Tá Gaeilge Agam

Graphic design

Agency – Publicis, Dublin
Included in 100 Archive Selection 2018

James Kelleher – Design
Darren O’Driscoll – Design
Carol Lambert — Creative Direction
Neil Hanratty — Art Direction
Christopher Lindhorst — Photography
Darragh Carey — Copy
Floss Creatives — Retouch
Lesiele Juliet & James Donnelly — Set Design

‘Fear of usage’ is a problem with many people and a barrier to their engagement with the Irish language and its media brand, TG4. 

Research told us that despite this fear of usage, 70% of us express a desire to speak more Irish, even if we only have a ‘cupla focail’. We designed a campaign to give people permission to speak the language – at any level.

The team at Publicis discovered a simple expression that held a deep meaning: in the Irish Language we don’t say ‘I speak Irish’, we say ‘I have Irish’; it belongs to me. ‘Tá Gaeilge Agam’.

Irish can and should represent all the vibrancy, inclusiveness, openness and idiosyncrasy of modern Ireland. Whether you are a fluent speaker or just have a few words you have a right to embrace and use your language.

To help people to see the language in a new light we chose a series of public figures who could help reframe the associations – who could represent audiences of all levels; from the native speaker, to those with moderate knowledge and even total novices. Each is a passionate voice in their own field, proud of their identity and heritage.