Dia duit!

I'm trying to figure out which tapes/books I should start
with for learning Irish. Unfortunately, none of the local
stores (US) carries much of a selection. They have the "Teach Yourself Irish" book/tape. But notThey don't
"Buntús Cainte" book/tape, so I can't make a comparison before buying. Are there others I should considered?
I am looking for something that will teach me more than
just bare-bones "Hi how are you?" Irish.

I realize this probably a individual preference. I hope
someone can offer some guidance to a real beginner. I
hate to waste my energy (and money) getting frustrated.

Go raibh maith agat!

JohnR

oops... sorry about the lousy formatting. I was just a bit to quick with the mouse. :-) Apparently, you can't edit a message once you post it.

Slán!
JohnR

Dear John R,

I'd recommend Buntús Cainte book/tape I, as well as Bunghaeilge do Thuismitheorí (Basic Irish for Parents).
The former is most likely available at litriocht.com, and I've heard that Bord Na Gaeilge has copies of the latter, which is a book/tape set crammed with useful everyday Irish.
Ádh mór/Best of luck,

Pól

Go raibh maith agat, Pól!

Another question, if I may. Does the Buntús Cainte concentrate mostly on vocabulary, grammar or a good mixture of both? I want to become fluent in Irish. While knowing vocabulary is obviously important, I think grammar is moreso. At least based on my experience learning other languages.

Slán!
JohnR

John:
Buntu/s Cainte has an interesting structure. There are no grammar lessons as such; it starts off from square one with the vocab for a short dialogue, followed by the dialogue itself. It demonstrates grammar rather than explaining it.
Each lesson builds on the previous one. In the book, each new vocabulary word and bit of dialogue is followed by an English translation, but on the tapes there isn't a scrap of English. I think it's a very effective method. There are three book-and-tape sets to Buntu/s Cainte...
As a supplement, perhaps you could buy the textbook Progress in Irish (maybe another correspondent cd suggest a good grammar text). And again I'd recommend Bunghaeilge Do Thuismitheori/.
A/dh mo/r, a chara,
Po/l

Buntús Cainte has three levels, each with a booklet of approximately sixty lessons and two tapes. The book is carefully based on word frequency studies and grammatical patterns but no grammar is actually explained. Each lesson gives some vocabulary, a half dozen model sentences that cover a basic sentence pattern, then more sentences building on the pattern. A dialogue follows, translated into English and spoken on the tapes at normal conversational speed (be forewarned).

The language in BC is very standardized and you will want to use other materials as well, so that you can gradually shift to one of the dialects, as well as to become accustomed to the others.

BunGhaeilge do Thuismitheoirí is quite good and the accompanying tapes are available in the Standard, Munster, Connaught or Ulster dialects. Get one of the dialectal versions after you've gotten a good start with BC -- and have a bit of patience with differences between the two.

If you are really gungho, get Learning Irish by Micheal Ó Siadhail with tapes (Yale Univ. Press), a fairly difficult course based on a specific Connaught dialect (Cois Fhairrge) or try to find the old Teach Yourself Irish (Myles Dillon, Donncha Ó Cróinín), also a somewhat difficult course in the beginning for a complete beginner and based on western Munster. If you choose Ulster, there is Irish on Your Own (the Irish/British edition is titled Now You're Talking) with tapes, it is conversational and beginner friendly but weak on grammar.

There is a basic grammar by McGonigle (pub'd in the US by Hippocrene), which should be followed later by the Christian Brothers Grammar. Learners also like Briathra na Gaeilge ('Verbs of Irish' by D. Ó Murchú and P. Ó Murchú).

Litríocht.com is good. In the U.S., Irish Books & Media (irishbooks.com ?) is also quite good for this type of material.

Take advantage of teachers and speakers if available. Try to go to weekend or week-long courses in the U.S. or Ireland. In the meantime, listen carefully to tapes, work on grammar and practice, practice, practice. Have I left anything out? The Gaelic-B list for learners, Radio na Gaeltachta on the Internet, ...

Beir bua,

Seosamh

Gabh mo leithscéal, a Phóil. Ní raibh 'fhios agam go raibh duine eile ag tabhairt freagra dó. Ach níl aon dochar déanta, is dócha.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as bhur gcúnamh, a Seosamh agus a Phól! (Did I get that right or at least close? :-)) You both have been an enormous help! I really appreciate it!! I hope to find a teacher in my area eventually. Until I do, I want to at least get a start.

I am subscribed to the Gaelige-B list though I'm mostly a lurker. I don't feel comfortable enough yet with my really limited Gaeilge to do more than make a fool of myself. :-) I tried to listening to Radio na Gaeltachta though I didn't understand more than an occasional word. That was a few months ago. Lately, I can't connect to their server. I've tried from different machines, so I doubt it's me. Are they still streaming their broadcasts?

Slán
JohnR