Meath

Ráth Cairn
Ráthcairn

Located north of Dublin on the east coast of Ireland, the history of the Meath Gaeltacht is somewhat different from the other areas of Ireland where the Irish language is spoken. The community of the Meath Gaeltacht was a a community that was resettled in the thirties when the Irish goverment redistributed the large estates of absentee landlords among farmers from the Gaeltacht areas of Conamara, Mayo and Kerry as small farms. When these people returned to County Meath, the brought with them their native language and culture and it was due to this that the Meath Gaeltacht was founded. There are two distinct regions in the Meath Gaeltacht – Bail Ghib and Ráth Chairn.

Tourism

County Meath is well known as a region of rich and ancient heritage and it is central in the Ireland’s Ancient East region. The Boyne Valley, one of Ireland’s oldest archaeological sites, is in County Meath, as well as ancient castles such as those in Trim and Slane. Innovation and modernity are also to be found in County Meath, however, and the east of the county borders the capital city of Ireland. The Meath Gaeltacht is a completely unique region because of its history and although it is a small area surrounded by areas in which the Irish language is not widely spoken, the Irish language and its culture continue to exist in the area. Visitors and locals in the area have many opportunities to experience this culture during the year, especially during festivals like Féile na Mí in November and Féile na Gealaí in June.

Enterprise and Community

The Meath Gaeltacht is unique among the Gaeltacht areas of Ireland because it is in the east of the country and because it is near Dublin city. This means that there are unlimited opportunities for entrepreneurs and businesspeople in the area. The area is close to many third level institutions, has a highly skilled workforce, and has an excellent infrastructure. Manufacturing is the primary industry in County Meath with emphasis on home and business furniture, but along with other Gaeltacht areas, more and more emphasis is being placed in the area on local business, small business and remote working. The people of the Meath Gaeltacht have access to an excellent quality of life given that they are located in a rural area with a strong community and culture but also near the capital city of Ireland and the large towns of Meath. The community of the Meath Gaeltacht have easy access to Athboy, Trim, Kells and Navan and to all of the resources available in those towns such as shops, schools, transport facilities and more.

Facts

  • County Meath has a population of 220,296(2022 Census)
  • The Meath Gaeltacht, which is made up of the closely located villages of Ráth Chairn and Baile Ghib, is the smallest Gaeltacht area
  • The Meath Gaeltacht has a population of 1,857 (2016 Census) and this is equivalent to 1.9% of the total population of the Gaeltacht
  • The geographical area of the Meath Gaeltacht is 44 km2. This is equivalent to 1% of the total area of the Gaeltacht
  • In 2019, 210 people were employed full time in Údarás na Gaeltachta client companies in the Meath Gaeltacht

Transport

The Meath Gaeltacht is close to the N2/M2 to Dublin/Derry and the N3/M3 to Dublin/Cavan.

Air Service

The Meath Gaeltacht is less than an hour from Dublin Airport and flights are available to destinations all over the world from there.

Rail Services

The Dublin/Sligo, Dublin/Belfast and regional train lines serve County Meath.

Further information: irishrail.ie

Bus Services

Bus Éireann provides bus services from Dublin, Sligo and other places to County Meath.

Further information: buseireann.ie

Seirbhísí Leighis sa réigiún

  • Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan
  • Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda

Third Level Education

There are a large number of third level institutions in nearby Dublin city. These include:

Further Information

Every type of leisure activity is available in County Meath. Information is available on the following websites:

irelandsancienteast.com/
discoverireland.com

Client-companies affiliated with Úadrás na Gaeltachta in Meath