Oireachtas na Gaeilge
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Oireachtas na Gaeilge is an annually held arts festival of Irish culture, which has run since the 1890s. Based on the Welsh Eisteddfod, Oireachtas na Gaeilge runs for one week, featuring performances, demonstrations and competitions. The festival is held in two portions: a visual arts festival in April/May and the festival proper on the last weekend of October or the first of November. In 2007, the festival was held at Westport.
The festival was originally held in Dublin, but since the 1970s, it has been held in different cities and towns around Ireland. The festival culminates in four major competitions over the weekend: Comórtas na mBan, a Sean-Nós singing competition for women, Comórtas na bhFear, for men, Corn Uí Riada, for all age and gender categories, and the Comórtas Damhsa ar an Sean-Nós ("Steip"), a free-style dancing competition based on the Conamara individual step style now popular around the country.
The popularity of the Oireachtas waned in the latter half of the twentieth century, and, in response, the organisers, (a subcommittee of Conradh na Gaeilge), have attempted to market the festival to younger speakers of Irish via outings, discos, and other youth-oriented events. Additionally, efforts have been made to market to a non-Irish-speaking audience.
