Self - learn Irish ????

RunHomerRun

Hi all,

Like most regular Irish blokes, I went through the Irish Education system and came out the other side having completed academic tests as required in the Leaving Cert.

(Then onto 3rd level, no Irish at all)

BUT - after all these years of education, I am embarrassed I guess by my lack of knowledge / usage of the Irish language....:(

During last summer, spent a glorious weekend on the Aran Islands, and really really wanted to be able to talk with all the other Irish speakers.

I saw Des Bishops tv programme some time ago - and saw a guy in New York - who taught himself to speak Irish using Irish tapes called (I think)
"Irish on your own"

So - I would love to have a decent level of Irish, but feel I don't even have enough Irish to go to a local Beginners Irish course - I would like to teach myself first.

What cds or self-learn Irish material would anyone recommend?

#15

I think there is one called Turas Teanga.
I've never used it but it was recommended to me by a guy who lectures in Irish.
Maybe someone else has a more suitable one though.

I'm using several at the moment, sometimes it helps to use different methods at different times.

Buntus Cainte (set of 3) are good for "listen and repeat" learning, it has a complete set of CDs which contain every sentence in the books. This is a good one to stick on the mp3 player.

Is Féidir Liom (includes CD) is a basic book that is based on the type of learning material used to teach in a primary school but aimed at adults. It's useful in visualising the grammar.

Teach yourself Irish this is the one I use most of the time as it explains in detail the grammar and syntax of the language, it also has an optional CD.

RunHomerRun

Thanks for the information - much appreciated.

Anyone familiar with the "Irish on your Own" material?

Krusader

I have Teach yourself Irish and I think its very good,
I recommend getting a grammar book also

nbrome

Why don't you join our Google group? We're using Learning Irish by Micheal O Siadhail and we're on lesson 10. You have some basic Irish so you could catch up, there's another person with us who's catching up.
Just go on Google Groups and look for Irish. It's good to do it this way because it gives you some incentive and there are some people who are better than others and can answer your questions.

Dabhach

Hi, RHR,

Actually, you've just described how I spent last summer! After visiting the Islands, I went out and got the Rosetta Stone course in Irish. It's pretty expensive, but I find it's quite good if you're prepared to take it slowly and keep at it: I reckon it'll take me the rest of the year to finish and at least another year after that to bring my Irish up to an articulate level with a speech group, but at lest what I'm learning seems to be sticking and I'm actually finding I'm beginning to understand bits of Irish on the radio.

Chip4par

Hi there,

I've been using 'Irish on your Own' for the last couple of years. I'm 63 now and have never been to Ireland but just got it in my head to try and learn the language a little before I do visit - polite thing to do I guess! Before I retired I was staying with it but I have really slacked off in the past few years.

I like it. It helps me to hear the way the word or phrase is spoken and see how it is written. The only thing is I do not know what dialect I am learning. I understand there are three, Munster, Ulster and Connacht.

I'm having fun with it and I've learned enough to get a drink!

jimmylawman

I am similar to the OP here. Have some basic / pidgin Irish but would love to be fluent. Also holidayed out west last Summer (connemara) and did find my Irish coming back but gone again once got back to the pale

Don't have lot of spare time to go to group classes but do have daily commute so looking for book / tapes I could use to learn on own.

Might try joining that google group.

Hoping to start a separate course of study in October but was hoping learn or at least improve Irish between now and then.

What is the rosetta stone like? How does compare against others mentioned?

Thanks

Chip4par

Jimmy, I don't know anything about Rosetta Stone except it is expensive. One other thing I do every day is listen to the 'Learn Irish - Word of the Day' on Google.

I could not find a way to save the words and phrases I was hearing so I improvised. I use Microsoft Word and type in the word and the sentence ( I have my kbd set to I can put the accents on the vowles ). The I type in the phonetic sound to the words. Finally I record my voice saying the words and sentences using the Windows Sound Recorder. I save the wav file and then insert it into the document I created.

I only put 10 or 15 words/phrases per document before I make a new one so it doesn't get huge. Right now I have 17 documents! I have noted that they words get repeated after a time - just no sure how long!

If anyone has a more effeceint way of doing that please let me know!

I hope to be visiting Bangor in June for a wedding. Perhaps I can find someone to practice on? The groom is no help, raised there but doesn't speak the language!

RunHomerRun

Thanks to everyone for the info.
Mad busy in work lately - so did not get an opportunity to get any of the material.

nbrome
In relation to learning Irish on the Google Group - what exactly do I do there?
I've ran a search for Irish in Google Groups - but I'm unsure exactly what group I'm looking for - is there a specific name?, and when I find it - do I need to register or become a member or something to join it?
Essentially - new to google groups....:)

Dabhach

jimmylawman wrote: »

What is the rosetta stone like? How does compare against others mentioned?
Thanks

I use Rosetta Stone and I think it's pretty good. I'm finding that a lot of the stuff is sticking and for the first time in my life I can actually see a time coming (admittedly, a long way off) when I'll be able to speak, or at least understand, Irish. That being said, its not the Holy Grail of language. It's basic and as Chip4par says, it's expensive. There are three levels of training and each will set you back in excess of two hundred euro, although if you buy all three together (which, if you're going to do, I recommend) it's considerably cheaper. Like all language training, it also requires a daily commitment of at least half an hour. If all that doesn't put you off, it's a pretty good system. You should also be aware that it won't have you speaking overnight. If, like me, you went through the appalling excuse for Irish language training which takes place in most schools, you'll probably find yourself flying through the first two or three units, but as you move on, the course becomes stiffer and slower. At this point, your commitment will become important, but if you're prepared to defer gratification, I do believe it to be an excellent course. At a steady clip, it should take about 12 to 18 months to get to the end of the advanced level, but which time (hopefully) you should at least be able to find your way around Inishmore without slipping into English.

nbrome

Runhomerrun. Here is the link:
http://groups.google.ie/group/learningirish
Give it a go. We are a small group and very friendly. There are various levels of knowledge so you can also get questions answered, but we are faithfully following the book and working on a chapter a week, learning and asking questions, posting homework and having it corrected with feedback. It's my mainstay right now.