Gaeilge Social Network Launched

Abair Leat!, the world’s first social network exclusively dedicated to a minority language – Gaeilge – has been officially launched by comedian and Irish language enthusiast, Des Bishop along with TG4’s Maire Treasa Ní Dhubhghaill and Síle Ní Bhraonáin.

Abair Leat! – which is aimed at anyone with an interest in the Irish language or interested in learning Irish - is first user generated content application of its kind.

The site integrates new language features with the Contain platform to deliver a truly innovative user-friendly application. Abair Leat! uses custom made software that checks the percentage of Irish language content in all updates and posts. At its core is the concept that posts and comments contain a minimum 70% Irish. The 30% leeway facilitates non-standard spelling along with non-Irish words to be incorporated into posts if need be. Integrated translation and spelling support enables users with various competencies in the language to use Abair Leat with confidence. Abair Leat! has the immediate effect of transforming learners into users.

The Abair Leat! community is open to all, and hopes to be viewed as a social, informal, fun site where people can enjoy using the language for its own sake. The network will be extremely useful for students with built in translation and spell check support.

Míchéal Ó Foighil, founder of Abair Leat! commented: "In December of last year, we called for beta testers to try out the site and over three hundred people responded. Since then, we have spent three months working really hard on the platform and are now delighted to go live to the public with it."

(GK)