Hello! I'm new. :)

I'm a beginner in Irish (embryonic, more like *g*). I just signed up to go to the next immersion weekend in Jamison, PA, and I was wondering who here has been to one of these events, and what are they like? Infinite thanks, and have a happy day!

Havent been to one , this is just to say welcome , fáilte romhat !
Im a beginner too have been at it for about 6 months now and after a period of struggling I feel i am begining to get somewhere. It has taken me 6 months becuase the internet and a book and CD are the only access I have at the moment , I feel envious that you are going to one of those immersion week-ends , I would love to do that but unfortunateyl there are none here in Spain were I am working and living at the moment .
I´m sure there is someone on here with some experience at one the events and will answer you shortly

Is mise Gearóid

Sherrie, a chara,

Fáilte! Welcome to the Daltaí immersion weekend in Jameson PA. I have been going to these weekends for a number of years, and, if my experience is any indication, you should have a wonderful time. Everyone there shares a passion for learning the language and helping each other improve their Irish. So everybody is very friendly and helpful.

However, I remember being a bit overwhelmed by the horde of strangers at my first weekend, all babbling, more or less, in a very foriegn language. This weekend is usually the largest one on the Daltaí calendar; attendance is likely to exceed 100 by a score or more. To help you with your immersion as a beginner, I think they will assign you a buddy to show you around. If they do not, ask the person who signs in you where is Lúcas? I will be delighted to show you around.

I would strongly recommend you get there before 8:00 P.M on Friday so you can make the crash phrase course. I have always had difficulty finding this place, so you might give yourself some slack in coming. This phrase course will start you with enough Irish so you can introduce yourself to others at the weekend.

This is followed by a singing class that I always enjoy. Most of the songs are pretty easy to learn, even for beginners.

The schedule you will get is all in Irish. Grab your buddy, or anybody you hear speaking Irish and ask them to translate it for you.

Friday night’s formal activities end with a large meeting of all the participants. Ethel Brogan will address a slightly rowdy crowd and read them the riot act; No English allowed Saturday and Sunday. One way around this proscription is to learn the phrase, “Cad é mar a déarfá [something in English] as Gaeilge?” (How do you say [something in English] in Irish?)

Saturday starts with breakfast. If you like “dorm food” you should have no problem with the meals at Jameison. The language is much more tasty!

First class begins at 9:00 where you will meet a bunch of folks like yourself gan focal ar bith, without [an Irish] word at all. Your teacher is likely to break down at some point and violate Ethel’s edict by speaking some English to you. All of the teachers work hard to make the experience pleasurable. By the end of the weekend, this class should widden your circle of friends.

The first class is followed by a number of workshops, learning Céilí and Set dances, learning how to play the tin whistle, bodhrán, …, lectures in Irish, English and both, about interesting Irish subjects. If you would like to dance at the céilí later in the evening, I would recommend the dancing class.

Then there’s lunch. More dorm food.

The afternoon’s will mirror the morning’s activities of class and workshops. Mass in Irish is also offered.

Dinner. Enough said about the food.

After dinner is a sessiún. Almost everybody gets up and does a party piece, a poem, a song, a story, a tune on some instrument, and so on. Some classes and other groups will present skits. If you ribs are not in pain yet, they will be from the laughing.

A céilí follows with a traditional Irish band leading the hordes in traditional Irish dancing. If you took a dancing workshop, you can jump right in.

There is a break in the middle of the céilí for the “Rose of Jameson” contest. It is a beauty pageant based on the “Rose of Tralee.” There is one slight difference. The contestants are all men. Now your ribs are in great jeopardy from all the laughing.

The céilí is followed by an informal airneál, a sessiún that often goes into the wee hours of the morning.

There is one more class Sunday morning followed by a meeting of all concerned. This an opportunity for you to complain about the food. Ethel will tell you she has no control over the food.

Lunch and then farewell. I have not met anybody at these weekends, except one cranky fluent speaker, who did not thouroughly enjoy themselves. Therefore, I am very confident you will have a delightful time.

(Message edited by lúcas on October 18, 2004)

That sounds like a lot of fun if I was able to drive that far...let alone drive! I wish I could go! Maybe someday....

By the way, welcome Sherrie! You'll find a lot of beginners here...and a lot of very helpful not-beginners as well!

Lucas , tá mé chomh mór sin in éad leat ! tá cuma anmhaith ar sin .
is mian liom go bhfuil a leithéid de rud anseo !

sounds like you are in for a great time Sherrie , Im so envious , I wish there was such an event near me . I love the idea of no english zones where everyone had to speak Irish , its exactly what i need as I dont think i have ever had a spoken conversation in Irish ever.

A Phoblachtaigh, a chara,

Is mora trua é niorbh fhéidir leat deireadh seachtaine Gaeltachta a fháil i do cheantar. Céard faoi rud éigin in Éirinn cosúil le
Oideas Gael? http://www.oideas-gael.com/

Tháinig an Gheailge go Éirinn ón Spáinn. B'fhéidir go dtabharfá ar ais é?

(Message edited by lúcas on October 19, 2004)

Wow! Thanks for the specifics, Lúcas, and thanks also to everyone in general for being so welcoming. Now, instead of being slightly nervous, I'm slightly impatient. I can't wait to go, even if the food is bad. :)

Thanks again - sorry. Go raibh maith agat. I have no idea how I'll be able to communicate anything on Saturday and Sunday, but I don't care. I'm still going. After all, there's the Rose of Jameson contest. Bye for now!

PS: I've heard 'conas a déarfá,' for 'how do you say,' but not 'cad é mar a déarfá.' Is this a dialect thing? If so, which dialect is which? Thanks again to everyone!

Sherrie someone else can be more specific about in Donegal and Ulster the use Cad é mar , and elswhere I here Conas use for How?
ie
cad é mar atá tu ?
Conas atá tu?
( someone will correct me if these are not perfectly spelled )
Both mean how are you

hoe this helps

I wish I could have the opportunity to go to the immersion. Unfortunately I live in Illinois(until mid 2005, God willing), so I never encounter any sort of Irish language activity due to the fact that there isn't even an Irish class conducted in Illinois outside of Chicago(Just as Illinois essential doesn't exist to most people with the exception of Chicago) with the exception of the short intro during this city's "Éireann Feis"(Shouldn't those words be switched in order?)
Mabye I will at least get to practice reading some Irish next month while I'm visiting Ireland though I suppose I'd be unlikely to hear any Irish since I'll be staying in Dublin(outside of the centre).

Tj_mg: cuir eolas chugam nuair atá tú i BÁC.

Beidh ciorcail diospóireachta ann i Trí D gach ré Déardaoin. An chéad ceann eile 28 DF.

Hello,
I am new also, and pretty much a beginner. I would really like to go to this immersion weekend (especially after reading this page!) but I live in New York City with no car - does anybody know if there is a bus to Jamison?
Kate

Kate,

There are a lot of people who drive down from New York city to the immersion weekend in Jameson. I am confident you could get a ride with one of them. Contact Liam Guidry at and he should be able to get you in touch with Gaeilgeoirí driving to the weekend from the Big Apple.

Thanks! I'll try that.
Kate

Sherri,
Fáilte. Beidh mé ansin. I have attended Daltaí weekends in the past and they are great fun, you'll love it.

I went to my first weekend about this time last year and I had absolutely no Irish. Everyone was very friendly and very patient with me. They explained how the language works and went over pronunciation arís agus arís agus arís!

You'll have a great time, and I heard the food at Jamison is better than the food at Esopus.

The teachers in the begginer's classes teach in English so you know what they are saying. If you happen to walk past a more advanced class you will hear them lecturing in Irish. Don't be scared.

You'll meet alot of fellow beginners as well as fluent speakers. I got email addresses of several fellow students and my teachers and I stay in contact with them regularly. A few ladies I met, Rath, Kathleen, and Mary helped me to find Deirdre who is now my Irish teacher in PA. So make sure you make some contacts while you're there, they are a great source of inspiration when the copula is giving you hell!

Kate,
I know several people from NY who usually attend the events. Do as Lucas said and contact Liam and if you don't get anywhere try posting a "ride needed in NYC" on this forum, someone may get back to you.

Slán agus beannachtí,

Aingeal

Aingeal, thanks lots for more encouragement! This'll be a lovely time, and I can't wait for Friday to come. And thanks also for the heads up on finding a local teacher. It's nice knowing I can continue learning after this weekend! Thanks again!

Sherrie,

I am sorry I did not meet you at the weekend, but I am curious; how did you like it?

So Sherrie what did you think of the weekend?

Pelican!

while waiting for Sherrie's reply, how did those of you who attended the weekend enjoy themselves ?

I was lucky to go a few years back...I think 7 years ago and I had a blast... a long drive, 12 hours, but it was worth it.

I loved it...Jamison is always my favorite of the weekends (altho esopus is nice, too)...I would hate to see it closed...write your letters everyone!!!

Pardon my ignorance... but why would it be closed ?

because the property is worth far more money being sold to the developer who put all those homes on the adjacent properties than it is as a camp...camp neumann is slated for closure circa may 2005

I am so sorry to hear that. I take it that its a done deal. Are there alternatives in the plan yet ?

a letter writing campaign, alot of prayers and a miracle

I also had a great weekend. it was my first time and everyone was very helpful. I'll be back.

If this cannot be salvaged, would there be an interest in bringing things farther south? We've got several youth/church camps in my immediate area. They are in the middle of almost nowhere and would facilitate a "total" immersion environment quite nicely.

I would be more than willing to initiate some "feelers" if it's something that seems viable.

Le meas,

James

i don't remember if it's this thread or not, but somewhere i recommended the st. alphonse retreat ctr in long branch nj...

The St. Alphonse retreat house is very nice but it's in a very built-up area and I don't think we'd have as much freedom as at Esopus or Neumann .
James - What area are you thinking of?

I had a great time at the weekend. I don't know if it's a done deal of not, hopefully the doiceses will let the people who run the camp buy it. I like having an Irish immersion weekend in PA, its much closer to home!

We have several church/youth camps in my immediate area (central North Carolina). Likewise, I'm aware of some similar camps in Virginia.

This may be too far south for Daltai, though. I know there is a much higher density of participants in the New England area. If this more southerly locale seems like something Daltai wishes to advance, I'll be more than happy to put out some feelers. The local camps that I'm thinking of are within an 1 hour drive of Raleigh Durham Airport and the airfare between NC and NY/NJ is very reasonable...round trip for less than 200 dollars is the norm.

This may not be an ideal alternative. I simply put it out there as an option. I'll take it as far as Daltai want to.

Le meas,

James

James,

That's an interesting thought. However, the irony is that the Jamison weekend in Pennsylvania is sponsored by the New Jersey branch of Daltaí na Gaeilge. So I supect your suggestion might be a bit far too south.

That does not preclude having an immersion weekend in the South. I know there are people from Maryland, DC, and Virginia who come to the Daltaí weekends who might find the drive south a nice change. As you suggest, it would make it a bit more difficult for the New England crowd.

I am sure you could get carpetbagger Daltaí teachers to volunteer. (I might make a week of it by going to Myrtle Beach to play golf afterwards. I would love an excuse to be in Savannah for St. Patrick's Day.)

That leaves two questions unanswered. Is there enough interest south of the Mason Dixon line to make it worthwhile? Could you find enough local volunteers to organize it?

The Irish, especially the Scots-Irish, landed in the South long before they ever set foot in the north. Will the Irish in the South get back to their roots or ar they going to leave the job to a bunch of Damn Yankees?

Oddly, we have collected a fair amount if Irish in Raleigh. I don't know what it is about that city but the Irish pubs and such have just exploded over the last few years. I actually heard a lady named Gráinne call in to a radio station!

A while back, we had a pretty significant participation from below the Mason-Dixon. There were three or four from NC and a couple more from down in Georgia. If we can get the interest from whomever, I'd be more than willing to take the lead in setting this thing in motion.

I'll start a new thread with an appropriate title to see what materializes.