Did you know that in order to work for the government of the Republic of Ireland, or to enroll in university, you must pass a proficiency test for Irish Gaelic? Ireland's native tongue was declared the official language of the island, and with that status there are very strict laws in place to help ensure that the language not only survives, but that it continues to become more widely adopted by the general Irish population at large. Irish Gaelic is also taught throughout schools across the country, and recent studies have shown that the language is making a strong comeback. Some high estimates suggest that as many as 700,000 people living in Ireland speak at least some Irish Gaelic. Many of the laws that are helping to restore the language's rightful place in Irish culture, are fairly new. In light of that, there is much hope that in the many decades to come the language will continue to find it's old roots, and continue to expand it's hold.
