Minister Calleary opens Oireachtas na Samhna 2025 in Belfast
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From: Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht
- Published on: 29 October 2025
- Last updated on: 29 October 2025
- Festival events officially begin and will continue until Sunday, 2 November 2025
- Over a thousand (1,000) people to participate in festival competitions
- 80 organisations participating in this year’s Aonach an Oireachtais
Today the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, officially launched Oireachtas na Samhna in the International Conference Centre, the ICC, in Belfast. He officially commenced the festival's events, which will continue until next Sunday (2 November 2025). The Minister gave a special welcome to the people of the city itself and to the thousands of people from the Irish language community and from Gaeltacht areas who are travelling to Belfast to take part in the annual Oireachtas celebrations.
Launching the festival today, Minister Calleary said:
“It is an honour to be with you today as Minister for the Gaeltacht to officially launch Oireachtas na Samhna 2025 here in Belfast. The language is alive and growing in Belfast and there is a thriving Irish language community here in the city. I am delighted to be opening this very special celebration here today.
“Oireachtas na Samhna gives us the opportunity to gather and celebrate our language and to give a platform for the living tradition of Irish – our songs, our stories and our dance. This festival gives every generation, old and young, the chance to share the stage and forge new connections through music, literature, poetry and steps. I wish the participants, musicians, teachers, singers, dancers and all of their supporters every success in the competitions from now until the end of the week.”
The President of Oireachtas na Gaeilge, Éamon Ó Cuív, said:
“It is wonderful for the annual celebration of the Gaels, Oireachtas na Samhna, to be back here in Belfast, north of the border for the first time since 1997. Thousands of people from places all over the country are heading to the city to take part in the festival’s various events.
“We have received enormous support from the authorities here – from Belfast City Council and from the Department for Communities. I would also like to commend the passion and dedication of this city’s vibrant Irish language community in their commitment to this unique arts and community festival.”
As well as the events and stage competitions, many will also head to Aonach an Oireachtais, which is taking place this year in the ICC. It is a chance for those who attend the festival to meet businesses, organisations, institutes and even political parties who place importance on the Irish language.
80 organisations will take part in the Aonach this year. They will have the opportunity to present their work to the Oireachtas community – the Irish language community is the target market for the majority of them.