I've been lurking here for a while, and thought perhaps I could actually contribute something interesting to the group. I have come across a lovely old Gaelic course (SIMPLE LESSONS in IRISH by Rev. Eugene O’Growney, M.R.I.A) from 1895-c1912) and thought perhaps people here might be interested in a transcription of the three books?

It contains exercices and grammar, and appears to be a mix of dialects (it discusses Munster separately, and has a few sections on the rules there). Since it's out of copyright, I can post up the lessons on my website if anyone is interested.

If I do, do you prefer the Irish printed in the original "old style" font, or updated to roman letters?

Why, yes, I have too much time on my hands, why do you ask??

i'd prefer the original, but you'll have problems with others reading it if they don't have the right font (I for one use macs and the Gaeilge font, which is the nicest I've seen of them all, but does not appear to be available for the pc). Roman is probably your best bet, but yes, I'd be very interested

There is a lovely freeware font that's available. I can probably code both up and let you choose -- and include the font for download. I wonder if it will translate properly to another "gaelic" font...hm.

I'll put up the first chapter tonight after I scan in the front cover, etc, and you all can let me know how it looks.

I'd love to get a look at that. I'm learning from a Connaght dialect myself, but the side discussion on the Munster dialect sounds interesting. It'll also be interesting to spot some differences in an old teaching method and the caighdeán of today. Any font please!

unless it's unicode, it will not translate to another font.

Sure I'd go for it--put it up and I'll check it out.

Terrific. I've found a nice unicode font and I'll post the URL to the site tomorrow if you would all be so kind as to check it out. Go raibh maith agaibh!

I would appreciate either font or both, please.
Go raibh mile maith agat.

Ok, I've posted up the first few pages with the gaelic script (and I'll upload the remaining 'roman text' asap. Just the first few pages of the class are at http://www.phouka.com/gaelic/title.html

It's not particularly pretty yet, but if this looks ok, I'll keep working on it.

a chara: go raibh maith agat.

Cool so far. Just wondering... I downloaded the font. When does the writing appear in the old font type in the lessons? I wasn't getting it yet. Or am I just over anxious? :-)

Going to look at it now! Sounds great! Maith thú!

It seems to end at page 03 ... but I liked it up to that.

Phouka, a chara, I'm having some difficulty with the fonts which come s from the font name containing accented characters. Could you try changing the font name in the style sheet to "BunchloArsaGC" or "Bunchlo Arsa GC" and see if it still works for you? I'll send you an email privately with more details.

Phouka,

beautiful Web site, by the way.

Caoimhín

All -- I'm working on resolving Davidoc's issues with the font. Right now, I've only entered in the first few pages, and the gaelic font shows up only in a few places -- once I reach exercises, there is a ton in the Irish script.

If you can see the gaelic text in the title of the Preface, then the font is working for you. If not, you either need to download the font or I have to fix the style sheet! Let me know.

I'll post more up as I finish it -- there are three small books in the course -- with perhaps 80 pages each. I just thought I'd put out a few samples to see if this was interesting. Obviously, yes! So I'll continue!

Slightly off-topic, so I hope you'll all forgive me . . .

For those who like older books, we have a little selection of e-books available for download:
http://www.gaeilge.org/rleabhair.html

We don't have O'Growney there yet, so I don't think we're stepping on Phouka's toes. ;-)

Le meas,
Cionaodh

I love the font. I opened up WordPad and wrote out a bit with it. Thanks a million :)

Link to image of fonts

>> http://www.gaeilge.org/rleabhair.html

An-deas ar fad! Tá an lámhscríbhinn le Macalister thar a bheith suimiúil. Dála an scéil, "R. A. S. Macalister" an litriú a d'úsáid seisean, ní "MacAllister". Agus nach mbeadh "R-Leabhair Ghaeilge" (le séimhiú tar éis iolra caol: buidéil bhainne, éisc mhara) níos fearr?

Ceist eile, a Chionaoidh, ós múinteoir thú: cén fáth "Mac Peadar" in áit "Mac P(h)eadair" (leis an nginideach a fheictear de ghnáth i sloinne mar sin)?

Hi Drochfhuaimniú,

>> "Ar ní gnáth orgain cen scéola do ernam esi do innisin scél dara n-esi is mesi dano in fer sin"

This is really two sentences. The manuscript doesn't show that, but if you're going to use this as a quotation, it would best to amend it with punctuation. In this case, I'd put a full stop after "n-esi. Is mesi dano in fer sin."

Scríobh Dennis:

>>Dála an scéil, "R. A. S. Macalister" an
>>litriú a d'úsáid seisean, ní "MacAllister".

Go raibh maith agat; cheartaigh mé é.

>>Agus nach mbeadh "R-Leabhair Ghaeilge"
>>(le séimhiú tar éis iolra caol: buidéil
>>bhainne, éisc mhara) níos fearr?

B'fhéidir; tá sé feicthe agam
"leabhair Gaeilge" anseo 's ansin
freisin.

>>Ceist eile, a Chionaoidh, ós múinteoir
>>thú: cén fáth "Mac Peadar" in áit
>>"Mac P(h)eadair" (leis an nginideach a
>>fheictear de ghnáth i sloinne mar sin)?

Is ceist ana-mhaith é sin.
Nuair a thosaigh mé ag foghlaim
na Gaeilge (1982), chuir mé orm
an sloinne sin, ach níor thuig
mé an ginideach ana-mhaith ag an
am sin.

Cúpla bliain ina dhiaidh sin, nuair
a thuig mé níos fearr, réitigh mé
é a fhágáil mar sin. Cuireann sé
i gcuimhne dom go déanann gach aon
duine (mise leis) dearmaid.

Ar aon chaoi, is sloinne sainiúil é.
;-)

Go raibh maith agat arís leis an
gceartú.

Le meas,
Cionaodh

Scríobh Dennis:

>>Dála an scéil, "R. A. S. Macalister" an
>>litriú a d'úsáid seisean, ní "MacAllister".

As an interesting aside, I just noticed that the name written on the manuscript says "McAlister" (i.e. "Mc" instead of "Mac"). Presumably someone else wrote that, though, as the hand used in the English of the page is quite different.

Le meas,
Cionaodh

>>Hi Drochfhuaimniú,

>>> "Ar ní gnáth orgain cen scéola do ernam esi do innisin scél dara n-esi is mesi dano in fer sin"

>>This is really two sentences. The manuscript doesn't show that, but if you're going to use this as a quotation, it would best to amend it with punctuation. In this case, I'd put a full stop after "n-esi. Is mesi dano in fer sin."

Hello hello. Thanks for the advice. When I got that quote I was both (a) extremely new to Irish and (b) having enough trouble with Modern Irish, not to mention its older variants...

Thanks for the advice--I felt a change was necessary anyway :)

A dozen or so pages uploaded. (www.phouka.com/gaelic/title.html) I believe I've addressed the font weirdness -- please let me know if things still come out wonky. Check back over the next few days and I'll keep putting pages up.

Any suggestions appreciated!

Togha Fir, (nó mnaoi?) a Phouka.

A Classic online, very nice.

Lovers of seanchló may also like this link:
http://folkplanet.com/seanchlo/

Ok -- it's not yet linked in to the main page of the site, but the entire first book is uploaded. I'm sure I've made some transcription errors, please let me know if you find any! I also added some navigation help. It's still available at the link above.

As soon as I spellcheck the whole thing I'll connect it to the "live" site and start on the second book.

It's very interesting. Most of the lessons focus on pronunciation in excrutiating detail, with comparisons of the different dialects.