Ireland launches its first fully Irish dictionary

Amelia Jones

Ireland has taken a major step in supporting its national language with the launch of the country’s first fully monolingual Irish dictionary.

An Foclóir Nua Gaeilge allows speakers to explore word meanings directly in Irish, without needing an English translation, marking what experts describe as a historic milestone in Irish linguistic identity.

The project, led by Foras na Gaeilge, the all-Ireland public body promoting the language, has been three years in the making.

The first tranche includes 20,000 entries and 40,000 word senses, with the full dictionary expected to reach 30,000 entries by 2027.

It reflects not only standard Irish but also dialectal forms and contemporary usage, giving readers insight into the language as it is spoken today.

Seán Ó Coinn, CEO of Foras na Gaeilge, highlighted the practical impact of the dictionary, saying: “For generations, Irish speakers who encountered unfamiliar Irish words were forced to translate them into English and then search for definitions in English dictionaries.

“This tedious process … shaped how Irish speakers understood the world – through the lens of English.”

Accessible online for free at Focloir.ie, the dictionary is designed for both fluent speakers and learners.

It includes usage notes, grammar guidance, and pronunciation support, making it a practical tool for schools, universities, and every day users.

It also incorporates foreign words that have become part of modern such as: baguette, cappuccino, and ad hoc, demonstrating the language’s adaption to contemporary life.

President Catherine Conolly, who officially launched the dictionary at an event in Dublin, described the release as a “historic moment.”

“A contemporary monolingual dictionary is an essential resource in any living language, in which the language itself and its uniqueness are defined in its own words and by its own community, instead of constantly being defined through the medium of another language,” she said.

The dictionary is not only a reference work but also a statement about the resilience and relevance of Irish.

With An Foclóir Nua Gaeilge now available online, the Irish language is entering a new era — one in which words are defined in the language itself, for speakers by speakers, signalling a vibrant future for Ireland’s native tongue.