Gaeltacht (pronounced ; plural GaeltachtaÃ) is an Irish word for an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, The Gaeltacht, or An Ghaeltacht, refers to any of the regions in Ireland where the Irish language is officially the major language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home. These regions were first officially recognised during the early years of the Irish Free State after the Gaelic Revival as part of government policy to restore the Irish language.