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Date: 16 October 2025
Preparations are well underway to welcome up to 10,000 participants and spectators to Belfast later this month for Oireachtas na Samhna – Ireland’s oldest Irish language and arts gathering.
The city is hosting the festival from 29 October to 2 November, with Gaeilgeoirí travelling from across Ireland to enjoy five days of events across arts, music, sean-nós singing and the spoken word.
Belfast City Council, which led the successful bid to bring the event back to the city for the first time since 1997, has also provided £30,000 of grants to five Irish language organisations to deliver community-based arts activities in the run-up to the festival. They are An Droichead, Ionad Uíbh Eachach, Cumann Cultúrtha Mhic Reachtain, Ionad na Fuiseoige and Glór na Móna.
Delivered via Foras na Gaeilge’s Scéim Forbartha Líonraí Gaeilge (Irish Language Networks Development Scheme), funding has been used to put on everything from beginners’ language workshops and conversational classes through to unique events focusing on different aspects of Irish language and culture.
Meeting with groups to hear more about what they have planned, the Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Paul Doherty, said:
“Our council is pleased to help bring Oireachtas back to Belfast once again, and there’s a real sense of excitement now, with just two weeks to go until the ‘Gathering of the Gaels’ comes to town.
“Big events like this have a positive impact on our city – they support our retailers, tourism providers and hospitality venues, and they showcase Belfast to new visitors, highlighting what we have to offer and encouraging people to come back again.
“For Irish language speakers, Oireachtas is a unique and special opportunity to immerse themselves an Gaeilge and share their passion for protecting and nurturing the language.
“This reflects our council’s wider goal of ensuring all languages in our city are respected, fostered and celebrated. There are some brilliant events planned, city-wide, to fully embrace the festival and encourage both new and existing speakers to get involved in everything Oireachtas has to offer.”
Among the organisations who have received funding from the council to deliver community activities around the festival are An Droichead.
Their Oireachtas programme includes a free talk on Samhain (Wednesday 15 October), a Beson Broom workshop (Sunday 19 October) where participants will learn how to make a traditional ‘broomstick’ from twigs and poles, and a walking trail on Thursday 23 October, hunting for Tuatha Dé Danann – the mythical fairy people of Ireland.
“For Irish language speakers and learners, the Oireachtas is more than just a cultural festival – it’s a celebration of identity, heritage, and community,” said Fionnuala Nic Thom, Development Officer with An Droichead.
“With the support of council funding, we will see more people empowered to engage with the Oireachtas, a gathering place for the Irish language community, through events, performances, and shared experiences that showcase indigenous arts and bring the Irish language to life.”
Funding has also been provided to Fís an Phobail to deliver schools workshops to pupils in Irish medium schools, highlighting the heritage of Oireachtas.
During September, pupils at Bunscoil Phobal Feirste, Bunscoil an tSléibhe Dhuibh and Gaelscoil na bhFál have been exploring the history of the festival, first held in Dublin in 1897, and learning more about specialist competitions, such as Corn Uí Riada (sean-nós singing), Steip (sean-nós dancing) and Lúibíní (two people answering each other in poetic verses).
More information on Oireachtas na Samhna is available from the official festival website at antoireachtas.ie/oireachtas-na-samhna/