The Role of Irish Language Teaching: Cultural Identity Formation or Language Revitalization?

The focal point of the article is Irish language teaching in the Republic of Ireland.Firstly, we deal with the most significant documents where the status of the Irish language is being defined.In this respect, for the purposes of analysis, we have chosen the document titled 20 Year Strategy for the Irish language which plays a crucial role in preservation and further cultivation of the Irish language given the fact that the Irish language is still regarded as an important element of Irish national and cultural identity.New didactic methods used in Irish language teaching are also included in the contribution.Specifically, we focused on CLIL methods used in Irish language classes.Last but not least, we also present new challenges that Irish language teachers must face in the 21st century as well as on the crucial issues concerning Irish language revitalization and protection.