamh fadsaoil eatarthu. Bhunaigh an bheirt fhear The Gate Theatre i mBaile Átha Cliath, ionad atá fós lárnach i saol amharclannaíochta na cathrach. Díol spéise is ea an chaoi a gcaití leis an mbeirt fhear go háirithe i bpobal coimeádach na Poblachta nua. Nuair a fuair an bheirt acu bás (Micheál ar dtús agus Hilton deich mbliana ina dhiaidh), cuireadh le chéile iad. Scríobh Mac Liammóir i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla, agus tá cuid dá shaothar aiteach. Anuas ar shaothar agus ar shaol Pearse Hutchinson (1927–2012) agus Seán Hutton (1940–2024), is cinnte gur cuireadh na síolta – bhí réabhlóid chiúin incriminteach ar bun i litríocht LADTA+ sa teanga.
Na Nóchaidí ar aghaidh
Sna 1970idí, chuir glúin Innti tús le gluaiseacht úrnua liteartha. Chuir filí amhail Michael Davitt, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, agus Gabriel Rosenstock téamaí frithchultúir chun cinn a léirigh na hathruithe sóisialta a bhí ag tarlú go domhanda. Baineann an ghluaiseacht úd le beocht nua i litríocht na Gaeilge. Tar éis díchoiriúlú na homaighnéasachta in Éirinn in 1993, scríobh Pádraig Standún, ar sagart Caitliceach é, an t-úrscéal Cion Mná (1993) faoi lánúin leispiach i nGaeltacht Chonamara. Ina dhiaidh seo, chuir duine de na scríbhneoirí Gaeilge comhaimseartha is cumasaí dá bhfuil ann, Micheál Ó Conghaile, as Inis Treabhair go mór leis na téamaí seo. Feictear plé neamhbhalbh i dtaca leis an ngnéasacht aiteach ina chuid gearrscéalta. Smaoiním go háirithe ar an ngearrscéal ‘Athair’ in A Fear a Phléasc (1997), atá anois ar shiollabas na hArdteiste. Ach is é Sna Fir (1999), úrscéal faoi fhear óg aerach Gaeltachta, an t-úrscéal aerach is tábhachtaí dá bhfuil ann sa teanga. Ó na nóchaidí ar aghaidh, tá léirithe den aiteacht le feiceáil i saothar Alex Hijmans, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Éilis Ní Dhuibhne, agus Phádraig Uí Chíobháin ag léiriú muinín nua i litríocht na Gaeilge.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Ó RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta's Iris Aniar, Micheál Ó Conghaile, scríobhnóir ag labhairt faoi fhocail agus frásaí
AerachAiteachGaelach
Díreach ar nós glúin Innti, táim den tuairim go mbeidh tionchar fadtréimhseach ag an gcomharghrúpa ealaíon AerachAiteachGaelach ar litríocht na Gaeilge. Bhunaigh na filí Eoin McEvoy agus Ciara Ní É an grúpa i mBaile Átha Cliath thiar in 2020 agus tá rath ar an ngrúpa ó shin i leith. Tá idir dhrámaí, oícheanta drag, bháil aiteacha, agus fiú meitheal téarmaíochta curtha ar bun acu. Scríobh duine de bhaill an ghrúpa, an file Gaeltachta Sam Ó Fearraigh, an dán corraitheach ‘Mise Aerach’ (imeartas focal ar an dán clúiteach ‘Mise Éire’ le Pádraig Mac Piarais) in 2022. Léirítear sa dán an ‘teannas’ a bhraitear idir an fhéiniúlacht Ghaelach agus an fhéiniúlacht aiteach trí chéile:
Mise aerach –
Sine mé ná Cailleach Bhéara,
cros na sagart,
teacht na nGael
ná fiú an t-ainm ‘Éire’ (Ó Fearraigh 2023: 240)
Mise Aereach le Sam Ó Fearraigh
Bímis bródúil!
Is léir gurb ann do litríocht aiteach na Gaeilge, ach nach bhfuil na téamaí seo á gcur in iúl ar mhaithe le gimic nó le geit ach gur forbairt é a dhéanann scáthánú ar phobal na teanga trí chéile. Tá pobal na teanga, a bhíodh faoi scáth an náisiúnachais chultúrtha anois ina spás don tsaoirse chruthaitheach agus chollaí. Le teacht an Foclóir Aiteach tá na téarmaí anois againn chun muid féin a chur in iúl, agus léiríonn an scríbhneoireacht aiteach sa Ghaeilge a bhríomhaire is atá an pobal LADTA+ agus muid idir dhá chultúr. Pobal anois é pobal na Gaeilge a bhfuil filí aiteacha, taibhealaíontóirí drag, agus drámadóirí aiteacha ar fáil ann atá sásta a scéalta a roinnt – scéalta atá aerach, atá aiteach, agus atá agus Gaelach – le bród.
Téacsanna aiteacha i nGaeilge a mholfainnse
Úrscéalta
- Pádraig Standún: Cion Mná (1993), Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 9781874700067.
- Micheál Ó Conghaile: Sna Fir (1999), Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 9781902420202.
- Alex Hijmans: Aiséirí (2011), Cois Life, 9781907494024
Úrscéalta grafacha
- Alice Oseman (aistrithe ag Eoin McEvoy): Heartstopper 1 (2024), Futa Fata, 9781915684172
- Alice Oseman (aistrithe ag Eoin McEvoy): Heartstopper (2025), Futa Fata, 1915684242
Drámaí
- Micheál Ó Conghaile: Cúigear Chonamara (2003), Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 9781902420868.
- Micheál Ó Conghaile: Go dTaga do Ríocht (2008), Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 781905560479.
Filíocht na mBard
- Sarah McKibben: Endangered Masculinities in Irish Poetry: 1540 – 1780 (2010), UCD Press, 9781906359508.
Filíocht
- Micheál Mac Liammóir: Bláth agus Taibhse: dánta próis (1964), Sáirséal agus Dill.
- Caitríona Ní Chléirchín: Safó (2021), Cois Life.
Lean RTÉ Brainstorm ar WhatsApp agus Instagram le haghaidh tuilleadh scéalta agus nuashonruithe
Is leis an údar na tuairimí a léirítear anseo agus ní léiríonn siad tuairimí RTÉ
