Lá Breithe Sona Wikipedia! Celebrating 25 Years of Free Knowledge

Send us Fan MailFáilte ar ais! Welcome back to the Wikimedia Community Ireland podcast — our first episode of 2026!In this special episode, we're celebrating Wikipedia's 25th birthday with a look back at how it all began, how Wikimedia Community Ireland was founded, and how the Irish language has become central to our work.We're joined by founding members Shannon and Eugene Eichelberger, who share their memories of discovering Wikipedia, their first edits, and how a trip to the pub after an edit-a-thon in 2014 led to the creation of WCI.We also introduce Laura, our new Irish Language Officer, and reflect on the growth of Vicipéid (Irish-language Wikipedia), which now has over 60,000 articles — all written by volunteers.In this episode:How Wikipedia launched 25 years ago as a radical experiment in collaborative knowledgeShannon and Eugene's first impressions and first editsThe origin story of Wikimedia Community IrelandHow the Irish language focus evolved and why it mattersThe role of Vicipéid in language revitalisationWhat excites the team about 2026Links:Learn more: wikimedia.ieVicipéid (Irish Wikipedia): ga.wikipedia.orgWikipedia's 25th anniversary: wikipedia.orgGo raibh maith agaibh as éisteacht! Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share with anyone who loves free knowledge.Welcome to the Wikimedia community Ireland podcast, your portal to free knowledge and Irish culture.Intro contains Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/achaidh-cheideLicense code: JBQCMVAHZIMU692DSign up to our newsletter at wikimedia.ie or follow us on social media @wikimediaie to keep up to date with upcoming events all over Ireland in 2025!If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to our podcast, leave a review, and share it with your friends or on social media. Together, we can make Ireland’s heritage accessible to all. Until next time, keep exploring and celebrating our shared history. Go raibh míle maith agaibh as éisteacht linn, thank you very much for listening!