Three studies concerning the teaching of Irish in elementary schools in Ireland are presented and the implications of their findings for Irish instruction are examined. The first study described the range of conditions under which spoken Irish is taught and learned by studying a number of diverse classes, describe the teaching and learning of Irish in greater detail and from more perspectives, and develop instruments and observation procedures for collecting this new data. The second study was intended to produce guidelines and sample instructional materials for an elementary school Irish language program using a communicative approach. The third project involved researchers working regularly with 50 third- and fourth-grade teachers over a two-year period to develop full courses in science and art taught through the medium of Irish. Substantial documentation of the three studies is appended. (Contains 307 references.) (MSE)