Gaeilge

The Huntacha wrote: Agree with both planning and corkery's points. I good enough at it in school but took the dim view a lot of us had of "Sure why do I need to know that" and "I'll never have to use it again". It's only as you get older that you have an appreciation for it, after all it's part of our culture etc and to call myself Irish and not be able to speak it sickens me. It's taught very bad in the schools though and hopefully it gets revised. Learning about King Lir and all those other stories in Irish is a waste of time when most students struggle to hold a conversation.

Edited by kopkid - 05 Jan 2014 at 12:32pm

When in college I did my work placement in the local irish school. Wasnt my choice as I'm far from fluent but had no other choice. 1st few weeks were tough had kids of 5/6 speaking better irish than me. Over the weeks I found my own level of the language increasing but would still like to improve it more. There were children from foreign families in the school I was in but would imagine they were born here and they had a great grasp of the language

I'm maybe 50% fluent but improving gradually and at my own comfortable pace. I practice speaking Irish every chance I get and have been doing this for the last year or so. I don't get tied up with writing and grammer. I just speak what I know and never worry about mistakes. It's really amazing the stuff that comes back to you also.

I use TG4 a lot and there is the Gael Taca café in Sullivans Quay in Cork. I also spend two or three hours a week in the library learning new words and phrases from dictionaries that I might use later in the Gael Taca.

One thing I used to find really helpful was the sport as gaeilge section that used to come out every Thursday (I think) with the Star. It had it's own new vocabulary sections and some very well written articles. I would love to know if this will be continued. Maybe some of the guys on the forum would know as I know that some of the lads work there. But either way the main thing for me is to practice the cupla focail every chance I get both at home with the family and outside on the street.

Edited by Trapcandoit - 04 Jan 2014 at 9:51pm

The problem is that we're made to learn stories and comprehensions, something that isn't done when learning French. 

Would be about 80% fluent.

Was average enough the first few years at school then spent a few summers in the Gaeltacht and learned to love the language.

My niece and nephew are both in Irish schools and whilst their Dad is fluent ,my sister wouldnt have a word.Dont know what the policy is exactly,seems to be swept under the carpet a bit and not talked about.Was told before that its to keep foreign kids out.This sounds like a bit of a conspiracy theory idea but its not when you think about it.When i was growing up The Irish school in my town was the smallest school in the town,one room,only opened in the 80's.Now its the biggest school in town  by far and everyone i know has kids in it or is planning on sending them there.

My old school which was considered posh at the time now has students from all over the world with varying degrees of English all in the one class thus creating a very difficult learning environment and in many cases leaving the students at a disadvantage when they hit for secondary school.


Edited by kimbap - 03 Jan 2014 at 2:11pm

In the case of Irish speaking it is the most difficult aspect of the language. Reading it and understanding what is being said will come easier.
Listening to it more and more will lead to increased confidence in speaking it. I still have to improve and want to.
I left the language behind me after secondary school for 8/9 years but getting it back. 1 aim this year is to improve on it along with quitting smoking. I'd be a better man this time next year if I manage those 2 things.
Practical things that help is listening to radio na gaeltachta every time you hop in the car. Watch tg4 and listen to irish music.
Most importantly though engage in conversations as much as you can. People probably don't know it but there are coircil cainte groups all over the country. Many going are fluent but you would be welcomed with open arms as a newbie and it helps, greatly.

sham157 wrote: Have a few words myself but would love to be fluent. The policy of only accepting kids who's parents speak Irish is a strange one. These schools promote the Irish language yet are only accepting in most cases, kids from the clique. Now I understand that they want to look after the kids that come from an Irish speaking background but its very narrow minded imo

Have a few words myself but would love to be fluent. The policy of only accepting kids who's parents speak Irish is a strange one. These schools promote the Irish language yet are only accepting in most cases, kids from the clique. Now I understand that they want to look after the kids that come from an Irish speaking background but its very narrow minded imo