Well, Bud, that depends on which Gaelic language you refer to. The Irish language is known in English as simply "Irish". In Irish it is Gaeilge, which accounts for the confusion. Gaelic is a family of languages which includes Irish, Scots Gaelic (the only one in which it is proper to use the term Gaelic) and Manx. The other family of Celtic languages includes Welsh, Breton, and Cornish. Manx and Cornish, in their respective branches, are said to be extinct in that there are no communities that use them as their first language. But there are people in each of those area who are determined not to let the languages die.

The thing I love about the language and dialects of my people is that it has so many more shades than English, especially as it is spoken in the US. It lends an incredible depth to the language. But it does make it difficult to study, especially with no other speakers about. I have always felt that if I became independently wealthy (fat chance for a union organizer/civil activist) I would pack up and move to one of the Gaeltacht areas so that I could immerse myself and resurrect the lost language skills of my youth.

Mick