Galway Bay fm newsroom - The latest Census figures show a decline in the use of the Irish language in the Galway Gaeltacht regions.
Statistics show that the daily use of Irish in the Gaeltacht areas outside of the city has dropped by almost 6%.
Meanwhile, the figures have also revealed that Connacht is home to just 11% of the population of Ireland.
In terms of the Irish language, despite wide-ranging initiatives to promote its use, the number of gaelgóirs in Galway's gaeltacht areas has dropped by 6%.
The number of people who speak Irish on a daily basis outside of schools and of the education system has long been regarded as a vital indicator of the strength of the language in the community.
The latest figures from the Central Statistics Office reflect a decline in the Gaeltacht areas outside of Galway city - that would be the Connemara Gaeltacht, the Aran Islands and some pockets east of Galway City.
The 2016 Census results show that 7,434 people in these areas spoke Irish on a daily basis outside of the school and education system; that is a decline of almost 6% on the previous Census in 2011.
499 people speak Irish on a daily basis in the areas defined as Gaeltachts in the City - that is an increase of 9 individuals compared to 2011.
However, the decline in the traditional Gaeltacht areas will be the main focus of interest.
