Cad é mar atá sibh, a chairde? How are yous, folks? Tá na gasúraí ar ais ar scoil, the weans are back at school, tá sé ag dul ó sholas níos luaithe achan lá, it's getting dark earlier and earlier every day, and it's that time of the year when a lot of people seriously think about taking up some new interest, a course, or an activity. And for those of you who have ever wished you could speak our own native Irish language, or improve our ability in it, I want to give yous some information on how to go about it, and some tips about making sure it will be a success. These are the methods that I used to get me from the point of having absolutely no ability in the language, to the point of reasonable fluency.
Action 1: if you are a complete beginner, if your Irish is very weak, or if you are at a medium level you really need to attend a class, at least once a week. In the class you will get support from your teacher, and from others attending the class. The class also is a safe environment where you can try out and strengthen certain phrases before you use them when you meet other Irish speakers out in the big bad world. The class is also an enjoyable social event and language is the one subject that doesn't really work with distance learning. Thankfully, there is an abundance of classes in the Strabane and Sion Mills area, one of which is bound to suit your needs (see details below). A crucial point to remember is that no-one can actually teach you Irish, apart from yourself. No teacher can give you Irish like a gift, it is you that must go to the class and take the language from the teacher, and from any other source you can find. And you don't need to have a big fancy education to learn a language; we all have the ability to learn a language. As a friend of mine once remarked to me about people who thought that French was a hard language "What they need to remember" he says "is that even the stupidest man in France can speak it".
Action 2: You have to use every single word and phrase you learn, regularly. The brain is an efficient energy-saving device, and it has no intention of carrying around a load of stuff that never gets used. Anything the brain is not using gets winzipped and stored away in some inaccessible place on the cerebral hard drive. A friend once asked me did I ever get tired of just hearing "Cad é mar atá tú?" (how are you?), from people who didn't have any more Irish to go any further in the conversation. My answer to this is simple, I'd prefer 1,000 people with that one phrase, than 10 fully fluent people in a corner. The 1,000 people with the one phrase is a social phenomenon, and proof of a living language. The 10 people in the corner are just 10 people in the corner, no matter how much Irish they have. So if you only learn one or two phrases, start using them right away and you will be helping yourself learn quicker, and breathing new life into the Irish language. There is nothing more heartening for us Irish speakers than to hear another new voice saying "cad é mar atá tú?"
Action 3: this is the technological age, and you need to use every gadget you can get your hands on to help you along. If you travel in a car, then you need to get CDs and/or cassettes appropriate to your level, and listen to them regularly for short periods. Even 10 minutes each time you go on a journey will greatly improve your ability in the language. If you walk, another great device is an MP3 player, and you can load on material from the internet or other sources. If you are the type of person who can sit at the home computer and study, fair play to you, and by all means do that. But most people these days are busy busy busy and on the move, so it's better to listen to Irish while walking and/or travelling in the car. You will also notice that you will be very keen to get to your class the following week to use what you've learnt, or to ask questions about new words and phrases that you are picking up in your leisure time. The first time you survive a short conversation in Irish with a fluent speaker, without resorting to English, is a great feeling of achievement. I remember my first live interview on Ráidió na Gaeltachta: for about 6 minutes I was in as much nervous disarray as a man dangled by the heels from a helicopter.
Action 4: As your Irish gets stronger, and you get to that point where you have all the stock phrases but can't seem to move into full fluency, you have to do three things. Firstly, you have to read Irish regularly, in the form of newspapers like Lá Nua and Foinse, and especially novels geared towards adult learners. There are now novels which use simple Irish, with tapes and CDs for pronunciation, and some assistance with difficult phrases. Secondly, you need to listen to Ráidió na Gaeltachta and watch a little TG4, actively. And finally, you need to meet Irish speakers regularly and speak to them in Irish all the time.
Fógraí / Notices
·IRISH CLASSES (all levels) starting in September: phone Seán @ 07912662796 or Antaine @ 028 81659801 / 81659168
· GAELSCOIL 10-YEAR CELEBRATORY DINNER DANCE: Friday 28th September. Tickets £15. Contact Seán @ 07912662796
LEARN IRISH ONLINE @ http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/irish/blas/ (don't like the address, but it's a great wee course, and you can download it onto your computer or mp3 player)· TRAD SESSIONS @ 9pm: Sweeno/McGinty's Friday 21st Sept. Fáilte roimh cheoltóirí agus éisteoirí, all musicians and listeners welcome!
· CRAIC TRADITIONAL MUSIC EVENING: Ballycolman Community Centre, Tues 25th Sept. 8pm – 10pm.
