The Evolution of Old Irish

Old Irish is the ancient ancestor of modern Gaelic languages, but it existed as a distinct, written language for only three hundred years. It vanished almost entirely by 900 AD.

During the early Middle Ages, Old Irish flourished as the primary written tongue across Ireland and parts of Scotland. While it served as the foundation for modern Irish, Manx, and Scottish Gaelic, it transformed rapidly into Middle Irish by the tenth century. Most of our knowledge comes from manuscripts created between 700 and 850 AD. These fragile texts offer a unique window into a culture that changed its linguistic identity with surprising speed.