Giving migrants access to Irish classes could help with integration, study says

Offering migrants the opportunity to learn the Irish language could help with integration in certain rural communities in Ireland, researchers have found.

As well as introducing an Irish language programme, there is a need to increase the number of English classes available to migrants who have settled away from urban centres, academics from the University of Galway said.

A team from the university examined the extent to which language plays a part in how migrants integrate in rural Ireland.

The study explored the experiences of people living across 11 counties, examining how language – both English and Irish – impacts on migrants’ experience of employment, access to services and community involvement.

The research formed part of the Taighde Eireann-Research Ireland-funded project Rural Villages, Migration And Intercultural Communication (Vico), led by Dr Andrea Ciribuco from the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at University of Galway.

Some of the key findings included:

– English classes have a crucial role in facilitating social inclusion, building connections among migrants and with local communities;

– Mothers with small children reported having a hard time accessing classes and training due to childcare responsibilities;

– When educational opportunities were available, migrants who are eager to work point to a lack of more advanced language education which can become a barrier to satisfactory employment;

– In certain regions, particularly the Gaeltacht, the Irish language can become a factor of integration. Migrants saw Irish as an important part of the local culture and heritage, and are interested in the language, especially when their children are learning it in school. But few have the time or opportunity to learn it;

– Nearly all participants in the study said they never had negative reactions from locals when speaking their native language within a rural community. Many felt safe and more included in rural areas;

– Limited employment opportunities in rural settings were cited as a barrier towards living in rural locations for the long term but learning English was seen as a gateway to a job and, subsequently, to inclusion in Ireland.

Dr Ciribuco highlighted the importance of focusing on migrant experiences in rural areas.

“Migrant integration in rural areas is a crucial issue for the future of Ireland and Europe, yet most migration research focuses on urban settings,” she said.

“Ireland also has one of the highest rates in Europe of migration into rural areas. This study and event provide a vital platform to explore the unique opportunities and challenges of rural migration.

“The high level of migrants moving to rural Ireland comes with specific challenges linked to infrastructure and migrant integration, but also with opportunities in terms of cultural and economic vitality. Too often, public discourse weighs heavily on the challenges.”

The findings and recommendations are based on fieldwork, including interviews and focus groups, conducted between March 2023 and June 2024 with 165 migrants, of 31 nationalities, who are living in counties Galway, Mayo, Waterford, Kerry, Cork, Kilkenny, Wexford, Clare, Tipperary, Carlow, and Limerick.

It was carried out during a period when tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees arrived in Ireland as they fled the war in their homeland.

As such, the Ukrainian experience was a consistent theme across the cohort that was studied.