Learning Irish in Ireland – Irish Language Courses in Ireland
We’ve all been there. The waiter plonks a delicious plate of nosh in front of you, wishes you ‘Bon appétit’ (or the equivalent in Italian, Japanese, Turkish, Yiddish, Swahili etc) and your tongue and your brain struggle to thank him in his own language. Before you can muster it, he’s gone, and so’s your chance.
While English speakers will rarely have this problem in Ireland (thank God, says you), there are certain places, certain pubs and certain homes where it’s rather nice so be able to do the local lingo tango. Or maybe, you’d like to follow your ancestors’ footsteps and use the very language that they took with them to distant shores all those years ago.
Some sheep at the Gaeltacht in Dun Chaoin - even the view wasn't enough to appease their guilt at being rude to the waiter
Of course, it’ll take more than reading the side of a milk carton do be able to hold a conversation in Irish (or ‘Gaeilge’. ‘Gaelic’ being used as a general term for the native languages of Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man). Which is why we’ve donned our linguistic caps, scoured our minds for all that Gaeilge (pronounced gail-guh) we learned in school and found short-term courses where you can learn ‘cúpla focal’ (a couple of words) in Ireland. And what a coincidence, they happen to be in some beautiful places too.
That’ll take the edge off your first day at school.
Ballyferriter (Baile an Fheirteirigh), The Dingle Peninsula – County Kerry
With views like this in the gaeltacht region around Ballyferriter you might have a spot of trouble concentrating on your classes...
Ballyferriter – more pubs than shops, hogging a splendid strand of Atlantic Coast and one of the six villages in the Gaeltacht (Irish speaking region) of . The Oidreacht Corche Dhuibhne folk have brought courses including Irish Language & Guided Heritage Walks (4-7 May) Irish For Beginners (9-14 July) and (my personal favourite mainly because I haven’t had lunch yet) Irish Language, Walking & Food Tasting (12-14 October). And while you’re immersing yourself in language and culture you might as well immerse yourself in the Atlantic Ocean too. Followed by a warm bath in the B&B and an Irish Coffee. If school had been like this we might have enjoyed it a little more.
Glencolmcille (Gleann Colm Cille), County Donegal
The Slieve League Cliffs are so stunning they should be in a 'league' (geddit) all of their own.
Now when we saw the we were speechless. Not, I think we can all agree, the ideal way to begin a language class. So we would advise you not to set eyes on these ‘Cliff Of Moher rivals’ until the course is well underway. Anyway, there’ll be plenty to keep your camera clicking during your down-time at the Oideas Gael course in the Donegal Gaeltacht. We’re talking the battered Martello Tower at Glen Head, The Small Beach (An Trá Beag) and the pre-Christian mysticism of the Meeting Stone (An Cloch Aonach). The week-long courses go from the end of March to mid-August so there’s plenty of time to learn how to ask out the guy you met at the bar on your first night. Romance not included in price.
Inisheer (Inis Oirr), The Aran Islands
Inisheer - deep blue sea, rugged landscape and fluency in Irish after a week. Well, two out of three anyway.
My grandmother named her house Inisheer, and I never understood why until I was packed off there on an Irish course as a whining teenager. Calling your house Inisheer is a prayer that a mix of bricks and concrete will one day be as beautiful and as welcoming as this island paradise. As well as being handsome as the day is long, (Inis Oirr in Irish) and the Aran Islands are akin to a step back in time with little or no traffic, immaculately constructed stone walls and locals who think a rat race is just a Rowan Atkinson movie. Feicim (meaning ’I see’ in Irish) hold five-day courses from June to August along with singles weekends (’Ar maith leat damhsa?’ meaning ’Would you like to dance’, might get you started) during the year. I wonder if my Granny ever went to one of those? I’d better ask her…
Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin, Londonderry (Doire)
Londonderry's walls even look good under a troubled sky.
Learning a new language plonked in the middle of a historic wall city is just about the most romantic way we could think of studying a foreign tongue (and no we don’t mean kissing). Londonderry is, among other things such as the almost 400-year old St Columb’s Cathedral and the matinee-idol handsomeness of the Guildhall (if you think you know what a big organ looks like then this could blow your mind), very proud of it’s linguistic and cultural heritage. A prime spot then, to make your Irish language base where a 30 week course will see you pick up, master and dominate the lyrical lovliness of the Irish language thanks to the buachaillí and cailíní (boys and girls) of the Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin in the city. Doesn’t have the same ring as Sex in the City, but it’s definitely more interesting!
Ullans is another language of Ireland, a lovely lyrical tongue based around the Ulster-Scots culture. You can learn some of that, under the umbrella of Irish Language and Literature in a wonderful whopper of a diploma at the University of Ulster.
Try our Learning Irish ‘cheat-sheet’ to pick up a few words before you make your way over here or simply to impress the family at home.
I want to! Learn Irish in Ireland that is.
sea! I am in San Francisco and using as much of the irish language as my family and coworkers can stand. When I get a patient from Ireland I always greet them in the old language! Glenna in USA
It’s a beautiful language. My family on my father’s side came from Wicklow.
Song of the mira…song of the sea.
the cheat sheet link does not work
i would so love to learn the language of my grandparents. When I visited Sligo 2009, a couple teen aged girls came into the internet cafe speaking Gaelic. How I yearn to learn the some of the language.
I’m Spanish and started a course on Gaeilge here in Madrid though unfortunately I had to give it up. Anyway, whenever I go to Ireland I use the few words I know. Slán go foil!
My great grandparents ( Mccaslin ) on my mother’s side were from Ireland. My father was Irish. I have forever wanted to go to Ireland myself and to be able to learn the language would be the frosting on the cake. You might say, that’s my bucket list if God allows.
I always wanted to learn Gaelic. My parents spoke it while I was growing up mainly so we wouldn’t know of what they were speaking!
Pimsleur tapes are very good for learning languages. I learned a useful conversation and lots of words in Gaelic. Its doubly hard because its not pronounced the way it looks in American English! So is Greek!! But you still get a good basis. Ireland and Hawaii and both on a mission to bring the old languages back. It’s good exercise for your brain, too. I speak a little Spanish, French, Gaelic, Hawaiian and Papiamento (Aruban). But I hope to take one of these Gaelic classes in person soon!!
It’s really worth using what Irish you have when you visit a gaeltacht region. Back west in Corca Dhuibhne, and in Dingle town, many shops and pubs have signs saying ‘bain triall as cúpla focail’, ‘try a couple of words’. And, if you do, no-one will expect you to be fluent – they’ll just appreciate the effort and speak a few words back.
Wonderfully written and nostalgic – I was at Oideas Gael last year, I can’t wait to return. For those who are State side check out Daltai na Gaeilge website for places to learn and study Irish from New York and Pennsylvania to Oregon and in between. Slan go foill agus beannacht.
Marcella
Buíochas mór David as ucht eolas a thabhairt maidir le mo chuid cúrsaí Gaeilge. Beidh fáilte romhat ag FEICIM am ar bith.
Ta failte romhat agus go raibh mile maith agat le failte! Ta suil agam go beidh cupla daltai nua agaibh i 2012.
Le meas agus go n-eiri an t-adh libh leis an cursai,
Daithi.
Thanks so much. I’m headed to Ireland this summer, land of my grandmother. I’ll be there six weeks. Hope to pick up some language in a week, dance for six, and study Ed Tech in Dublin.
does anybody have information on literary reviews on this subject – How Irish language schools impact on the culture and economy of ireland
Good heavens, lad, if you’re a Gael, you should surely know that the native language of Wales is not Gaelic, but Welsh! That’s Brythonic Celtic, not the Scottish, Irish and Manx branches of the Goidelic Celtic language – Gaelic/Gaelige.
Go raibh maith Gat as an eolas ar Oideas Gael. Thanks for giving the info on our holiday courses in Donegal. Craic agus ceol agus daoine deasa!
Ta failte romhat, Liam. Any time!
Daithi.