Gaeltachts

Your Man

Currently in 5th year and lookin for a good gaeltacht...i know im leavin it fairly late but does anyone know a good one?

Zapp Brannigan

Coláiste Lurgan. they're strict and you'll come out of it with very good irish.

Azureus

colasite yeosaimh-youll learn loads and really enjoy yourself there.
do not go to colaiste phiarsaigh.

brid_m

Hi, i went to colaiste Chiarian in Donegal last year, had a great time, and learnt more irish than i thought i did!!! Its on the very northern coast of Donegal. Its not very strict, just make a bit of an effort ta speak irish and you'l be grand!

Kwekubo

If it's anything like it was four years ago when I went, don't go to Coláiste Columba in an Cheathrú Rua in Galway. To be fair, I had fun and learned some Irish, but by comparison it was a tip.

Zapp Brannigan

Azureus wrote:

do not go to colaiste phiarsaigh.

Coláiste Phiarsaigh is great, not for Irish though. When I went there I didnt speak a word of Irish. I just had the best time ever.

Muiriosa

In my opinion, Coláiste Chiarain in Cheathrú Rua in Galway is brilliant. I learned loads there and had a cracking time. It's a really good college with good facilities and beaches near by. You'll be guaranteed to have a good time there. There are another two colaistes in Cheathrú Rua but be sure to go to COLAISTE CHIARAIN - it's the best in the west!

Go n-eirí leat!

caesar

Muiriosa wrote:

In my opinion, Coláiste Chiarain in Cheathrú Rua in Galway is brilliant. I learned loads there and had a cracking time. It's a really good college with good facilities and beaches near by. You'll be guaranteed to have a good time there. There are another two colaistes in Cheathrú Rua but be sure to go to COLAISTE CHIARAIN - it's the best in the west!

Go n-eirí leat!

I went there last summer, it was brilliant. The best three weeks ever, i wish i could go back. I learned a bit too

ApeXaviour

Slurms wrote:

Coláiste Lurgan. they're strict and you'll come out of it with very good irish.

Ah yes, my old alma mater. If you ever hear them going mad about hash or drugs I'd like to say that it was my house (not me personally) that was the cause of all that kerfuffle. Was there 3 times, a cinnire the last time. Definitely gave me good Irish that sticks with me to this day. Recently went and got my gold fáinne there in college. Didn't help me in the leaving cert though. (Now maybe I'm dyslexic in irish or something but) I only got a B2 in pass irish and I'd say that was mostly on the strength of my oral.

katiegordon

i was thinking about going to colaiste phiarsaigh,but frm wat yas are saying it doesnt sound too great!!i want to have a laugh butid be willing to put in an effort too!!!

exiot

I went to Coláiste Laichtín Naofa in 2nd year, didnt learn much as I knew more than the 4th Years did in the ole' Irish.

JuliusCaesar

Any info on Colaiste Laichtin Naofa, Colaiste Chiarain, Colaiste na nOilean, Colaiste Isliomain all Conemara.
Do they stream people into classes of similar abilities? My Irish is pretty good cos I went to a primary gaelscoil. Is it ok to go on my own? Noone from my school wants to go. It's my first time - any warnings or advice?

Steve01

You're looking for a Gaeltacht where people actually speak Irish every now and then? Stay away from An Rinn. Its a Shamtacht if ever I saw one.

yurmothrintites

Ive been in Coláiste Sheosamh in Carna/Cill Chiarain 3 times and I learned SO much irish there and made a load of new friends. The teachers are brilliant as well and there is a load of craic at the ceilis!

lilmizzme

Went to Colaiste Columba 4 years in a row, then again last summer...to be honest, overall it probably wasnt the best....i was lucky that i already had pretty good irish going....tho the craic was deadly, the teachers and the cinnera's are great fun....not very well organised tho, things got very repetitve after the 2nd week....i went going into 6th year and was the oldest in the college...not great from a man-hunt point of view, i would have got done had I touched any of the boys!!!

Loads of my friends went to Colaiste Lurgan last summer...they run a special course for people going into 6th year, so you're guarenteed that you're with people your age and they wont spend the time learning about "mé féin"...they focus on exam stuff instead...

Insect Overlord

JuliusCaesar wrote:

Any info on Colaiste Laichtin Naofa, Colaiste Chiarain, Colaiste na nOilean, Colaiste Isliomain all Conemara.
Do they stream people into classes of similar abilities? My Irish is pretty good cos I went to a primary gaelscoil. Is it ok to go on my own? Noone from my school wants to go. It's my first time - any warnings or advice?

I went to Coláiste Laichtín Naofa four times, so I am obviously a fan of the place! Inis Oírr is an unbelievable island, especially when the weather is good. They're fairly strict on the Irish speaking side of things, but any effort on the part of the student to speak Irish is well appreciated. They rarely expel anyone, and when they do it's for behaviour problems and not for speaking English.

I went there on my own the 3rd time (after going with my brother and friends the previous 2) and it was probably my best experience overall. The classes are divided by year groups (1st, 2nd, etc) of mixed ability but the teachers make everyone participate.

I could keep talking about how great it is for hours, but I just remembered it's been fully booked since January... (my sister got accepted though! )

Rozabeez

An Fhile wrote:

I could keep talking about how great it is for hours, but I just remembered it's been fully booked since January... (my sister got accepted though! )

Finally, a female that ISN'T a slut is accepted. :rolleyes:

Your Man

seeing as i started this about this time last yeari may aswell post

i went to corca duibhne(near dingle) last year...tbh it was a bit strict and at the same time i didnt learn too much irish but it was still a class 3 weeks, it was all lc students which made it better...alot of walking though and the sports were a bit of a joke we still made the most of it...even if all the fun we had happened to be outside the rules

Your Man

JuliusCaesar wrote:

Any info on Colaiste Laichtin Naofa, Colaiste Chiarain, Colaiste na nOilean, Colaiste Isliomain all Conemara.
Do they stream people into classes of similar abilities? My Irish is pretty good cos I went to a primary gaelscoil. Is it ok to go on my own? Noone from my school wants to go. It's my first time - any warnings or advice?

yeah loads of people when i went were on their own.

JuliusCaesar

Thanks everyone I feel a bit better about it now.

md99

Steve01 wrote:

You're looking for a Gaeltacht where people actually speak Irish every now and then? Stay away from An Rinn. Its a Shamtacht if ever I saw one.

lol, Shamtacht it may be, but its the Greatest Gaeltacht Ever in my books

fonpokno

ooh go to spleodar! i coudlnt speak like a word of irish before i went and i was back as a cinnire for the whole summer last year and i got my fáinne óir too! and they have leaving cert classes and everyone's streamed by year for the classes. its actually brilliant! they're pretty strict on irish but if ya actually make the effort its the best craic ever!

Steve01

md99 wrote:

lol, Shamtacht it may be, but its the Greatest Gaeltacht Ever in my books

Actually yeah. Mooneys alone compensates for the lack of the Irish language

boger

go to colaiste cholmcille in min a chladaigh. the best gaeltacht in ireland great craic( its in donegal ). its a bit expensive though

Corruptedmorals

Coláiste na Rosann, Donegal....absolutely deadly, except not strict at all, but the bean an ti was lovely, lovely house, cool activities, and no cinnire in the house. Didn't learn much.

Colaiste Spleodar Corr na Móna, so so so strict, 2 cinnires in my house, which was 4 miles from the coláiste..sometimes had to walk that. 10 people sent home for speaking english/having a phone..weren't allowed close the doors in case we spoke english behind them, I got two warnings from the really angry head person, for being half asleep some mornings and saying 'tabhair dom an milk as an fridge' by accident. Ugh! Bean an ti was awful too. But I learned so much, really fast.

So yeah, you'll have a terrible time in a spleodar one, but you'll learn!

fonpokno

Corruptedmorals wrote:

Colaiste Spleodar Corr na Móna, so so so strict, 2 cinnires in my house, which was 4 miles from the coláiste..sometimes had to walk that. 10 people sent home for speaking english/having a phone..weren't allowed close the doors in case we spoke english behind them, I got two warnings from the really angry head person, for being half asleep some mornings and saying 'tabhair dom an milk as an fridge' by accident. Ugh! Bean an ti was awful too. But I learned so much, really fast.

So yeah, you'll have a terrible time in a spleodar one, but you'll learn!

really?? christ! i was in spleodar like 5 times and about 2 people got sent home and they were like speaking english and gettin high on aerosols! sounds like you just had mad cinniri... just dont go to corr na mona! camus and leitir meallain are for bigger people altho camus is like swarming with flies all the time... you'll learn LOADS in spleodar tho!

Assez Bien

Go to Colaiste Chiaran in Carraroe....best craic ever n u learn a gud bit of irish al d same........ plus its in a little town n not on the side of d road which actually helps to maintain ur sanity!! I'v bn 3 times n it actually gets btr!

chancer12

Does anyone have any opinions on Eachleim in Mayo? Seems to be only college with free places for June, anyone know if there is a reason why?

antomorro-sei

Zapp Brannigan wrote: »

Coláiste Phiarsaigh is great, not for Irish though. When I went there I didnt speak a word of Irish. I just had the best time ever.

Same as meself:D:D 3 Week Holiday Camp, didn't learn a word of Irish

-Els-

i went to Colaiste na Rosann in Anagaire in Donegal and its great. The thing i loved about it was that its in the villiage of anagaire and you can just walk to the shops and all the locals speak irish ad you really feel like you're in the gaeltacht. Also- the best thing ever- there was a chipper in the town (my Bean an Tí's cooking wasn't very good). They even spoke Gaeilge in the chipper!

The Colaiste is pretty good aswell-they brought us on loads of trips,which was cool beacuse friends of mine spent a lot of their time in other gaeltachts just playing football or volleyball all day. We used to go to the beach and go into Dungloe (nearest big town) and we went to Aranmore and climbed Mt Erigal.

scut

any of the Galway ones

Mark200

I heard of Colaiste Lurgan off a lot of people here too, so it's probably good. I THINK that's where my brother went....

I went to one in Donegal, didn't really enjoy it that much at all but I DID learn quite a lot of Irish. Luckily I went with a friend who was there before because everyone already had their own little groups that they've known from other years there.

You should pick one that does a 3 week course, you'll learn so much more. 2 weeks doesn't really give you enough time to pick up things, but that extra week does.

Stilla Mellis

Cad é an scéal is déanaí ón nGaeltacht? What's the latest from the Gaeltacht?

djcervi

Mark200 wrote: »

I heard of Colaiste Lurgan off a lot of people here too, so it's probably good. I THINK that's where my brother went....

I went to one in Donegal, didn't really enjoy it that much at all but I DID learn quite a lot of Irish. Luckily I went with a friend who was there before because everyone already had their own little groups that they've known from other years there.

You should pick one that does a 3 week course, you'll learn so much more. 2 weeks doesn't really give you enough time to pick up things, but that extra week does.

Yeah I went to Colaiste Lurgan last summer. It was strict enough, well organised but there was a great atmosphere in the place. The only problem I had was there were more JCers than LCers. There is a cursa D though which is specifically for LCers, but it's only 2 weeks. Like most gaeltachts they have themed ceilithe like county colours, transvestite , certain colours, beach...etc. Also the colaiste owns bikes so each class can go cycling one day.

Stilla Mellis

Suimiúil. Go raibh maith agat. June is generally the course for 5th years going into LC.

Anyone got any experience of these Gaeltacht Cois Baile courses? I heard there was one in Lucan or Leixlip and one in Dundrum?

Fad

Bru Na Pairce.

One of major regrets of the LC is not going there.

2 weeks of hell, but fúck I'd have learned a helluva lot of Irish.

Stilla Mellis

Where's "Brú na Páirce"? It sounds like a live-in course? I heard my da talking about someplace in Meath called "Brú na Mí" and he seems to have had a great time.

Fad

Stilla Mellis wrote: »

Where's "Brú na Páirce"? It sounds like a live-in course? I heard my da talking about someplace in Meath called "Brú na Mí" and he seems to have had a great time.

Live in, in Kerry I think.

No info on the web afaik.

Fince

90% is gonna be what you make of it yourself anyway.

Stilla Mellis

True but if people in the Gaeltacht insist on speaking English to you because you wouldn't understand the Irish you might as well stay at home.

I think the idea of total immersion is great: you're surrounded by people speaking Irish who pretend they don't know English and follow a well-prepared series of situations where you learn all the vocabulary and grammar and use it over and over again. A few days of that and you'd be fluent in no time.

I think some of the Gaeltacht colleges bring in so many English speaking students that it is hard to hear any Irish outside the classroom never mind finding someone to practise with.:mad:

djcervi

Fad wrote: »

Bru Na Pairce.

One of major regrets of the LC is not going there.

2 weeks of hell, but fúck I'd have learned a helluva lot of Irish.

Everybody I know who has been there has absolutely hated it. It's very intensive as you have classes in the morning and study in the evening for 2 weeks, except at the weekends. Bru does not foster a love for the language, like other Gaeltacht courses. If you want to learn a lot of Irish I would go to a strict Gaeltacht like Col. na bhfiann, Col. Chamuis or Col. Spleodar, which are known to be strict.

Fad

djcervi wrote: »

Everybody I know who has been there has absolutely hated it. It's very intensive as you have classes in the morning and study in the evening for 2 weeks, expect at the weekends. Bru does not foster a love for the language, like other Gaeltacht courses. If you want to learn a lot of Irish I would go to a strict Gaeltacht like Col. na bhfiann, Col. Chamuis or Col. Spleodar, which are known to be strict.

That's what I want from an Irish college, I already love the language, I'd prefer two weeks of hating it to the C I'm going to get in August.

Stilla Mellis

I have heard of Coláiste na bhFiann and Coláiste Chamuis but Coláiste Spleodair is a new one on me. Spleodar means "cheerfulness, exuberance, boisterousnous, and vivacity" according to my dictionary.

Has anyone tried learning Irish online? Getting a grind online for example?

snazzy

For anyone who did go to Bru na Pairce, did anyone have Mr. O Murcha/Mrs. Fleming as teachers?


I went to the Gaeltacht three times, all down to Cólaiste Chorca Dhubhine.
[spelling is already gone out the window]

Two years in Ceann Trá and one year up the road in Cill Mhic an Domhnaigh.
Had great fun.
Went on my own the first time in 2nd YR and while I HATED being there and the whole thing [I was an introvert] but I did learn a lot of Irish.

The last two times [4th Yr and 5th Yr] helped my Irish somewhat but was fantastic socially. Always bumping into people from IC now.
Biggest advantage, despite the fact that my written Irish and my comprehension of grammar didn't really improve, I loved speaking it no matter how wrong it sounded and it gave me a lovely flow of Irish in my oral.

randylonghorn

I was wondering when someone would mention Coláistí Chorca Dhuibhne ... bloody Connemara and Donegal taking over the place!!

Stilla Mellis

Good for you, Snazzy. Have you done your LC yet or what did you get in Irish?

Is Ireland unique in sending young people from the cities to live in the most remote areas and learn an ancestral language? What a project! What a responsibility to pass it on.

randylonghorn

Stilla Mellis wrote: »

Is Ireland unique in sending young people from the cities to live in the most remote areas and learn an ancestral language? What a project! What a responsibility to pass it on.

Well, it happens a bit in Scotland too, certainly. Very different there, though, as Gàidhlig is not compulsory in schools, so people do it because they want to ... in fact, the fights there break out because people want to and the school may not have the teachers available! :eek:

But certainly if you visit Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in the south of an t-Eilean Sgitheanach (Skye) during the summer you will meet not only youngsters but often whole families there to learn Gàidhlig / music / dance ... not alone will the college itself be full of them, but they camp out in the grounds!


(May happen elsewhere in Scotland as well, I'm only aware of SMO)

Stilla Mellis

I visited Sabhail Mór Ostaig many years ago. Most impressed. Out in the Hebrides where they speak the Gaidhlig still I was sad to hear that although a "bilingual programme" was permitted in the schools the particular school I visited couldn't avail of it because the teacher was from London and didn't have the Gaidhlig.

Out for a walk near Castlebay in Barra and caught by a deluge I took refuge in a community hall. There I heard people speak what I thought was Ulster Irish. It was as plain as that. I complimented a mother for speaking the Gaidhlig to her children. She told me in Gaidhligh that she had nothing else.

We in Ireland should make more of an effort to learn the Gaidhlig. We'd benefit by getting a Protestant Unionist view of things in our own language.

nima101

if your going to a gaeltacht dont go to colaiste columba in ceathra rua.Activities are very poorly planned and i didnt learn much irish there.im now going in to 5th year and i am heading to colaiste lugan on sunday.I went to colaiste lurgan 2 years ago and had the best time ever.I learned plenty of irish and the made lots of friends too.Colaiste lurgan is very well organised and it is quite strict.Definetly would reccomend colaiste lurgan to anyone who wants to have fun and learn plenty of irish.Lurgan is also the largest irish college in Ireland.

Twilighter

Where's colaiste na oileain?

djcervi

nima101 wrote: »

Lurgan is also the largest irish college in Ireland.

I thought Spleodar was? Lurgan is only in Indreabhan. I'd definitely recommend Lurgan to anyone. It's a great course with a friendly atmosphere.