March First Friday - From An Gaodhal to 2026: The Irish Language Then & Now

To mark Seachtain na Gaeilge, March’s First Friday explores the past, present, and future of the Irish language revival. Historian Nicholas Wolf of Glucksman Ireland House NYU will reflect on the historic roots of the movement, including his recent project digitizing An Gaodhal (1881), the first Irish-language newspaper published in the United States. Author and Irish language teacher Molly Nic Céile will discuss renewed interest in the Irish language in 2026, and what inspires people in New York to learn it today.

Alt: The conversation will consider how the revival began — and why Irish feels newly energised in 2026. What’s inspiring people to learn the language today? And what makes this moment different? Join us for a lively look at a language that continues to evolve, connect.

Nicholas Wolf is a historian and librarian at New York University, where he serves as Associate Director for Research and Publishing Initiatives at Glucksman Ireland House NYU and is a faculty member in the Division of Libraries. He is the author of An Irish-Speaking Island (2014), a social and cultural history of Ireland’s Irish-language community in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, which received the Michael J. Durkan Prize for Books on Language and Culture and the Donald Murphy Prize for Distinguished First Books.

Molly Nic Céile, is the founder of ‘Gaeilge i mo chroí’ (Irish in my Heart) and hails from Letterkenny, County Donegal. She started her YouTube channel teaching Irish 5+ years ago and has amassed over 50k subscribers. She also teaches courses online and in person with students from all over the world at all levels. Her first book ‘Gaeilge i mo chroí: Your Guide to Loving and Living the Irish Language’ won the Irish Book Award for 'Lifestyle Book of the Year'. She is currently writing another book and focusing on providing more opportunities to speak Irish in Ireland and abroad.

The digitization of An Gaodhal was a collaboration led by Glucksman Ireland House NYU and the University of Galway, with support from the Robert D. L. Gardiner Foundation, the Irish Institute of New York. Published 1881-1898, An Gaodhal served as a vital platform for Irish-language scholarship, cultural exchange, and diaspora identity in the United States. The project makes this historic publication freely accessible to researchers, students, and the public, contributing to a deeper understanding of the Irish language revival both past and present.

The breakfast will provide an opportunity to catch the latest community news, and chat with old friends and new. We also welcome those visiting or just arrived from Ireland who are seeking an introduction to the community here in New York. Places are limited, so please register here to get your free ticket.

If you are unable to register via Eventbrite, we would ask you to please email [email protected] to reserve a spot on the waiting list. If you register to attend and your plans change, please let us know as soon as possible so we may accompany guests from our waitlist.

Due to new building security guidelines, all attendees must present valid identification upon check-in in order to gain access to the 17th floor. Inability to provide adequate identification may result in being turned away.

As per building regulations, attendees must have registered in advance - those who have not registered will unfortunately not be able to access the building on the day.

Please note that the minimum age for attendees is 16 years old.

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Host or Publisher Consulate General of Ireland, NY