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Help trying to Learn Ulster Irish

  • 01-07-2018 9:45pm
    #1
    MactheKnife90
    Registered Users Posts: 165 ✭✭


    Hi I have been looking everywhere to try and learn Ulster Irish. At the minute I am using Duolingo and YouTube. I am just wondering can anyone offer any other advice on where tp find any materials where I can learn Ulster/Donegal Irish.

    Thank you


Comments

  • #2
    David Webb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 69 ✭✭David Webb


    Well there is a three-volume series called Tús Maith that is Ulster-flavoured (not 100% dialectal, but Ulster-influenced). Ciarán Ó Duibhin's site at http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/~oduibhin/sf/index.html is amazing - that is a link to short stories in Ulster Irish, with audio files read by a native speaker who was born in 1920 with lots of grammar and vocabulary notes. Dr Ó Duibhín is a well-known expert on Ulster Irish, and the person behind the Tobar na Gaedhilge database.


  • #3
    MactheKnife90
    Registered Users Posts: 165 ✭✭MactheKnife90


    David Webb wrote: »
    Well there is a three-volume series called Tús Maith that is Ulster-flavoured (not 100% dialectal, but Ulster-influenced). Ciarán Ó Duibhin's site at http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/~oduibhin/sf/index.html is amazing - that is a link to short stories in Ulster Irish, with audio files read by a native speaker who was born in 1920 with lots of grammar and vocabulary notes. Dr Ó Duibhín is a well-known expert on Ulster Irish, and the person behind the Tobar na Gaedhilge database.

    Thanks very much. Do I need to be a at an advanced level for this though?


  • #4
    David Webb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 69 ✭✭David Webb


    For which? Not for Tús Maith, which has 3 levels starting from zero. As for the stories in Ulster Irish it depends if you can understand, say, story1:

    Bhí fear in a chomhnuidhe ar an bhaile s'againne
    a dtugadh siad Micheál Ruadh air. Bhí teach
    beag cheann-tuigheadh aige ar fhód an bhealaigh
    mhóir agus bhí an donas air le séideadh anuas agus
    le deora anuas. Lá amháin da rabh Micheál ar an
    aonach, casadh duine de a chuid daoine muinteardha
    air nach bhfaca sé le tamall fada roimhe sin. "A
    Mhicheáil a chroidhe," arsa a dhuine muinteardha
    leis, "caidé mar tá an saoghal ag éirghe leat mar
    seo?" "Ó, go díreach go leath-mheasardha," arsa
    Micheál, "tá mé briste brúighte, tuirseach cráidhte,
    i n-amanna plúchta agus i n-amanna báidhte."

    That's from http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/~oduibhin/sf/sceal01.html - the audio file is there and vocabulary notes.

    It is in the original spelling.


  • #5
    David Webb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 69 ✭✭David Webb


    For very basic Ulster Irish, try Giota Beag on the BBC site - the audio files are by native speaker from Donegal Fearghal Mag Uiginn - http://www.bbc.co.uk/irish/articles/view/625/english/

    Giota beag in Irish means "a little bit".


  • #6
    MactheKnife90
    Registered Users Posts: 165 ✭✭MactheKnife90


    David Webb wrote: »
    For very basic Ulster Irish, try Giota Beag on the BBC site - the audio files are by native speaker from Donegal Fearghal Mag Uiginn - http://www.bbc.co.uk/irish/articles/view/625/english/

    Giota beag in Irish means "a little bit".

    Go raibh Maith agat. I will be in touch hopefully to let you know how I get on.


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  • #7
    lumi71
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭lumi71


    Check out Now You're Talking as well, as RTE series from the 90's that teaches Irish solely through the Ulster dialect. All the episodes have been uploaded onto youtube (I can't post the url as I'm a new member!). The coursebook is available on amazon and bricks and mortar bookshops too.


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