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At the start of the week of the Summer Solstice, many will once again marvel at the magnificent structures built across Ireland thousands of years ago, including Newgrange in Co Meath. The structures were built by the descendants of the first peoples that landed on the island in what is believed to be two migratory waves from around 10,000 years ago. Until recently it was argued that much of the population of Ireland was descended from this group of people, mainly from what is now Spain and southern France, with the arrival of the Celts around 500 BC adding what...

The EU recognises the Irish language's resurgence The Irish language (Gaeilge) is set to get official status in the EU on 1 January, bringing the total to 23. The European Commission says Bulgarian and Romanian are expected to get official status on the same day, when the two Balkan countries join the EU. According to Ireland's 2002 census, 1.57 million of the four million population can speak Irish. The commission says the EU will not have to translate all legislation into Irish, "mainly for practical reasons". The EU will have a team of 29 translators and editors to handle...

Irish is the 21st language to be officially recognised by the EU The Irish language has been officially recognised as a working language by the European Union.Ireland's national language is the 21st to be given such recognition by the EU and previously had the status of a treaty language. Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern said he was pleased by the move, which was announced on Monday. "This affirms at European level the dignity and status of our first official language," he said. "This represents a particularly significant practical step for the Irish language, and complements the government's wider policy...