As the title said, I'm new. My name is Jen and I'm 16. I live in Canada, but most of my family is Irish, though none speak it. I was hoping to learn, but I don't even know where to start. Would anyone be able to give me a hand? Thanks.

Welcome/Fáilte

Most other learners from abroad seem to start with one of the books and tape series.

Somebody will probably recommend one to you.

There may be classes in your part of canada:
see here http://www.daltai.com/classes/canada.htm

Thank you .

I've seen quite a few of those book and tape series... There are so many though, and they all sound good in their own way. I'm really not sure which one to purchase. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

The consensus seems to be "Learning Irish" by
Mícheál Ó Siadhail. It's a great book.
My favorite is "Irish On Your Own" by Éamonn Ó
Dónaill and Deirbhile Ní Churraighín. I've been working out of both of them.

They have very different approaches to teaching the language. I don't think one is any better than the other. It would just depend on your preferred format.

Irish on your Own tends to take a "phrase" approach (at least at first) and sort of expects you to pick up some of the grammar through hearing the language spoken and reading it. They (the authors) introduce grammar slowly throughout the book. They take a more conversational approach. My only critcism is that I wish there were more exercises and drills. I make up for this by coming up with my own repetition drills. It's definately more than just a phrase course, though.

Learning Irish buckles down to the grammar and rules from the very beginning. It has a lot of translation and grammar exercises right away, which I think is very useful. It tends to be a little "dry" at times, though.

Both books have very useful tapes (or CD's). Irish on your own is in the Ulster dialect (more or less) and Learning Irish is from that which is spoken in Co. Galway area. I really enjoy listening to the differences between the two (and even between the speakers on each tape).

Irish is a beautiful language. Good luck with your endeavors!

Thank you so much, Chris!

That really helped. Coincidentally I've been looking around and also found that most people loved the Learning Irish book. It's out of print at the moment though, and I can only find the books, and not the tapes with it. I'll keep looking though, because I very much want to learn Irish.

Again, thank you.

Try "Teach yourself Irish" comes with tapes and is easily obtainable at Barnes & Noble. It's not as complicated as "Learning Irish" and will give you a good start. Ádh mór!

I just found "Learning Irish" at
www.litriocht.com
Go into the store. On the right side of the page, perform a search for "Learning Irish" in 'all catagories' and 'all publishers'.
You'll find it there with the four tapes for €39.
Go n-éirí an t-ádh leat!
Maidhc.

Also, at Amazon.com it's in stock (tapes/book).

Thank you guys :D. I just purchased it. Now I just have to wait until it gets here.

I have heard that the pronunciation is very hard in Irish. Is this the case? It seems it. I mean I saw a few simple phrases, and I really found it hard to read them as they should have been, as opposed to the english pronunciation.

I also just was wondering how long most of you have been speaking? And wanted to say thank you so much for all being so helpful. It's been really nice to meet you all.

Pronunciation won't be a problem for you. All it is is a bunch of consonants and vowels.

Hey Jen, I've only really ever posted on this forum a few times so far (well once really) but I find everyone is really helpful here. I'm from Canada too and I only managed to get one of the books and without any tapes. Anyway, I've been wondering for sometime now if anyone knew if it was possible to just buy the tapes (or CDs) separate...since I already have the book (Teach Yourself Irish)? If anyone knew if I could, I would really appreciate it.

My two cents worth:

Learing Irish is an excellent book but the grammar will drive you nuts! The rule or justification will, more often that not, be buried in small print, footnotes or some other non-descript site.

To overcome this, I've coupled Learing Irish with Irish Grammar: A basic handbook by Noel McGonagle. Between these two, I'm doing "ok" (note the use of small letters to denote, just ok) with the grammar.

For days that I just want to mindlessly wander through Irish, I'm still using Buntús Cainte. NO grammar whatsoever but a whole lot of pictures and words that will have you feeling comfortable with the language very quickly.

Of course, without the tapes you're just setting yourself up for disaster! Our english oriented minds just will not make sense out of the Irish consonant groupings (lenition, in particular), silent vowel groups etc, without some native input. For most of us, that means tapes, tapes and more tapes!

In my never-to-be humble opinion, these three books and the accompanying tape sets represent the best combination of resources for the beginning to intermediate student. I've tried the Teach Yourself books and the Irish on Your Own...they're good, but still lacking. Between Ó Siadhal, McGonagle, Buntús and the amazing people on this site I just haven't found a better combo!

Le meas,

James

My grandmother was born in County Roscommon and came to the US in 1900. She raised me until I was three years old. I've heard many Irish phrases, but have no idea how to spell them. I hope I can get help at this site. My first example is a simple one and I think I should be able to find it as it is so common, but haven't been able to. How to you spell what sounds like "Erin go braugh"? Which I think means Ireland forever? I've got some others I'd like to have spelled/accurately translated, but will see if this is the right section of the site to pose these questions. Thanks for your help.

Éirinn go brách. (Yes, = 'Ireland for ever')

You might like the following if you haven't hit on it already.

http://www.leitrim-roscommon.com/index.shtml

The name Callaghan is still there (and in Sligo, not to mention the many Munster people of the name):


The Leitrim-Roscommon
Surname Search
Output
Surname County Townland Civil Parish Researcher
CALLAGHAN Rosc Cloggarnagh Tibohine Jessica Callahan
CALLAGHAN Rosc Roisin
CALLAGHAN Rosc Lisduff Tibohine Cushla Beckett
CALLAGHAN Rosc Grallagh Tibohine Ed Finn
CALLAGHAN Rosc Lisduff Tibohine Ed Finn
CALLAGHAN Rosc Fairymount Tibohine Sybil Lavin
CALLAGHAN Rosc Loughglinn Tibohine Susan Ploeg
CALLAGHAN Rosc Lisdrumneill Tibohine Terri Kenney
O'CALLAGHAN Rosc Frenchpark Margaret Gray

9 Total Matches


Tá fáilte romhat.

Is "Éirinn" an tuiseal tabharthach de "Éire". Ceapaim gur "Éire" atá ag teastáil. Nach bhfuil?

Dá dteastódh, bheadh sé ann cheana ar ndóigh.
Is minic an tabharthach áite chun tosaigh ar na tuisil eile i gcás an ainm áite. Nuair is amhlaidh, ní locht é ach a mhaise.

Hm, are there any geneaology websites like that for Co Clare? My family(on my mother's side) is from there and I believe the spelling of the surname before Elis Island was Mac Gabhann(Now McGowan).

That's correct TJ, I know a fella named Mac Gabhann.

Glac go réidh é leis an sloinne seo a chairde. Take it handy with this surname for the following reasons.

The name Mac Gabhann doesn't appear to have been in any way predominant in Clare. There are only three Mc Gowans entered for the co. in the phone bk. On the other hand, there are circa 30 Mc Guanes entered for Clare. Mac Dhubháin is the accepted original. The same mistake in another part of the country has caused Mac Gabhann to appear as the form for Micí Mac Dhubháin, fear 'Rothaí Móra an tSaoil'. Mac Dhubháin was a name that was politically prominent in Donegal in the:
....
Mág Dubháin, sgéla ron sgar,
ar Cheinél nÉnna n-armghlan.

Similar to other parts of the country, many of the surname Mac Dhubháin were psuedo-semitranlated to 'Smith' and 'Smyth' in Co. Clare, the 'Mac Gabhann' assimilation being the reason for such, (but this happened before the Matheson special report on surnames in Ireland, 1909).

Gabh mo leithscéal:

prominent in Donegal in the topographical poems:
....
Mág Dubháin, sgéla ron sgar,
ar Cheinél nÉnna n-armghlan. (Carney, J., 1943, 18)

I am a stone mason, 70% Irish, and I would like to name my company after something having to do with Irish stone walls. Does anyone have any suggestions?

a Stonemason = Saor Cloiche (a Craftsman of Stone)

a stone wall = claí cloch (a wall of stones)


[
saor = craftsman
cloiche = stone (genetive case)
claí = wall
cloch = stones (genetive case)
]


The Stonemason = An Saor Cloiche

Or if you want it a bit more elaborate and to sound like you're the only one:

Saor na Cloiche = "The Stonemason"

Or:

"Your Stonemason" = Do Shaorsa Cloiche

"The Stone Man" = Fear na Cloiche


Suppose I myself would prefer:

Saor na Cloiche = The Craftsman of the Stone.