NETHERLANDS native Myriam Rommers has signed up for the next course to learn Irish with Líonra Leitir Ceanainn alongside her partner Domhnall Mac Cionnaith from Belfast.
Originally from the Netherlands and living in Letterkenny for close to 20 years, Myriam has made good progress in learning the language.
“We have made our home in Donegal, a county that has many Gaeltacht areas, where people speak Irish – why wouldn’t we learn the language?,” Myriam said.
Her desire to learn Irish began with wanting to understand the lyrics of songs on Raidió na Gaeltachta, and although she still doesn’t undestand the lyrics completely it is becoming clearer.
“At the beginning it felt like a really foreign language but now, with the classes I’ve taken, I understand quite a bit. I know more or less what they are talking about, even if I can’t get all the detail, and so it becomes much more interesting.
“When it comes to speaking I am still quite shy speaking with a Gaeilgeoir but when I am speaking to another learner it is easier because we are on the same level.”
She has benefitted hugely from her Irish classes which she described as “great fun”.
“I think the Irish classes are great fun. It is a lovely sociable thing to do with a nice group of people and such a good way to keep your brain active. I love being able to read signs and to have conversations with people in Irish even if they are only small ones.”
She explained that the Céimeanna Comhrá books are very helpful, like lego blocks.
“It is like building a house, you start from the base and gradually you build it up.”
“I know Toirealach Ó Gráda from Derry who wrote the books and originally he did not speak Irish but had to learn it so he understands what it takes to learn the language,” she added.
“The method of teaching laid out in the books works really well and then Rónán Ó Bróithe, our tutor, asks us each week what our ‘scéal’ or ‘news’ is so we have to do some work to put a few sentences together for that.
“It really helps us to develop the skills to speak the language. It is not like learning a language in childhood, we don’t just absorb it, we need to do more work,” she said.
Her tutor Rónán encourages the pair to put some work in beween classes.
“Domhnall and I do speak some Irish to each other every day and we have Raidió na Gaeltachta on in the background at home so we are listening to the language.”
Domhnall who grew up in Belfast explained that anger is what originally motivated him to learn Irish.
“My baptismal certificate correctly has my name as Domhnall Mac Cionnaith but the registrar in Belfast refused to accept my name in Irish so my birth certificate is in English,” he said.
“Even as a young child I was aware of that and annoyed at the injustice of it.”
At the age of 12 he started to learn Irish at night classes in Clonard off the Falls Road and even when he went to work abroad for close to 40 years and didn’t have the opportunity to speak Irish to anyone he took old Irish books and tapes with him.
“So what began in anger became and continues to be a desire to learn Irish.”
If you are interested in learning Irish contact Aisling at Líonra Leitir Ceanainn for details about all the classes from Beginners to Advanced 086 0136579 forbairt@lionralc.ie or check out the website lionralc.ie
