The bar chart presents the percentage of people who spoke Irish in four provinces of the Republic of Ireland — Leinster, Munster, Connacht, and Ulster — as well as the overall State level, across five years: 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, and 2002.
Overall, it is clear that the proportion of Irish language speakers increased gradually in all regions during the period. Among the provinces, Connacht consistently had the highest percentage, while Leinster remained the lowest throughout.
In 1981, just under 30% of people in the State spoke Irish. This figure steadily rose over the years, reaching nearly 40% by 2002. Connacht began with a higher rate, around 36%, and continued to increase, peaking at approximately 48%. Munster followed a similar upward trend, starting from 33% and ending above 45%.
Leinster, although the lowest, still experienced growth — from roughly 26% to around 34%. Ulster showed noticeable improvement as well, increasing from about 28% to nearly 38%.
In conclusion, the use of the Irish language has been rising steadily across all provinces, with Connacht showing the strongest results and Leinster the weakest, although all regions demonstrated a positive upward trend.