Ever thought – ‘I must get back to the Irish someday’?

Forgotten Your Irish? Tuesday nights could change that. Have you ever found yourself thinking, ‘I really should have paid more attention in Irish class’? You are not alone.

Maybe your Irish disappeared somewhere between the Leaving Cert and real life. Maybe you can still remember slán abhaile, and on a particularly good day, go raibh maith agat.

Or perhaps you have spent years nodding wisely whenever somebody speaks Irish, while understanding absolutely nothing.

If any of that sounds familiar, there may be hope yet.

Starting on Tuesday 13 October at 8.15pm, Áras an Mhuilinn in Mullingar is opening its doors to people who would like to revive their Irish, improve the few words they already have, or simply start again, without fear, fuss or frightening flashbacks to school exams.

And before anyone panics, this is not about grammar tables, red pens or suddenly being asked to explain the modh coinníollach. Nobody is going to drag you to the top of the class.

The idea is much simpler. Come along. Speak a little Irish. Learn a little more. Make mistakes. Laugh at them. Try again.

Perhaps you would like to help your children or grandchildren with their Irish homework without suddenly remembering that there is something important you need to do in another room. Perhaps you would like to understand a little more of what is being said on TG4 or Raidió na Gaeltachta.

Or perhaps you would simply like to use the cúpla focal with a little confidence instead of whispering them under your breath and praying that nobody replies.

Whatever the reason, this is an opportunity to give the language another go in a relaxed and friendly setting.

In fact, the word ‘class’ may be slightly misleading. Think of it more as a friendly Tuesday-night gathering where Irish breaks out.

There is no need to arrive with a dictionary under your arm or a head full of vocabulary.

Perfect pronunciation is certainly not required.

Neither is courage in industrial quantities. You just have to turn up.

The first gathering takes place at 8.15pm on Tuesday 13 October at Áras an Mhuilinn, and they continue each Tuesday thereafter.

Information

For further information, contact Stephen at Áras an Mhuilinn. He is a friendly Comhaltas man and will happily explain everything, in whichever language you currently feel safest using. Telephone: 087 985 8555; email: stephen@comhaltas.ie.

So if you have spent years saying, ‘I must get back to the Irish someday’, perhaps someday has finally arrived. More precisely, Tuesday night, 13 October.