Irish Rail’s New Plan to Bring Gaeilge (Irish) Back on Board

Irish Rail has launched its new “Fáinne ar an mBord” (Irish speakers on Board) scheme and honestly, it’s about time. The idea is simple: staff who can speak a bit of Irish will wear a badge showing they’re happy to chat. Finally, something wholesome to distract us from delays and the mystery smell in carriage B.

Half the country now says they’d love to use the language more, and it’s showing promising signs that it’s cool again to care about your roots. The Kneecap effect is real, with their tunes, TikTok slang, and the general buzz around Irish culture making people actually proud to give it a go — fluent or not.

Sure, it might feel a bit odd hearing a sprinkle of Irish before someone moans about ticket prices, but that’s the charm of it. The language is creeping back into everyday life, one train journey at a time. Now that’s a revival worth catching.