Bitesize Irish is a language learning system taught by a native Irish speaker.
When I was growing up in Ireland my mother and grandmother spoke a form of English, peppered with Irish words.
It wasn't until I moved to America that I came to realize how many expressions escape my lips that are nowhere to be found in the Oxford English dictionary.
Table of Contents
Irish Words My Granny Used When Speaking English
When polishing furniture I was always told to put a "snas" on it rather than a shine. We'd pass the "bainne" around the table, not the milk.
When telling of old wives tales we'd refer to "piseoige" rather than superstitions, and to this day I find it very hard to think of the word superstition.
Learning Irish in School
I learned to speak Irish during my 13 years of schooling in Ireland. My mother completed her education through Irish, and as children she read many of our bedtime stories in Irish.
When I left Ireland over twenty years ago, I was pretty much fluent in the language. Alack and alas, I have not used it much since and my vocabulary is disappearing pretty fast.
The only time I used Irish in the past few years was after my triplets were born. One of my little boys had terrible colic, and the only thing that settled him was a bout of swinging and singing in Mommy's arms.
Now I am no singer, but when I lilted old Irish tunes he always seemed to settle. I laughed when I read the following quote. I agree wholeheartedly.
"There is no language like the Irish for soothing and quieting."
- John Millington Synge
It saddens me when I realize my children have little knowledge of the language of their forefathers, a beautifully expressive tongue. I remember learning of Pádraig Pearse's belief that our language is the soul of our country.
“Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam."
In English this means....
"A country without a language is a country without a soul.”
- Pádraig Pearse
I would love to revive my own mastery of the Irish language, and start introducing my children to some words. Since starting this blog I have learned there are some incredible resources for learning Irish on the internet.
The Giveaway
One such Irish language learning program is offered by Bitesize Irish Gaelic, a company established by Eoin Ó Conchúir in 2008, and dedicated to helping people learn the Irish Gaelic language online.
Eoin is a fluent, native Irish speaker.
He has recently created a downloadable album for iTunes and Amazon and has kindly provided me with a copy, so that one lucky reader of Irish American Mom can learn to speak Irish.
The album is just over 2 hours long, contains 16 lessons and is available via download only.
To enter to win, just leave a comment below, in Irish, English or Double Dutch if that's what suits you. Let us know why you would like to learn to speak Irish Gaelic.
The last chance to enter is Saturday, December 15th at midnight. I'll notify the winners by e-mail and on this website on Sunday the 16th.
If anyone is interested in purchasing the program it is available through iTunes and Amazon.
Bite Size Irish Gaelic also offers other online programs you may wish to investigate.
Best of luck to all the entrants.
Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Mairéad -Irish American Mom
Pronunciation - slawn ah-gus ban-ock-th
Mairéad - rhymes with parade
The Irish Language or Gaelic
- Tips for Learning the Irish Language
- The Meaning Of A Meitheal In Irish Culture
- Introducing All About Irish Online Irish Language Courses
- The Celtic Languages
Irish Soups And Stews
- Irish Guinness Beef Stew - Crockpot Recipe
- Traditional Irish Potato Soup
- Potato And Leek Soup
- Rutabaga And Carrot Soup
Eoin Bitesize
Ádh mór oraibh! /Awe moor urriv!/
(Best of luck to you all!)
Irish American Mom
Go raibh míle maith agat, Eoin. (Thanks a million Eoin or literally thanks a thousand)
Mairéad
Grammy
I would love to learn to speak Irish so that when I talk to myself I'll be more interesting!!
Irish American Mom
You're too funny, Grammy. I tell you, my talk-to-myself conversations are very interesting - I use an Irish-English mumbo-jumbo language all of my own.
Take care,
Mairéad
Vince
Pearse took the gist of that saying from one older. And his take is far nearer Fatherland than Country, Homeland or Soil, but the older deals with a form of hostage where children would cross between warring tribes and clans. Such when they went home in adulthood they were far nearer the the Other than their own. The old saying isn't anywhere near as hard-edged, more poignant I'd say.
You know something, you might actually find it far easier to get your clan into speaking the Language in the US, than at home. It's what occurs with the dancing. I've never seen homegrown, well not never, rarely seen, the fanaticism I've seen with Irish in the UK Oz Canada or the US. They have something we don't have here, a separateness, a specialness that they don't have here.
Happy Christmas to you and yours.
Irish American Mom
Vince - you might be right about my children showing more interest in Irish living here in America, than if they were back home in Ireland. My little girl is beginning to ask me - "how do you say this or that in Irish, Mom?" For some reason all of my kids love saying the word "cathaoir" for chair. She has also started Irish dancing classes and is skipping around the house doing the one, two, threes. It amazes me how many little ones are now enrolled in the beginners class, and we live in Kentucky, not one of the northeastern states where you would expect a lively interest. I need to do a few one, two, threes myself to get a bit fitter. I nearly had a heart attack the other day prancing around the table after her.
Hope you and yours have a lovely Christmas too,
All the best,
Mairéad
Vince
You heard that in the last 20 years there has seen a huge expansion of na Gaelscoileanna. But they are having terrible trouble getting support from the Dept of Ed which given the requirements of the Constitution is a bit of a stumper. You'd think they would be shoveling cash at them, but no. Nor are they as exclusive as people believe. Certainly no more so than any convent school in any largish town. And the subvention required of parents isn't too onerous.
Irish American Mom
Vince - Unfortunately the Irish government isn't shoveling cash at anything. I hope in these days of draconian budgets and severe cuts they do not undermine support for the Irish language.
Have a great weekend,
Mairéad
Carrie
My mom's family has roots in Co. Kerry, so I have grown up with a need to know and understand the country better. With the crazy phenomena of Riverdance, I began taking tradional Irish dance lessons and competed for 8 years. You could say that I have always had a bit of an obsession with 'being Irish'. I have been fortunate enough to visit on 2 separate occasions, and I am looking forward to going again at some point in the future. I think that learning the language of my ancestors would be amazing, even if all I can remember at the end is a few phrases. Especially since I get the feeling that Gaelic is becoming somewhat of a lost language amongst the younger generations.
Irish American Mom
Carrie - Co. Kerry is home to a large Gaeltacht or Irish speaking part of Ireland. I love to visit Dingle to hear the language used by the locals. There are three different dialects of Irish and as a child I learned Munster Irish, which is spoken in Kerry, Cork and Waterford. I pray that Irish will survive as a vibrant language throughout this century and hopefully into the next. Perhaps, it will be immigrants like me and descendants of immigrants like you, who extend knowledge of the language beyond Ireland's shores. Thanks so much for stopping by and entering the giveaway.
All the best,
Mairéad
Brian@irelandfavorites
Alas Mairead, being American I have a hard enough time understanding the various forms of english we speak. My high school French teacher would attest to the lost cause teaching a new language to this old dog. I do love hearing an old song in Irish and it does my heart good knowing the original tongue is spoken an carries on.
All the best,
Brian.
Irish American Mom
Brian - It really is lovely to know that Irish has survived to this day, despite all the odds being stacked against it for centuries. Some of my favorite Irish songs are in the Gaelic language. It has such an enchanting, musical tone.
All the best,
Mairéad
Joyce Baird
I'd love to learn to speak Irish. It's such a beautiful sounding language.
Irish American Mom
Joyce - When I am back home in Ireland I love to put the Irish language television station on. Watching Dora the Explorer speaking Irish and Spanish is magical. Even my kids who do not understand a word of Irish were mesmerized by the lyrical sounds of Dora singing "mála, mála" instead of "backpack, backpack."
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Keith Robinson
I want to learn Irish for a couple of reasons. I'm a Social Studies teacher, and want to teach my children that every part of their culture is important. I also want my children to be linked to their Irish roots through the language like my grandmother was.
Irish American Mom
Keith - it is lovely to hear that your grandmother spoke Irish and that you experienced first hand how it linked her to her Irish roots. That is why I really want to introduce my children to the language also.
Best of luck,
Mairéad
Hank
Hi , I`m a single father of four beautiful Irish/scottish daughters and have dreamed of learning Gaelic but simply can`t afford it I would love to teach my children and grandchildren the language.
Thanks Mo Chara,
Hank
Irish American Mom
Hank - Best of luck in the giveaway. This album is great in that it is a relatively inexpensive way to get started with learning Irish. I hope someday you do learn the language of our ancestors.
All the best,
Mairéad
Martha Sweeney
I would tell my children to 'stad ar plamas me fein' (to stop trying to flatter me) when
they would want something - I'm sure I should have a few sine fada in there somewhere
but unfortunately I am not sure if I even spelled the Irish words correctly or not - it has been
years since I spoke Irish - other than the odd word here and there to my children and family.
Pisroige was another favourite of mine - notice I have an 'r' in the spelling - must be the
Offaly way of saying the word. And yes, I agree that singing in Irish soothes a baby - I
found that when our children were infants they loved the sound of Irish and so when our
grandchildren were born I always sang to them in Irish as I put them to sleep - sometimes
just making up sentences from stray words to soothe them - it always quieted them down
and so they slept.
P.S. I am not in the Draw - just wanted to add my penny's worth to your blog - a blog that
I have enjoyed very much and learned quite a bit from on many subjects. Thanks, Mairead.
(Sorry - just don't know how to put an accent over your name.)
Irish American Mom
Martha - I laughed when I read the word "plámás". It was a favorite with my mother - "Your plámás will get you nowhere," she would say. So glad you decided to add your penny's worth to my blog. I'll be looking forward to many more comments and little Irish tidbits from you in the future. I really enjoy hearing from readers and love the extra insight everyone adds to the different topics I choose to ramble on about.
Take care,
Mairéad
Jacque
We have an Irish Cultural Center here in Phoenix that offers all sorts of language, music, and dance classes. My daughter and I took an intro to Irish Gaelic a couple of years ago. We plan on getting my granddaughter involved when she's a little older.
Irish American Mom
Jacque - It sounds like this album might be a great resource for you and your daughter to keep your Irish fresh in your mind. I think teaching your granddaughter some phrases and words when she gets older is a great idea.
All the best,
Mairéad
Lisa Messmer
I want to learn all things Irish. I had a very Irish last name when I was married, long ago, but I've always loved Irish music, dance, etc. I had to go to Catholic school when I was young and learned many Irish songs, etc. I met a man from Ireland last year, and fell in love with him...but though he hasn't contacted me in a while, even though my heart is broken, I still want to learn all about Ireland and the Irish culture. Maybe someday if I see him again (he lives four hours away but we have a mutual friend here) I'd love to surprise him with a bit of Irish sayings in the Irish language. I LOVE your website@@
Irish American Mom
Lisa - I think you feel very connected to Ireland and all things Irish. It would be so nice for you to learn some Irish phrases - it is a lovely lilting language. I could probably teach you some Irish phrases that really would surprise your Irish man. We could ask him if his hands fell off that he couldn't lift the phone to give you a quick call !!! LOL.
Anyway, best of luck in this little giveaway.
Mairéad
Aimee
I think I've looked into this program before! Languages fascinate me. I love learning about their different rules, etc. I took 4 years of Spanish in High school, then went on to take ASL in college! Languages are beautiful and Gaelic definitely takes the cake! My husband is fluent in Tagalog so we are currently looking into adding this language to our homeschooling studies for the kids. However excited I am about this new language, I would be even more excited to learn and teach my kids the Irish language. 🙂
Irish American Mom
Aimee - I confess I had to google "Tagalog" and learned it is spoken by a quarter of the population of the Philippines - that makes it a very useful language. Irish is still spoken in some regions of Ireland, but nearly all the population speak English too. My Irish may be a little rusty, but my recent research and time spent reading Irish online is starting to bring it all back. I really need to start teaching my kids some of the basics. Your home schooling achievements are giving me inspiration.
Best of luck in the giveaway.
Mairéad
Aimee
You can find pockets of Philippinos everywhere it seems! Or maybe that's because we're always looking for asian markets...It's amazing how quickly things are lost, but how easily they can be brought back. In order to keep himself fluent, my husband reads a lot in Tagalog, and speaks it to whomever he can. He's probably lost a little of his conversation skills, but hopefully we'll be able to bring them back. Hearing more of the Irish language in America would be so fun- I'm sure your kids will pick it up very easily!
Emily
Lovely post! I would like to learn Irish because I've heard it in old songs, and I think it is beautiful. On top of that, I love to learn new things!
Irish American Mom
Emily - Irish really is a beautiful, lilting, musical language. The sounds of the language are very expressive and satisfying to utter.
Best of luck,
Mairéad
Anna
I have studied Celtic mythology and Celtic literature at University and have had a keen interest in the language for a long time now since I first heard it; it has such a beautiful romantic sound. I’ve also just finished writing an Irish faerie tale based on the Sidhe but I cheated with the few Irish phrases I added; I had to use a translator. It would be marvelous to write a tale in Irish someday and it would be fabulous to read some of the old tales like The dream of Oengus or The Wooing of Etaine (my favourites) in the original Irish text.
Irish American Mom
Anna - Wishing you every success with your Irish faerie story. I don't think using a translator is cheating - it's just a means of authenticating your ideas. Thanks so much for stopping by and entering this giveaway.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Mary
I would love to learn Irish. My Irish grandfather spoke a little when I was growing up. I loved to listen to him pray in Irish. Thanks for the giveaway.
Irish American Mom
Mary - Prayers do sound lovely in Irish. It's funny how I can remember many Irish prayers, but have forgotten my vocabulary. The lilting repetition of the words during my childhood has left them indelibly marked on my mind.
All the best,
Mairéad
Kathy Nelson
Nollaig shona agus athbhliain faoi mhaise dhuit! (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!)
I have recently become a Tour Director and am looking forward to leading tours in Ireland. Because of this, I think it would be extremely useful to be able to speak some of the native language, particularly when we arrive in the Gaeltacht regions.
One day I hope to attend one of the Irish language schools (like Oideas Gael in Gleann Cholm Cille or Coláiste na Rinne in Dún Garbhán) to really immerse myself in the language and culture.
Irish American Mom
Kathy - I hope you get to attend an Irish language school someday. I am making an effort to read a little Irish everyday. I find it is helping me rediscover the language stored somewhere in my brain. All the best,
Mairead