Located on the road, is a small Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking area) known colloquially as "The Irish Houses", and in Irish as Bóthar Seoighe (meaning "Shaw's Road") and Pobal Feirste (meaning "Farset Community").

After much turbulence during that time, and a lengthy campaign, the school received official recognition from the Department of Education in 1985.

[2] The school has since grown rapidly and is no longer under direct administration by the Gaeltacht, but remains Irish-medium and over 350 students attend.

[3] The Shaws Road Gaeltacht is considered the inspiration for Irish speakers throughout Ulster.

This is the argument of a BBC Gaeilge two-part documentary “The Irish Houses – Scéal Phobal Bhóthar Seoighe” (the story of the Shaw’s Road community).