Irish (Gaeilge) is natively spoken by about 217,000 people, primarily in Ireland, where it is an official language alongside English. It is integral to Irish cultural identity, known for its ancient myths, folklore, and traditional music. Written in the Latin alphabet with additional diacritical marks, Irish grammar features a verb-subject-object (VSO) word order, initial mutations of nouns and verbs, and a complex system of verbal endings that denote tense, aspect, and mood.