The Irish language isn't only a school subject

I was at a trad session organised by Irish speakers in a pub in Galway (so the group was all speaking Irish amongst ourselves) and there happened to be two Dubs sitting beside us. And of course I got talking to them. They were nice people, but they asked me a weird question. "Why were we speaking Irish, why not just speak English". He went onto say that to him it was only a school subject amd never even thought people used it. It was quite a gut punch I won't lie. Now in fairness we weren't in a Gaeltacht area. It was just the city but there's alot of Irish in the city if you know where to find it. Was just a bit shocked to hear such a remark from a young person like.