Learn Irish

Sean T. Close -The Irish Santa

2011-12-15T03:16:00.000-08:00

Sean T. Close - Daidí na Nollag Éireannach

Scríobh mé leabhar beag na Nollag do pháistí (ó 1 -100 bliain d'aois!). Tá sé ar fáil i mBéarla ar Smashwords (leagan Gaeilge le teacht) agus tá lascaine 50% le fáil air go dtí 12 Eanáir 2012 ach an cód seo a leanas a úsáid: KQ35V.

I've just published a wee Christmas book for children (from 1-100). You can get your own copy in English on Smashwords (Irish version to follow) for 50% off until 12 January 2012 using the following code: KQ35V.

Oh aye, seo físean beag faoi. Check out the video below.

Nollaig mhaith! Happy Christmas!

Trá Bhun Dobhráin/ Bundoran Beach

2010-09-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

Mickey MacConnell agus Jim Gornall

2010-06-28T02:55:00.000-07:00

Mickey MacConnell as Contae Fhear Manach a thuill clú as an amhrán Only Our Rivers Run Free a scríobh: http://youtu.be/TdmEUvkklqI.

Jim Gornall ina chuideachta anseo ar an fhliúiteog. Tá breis eolais ar Crúcán an bPáistí nó Crúcán na bPáiste le fáil ag an nasc seo: http://bit.ly/9fVXsx.

Thaifead mé é seo ag Féile Chathail Bhuí ar an Bhlaic i gCo an Chabháin an deireadh seachtaine seo chuaigh thart. Bhí coirm cheoil ar dóigh ann. Cheol a dheartháireacha Cormac agus Seán cúpla amhrán le Mickey an oíche chéanna agus bhí sin speisialta. Cuirfidh mé na físeáin sin suas ar YouTube duit fosta nuair a bhíonn faill agam.

This is Mickey MacConnell from County Fermanagh who is famous for writing the song Only Our Rivers Run Free: http://youtu.be/TdmEUvkklqI.

He is accompanied on the piccolo by Jim Gornall. You can find out more about the song Crúcán na bPáiste or Crúcán na bPáistí here: http://bit.ly/9fVXsx.

I recorded this at the Cathal Buí Festival in Blacklion, County Cavan last weekend. It was a brilliant concert. Mickey's brothers Cormac and Seán sang a few songs with him the same night and that was a bit special. I'll put those videos up on YouTube for you too when I get a chance.

Gearáin/Complaints

2010-06-18T11:38:00.000-07:00

Aiseolas dearfach is mó a fuair mé faoi mo ríomhleabhar go dtí seo, ach bhí cúpla gearán/ceist ann fosta. Seo cuid de na ceisteanna a cuireadh orm:

1. CEIST: An leabhar nó liosta é?
FREAGRA: Mmm. Is ea. Tá an ceart agat.

2. CEIST: Cad chuige nár lig tú dom an t-eolas seo a chuardach mé féin?
FREAGRA: Bhál, tuigim go bhfuil tú gnóthach agus tuirseach agus, err, is maith liom tú.

3. CEIST: Cad chuige nár luaigh tú an K-Club?
FREAGRA: Errm, ní hé sin an cineál cúrsa a bhí i gceist agam.

4. CEIST: Cad ina thaobh ar chuiris isteach eolas mar gheall ar Chiarraí?
FREAGRA: Bhál, deirtear liom go bhfuil Gaeltachtaí eile ann taobh amuigh de Ghort a' Choirce, ach cha raibh mé féin riamh iontu so, cha dtig liom a rá go cinnte.

5. CEIST: Tá Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge ar fud na tíre uilug. Cén fáth nár luaigh tú ach Conamara?
FREAGRA: Bhuel, mar atá's a't, tá T na G a Ceathair lonnaithe ansan agus bhí mé ag ceapa go mb'fhéidir nár mhiste liom jab a fháil ag cumadh, err ag léamh na haimsire.

Most of the feedback I've received about my e-book to date has been positive, but I did have to field a few complaints/questions as well. Here are a few of the questions I received:

1. QUESTION: Is it a book or a list?
REPLY: Mmm. Yes. You're right.

2. QUESTION: Why didn't you let me find this information myself?
REPLY: Well, I can see you're busy and, err, I kinda like you.

3. QUESTION: Loike, how come you never mentioned the K-Club?
REPLY: Errm, that's not really the kind of course I had in mind.

4. QUESTION: In fairness like, why'd you put stuff in about Kerry?
REPLY: Well, I'm told there are other Gaeltachts beyond Gortahork, but I've never visited them myself, so I canny really say for sure.

5. QUESTION: I mean, Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge is all over the shop like. Why'd you only mention Connemara?
REPLY: You know fine well, a mhac, that's where T na G 4 is, and I was thinking like maybe I could get a job making up, I mean reading the weather forecast.

Cúrsaí Gaeilge do Dhaoine Fásta

2010-06-03T08:07:00.000-07:00

Is léir do dhuine ar bith a amharcann ar dhátaí mo chuid post ar an bhlag seo nach mbím ag blagáil go rómhinic! Thart fá uair amháin sa bhliain go dtí seo. B'fhéidir go gcuirfinn bail air sin i mbliana? Ar ndóigh, caithfidh mé rud inteacht a dhéanamh faoi anois agus mé i ndiaidh é a fhógairt ar an ghréasán domhanda!

Ar scor ar bith, tuigim go mbíonn daoine ag tarraingt ar chúrsaí Gaeilge in Éirinn (agus in áiteacha eile) an t-am seo den bhliain. Chuige sin, chuir mé ríomhleabhar beag le chéile ag cur síos ar chuid mhaith de na cúrsaí atá ar fáil. Tá tuilleadh eolais san fhíseán thíos.

Más suim leat cóip den leabhar a fháil (saor in aisce) cuir ríomhphost chugam (sonraí teagmhála ag bun an leathanaigh) agus an focal leabhar mar ábhar agus cuirfidh mé go díreach chugat é, nó thig leat cuairt a thabhairt ar an láithreán gréasáin seo:

http://www.cathalomanachain.com/

It's obvious to anyone looking at the dates of my posts on this blog that I don't blog too often. About once a year to date. I might well fix that this year! Of course, I'll have to do something about it now since I've announced it on the weird wide web!

Anyhow, I realise people are flocking to do Irish courses in Ireland (and beyond) at this time of year. To that end, I put a little ebook together outlining many of the courses available. There's some more information in the video below.

If you'd like a copy of the ebook (gratis) email me (contact details at the bottom of the page) with the word leabhar in the subject line and I'll send it straight off to you, alternatively visit this website:

http://www.cathalomanachain.com/

Na Longa Arda

2009-08-14T01:51:00.000-07:00

Tá na Longa Arda i mBéal Feirste faoi láthair agus tá corraíl iontach sa chathair.

Rinne mé físeán beag faoin imeacht do mo chairde i gCeanada.

Má bhíonn script an fhíseáin de dhíth ort, cuir ríomhphost chugam le do thoil (sonraí ag bun an leathanaigh) agus seolfaidh mé chugat é chomh luath is a bhíonn seans agam.

The Tall Ships are in Belfast this weekend and there's a great buzz about the city.

I made a short video about the event for my friends in Canada.

If you'd like the Irish script for the video, just drop me an email (details at the bottom of the page) and I'll get it off to you as soon as I get a chance.

An Ghaeilge i gCeanada

2008-06-19T05:56:00.000-07:00

Beidh mé ag taisteal go Ceanada ag deireadh Mhí Iúil le Gaeilge a theagasc. Bhí Aralt Mac Giolla Chainnigh i rang Gaeilge de mo chuid in Oideas Gael an samhradh seo chuaigh thart agus chuir sé cuireadh orm teacht amach agus rang a ghlacadh le linn Sheachtain na Gaeilge s'acu.

Tá mé ag dúil go mór le cuairt a thabhairt ar Ghaeltacht Mheiriceá Thuaidh agus le bualadh leis na Gaeil thall. Tá tuilleadh eolais fá Ghaeltacht Mheiriceá Thuaidh le fáil ag: http://www.anghaeltacht.ca/

Má tá tusa ag dul a bheith ag freastal ar na ranganna in Kingston, Ontario ag deireadh Mhí Iúil tá fáilte romhat teagmháil a dhéanamh liom agus a rá liom faoi na rudaí a bhfuil tú féin ag dréim lena fhoghlaim ag an chúrsa.

I'm off to Canada to teach Irish at the end of July. My friend Aralt Mac Giolla Chainnigh invited me over for Seachtain na Gaeilge while he was attending an Irish class in Oideas Gael last summer.

I'm very excited about visiting Canada for the first time and meeting learners and Gaeilgeoirí alike.

If you plan to attend the course in Kingston, Ontario at the end of July you're welcome to drop me a line and let me know what your interests are and what you hope to learn from the course.

"Who Else Wants to Learn Irish?"

2008-04-29T12:57:00.000-07:00

An teachín a mbínn mo chónaí ann i dTír Chonaill. The wee house where I used to live in Donegal.

I have been teaching the Irish language for over twenty years now and I am in the process of writing a self instructional ebook.

If you have any questions or suggestions, or any experience you would like to share about learning Irish, drop me an email (see contact details below) and I'll send you a copy of the ebook when it's done.

Go raibh maith agat (Thanks)
(Pronounced: Guh ruh MY aGUT)

Cathal

P.S.
The word for 'the' in Irish is 'an' and the word for the Irish language is 'Gaeilge' pronounced like Gaelic. Put both words together and 'Gaeilge' changes slightly to 'an Ghaeilge'. So those are a few words to get you started on your Irish language adventure. There'll be no stopping you now!