A bilingual article: Irish learners tell their stories

There’s a lot of interest from people in learning Irish these days. Maybe you are interested but you don’t know where to start. Here are some sample stories from other learners.

Bíonn a lán suim ag daoine i bhfoghlaim na Gaeilge na laethanta seo. B’fhéidir go bhfuil suim agat ach níl a fhios agat cá dtosóinn. Seo roinnt samplaí scéalta duit ó foghlaimeoirí eile.

Ronald Porcelli, United States of America (@PorcelliRon ar Twitter)

(English below)

Thosaigh mé an Duolingo App cúpla bliain ó shin. Bhí sé iontach chun stór focal a fhoghlaim, ach bhí sé teoranta don chaint. Tar éis bliana le Duolingo, d’fhreastal mé A1 rang agus bhí ciorcal comhrá ann. Bhí mé neirbhíseach ach ní dhearmad mé na habairtí a d’fhoghlaim mé riamh i gciorcal comhrá. Tháinig feabhas mór mo éisteacht, mo thuiscint, agus mo chuid cainte. Freastalaím ar rang B1 anois, agus freastalaím ar ciorcal comhrá go minic.

Chuir mé mo bhean suim i Rós na Rún ar TG4, rud a chabhraíonn liom le comhrá coitianta. Nuair atá mé sa charr, éistim le RnaG ar an RTÉ App, Raidio Rí-Rá, Podchraoladh Nuacht Mall, Bladhaire, Beo ar Éigean, agus Adhmhaidin.

Bhuail mé le go leor foghlaimeoirí eile ar Twitter agus Facebook. Is maith liom a gcuid postanna a léamh agus idirghníomhú ag úsáid na Gaeilge.

(Gaeilge thuas)
I started the Duolingo App a couple of years ago. It was great for learning vocabulary, but limited speaking. After a year with Duolingo, I attended A1 class and there was a conversation circle. I was nervous but I will never forget the phrases I learned in a conversational circle. My hearing, comprehension, and speech improved even more. I attend class B1 now, and I often attend a conversation circle.

I got my wife interested in Rós na Rún on TG4, which helps me with common conversation. When I’m in the car, I listen to RnaG on the RTE App, Rí-Rá Radio, Nuacht Mall Podcast, Bladhaire, Beo ar Éigean, and Adhmadin.

I met many other learners on Twitter and Facebook. I like to read their posts and interact using Irish.

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Lorna, New Zealand (@moukenainzo ar Twitter)

Níor tógadh mé le Gaeilge, ach thosaigh mé á foghlaim dhá bhliain ó shin. Ceapaim go bhfuil an Ghaeilge réasúnta maith agam anois. Déanaim staidéar achan lá, agus taitníonn sé go mór liom. Tá mé ag léamh gearrscéalta faoi láthair, is mór an cuidiú le stór focal é. Sílim go bhfuil sé tábhachtach a bheith ag caint go minic, mar sin is ball mé de ciorcail comhrá, agus freastalaím ar ranganna fosta. Tá mé fiosrach faoin teanga. Scríobhaim focail nua i mo leabhar nótaí agus déanaim iarracht á úsáid. Is maith liom na rudaí dúshlánach agus tagann lagmhisneach orm go hannamh. Tá dearcadh dearfach agam faoi Gaeilge.

I was not brought up with Irish, but I started learning it two years ago. I think I have a reasonably good command of Irish now. I study every day, and I really like it. I’m reading short stories at the moment, it helps a lot with vocabulary. I think it’s important to talk often, so I’m a member of conversation groups, and I also attend classes. I’m curious about the language. I write new words in my notebook and try to use them. I like challenging things and rarely get discouraged. I have a positive attitude about Irish.

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Karl, Germany (aka @der_karl ar Mastodon)

Is mise “Karl” agus is Gearmánach mé. Bhí mé in Éirinn den chéad uair i 2016 agus thitim i ngrá leis an dtír ar an bpointe. Tar eis an dara haistear i 2019 theastaigh ábalta na comharthaí as Gaeilge a léamh uaim. Mar sin thosaigh mé an teanga a fhoghlaim le Duolingo. Bím an aip seo a úsáid gach lá chun cleachtadh. Le déanaí bainim úsáid as “Clozemaster” freisin chun mo chluasthuiscint a fheabhsú. Leanaim cúpla cainéil físeáin as Gaeilge ar YouTube agus thosaigh mé ag leanúint cúpla cuntas go bpostáil as Gaeilge sa Fediverse.

People call me “Karl” and I’m German. I first visited Ireland in 2016 and immediately fell in love with the country. After my 2nd trip in 2019 I wanted to be able to read the signs in Irish, so I started learning the language with Duolingo. I’m regularly using the app to practise and recently I started using “Clozemaster” to improve my listening comprehension. I’m following a couple of YouTube channels in Irish and I also started following a few accounts in the Fediverse that post in Irish.

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Sofia Engvall, Sweden (@gravadersdagar ar Twitter)

Sofia is ainm dom agus bím ag stáidéar an Ghaeilge ar líne san Ollscoil Uppsala sa tSualainn. Tá na gcursaí ar an léibheal A1 – A2, pairtaimsaire. Tá sé an luas níos moille, maith le obair nó stáidéir eile, nó teaghlach. Molaim an uair comhrá gach seachtaine. Féachaim ar TG4 agus éistim le podchraoltaí freisin.

My name is Sofia and I’m studying Irish on remote at Uppsala university in Sweden. The courses offered are on A1 – A2 level, at part-time. The slower tempo fits well with combining it with whatever else you may be up to, and I would advice everybody who takes the course(s) to show up on the weekly conversation hour. I watch TG4 and listen to podcasts to practice listening comprehension.

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Leon O’Leathlobhair, Ireland (@LeathlobhairO ar Twitter)

Ní raibh sé ach amháin nuair a bhí mé i mo seascaidí agus tháinig mé trasna ar an dúshlán #100daysofGaeilge ar Twitter go gheall mé don Gaeilge a fhoghlaim. Thaiféad mé mo thuras gach lá ar Twitter agus chuidigh sé sin mo stór focal a fheabhsú. Faighim go bhfuil vlogs Gaeilge ar YouTube agus Instagram an-chabhrach comh maith le aipeanna mar Duolingo, Teanglann, English-Irish Dictionary. Tá TG4 achmhainn ar fheabhas agus tugann sé an teanga chun beatha le cláir iontach go háraithe fiseáin faisnéis. Ciorcail comhrá ar líne nó ina steillbheatha is dócha go raibh na rúdaí is cabhrach ar mo thuras.

It was really only when I came across the #100daysofGaeilge challenge on Twitter in my 60’s that I really committed to learning to speak Irish. I recorded my journey each day on Twitter and that helped me improve my vocabulary. I have found Irish language vlogs on YouTube and Instagram really helpful along with apps like Duolingo, Teanglann, English-Irish dictionary. TG4 is an excellent resource and brings the language to life with fabulous programmes especially documentaries. Online or in-person conversation groups have probably been the most helpful to me in my journey.

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Sandra Uí Colmáin, Ireland (@SandraC39882149 ar Twitter)

Nuair a bhí mo mhac  san óllscoil Maigh Nuad, thug sé a cairde sa bhaile agus bhí said ag labhairt as gaeilge go liofa.  Ni raibh mé ábalta na buachaillí a tuiscint.  Bhí naire orm mar ní chuimnigh mé mo theanga féin. 

Chinn mé rud éigin a dhéanamh faoi.  Bhí ciorcal comhra so club GAA áitiúil agus chuaigh mé ann.  Bhi imni orm mar ní raibh a lán gaeilge agam ach bhí said an cairdiúl agus tar éis tamall, chuimmnigh mé mo gaeilge scoil.

Thosaigh mé Duolingo ag an ám seo.  Bhi slí an mhaith é chun do chuid gaeilge a feabhsú I do aonar.  Ansin, thainig COVID as stad an ciorcal comhra.  Chleachtadh mé mo chuid Gaeilge gach lá ar Duolingo ach bhí daoine ag teastáil uaim chun Gaeilge a labhairt liom.

Chuala mé go raibh cúrsa gaeilge ar line ón Maigh Nuad.  Bhí sé saor in aisce agus rinne mé é.  Thaitin an cúrsa  liom agus thainig me ar chúrsa eile ar line nuair a bhí sé thart.  Rinne me scrúdú Fáinne Airgid as d’eirigh me.  Tá fainne airgid agam ach ba mhaith liom an fainne ór a faigh.

D’úsaid mé Futurelearn 101 go 204 freisin.  Bhí sé ar line agus saor in aisce chomh maith.

Anois, táim ag dhéanamh cúrsa eile le Maigh Nuid.  Is cúrsa TEG é, leibheal B2.  Tá sé beagnach crua ach taitnionn sé liom.

When my son was in college in Maynooth, he would bring his friends home and they would be speaking  fluently in Irish.  I wasn’t able to understand the boys.  I was embarrassed because I couldn’t remember my own language.

I decided to do something about it.  There was a conversation circle in my local GAA and I went there. I was worried because I didn’t have a lot of Irish. They were very friendly and after a while I could remember my Irish.

I started Duolingo at about that time. It is a good way to improve your Irish on your own.  Then Covid came and the conversation circle stopped. I practiced on Duolingo every day but I needed somebody to talk Irish with me.

I heard there was a course online from Maynooth University. It was free and I did it. I enjoyed the course and I found another course online when that was over. I did the Fáinne Airgead exam and I passed it.  I have the Fáinne Airgead now but I want to get the Fáinne ór.

I used Futurelearn 101 to 204 as well. It is online and it is free as well.

Now I am doing another course with Maynooth.  It is a TEG course, level B2. It is a bit hard but I enjoy it.

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Eanáir 2023 le Derek Hollingsworth

Míle buíochas ó chroí le Ronnie, Lorna, Karl, Sofia, Leon agus Sandra as na scéalta a thabharfadh muinín duit, agus áth mór oraibh ar bhur dturais teanga!!

Faigh #100DaysofGaeilge ar Twitter agus Mastodon

If you wish to give something small towards the cost of running the site, my Revolut is @derekis3j