Help with recordings

Tuathanach

Hello!
So, I'm ideally hoping that a native speaker or speakers could help me. I plan, as part of my learning Irish, to make voice recordings every day or so and post them on here. One of the bigger challenges for me is pronunciation and I like to be accurate and as close to 'native' (in terms of sound) as possible. Of course, I'm not too 'anal' about this at this stage but still it's very important (coming from a language background). I did not do Irish unfortunately at school so I'm trying to make up for it now but I've only been at it for 2 months.

I've had some exposure to the language as a child as my great grandmother was an Irish speaker and I knew her quite well as a child.

I'm interested to hear with each recording whether:

1) It sounds 'Irish' in that, natives would easily understand what I was saying
2) Does it resemble any sort of dialect (likely it'll be mixed) but does it lean towards anything
3) Possibly most importantly - is the pronunciation accurate or way off?
4) Your general opinion!

I guess it might not be for everyone but am hoping it's a good way to get some regular activity on this forum too and for others to join in.

The texts are quite simple.

Today i'll read:

Tá na páistí cois farraige. Tá an ghrian ag taitneamh go hard sa spéir, tá an speír gorm ach tá cúpla scamall bán le feiceáil.
Tá an buachaill agus an cailín tar éis caisleán gainimh mór millteach a dhéanamh. Tá sliogáin ar an gcaisleán gainimh. Tá fuinneoga sa chaisleán agus tá doras á dhéanamh ag an gcailín lena méar. Ar bharr an chaisleáin, tá bratach bheag dhearg. Feicim bláth buí agus bán ar an mbratach. Timpeall an chaisleáin, tá móta uisce. Tá an cailín ar a glúine ar an trá. Culaith snámha ghorm atá uirthi. In aice léi, tá buachaill ina sheasamh. Bríste snámha gorm atá air agus tá spád bheag dhearg ina lámh dheas aige. Tá sé ag féachaint ar an gcaisleán gainimh. Ina luí ar an trá, tá buicéad dearg.
Tá fear ag lapadaíl san uisce. Níl brogan ná stocaí air agus tá a bhríste craptha suas go dtí a ghlúine aige. Tá t-léine ghlas air agus tá hata gréine ar a cheann aige. Tá gloiní gréine air freisin.
Tá an fharraige ina clár. Ag snámh san fharraige, tá duine éigin. In aice leis an trá, tá aillte agus ina sheasamh ar charraig tú teach solais dearg agus bán. Níl an teach solais ar lasadh. Ag bun na spéire tá long.

Go raibh maith agaibh!

On this one I stumble quite a lot and then the last paragraph i try to re-read and totally get myself messed up but anyway!!

I've recorded it and you can hear it here: http://http://vocaroo.com/i/s1RWHuYue5QU

The second attempt after a little work: http://vocaroo.com/i/s1QoX3TBEbiA

Rhedyn

Iarracht an-mhaith !

Grudaire

As Gaillimh thú?

Tuathanach

Níl mé! Is as Albain mé agus as Conamara mo sheanmháthair but if it sounded anything even remotely similar to something/the way a Galway man might say then I'd be over the moon!

Grudaire

Ha!

Tá a bhlas sin agat gan dabht!

Tá bhlas níos fearr agat ná mé fhéin..

Tuathanach

Grudaire wrote: »

Ha!

Tá a bhlas sin agat gan dabht!

Tá bhlas níos fearr agat ná mé fhéin..

Agus cé as thú fhéin?

Grudaire

Baile Átha Cliath - Tá Gaeilge agam, ach níl blas nó gramadach agam

Tuathanach

Tá mé i mo chóna i i mBaile Átha Cliath freisin! Tell me, what is this 'blas'? Forgive the ignorance )

daphil

Almost pure Conamara, apart from a few strange pronounciations. Always takes me time to handle "canúint Chonamara", the accent out West, and I had to stop and listen carefully to understand you. Wish I had that accent,
Dave

Tuathanach

Well that really made my day

If it's okay and not to repetitive - I'll continue uploading recordings from time to time whilst all time working on the pronunciation and Irish in general

Rhedyn

Where in Conamara is your grandmother from?

Tuathanach

Hi there!

Well, truth be told I'm not actually too sure myself - the story is (from her) that she lived in ''Galway'' but I think it's likely to have been somewhere outside as her family were all in agriculture. Originally, her father had come from Clare and mother (i'm not sure, maybe the Connemara connection? as it was her mother who had Irish?) Although I guess in those days it was a lot wider spread in terms of native speakers. The whole family moved to just on the border with Fermanagh and lived in and around villages in West Co. Fermanagh (the reason being was that her father's brother married a local girl there and so they too moved later). Her maiden name was ''Ní Nialláin''.

Anyway I hope I haven't sent you all to sleep with that!

Rhedyn

It depends on what she meant by "agriculture". I'd guess she probably came from East Galway. Where they have good land and big farms. Conamara would have subsistence farming mostly.

Where did you learn Irish?

Any words you are stuck with are probably found on the Forvo website.

Tuathanach

Well, I've only properly dedicated myself iver the last 2 months and it's mainly been with self learning and a few lessons with a tutor.

I am quite keen on developing a conamara style irish for emotional reasons lol given the slight tie to the area. Ive arranged a homestay whereby I'll go every 6 weeks for two days to stay with a native speaker on Aran islands but I've yet to go! My first visit should be in a few weeks so I'm frantically self studying.

Are you from Connemara or a speaker of Connemara Irish? Am i going in the right direction in terms of sound and accent?

Hope youre well

Rhedyn

Fair play to you.

Yes, I'm from Connemara.