By Martin Russell
Irish American Post book editor

Two books of interest to Irish speakers, primarily for beginners and tyro speakers, have just been released Stateside by Dufour Editions. 

The first volume, Tuairimí, by Honor Mhic Giolla Chlaoin, is a handbook-sized collection of short texts, with topics that vary from mobile phones, to children, to diets. The book is suitable for use in class to promote group discussions and is also suitable as reading material for learners. It includes a glossary of difficult words on each page and a vocabulary listing at the back of the book. 

The book was awarded a prize in the Oireachtas literary competition in the category Ábhar Léitheoireachta don Fhoghlaimeoir Fásta ("reading material for adult learners"), winning second place in the year 2000 and a cash award of was bout 1000 euro. The annual Oireachtas literary competition has many other categories, as well, such as novels, fiction for young people, drama and other venues.

Mhic Giolla Chlaoin put the book together based on materials that she used in her classes. "They enjoyed them and I thought others might too. As this is my first publication and it is only now becoming available in book shops, it’s too soon to say, but I hope it will be popular among adult learners. I feel it could be useful from a language point of view as well as an insight into modern Ireland, said the Dublin-born and reared educator. 

Although the book is her first publication, she prepared similar pieces each week for work with the advanced class. 

After leaving second-level school in 1975, she spent some years teaching and working as a school librarian and subsequently returned to University to study Irish at night. 

Since then, she has been teaching at second-level schools. For the past 15 years, Mhic Giolla Chlaoin has been involved in adult education at two levels: second chance education with a school leaving certificate at the end) and "leisure" courses. In the latter, adults pursue Irish language courses for the sheer love of and interest in it, without the pressure of exams. 

"We speak Irish at home now, although not exclusively. My husband, Martin, has a far stronger background in Irish and would be very enthusiastic about it. The children — Aedin 18, Peadar 16, Isolde 13, and Roisin, 10 — all attend or have attend all-Irish primary schools which gave them a great foundation and great confidence, especially in spoken Irish," she said. 

According to his mother, Peadar opted to continue second-level education through Irish. "The children are generally fairly enthusiastic about speaking Irish within the home/school context, less so socially. Our golden retriever has an Irish name, Reiltin and is multi-lingual, as long as there is food at the end of the sentence," Mhic Giolla Chlaoin laughed.

"I learned Irish the hard way, as there was no home background. The only way to improve your fluency is to jump in and make a few mistakes," she warned good-naturedly. " would say that the most important attribute is enthusiasm coupled with a sense of humor. A lot of people have a lot of baggage about Irish and it’s important to shed that and enjoy the process of communicating, without worrying unduly about mistakes. Accuracy will come later."

"I wouldn’t underestimate the Irish language. But it’s not difficult to learn a few phrases and build on that. I think the most important thing is to find a teacher with a good communicative approach and everything else will fall into place. There’s not much point going to a conversation class if the teacher is doing all the talking. It must be hands on. It’s very important to get away from translating from English because it’s such a different language. 

The easiest part of learning Irish is probably concentrating on short phrases and songs, Mhic Giolla Chlaoin suggested. "You may not understand every syllable, but that’s not the important thing: jump in and try to swim! Many people find grammar difficult, but if it’s dealt with on a ‘need to know’ basis it needn’t be that difficult. I’m afraid I don’t sing in any language, a great regret." 

Mhic Giolla Chlaoin remained fairly optimistic about the status of Irish in Ireland, because of the number of Gaelscoileanna. But it needs to go beyond that, to feature in everyday life, she indicated. "Generally, I only speak Irish to those whom I know are Irish speakers or interested in speaking Irish. I would often use small phrases with people in shops such as "please," "thank you," "good-bye" and such," she explained.

To achieve more widespread speaking of Irish, Mhic Giolla Chlaoin felt it was necessary to concentrate on the adult population for a while. "I don’t think it’s a matter of financial support. I think it’s far more important to lead by example and to actually speak the language rather than throwing money at it," she affirmed.

However, as a general comment on the Irish education system, Mhic Giolla Chlaoin said that Adult Education was in the Cinderella category. "If I were to decide to return to mainstream second-level education I would be paid at a far higher rate, but I enjoy what I’m doing," she added. 

Mhic Giolla Chlaoin enjoys reading in the Irish language. Her favorite author is Re O Laighleis, along with Micheal O Conghaile, Eibhlis Ni Dhuibhne and Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill. "I read Foinse and La and try to listen to 7La on TG4. I also enjoy Ros na Run and listen to Seo Beo an tSathairn on Radio na Gaeltachta. Apart from that, I have my car radio tuned to Radio na Gaeltachta and listen as often as I can," she said. 

She also tries to attend Irish productions whenever they are staged in Dublin, at the Peacock Theatre, at the universities and more recently at the Axis Theatre in Ballymun. 

"All of my students are adults and I suppose most of them want to touch their heritage, though in many cases they want to rid themselves of a bad experience from school," she continued. Her class size varies from about six to 23 and she thinks the ideal size is about 12-15. where there are enough to mingle and exchange views. "If there are too few in a class then it becomes a bit stilted. If there are too many, it can become impersonal," she explained.

As to the future of Irish overseas, Mhic Giolla Chlaoin led a course at Oideas Gael in Gleann Colm Cille, Co. Donegal, and was struck by the number of Americans taking courses there. For Mhic Giolla Chlaoin, the future of Irish abroad seems quite strong, with a heavy international interest because so many Irish people are living abroad. 

The second work, Irish Grammar Book is an English version of Leabhar Gradamaí Gaeilge that was published in 2002. The 222-page volume presents the rules of Irish grammar in a clear, concise and understandable manner, in English. Irish Grammar Book is an essential component in any learner's armory of materials, and also serves as a comprehensive reference manual for writers, editors and journalists. The grammatical rules are based on those contained in Niall Ó Dónaill's Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla. 

Mac Congáil was born Derry City and now lives in Moycullen, outside Galway City. He received his bachelor’s degree from Queen’s University in Belfast 1966 and a doctorate there in 1974. Mac Congáil has been Professor of Irish in School of Irish at the National University of Ireland- Galway since 1974. He was dean of arts from 1996 to 2000

A prolific writer in Irish and about Irish language issues, he has authored numerous books and articles and co-wrote several works including Oral Literature from Dunquin, Co. Kerry (Inst. of Irish Studies, The Queen's University, Belfast, 1983) with H.H. Wagner and An Fear Deireanach Den Tsloinneadh (Arlen House, 2002) with Desmond Kavanagh. His Irish Grammar - A Basic Handbook (Officina Typographica, 1988) was in its 10th imprint in 2003. 

Mac Congáil was first introduced to Irish at secondary school, St. Columb’s College, Derry City, and honed his Irish speaking skills at school and in Gaeltacht areas of Donegal

"Irish as a minority language will always struggle against global language English," he lamented, saying that it was not so much a question of how much is money is allocated for the teaching and speaking of Irish but how effectively it is spent. "Political figures should become more acquainted with language and use it publicly," Mac Congáil suggested.

To teach Irish and to speak Irish in an English-language world, an individual needs personality, interest in the language and effective communication skills," he added. Removed from the classroom, Mac Congáil speaks Irish, but it depends on the company. He also enjoys reading in Irish, but not exclusively

As far as the future of the Irish language, Mac Congáil said that the next few years will be crucial for survival of Irish in Ireland but that there will always be interest in Irish abroad because of extent and profile of Irish diaspora. He also saw a growth in popularity of Irish language stage productions and film, especially among young people. "Much more use could be made of the web," he indicated.

Mac Congáil admitted that speaking Irish is difficult because Irish as a language is highly inflected and idiomatic. "Take it in small doses and digest slowly as you proceed, he said, pointing out that learning some simple phrases by rote is the easiest. The hardest step is learning the grammar. 

His class sizes vary at the university, with students including native speakers from all over the country as well as those who have just learned their Irish. 

Mac Congáil said he planned to keep writing as long as there were readers interested in the Irish language. "One cannot keep publishing if there is no public for the books," he concluded.
 
 
 

For more information, contact Dufour at 1-800-869-5677, www.dufoureditions.com; or from Caitríona Ní Bhaoill, director of marketing at Cló Iar-Chonnachta (353 91 593 307 or cloiar@iol.ie). Both books can be purchased through the Cló Iar-Chonnachta website at http://www.cic.ie. The Irish Grammar Book costs €15 and €18 for Tuairimi.

 
 

Dhá Leabhar Nua d'Fhoghlaimeoirí

Tá dhá leabhar nua d'fhoghlaimeoirí foilsithe ag Cló Iar-Chonnachta: Irish Grammar Book, le Nollaig Mac Congáil, agus Tuairimí, le Honor Mhic Giolla Chlaoin. 

Leagan Béarla den Leabhar Gramadaí Gaeilge a foilsíodh i 2002 atá san Irish Grammar Book. Sa leabhar seo cuirtear gramadach na Gaeilge inár láthair ar bhealach simplí, sothuigthe, trí Bhéarla. Is cuid riachtanach de threalamh gach foghlaimeora é, agus is foinse thagartha chuimsitheach an leabhar do scríbhneoirí, d'eagarthóirí agus d'iriseoirí na Gaeilge. 

Tá an t-údar, an tOllamh Nollaig Mac Congáil, ina bhall de Scoil na Gaeilge in Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh, agus sáreolas agus a lán taithí aige ar na modhanna is éifeachtaí le gramadach na Gaeilge a theagasc. Tá Irish Grammar Book bunaithe ar Fhoclóir Gaeilge-Béarla Néill Uí Dhónaill. 

Irish Grammar Book
Nollaig Mac Congáil
ISBN 1 902420 49 7
Bog €15
Foilsithe ag Cló Iar-Chonnachta 

Is cnuasach scéalta gearra faoi ghnáthchúrsaí an lae atá sa leabhar Tuairimí, atá dírithe ar dhaoine fásta atá ag foghlaim na Gaeilge. Tá an leabhar oiriúnach mar ábhar léitheoireachta d'fhoghlaimeoirí, le gluais ag bun gach leathanaigh agus le foclóir ag cúl an leabhair. Tá sé oiriúnach chomh maith mar ábhar ranga, agus spreagfaidh na scéalta daoine lena gcuid scéalta féin a insint sa rang. Is as Baile Átha Cliath d'Honor Mhic Giolla Chlaoin, agus bíonn sí ag múineadh Gaeilge do dhaoine fásta sa chathair sin. Bronnadh duais Oireachtais ar an saothar seo. 

Tuairimí
Honor Mhic Giolla Chlaoin
ISBN 1 902420 66 7
Bog €8
Foilsithe ag Cló Iar-Chonnachta 

Le tús maith a chuir le 2005 tá Cló Iar-Chonnachta ag tairiscint an dá leabhar seo ar €20 + postas, féach www.cic.ie  nó glao ar 091 593307. 

Tuilleadh Eolais:
Caitríona Ní Bhaoill, Margaíocht, Cló Iar-Chonnachta +353 91 593 307 cloiar@iol.ie