A multi-author text in Irish which gives an introduction to the international discipline of sociolinguistics in the context of Irish language and society. The book tackles both theoretical themes and their applications, including: linguistic variation, language communities, linguistic anthropology, societal multilingualism, language shift, codemixing and creolisation, concepts of language planning, standard and standardisation, the legal and constitutional status of Irish, Irish in the education system, defining the Gaeltacht, national identity, language institutions and voluntary bodies, and the media. This book is particularly useful for both undergraduate and postgraduate students.