Seán Ó hEinirí who lived in Cill Ghallagáin (1915-98). He's thought to be the last one who never learned English. But his knowledge of the local tradition was unmatched.

"His only audience is the tape recorder, a sure sign that the tradition is nearing it's end" my heart is breaking

I grew up in a Welsh speaking family and spoke only Welsh until I was about 5. My education continued in Welsh until I was 11 and then bilingual education until I was 16. It was a lovely time, all the family gatherings were in the Welsh language with barely a word of English heard. I really miss those days.

I see the same type of idea with us Native Americans here in the states. Our elders' first language usually wasn't English, and these stories are passed down through oral tradition as well. It really touches my heart to see elders across the globe speaking their language and sharing stories passed down <3

Wales is pushing for the Welsh language to be part of the curriculum which I think is outstanding. I think it would be fabulous if Ireland and Scotland made their languages mandatory. No country should ever lose its mother tongue. And the Gaelic languages are so lovely!

An Irishman who speaks only Irish. Holy shit.

I’m not even irish but the Irish culture needs to be preserved, it sounds beautiful

This sounds so different from the Gaelic spoken by L2 learners, even Irish ones. The accent doesn't immediately strike me as "Irish", and the total lack of English loanwords is refreshing.

I now why this vid went viral: It's completely real, authentic, unpretentious as well as being moving and reminding us all of how much we must never forget our past. Thanks for showing us.

There is a big difference in sound from someone who lives in a genuine Irish speaking area (Gaeltacht), and someone who grew up in a city and learned it through an Irish medium school. He has a more authentic sound - as would many others living in the area.

Just as fascinating as the Ancient/Byzantine Greeks that still live in southern Italy, and speak an offshoot version from the archaic language.

This is a real Irish speaker. I can speak Irish but I learned in Dublin. Dublin/Leinster Irish is textbook Irish. There's no dialect in Leinster. That guy is as OG at it gets... Deadly to hear it, sounds beautiful.

The fading of these traditions is an incomparable tragedy. As these storytellers leave us, the recordings kept by archives and scholars will become more and more important.

This language, spoken like this, makes sense of the Irish accent. It sounds so good. Like its speaking to my cellular memory.

My great grandmother Grace Gallagher from Co. Cork spoke no English till arriving in New York in the mid 1850's. Working as a domestic servant in a fine house there, and meeting Patrick and married in 1866.She learned a bit of English , but spoke only Irish to her husband. We have a photo of her taken in 1916 in a place of honor in our home.

In the Isle of Man lives Robert McCondrill. He speaks English, but he is also the last man to speak Manx. He is determined to not let it die out, although when interviewed recently, he said for all the good it was doing he might as well be talking to himself.