On a summer evening at a pub in south London, conversations drift between English and Irish.
Some speakers grew up with Gaeilge, others learned it as adults. A few are attending their first Irish-language event.
Yet all have gathered hundreds of miles from Ireland, to the The Queen Adelaide.
In London, learners and fluent speakers gather in pubs, parks and community spaces to keep Gaeilge alive.
Having completed their 5km run through Victoria Park, the Run Club treated themselves to some well-deserved pints.
Emily de Búrca founded Croí na Gaeilge, an organisation that creates online and in-person spaces for Irish speakers and learners across London. The group’s name translates roughly as “The Heart of Irish” and reflects its aim of building community around the language.
At a recent Queercal Comhrá event celebrating Pride Month at The Queen Adelaide in Wandsworth, the pub buzzed with conversation in both Irish and English.
Amid the crowd, the organiser, 27-year-old Emily de Búrca from Borrisoleigh in Co Tipperary, explained how she became involved in the city’s growing Irish-language scene, having moved to London four years ago.
She said: “I was having a bit of an existential crisis. I was working in a studio in 2023, at the beginning of my time in London and not having a good time with my mental health.
“I was really thinking about what is important to me going forward in life and I kept coming back to the Irish language, how much I adored going to the Gaoth Dobhair Gaeltacht as a teenager and how that completely changed my life in so many ways that I only could only understand fully now as an adult looking back.
The Run Club after their 5km in Hyde Park.
“So the idea of setting up casual meetups came to me – both as a way to reconnect to the language, and as a creative outlet where I could use my design and artistic skills.”
De Búrca explained that the language is seeping into their everyday lives.
She said: “We’re partying, dating, creating and living as Gaeilge. People are wearing Irish language designs, there are Irish language social media apps – she is flourishing and thriving.
“And we’re stronger together, inspiring and encouraging each other along the way. That’s really been the most important aspect for me personally, I think – learning from my community and always being kind to each other no matter what point someone is at on their learning journey.”
De Búrca is far from alone. Across London, a growing network of speakers, teachers and learners have transformed a personal love of the language into a wider community movement.
Kilkenny’s Kevin McQuillan established a run club in September of last year.
He told The Irish News that after moving from Dublin just under five years ago, he found that he missed his connection with the language.
Imbolc gathering, February 2026 Curve Garden Dalston
“When living in Dublin, I played hurling for a couple of years with Na Gaeil Óga, a GAA club that operates solely through Gaeilge. Despite being from Kilkenny, I put the hurl down aged around 14 and was very nervous about playing again, let alone as Gaeilge, a language I hadn’t used informally outside of a school environment in many years, if ever.
“Playing with Na Gaeil Óga was the first time in my adult life where Gaeilge was at the beating heart of everything. Win or lose, we’d celebrate or commiserate as Gaeilge. The socials were as Gaeilge, I’d cycle to training and think as Gaeilge, and I formed friendships entirely through Gaeilge.
“When I moved to London that was one of the things I missed most about Ireland.
“Having a social outlet for Gaeilge, and in particular one where you were outside and being active. I love a ciorcal comhrá as much as the next person, but l also think speaking as Gaeilge when you’re outdoors, side-by-side with someone can ease the pressure of perfection that so many people have with the language.
“That’s what gave me the idea to start Rí Rá & Rith, I just wish I had the idea sooner.”
The running group typically finds itself in Hyde Park but has ventured out to Finsbury Park, Victoria Park, Clapham Common and Brockwell Park.
Kevin added: “I think people enjoy having a regular outlet to use their Gaeilge in an informal setting, and I like to think we have a bit of craic while we’re at it too.”
London isn’t known for its cheap coffee – but a cúpla focal can help at F.Mondays Café in Brixton.
Owned by Ken Nally, who was born and raised in the Wicklow Mountains. He runs F. Mondays Coffee with his partner Ciara.
He told The Irish News: “I’m learning Irish again and I was trying to think of ways to expose myself to more day-to-day conversations in order to improve my Irish and to hopefully aid me in becoming fluent, and the other reason is I want to do what I can to help the resurgence and growth of the language.
The Run Club after completing a fundraiser 5km through Hyde Park for Aclaí Palestine, raising £500. They finished the event with a discounted coffee from FMonday Café in Brixton, which incentives Londoners with a discounted price if they order in Irish
“I feel by giving a common space for people to mingle and interact in Irish that friendships can be formed and Gaeilge can be spread farther.
“It’s what inspired me to pick up the language again, one day about three years ago I was working in the Coldharbour Lane shop and a big bunch of Gaeilgoirs came in (they were having a coffee before attending a wedding at Lambeth town hall) and they spent 20 minutes in the shop chatting in Irish.
“My heart was full of pride and I made a promise to myself to pick the language back up again.”