The Oireachtas as a cultural festival was established in 1897 as part of the Gaelic League's programme to revive Irish language and culture, consciously echoing the ancient assemblies at which poets competed and recited. Its poetry competitions — with strict rules governing metre, subject, and language — kept the techniques of formal Irish verse alive at a time when they might otherwise have been lost. For Irish-language poets, the Oireachtas represented both a community of practice and a legitimating institution. The festival's survival and continued vitality makes it unique among European attempts to revive a poetic tradition through competitive public performance.

Oireachtas is a traditional assembly, now the name of the major Irish-language arts festival. In historical poetry, it was a gathering for legal, cultural, and social purposes. It represents the public sphere of Gaelic society, where poetry was performed and judged. Modern poets reference the oireachtas to celebrate linguistic vitality and cultural pride. It is a space for competition, collaboration, and community building. The oireachtas links contemporary practice with historical traditions of assembly and performance.