BBC Cuts Irish Unit Staffing Ahead of Kilkenny Festival
The broadcaster will reduce its Irish language team from five to two staff members, leaving the unit absent from the upcoming Oireachtas festival.
By Nadia Khalil ·
Kilkenny, Ireland. The BBC has decided to cut its Irish language staffing from five employees to two. The change takes effect this week, just as preparations begin for Oireachtas na Samhna 2026. The annual festival will take place in Kilkenny, a town that has hosted the event since 2010.
The reduction represents a 60 percent decrease in the size of the BBC's Irish language unit. The unit, known as the Aonad Gaeilge, has operated for several generations. It was established after a campaign by Irish speakers in the north pressed the broadcaster to provide content in the Irish language. The BBC first agreed to this in the 1980s.
The unit has broadcast from the Oireachtas for more than 20 years. Last year, the BBC maintained a strong presence at the festival. That included a special live program from the Europa Hotel. This year, however, no member of the BBC Irish language team will be present. The absence includes Blas, an Irish language platform on BBC Radio Ulster that first went on air in 1998.
The decision comes as part of wider cuts across the BBC in the United Kingdom. While the source notes there may not be a direct link between the cuts and the decision not to broadcast from the festival, the reduction highlights the budget constraints facing the team. The staff has worked with limited resources for a long time.
The Oireachtas begins tomorrow. The festival will run for one week. It features competitions, seminars, and cultural events. Thousands of people are expected to travel to Kilkenny for the occasion. The event has taken place in other locations in the past, including Dublin, which hosted it for the second time in that city's history.
The BBC's Irish language service is now in a state of uncertainty. The unit serves Irish speakers in the six counties of the north. The decision to reduce staff has drawn attention to the status of Irish language services in the region. The festival provides a venue for the community to gather and discuss these challenges.
The Oireachtas will proceed in Kilkenny this weekend. The event will include traditional music, poetry, and competitions. The absence of the BBC Irish language team marks a change in how the festival is covered by the public broadcaster. The next major event for the unit is the annual gathering in Kilkenny.
Source: The Irish Times · original report published
