I want to go to a gaeltacht somewhere in Ireland, not the gaeltachts where they speak English but rather the ones where they speak Irish. I'm think of Inis Oírr at the moment, or maybe one of ones right in the corner of Kerry.

Anyway I'm just wondering if anyone would like to come along. If we got a handful of us we could stay in a BnB or hotel. I'm sure the natives would be more than hospitable if they knew a load of Gaoluinn-enthusiasts arrived to speak with the natives. :-D

When it comes to learning Gaoluinn I'm getting sick of trying to work stuff out in my head and asking questions when really I just need to hear the natives speak, and to speak back to them. The fun gets sucked out of learning a language if you go too long without immersion.

Anyone up for trip? Some time in July or August. (I don't use the term "Summer" anymore because Ireland doesn't have a Summer).

Don't be so sure that the locals will be excited to speak with you. My experience in Dingle (An Daingean) was exactly the opposite. Ditto for Spiddle (An Spideal) and Inis Mór. As soon as they knew I wasn't a local ( that took about a micro second) everything reverted to Bearla.

Hope it's better for you but I wouldn't count on it.

Seconded, as far as native attitudes. Try Inis Meáin, tho...it's the least touristed (and least populated) of the arans (even tho Inis Oírr is physically smaller)

I keep hearing stories about this, and I agree it does happen, but I wonder if it's probably not overreported a bit. When I was in Connemara this spring, I spoke Irish with everyone I met from An Spidéal west (an Cheathrú Rua, Ros a'Mhíl, Inis Mór.) Only had one refusal in four days. Most people weren't particularly "excited" to speak Irish to me (face it, how "excited" do you get when a foreigner wants to speak English with you?) but they weren't reluctant to do so either. It was a language we could both communicate in, so we did.

Agree with you though about "Cé as thú?" being the first question out of their mouths! Usually long before they'd ask my name. I suspect in my case it was a combination of accent and looks; somebody a bit closer to local norms in either regard might not have been quizzed quite so much. (Then again they might. These are small communities where everybody knows everybody.)

Inis Mór I found was fine for Irish, at least during the off season. People in the shops and the tourist office will speak to you in whichever language you address them in; make sure you're booked in an Irish-speaking B&B as well (there are loads of them, check the tourist office in Cill Rónáin or www.gaelsaoire.ie) and you'll be grand.

I was in Oideas Gael, Glencolumcille last year and was a bit annoyed when very few of the locals would attempt to speak irish. The older folk would have no problem. At the college though, everyone spoke it to one another.

I used nothing but Irish in Connemara, and occasionally in Galway when it was difficult to switch from one language to the other :)

The first question I used to hear was actually “Cér dhíob thú?” which means I was often regarded as one of the locals. A couple of times people from the Gaeltacht did refuse to speak Irish though (one time there was that shabby old drunk my American friend and I met right at the very end of the Ros Muc Peninsula, for some reason he found it exceptionally difficult to communicate in ether English or Irish. Another time a man from Carna didn’t want to speak Irish noting that I have “great blas” as he put it and that his Irish was much poorer :)). I spoke Irish to numerous English natives, alright.

If you go to Inis Oírr, I suggest you stay at Maggie Willie’s B&B (she works with the ferry company based in Ros an Mhíl). She’s fantastic, kinda reserved, but in fact she’s great fun. Knows all sean-tsaol stories, etc. If you see her, say hello from Peadar na Rúise!

(Message edited by peter on July 08, 2008)

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“Cér dhíob thú?”

Whoa! Sin moladh nach beag!

This will be one of the main possibilities for the decline of the language how will someone learn if no one will speak Irish to you in the Gaeltacht? I spend hours upon hours and money and a lot of time studying the language and when I go to the Gaeltacht this year and the next I will be refused to speak Irish with? I really hope things will change.

I'll be in Gweedore and the Tory Island in 2 weeks time, I will post an update.

If you think about it, this does happen in other languages too. If you go to the Netherlands especially Amsterdam if you try to speak Dutch most people will reply back to you in English because they want to practice their English, I've even been told this by Dutch people!

My guess is that it has to do with your level. If you come off from the start as fluent or close to it, you'll get Irish back. If your level makes it clear that a normal conversation will be a slow and painful process it's just easier and more expedient on their part to simply speak english.

When I worked retail I'd occasionally see a Hatian family who struggled with english. It was simply easier for me to help them in French.

I'm by no means clever so my Irish isn't good at all. But when I was there nearly two years back and I thanked people in Irish and said similar things most of them liked it. One man on Inis Mor got excited and started speaking to me like I was clever. There were few people who didn't respond favorably to my use of Irish (all be it limited). Don't stay at the Baymount House in Clifden, the woman is of a fowl disposition and thinks Irish is a waste of time and she yammers on about boring things to boot. This from an establishment which was listed as Irish speaking by Bord Failte. Oh well.

I sure wish I could go back.

Beir bua agus beannacht

I was going to answer this post but someone mentioned Oideas Gael courses in County Donegal and I'm so gutted I have no holidays this summer and can't go (went there SIX times, they're really good!) I had to go and send this long email to the course director there to say how much I missed it. :.( But here I am now. :.)
Thing with trips to the Gaeltacht, it all depends on the dialect you're learning really. Generally, in a strong Gaeltacht (ie, a place where people not only have Irish but speak it to their children at home) you get more of a chance to have locals speak to you in Irish than you'd have in Glencolumbcille for instance which is notoriously not a strong Gaeltacht. I'll always remember visiting the Folk Village there will my Oideas Gael class and the teacher insisted our guide did the tour in Irish. She tried, in all fairness, but you could tell she wasn't fluent or at least not used to using Irish as an everyday language. She even told us so herself, saying she barely got a chance of speaking the language. And this is the Gaelteach! I have also been told that in Glencolumbcille, the locals nickname Oideas Gael students the "Gabh mo léisceals" because apparently we say "Gabh mo léisceal" all the time because our Irish is so crap. Quite snotty this but I thing they're a bit mad at us because we invade their beautiful village for I don't know how many weeks and they have no peace and quiet in the pub or on the beach anymore. So people who would call you names are probably NOT the ones who'd speak to you in the language, but in all fairness I think a lot of these locals don't have the best Irish either. Talking of Oideas Gael the other course they do, the week course they do in Gleann Fhinne I would recommend far more. Gleann Fhinne is more North than Glencolumcille and it's a much stronger Gaeltacht. Accomodation choice there is limited to B and B so you can speak Irish to Bean an Ti, and Bean an Ti WOULD usually speak Irish to students, unlike B and B people in Glencolumbcille. I personally have a friend lives near Crolly, North Donegal. It's nearer Gweedore and a stronger Gaeltacht. If it weren't for Glencolumcille's amazing teachers, I probably wouldn't bother with it the way no one ever speaks a word of Irish there apart from other students (good craic though). I'd certainly recommend North Donegal more. I've also found that, even though it's no Gaeltacht, Republican pubs in Belfast will give you a good night's practice too.

(Message edited by Niamh83 on July 08, 2008)

(Message edited by Niamh83 on July 08, 2008)

Right so is anyone up for the trip? I can take 3 passengers in my car (more if you don't mind the squish). I live in Dublin which means I'll be driving right across the country regardless of where I'm heading :-D

So far I'm thinking of one of the Aran Islands, maybe Inis Oírr, but if anyone else has any other suggestions... ?

Is it cold up on the islands off Donegal by the way? The Irish spoken up there would be the most different from what I'm used to, but hey I don't mind.

Just to give you an idea of what I'm like:
I'm 21, born and bred in Dublin. Started properly learning Irish in school aged 12. I studied Electronic Engineering in college but I'm finished now. I train in Thaiboxing about 3 to 5 times a week. I play guitar and sing!

So who can I put down as a "maybe" on the list?

I expect to arrive in Dublin this Friday evening, but I have to be ready to work bright and ugly Monday morning. :-( Mar sin ní féidir liom bheith páirteach san eachtra seo. Ach tá mé cinnte go mbainfidh tú sult as.

Go n-éirí an bóthar leat!

Cén sórt oibre atá tú a dhéanamh anseo i mBleá Cliath a Dhennis? :-D

Beidh mé páirteach sa Scoil Shamhraidh atá á reachtáil ag DIAS, ag déanamh staidéar ar an tSean-Ghaeilge agus ar an Nua-Ghaeilge Mhoch (aka Chlasaiceach):

http://www.celt.dias.ie/gaeilge/summerschool/

Go hiontach!

Agus céard a bheas á dhéanamh agat sa Téalainn?

Táim ag carnadh m'airgid anso in Éirinn le linn an tsamhraidh sula n-imím, mar sin tá dóchas agam nach mbeidh orm rud ar bith a dhéanamh sa Téalainn :-P

Tá col ceathar agam a bhfuil cónaí air i Laos (sin tír in aice na Téalainne), agus sin an chéad áit a rachaidh mé. Beidh mé ag fanacht leis-sean ar feadh cúpla seactain. Ina dhiaidh sin, seans go rachaidh mé go dtí an Téalainn chun traenáil a dhéanamh leis na dornálaíthibh!

Sé mo bhuiséad ná deich nEuro de réir an lae! :-D Gheobhaibh mé cúig chéad lá as cúig mhíle Euro! (Bhfuel sin an plean!)

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chun traenáil a dhéanamh leis na dornálaíthibh!

Dáiríre píre?

A Thomas,

Ni bhionn Contae Dhun na nGall ro fhuar de ghnath buoichas leis an Gulf Stream agus ta sé nios grianmhaire na aiteanna eile in hEirinn. Ach nil mé cinnte faoi Arann Mor agus Toraigh, ni rabh mé ann riamh.
So ta tu ag canadh nach bhfuil, nach deas é sin! Is amahranai mé, bim ag canadh amhrain ar an Sean-Nos agus bualaim an clairseach fosta. Ach faraor, mar a duirt mé cheanna, nil mé ar saoire faoi leathair so ni bheidh mé abalta teacht go dti an Gaeltacht! Is mor an trua é sin!

(Message edited by Niamh83 on July 09, 2008)

(Message edited by Niamh83 on July 09, 2008)

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Dáiríre píre?

Sea, ach beidh mé cinnte go dtéim go campa traenála ina dtaitníonn coimhthígh leo chun nach "gcaitear chun na leon" mé haha! Bíonn na traenálaithe dubha ag rá leithéid "Troidfidh tú é, ní thraenálann sé, tá sé ramhar, caitheann sé tabac", ach ansin téann tú isteach sa bhfáinne agus buaileann tú an talamh thar éis deich seicind!

Ach tá campanna ann a bhíonn go deas leis na coimhthíochaibh! :-D

An dornálaí thú cheana féin mar sin? Thaitin an Téalainn go mór liom, Chiang Mai go háirithe, ach is fada anois ó bhí mé ann. Deirtear liom go bhfuil Laos an-deas ar fad, cosúil leis an Téalainn ach níos laid-back. So, an bhfuil tú ag foghlaim na teanga?

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Whoa! Sin moladh nach beag!

Tharla sé, níl mé ag fiodmhagadh, cé nach bhfuil a’msa ach ruainne beag bídeach Gaeilge, rud a deirimse i gcónaí ;)

Sea, táim im dhornálaí cheana féin ach níor throideas ach faoi thrí (agus troideanna amaitéaracha a bhí iontu le stuáil chosantach)! Seo mo throid is déanaí: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msjISY11J5M (mise sa dearg!)

Cad is brí le "díob"? Ní rabhas in ann teacht air sa bhfoclóir.

A) Tá i bhfad Éireann níos mó ná "ruainne beag bídeach Gaeilge" agat.

B) Is an-tábhachtach an rud é an blas, i dteanga ar bith. Má tá sé agat, tig leat meancóga gramadaí go leor a dhéanamh gan cur as do dhaoine. Agus sa teanga seo, is féidir gach tríú focal a rá i mBéarla gan cur as do dhaoine ach oiread, tá's agat.

Beidh mé ag dul chun na príomhchathrach i Laos, tugtar "Vientiane" uirthi. Thaitin an áit chomh mór le mo chol ceathair nár tháinig sé ar ais! Sé bliana atá sé inti anois! :-O

Dúirt mo chol ceathair liom go mba cheart dom feithimh i mBangkok le cúpla lá chun feiceáil cé chomh craiceáilte is atá sé ann. Ansin, nuair a thiocfainn go Vientiane, bhainfinn níos mo fiúntais as é a bheith ciúin!

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Agus sa teanga seo, is féidir gach tríú focal a rá i mBéarla gan cur as do dhaoine ach oiread, tá's agat.

Ligfidh mé orm nár chuala mé é sin ;-)

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(mise sa dearg!)

Maith thú! Muintir Sheáin a rinne an físeán is dócha? Nach é a athair a chloisim ag béicíl "Hit him! Punch him!" ? Ach cé a bhuaigh an meaits?

Maidir le "dhíob" is ionannn é agus "díobh" i gConamara. Cér díobh é? = Cé hiad a mhuintir?

Sea, muintir Sheáin a rinne an scannánú! Beagán claonta im leith haha! Ag deireadh na troda is do Sheán a thug na moltóirí é... ach dá bhfiafrófá díomsa gheobhfá freagra eile! Tharla an troid in "thalamh bhaile" Sheáin agus ba as cumann Sheáin dosna moltóiríbh! Ach b'aoibhinn an troid í, buachan nó cailleadh, bhaineas spraoi aisti! Ba iontach an fear é Seán freisin, bhí an-chraic againn i ndiaidh na troda!

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So ta tu ag canadh nach bhfuil, nach deas é sin! Is amahranai mé, bim ag canadh amhrain ar an Sean-Nos agus bualaim an clairseach fosta. Ach faraor, mar a duirt mé cheanna, nil mé ar saoire faoi leathair so ni bheidh mé abalta teacht go dti an Gaeltacht! Is mor an trua é sin!

Níl neart daoine ar domhan ag canadh an tsean-nóis sa ló atá inniubh... an bhfuil? Agus buaileann tú an chlairseach chomh maith... maith thú!

An bhfuil tú go fóill id chónaí i bPáras? Cén chaoi ina bhfuil an aimsir ann faoi láithreach? Tá sé ag cur báistí gach lá anso i mBleá Cliath >:(

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Tá sé ag cur báistí gach lá anso...

Ná habair é sin!

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Ach b'aoibhinn an troid í

Seo blúire as seanscéal duit, sa seanlitriú, faoi throid álainn:

Rug an dias gaisgidheach ar a chéile, agus dá dtéidhfidhe ag amharc ar ghaisge ar bith ná ar chruaidh-chómhrac, is orra rachá d'amharc. Dhéanfadh siad cruadhán de'n bhogán agus bogán den chruadhán, agus tharróngadh siad toibreacha fíor-uisge tre lár na gcloch glas.

Is run é "cruán den bhogán agus bogán den chruán" ar bhain na scéalaithe feidhm as go minic sa sean-am.

Tomás, cuir mé féin síos mar maybe... Tá mé 30nóim thuas an M1 uait, fiosróidh mé an scéal lem chairde san ollscoil agus beidh le feiceáil!

Dennis, bhí mise i mBÁC arú inné. Lá breá tirim a bhí ann!

(Os a choinne sin, is fíor gurbh é sin an chéad lá tirim a bhí faighte acu le seachtain anuas - agus is fíor freisin go raibh sé ag báisteach arís faoina hocht a chlog maidin Dé Céadaoin...)

Tá muid beo i ndóchas. Deir an weather widget ar mo ríomhaire go mbeidh idir ghrian agus bháisteach ann ó Aoine go Máirt agus an teocht thart faoi 17-18°, nach bhfuil go dona ar chor ar bith. Cén fáth a raibh tusa ann?

An cuimhin leat tamall ó shin go raibh slam mhór leabhar le Clóchomhar ar fáil ar shladmhargadh?

Is cuimhin. An bhfuil tu sasta leo? Ta me ag scriobh ar mhearchlar Dell sa lounge ag Gatwick, ag fanacht leis an eitilt go BAC, agus nil a fhios agam conas na sinti fada a fhail.

Tá, i nDomhnach. Dháil mé cuid acu ar na daoine eile a chuaigh i gcomhar liom len iad a cheannach, agus sa deireadh bhí isteach is amach ar trí scór leabhar agam féin le hiompar abhaile liom - lón breá léitheoireachta a bheathóidh mé le bliain, déarfainn. Ní mór mo spéis sa gcuid is mó den fhilíocht chomhaimseartha, ach tá go leor eile anseo idir phrós agus sheanfhilíocht.

Slán ar aghaidh leat mar sin! Is cosúil go bhfuil na fadhbanna radar réitithe acu anois in aerfort Átha Cliath, a bheag nó a mhór. D'éalaigh mise tráthnóna Dé Céadaoin nuair nach raibh na deacrachtaí ach ag tosú i gceart.

If you go to Dún Chaoin, the woman who runs the Youth Hostel there will be more than happy to speak with you. She's fluent more or less and her husband is a native speaker. Also, the staff at The Blascaod Centre/Ionad an Bhlascaoid all seem to have Irish and most use it amongst themselves all the time (including the younger ones), from what I've heard so far in a few visits to the bookshop and café area.

I know this because I'm currently working in Dún Chaoin for the summer.

One of the older men who works at the shop connected to the Black Cat Hostel in nearby Baile an Fheirtéaraigh uses Irish with a lot of his regulars. Same with the woman who runs the Tigh an Phóist Hostel & Shop near Baile na nGall further in the peninsula.

Also second the recommendation for Inis Meáin. The local were definitely warmer and more talkative than the ones on Toraigh. In whatever language.

If I could actually have a sustained conversation, I'd make the effort, but as is I have to limit myself to Slán go fóills and go raibh maith agats for the most part. But I've heard plenty of Irish in all the areas I mentioned above.

Gleann Cholm Cille is long dead as a gaeltacht. I spent 18 nights there last month.

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Gleann Cholm Cille is long dead as a gaeltacht. I spent 18 nights there last month.

Actually I'd like if we could all come together to bad-mouth the "so called" gaeltachts, just so we have an idea of what gaeltachts are actually left in the country.

Well I've been to An Rinn in Waterford and I can tell you all I heard was English in the place. In the pubs, English. In the shops, English. It's not a gaeltacht as far as I'm concerned.

If we continue to be so liberal with our definition of "gaeltacht", then the word will lose all meaning.

I'm in Gleann Cholm Cille right this minute I'm sad to say this Gaeltacht is dead but Irish is still here there is loads of people learning Irish all the leaners head up to the pub and they all congregate and speak Irish! I was speaking Irish all day with 2 guys in Roartys. Whenever I am in the shop I always say ''Go raibh maith agat'' and they often say it back or they say ''Maith thú'' but the community language is English but all the signs and advertisements are in Irish.

I went to Teelin the other day and I went into the pub and spoke Irish to the barmaid and she spoke Irish to me, but all the locals spoke English together. A car even pulled over to be in Gleann Cholm Cille and the woman asked me directions in Irish!

Irish is even weaker in Kilcar, the pub had ''Gaeilge anseo'' on the window and the young barman didn't have a word of Irish.

I met a woman last week who had just spent two weeks at Oideas Gael - to hear her tell it, there was no shortage of Irish in the village, but you had to start speaking it yourself to let people know you wanted to.

So, all these people who are having trouble getting the locals to speak with you: what have you been doing if you hear them speaking English among themselves? Address them in English, in Irish, or not at all?

A Danny a chara,

How did you get to do that (work in Dun Chaoin)? What are you doing? I only wish I could do such a thing but I can't. :( But I hope you are having grand fun. If you go into An Daingean and are near Kirrary B and B tell Ilene hello from Riona, the young woman from America who was looking for Irish speaking monoglots. She's nice and her grandchildren are darling and always running around at the house. The oldest is Caoimhe and she was shy last time I saw them.

Beir bua agus beannacht

I found Gleann Cholm Cille to be one of the most fascinating places I've ever visited. There was no shortage of Irish when I was there some four years ago, both at the school and the neighboring establishments. AND THE PEOPLE ARE SO NICE THERE!!! The school at Oideas Gael is fabulous - the staff and the teachers are soooooooooo nice!

By the way, besides being an excellent locale for learning and practicing your Irish, you will see some of the most stupendous scenery in the world, that is, if you like coastal scenery. My favorite is Sliabh Liag; it's on the way to Gleann Colm Cille and is well worth the short but strenous walk to its most beautiful vantage point.

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A) Tá i bhfad Éireann níos mó ná "ruainne beag bídeach Gaeilge" agat.

A Dennis, GRMA! Ós rud é go mbíonn do leithidí amuigh ann, níl sé féaráilte a rá go bhfuil i bhfad Éireann níos mó ná ruainne beag bídeach agam. Pé scéal é, taithníonn “i bhfad Éireann” go mór liom, ní raibh a fhios a’m é roimhe...

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B) Is an-tábhachtach an rud é an blas, i dteanga ar bith. Má tá sé agat, tig leat meancóga gramadaí go leor a dhéanamh gan cur as do dhaoine. Agus sa teanga seo, is féidir gach tríú focal a rá i mBéarla gan cur as do dhaoine ach oiread, tá's agat.

Agus an ceart ar fad a’d aríst, ar ndóigh. Sé chaoi a ndéanaim teangacha a fhoghlaim – ceol na bhfuaimeanna áirid, seo é an rud is mó a bhainimse taithneamh as! Agus mé ag déanamh aithrist ar chaint na ndaoine, is iondúil go dtugaidís suntas dhó agus go mbídís sásta bleid chainte a bhualadh orm, cé go meascainn Gaeilge agus Béarla go tréan, díreach mar dúirt tú :))

I beg to differ Tomás mar gheall ar an Rinn.

'raibh tú i dteach mooney's nó cén teach tabhairne?

Cloisfidh tú Gaeilge;

Sa choláiste, sa mheánscoil, in comhlachtaí éagsúla ar nós Criostal na Rinne & Nemeton, oifig an RNLI i gcé Heilbhic. Agus ó mo thaithí tá idir Béárla agus Gaeilge á labhairt ag muintir na háite - ACH tá an-chuid daoine gur as áiteanna eile iad tar éis bogadh isteach san áit mar gheall ar an radharc agus mar sin de. Níl ach Béarla in úsáid acu siúd.

I've heard more Irish than English in Gweedore you will hear it in the shops, pubs, petrol station etc. Through my experience people will be more than happy to speak Irish with you, I've only had one problem in Gortahork when the woman said to me in English ''I don't understand YOUR Irish, we have a different dialect'' I said ''Cá bhfuil'', surely every Gaeilgeoir knows that. Apart from that incident everything was sound.

Irish in Gleann Cholm Cille is like an old car the engine works but its breaking down I've heard Irish in Gleann Cholm Cille 3 times and today is my 11th day. Most people in Gleann Cholm Cille can actually converse in Irish and most old people can speak it I even got into a conversation with young people in one of the pubs there 18 he was, and in the shop I spoke Irish to the shop keeper and he was roughly 16/17!

But you will hear English all the time, not Irish. If you want to speak Irish most people will speak it to you.

I've spoken Irish in Kilcar, Teelin, Gleann Cholm Cille and Irish is still lasting! :-)