The Making and Shaping of the Young Gael: Irish‐Medium Youth Work for Developing Indigenous Identities

Identity exploration and formation is a core rumination for young people. This heightened in youth where flux transition are characteristic of this liminal state intensified further contexts identity disputed opposed, such as Northern Ireland. In post‐colonial setting, the indigenous Irish language community recently gained some statutory protections, but status place Irish‐speaking population continue to be strongly opposed. Drawing on focus group data with 40 people involved emerging field Irish‐medium work, article explores how informal education offers an approach setting development identities contested societies. Principles emancipation, autonomy, underpin work education. dialogical learning welfare focuses personal social troubles those systems that marginalise diminish their society. identifies builds bring life new world space It political activism kinship key components strengthening individual collective identity. proposes shift emphasis from language‐based formal sector exploit under‐recognised role identity, cultural belonging, revitalisation.