Irish with coffee on the side

There are plenty of ways to spend a Tuesday morning – there’s the ironing, cleaning the kitchen cupboards, shopping for things you don’t really need, or sit at home wondering where the morning has gone. Or you could do something far more enjoyable – have a cup of coffee, a good laugh and give your Irish a new lease of life.

Áras an Mhuilinn in Mullingar is launching a new Tuesday morning Irish language gathering and everyone is invited, particularly those who have a little spare time, enjoy good company and wouldn’t mind rescuing their Irish from wherever it has been hiding for 20 or 30 years.

The first gathering is on Tuesday 17 November, at 11am, and it continues every Tuesday morning afterwards.

Before anyone starts having nightmares about the Leaving Cert, irregular verbs or that terrifying moment when the Irish teacher pointed at you and demanded an answer, relax! There will be no examinations, no red pens, no homework and no need to explain the modh coinníollach before you’ve had your first coffee.

This is Irish with a difference. Think of it as a friendly coffee morning where a little Irish is part of the conversation, the laughter comes easily and nobody minds if you get your words mixed up.

Perhaps you’ve spent the last 30 years telling yourself, ‘I’d love to get back to the Irish, but sure, I wouldn’t remember a word’. Well, here’s your chance to prove yourself wrong.

You might discover you remembered far more Irish than you imagined. Somewhere in the back of your head, between old telephone numbers, recipes and the names of people you haven’t met since 1985, there may still be a respectable collection of Irish words waiting to escape.

And if all you can manage on the first morning is Dia duit, go raibh maith agat and cupán tae, you’ll be off to a flying start.

But there’s more to these Tuesday mornings than coffee and conversation. From time to time, guest speakers will join the gatherings, offering practical advice on helping children and grandchildren learn Irish, along with interesting insights into different approaches to language learning.

There will be opportunities to practise everyday Irish, ask questions, pick up useful expressions and, most importantly, gain the confidence to speak without worrying about getting everything right.

Nobody will be counting mistakes. In fact, a few mistakes might provide some of the morning’s best entertainment. You might even find yourself going home and greeting the family in Irish, much to their astonishment.

And before long, you could be watching TG4 without wondering why everyone seems to be speaking at a hundred miles an hour.

So, people of Westmeath put down the shopping bags, leave the dishes in the sink and give yourselves a Tuesday morning off. Bring a friend, bring a neighbour or come along on your own. There’s always room for another face around the table. You don’t need a dictionary under your arm, a head full of vocabulary or perfect pronunciation.

You certainly don’t need courage in industrial quantities. Just a little curiosity, a sense of humour and a willingness to give the Irish another go.

When and Where

Starting: Tuesday 17 November 2026, at 11am

Continuing: Every Tuesday at 11am

Venue: Áras an Mhuilinn, Mullingar

For further information, contact Stephen at Áras an Mhuilinn. He’s a friendly Comhaltas man who will happily explain everything in English or Irish, whichever you currently feel safest using.

Telephone: 087 985 8555

Email: stephen@comhaltas.ie

Bígí linn – beidh fáilte roimh chách!