David Wilson
Is é seo cuntas achomair ar an choicís iontach a chaith mé ag foghlaim Gaeilge i nGleann Cholm Cille (Contae Dhún na nGall) i rith an tsamhraidh seo. This is a short account of the amazing fortnight I spent learning Irish in Glencolmcille (County Donegal) this summer.
I never had the chance to learn Irish at school, and only started during the pandemic. Our own Centre’s Irish classes have started again this autumn, so if you’ve been nursing the thought that you might start learning or reconnecting with the teanga na tíre, this might be the time to act. For me, learning Irish has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done.
My course was with Oideas Gael (http://www.oideas-gael.com/en/irish-courses/), which specialises in language and cultural courses for adults at all levels of Irish-speaking. It is an impressive organisation, combining high standards of tuition with a really friendly and supportive environment. The summer courses are mostly based in the Glencolmcille Gaeltacht on the west coast, but there is also a fortnight of classes in Glenfinn near Ballybofey (Gleann Fhinne, in aice le Bealach Féich) and a week on Tory Island (An t-Oileán Thoraí). I did a week in Glenfinn last year, and really enjoyed it, particularly as it is on the doorstep of the stunning Bluestack Mountains (na Cruacha Gorma). But I was keen this year to spend a bit longer and to see Glencolmcille.
There are eight levels of class in Glencolmcille and four in the other locations. This means they can accommodate a wide range of experience, from complete beginner to fluent. The approach in the classes varies with the level and the individual teacher, and will certainly include some grammar and writing later on, but all levels principally emphasise speaking and hearing Irish as much as possible. It felt to me like a really safe place to just have a go – there was no shame in making mistakes and no problem using English if I needed to. All announcements were in Irish and English, so even complete beginners knew what was happening.
The classes were three hours in the morning and two in the afternoon. If you threw yourself into them they were tiring sessions, but they started to feel more manageable after a couple of days. The advantage of a week or a fortnight in the Gaeltacht is that there was time to relax into speaking and listening, and to keep reinforcing learning.
There were also cultural activities every evening, where attendance was encouraged but not compulsory. These included a ceilidhe, poetry and singing evenings (oícheanta filíochta agus amhránaíochta), and a performance by two famous local flautists (father and daughter). Here in England people can be quite reluctant to play, recite or sing in front of others, but I hardly need to tell this audience that in Ireland it is really encouraged, and you don’t have to be brilliant. There was a strong sense that the most important thing was to contribute and to have a go – just like in the language classes. I should also say that Roarty’s Bar in the town centre has a lively traditional music scene, with sessions every night from 10pm and encouragement to anyone who can play to join in.
There is a huge amount to see in the area as well, including tombs dating from 3000BC, ruins associated with Colm Cille himself, and watchtowers from the time of the Napoleonic wars. The centre is also close to Sliabh Liag, which vies with the Cliffs of Moher for the title of highest sea-cliffs in Europe (apparently it all depends on whether you count cliffs that extend below the water-line). I last visited Sliabh Liag nearly thirty years ago, and found the cliffs no less stunning this time. And unlike the Cliffs of Moher, you don’t have to elbow half the tourist population of Ireland out of the way to see them.
As well as its language classes, Oideas Gael has some sort of cultural course running most weeks as well. One of the guys in my language class the first week went on to do the flute and tin-whistle course the week after. He could equally have joined the walking group running in parallel. The cultural courses centre around traditional arts and crafts and helping people to understand the landscape and history around them – so they might be ideal if you have a spouse or partner who wants to visit Donegal but doesn’t want to do an Irish language course … yet.
I really loved my time in Glencolmcille. A fortnight in the Gaeltacht made me reflect again on why I am learning Irish and what I get out of it. At a simple but yet profound level, understanding the language makes me feel much more connected to Ireland itself. Placenames and geographic features are no longer just sounds to me but a route to reading the landscape and the country’s history. Donegal is Dún na nGall, the Fort of the Foreigners (and so a reminder of the Viking presence in Ireland). It is also Tír Chonaill, Conall’s Land (and so a reminder of when the old Uí Néill lands were split between Conall and Eoghan (so Tír Eoghain, Tyrone).
An intensive summer course of this nature makes a big difference to anyone’s ability to speak Irish. But it is also really important to have a regular routine of classes, practice and home study during the year to maintain progress and keep the fire burning. Bain usáid as nó caill é – use it or lose it, as one of my teachers said. So, coming back to where I started, why not try our Irish language lessons this autumn. And if they don’t suit your timetable, there are plenty of classes at City Lit and other institutions that provide structured learning for different levels.
And once you get going, London is actually one of the best cities on these islands for practising. There are lots of Irish speakers here, with at least four conversation circles a month that I am aware of, plus a Irish-language board-games evening (who knew?) and a poetry group. I have found the people at classes and in conversation groups to be just as enthusiastic, friendly and encouraging as you would expect Irish people to be. There is a genuine sense of community and human connection amongst the people who love and cherish our native language, and in the end maybe that is what means the most to me and why I keep learning.