Colloquial Irish

Text written by Thomas Ihde, Máire Ní Neachtain, Roslyn Blyn-LaDrew and John Gillen. CDs feature Póilín Nic Chonaonaigh, Máire Ní Neachtain, Josie Ó Cualáin, Seosamh Ó Neachtain and Mícheál Mac Lochlainn.

Colloquial Irish: The Complete Course for Beginners is written by Irish-language instructors who have taught complete beginners in Ireland and the USA for many years. This book is the product of a collaboration of four research fellows affiliated with the Center for Irish Language Acquisition Research, part of the CUNY Institute for Irish-American Studies. The chapters were originally drafted by Thomas Ihde, who teaches Irish at Lehman College, CUNY. Thomas's own interest in the Irish of County Galway is a result of his native Irish-speaking grandfather who grew up on the eastern shores of Lough Corrib. Máire Ní Neachtain (Coláiste Mhuire Gan Smál, Ollscoil Luimnigh) provided essential native speaker input as well as overall pedagogical and grammatical editing as each chapter was completed. She also coordinated the selection and taping of native speakers. Máire was born and raised in Cois Fharraige where she still lives and remains active in the Irish-speaking community. Roslyn Blyn-LaDrew (University of Pennsylvania) and John Gillen (Hostos Community College, CUNY) each provided grammatical input on the drafted chapters. Additionally, Roslyn shared her many years of pedagogical experience with teaching Irish to adults in America, and John provided expert dialectal knowledge for the chapters and grammar appendix.

The native speakers on the two CDs that can be found in the package are Póilín Nic Chonaonaigh, Máire Ní Neachtain, Josie Ó Cualáin, and Seosamh Ó Neachtain. The narrator is Mícheál Mac Lochlainn. Póilín Nic Chonaonaigh lives in Baile ‘n tSagairt in An Spidéal. She is Cathaoirleach (chairperson) of Aisteoirí an Spidéil and acts and directs shows with this active community-based theatre group. Máire Ní Neachtain is from Baile ‘n tSagairt, An Spidéal. She hosts Focal Faire the weekly panel discussion on Irish language questions on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta. Josie Ó Cualáin is from Indreabhán. Josie is a professional actor and plays the role of Mícheál Seoighe in the popular soap-opera, Ros na Rún on TG4. He is also a regular broadcaster on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta. Seosamh Ó Neachtain is a native of Coilleach in An Spidéal. Seosamh is one of the best-known exponents of the sean-nós style of dancing and is in great demand at music and dance festivals worldwide. He is also a talented box-player. The narrator, Mícheál Mac Lochlainn, was born and brought up in London and now resides in Baile ’n tSagairt, An Spidéal..

Irish Language Learning Links:

Courses/Cúrsaí
On-line courses for credit and non-credit (CUNY)
On-line courses for personal, leaving cert, and business focus (GaelTalk)

Searching/Cuardach:
Google as Gaeilge

Text-to-Speech Synthesiser/Ríomhchainteoir:
Abair.ie

Dictionaries/Foclóirí
An Foclóir Beag
Focal.ie
Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla/Béarla-Gaeilge
Foclóir GAELIC-L
An Tobar
Focal an Lae

Weather/Aimsir:
Wunderground as Gaeilge

Radio/Raidió:
Raidió na Gaeltachta
Raidió na Life
Raidió Fáilte
Raidió Rí-Rá
Blas ag an BBC
Míle Fáilte ag WFUV

Television/Teilifís
TG4

News (written)/Nuacht (scríofa)
Foinse
Lá
Beo!
Feasta

Web Browser/Brabhsálaí Gréasáin
Firefox

Software for correcting Irish spelling and grammar/Bogearraí le litriú agus gramadach na Gaeilge a cheartú
Gaelspell
Ceart

Phone with T9 in Irish/Guthán le tuarthéacs as Gaeilge
Samsung Tocco (from Ireland only/as Éirinn amháin)

Prayer/Urnaí
Tearmann

CUNYIIAS