Hello, I am currently trying to learn Irish. Does anyone know of a good place to start?

There are many websites, as well as books, tapes, etc. available for learning the Irish Language (some, I imagine - better than others). You may want to look at some of the lessons online before buying something.

As a beginner myself, I was a bit overwhelmed at first but finally decided to buy a book/cassette package to get me off the ground. (I use 'Learning Irish' by Mícheál Ó Sidahail.) An Irish/English dictionary wouldn't be a bad idea (again, many of them online).

You can listen to radio stations in Irish over the internet (usually via Realplayer). Not that you are going to understand much, if any, at first but I still think it's useful to actually listen to a language even if you don't necessarily know what is being said all the time.

I'm sure someone else can give you some more enlightened info than I, but there is stuff out there to help you a long in your studies.

Hi Jamesburrow,

A good place to start is with a beginner's book like the ones available at this website (navigate to the Siopa)

Each book has it strong points. For example, "Learning Irish" will give you some good insights into Irish Grammar. Buntús Cainte will give you a working knowledge of basic phrases and conversations. So, as you progress, you'll probably gather more books to increase your knowledge. Get yourself a dictionary also. I would recommend one of the dictionaries here at Daltai.com since they have pronunciations for each headword. Along with the sound tracks here on Daltai, you can usually get a good idea of how to pronounce Irish words.

If you meant a location when you asked about a good place, sorry but I wouldn't know of any in your area. But you'll find the folks here quite supportive of beginners and you can always ask questions.

Le meas (sincerely)

Dáithí