Depends what dialect. Padraic O'Sadhail's 'Teach Yourself Irish' is excellent but it is Connacht Irish. Check 'An Siopa' link at the Oideas Gael website for suggestions. Beo.ie has some good lessons and lots of articles for intermediate and advanced learners too.
Adh mor agus bain sult as ar dteanga alainn!
I want to be able to understand what's being said on the radio, TV programmes and in songs I listen to, as well as being able to talk in Irish when I visit next year.
Is there a more prevalent dialect? Is there the Irish equivalent of received pronunciation? What dialect do they speak in Clare?
One of my favourite language books is 'Irish is Fun!', published by Y Lolfa in 1987, largely because it provides pretty accurate phonetic versions of things one might actually need to say in Gaeltacht areas of Ireland.
However, nothing beats learning a language in situ and you might want to consider one of the Oideas Gael courses (http://www.oideas-gael.com) held in Glencolmcille, Co. Donegal. A week-long course costs €190, plus accommodation.
Oideas Gael recommends a book/CD set called 'Turas Teanga'. Visit http://www.rte.ie/, click on 'shop' and follow the links. It costs €40.
Herself owns many different CD/book sets. Her favorite is the recently released Rosetta Stone offering. Rather than try to get you to memorize conversational Irish, it interactively teaches you the language the way you learned your first...pictures to words to phrases and proper grammer. The price is fairly dear, though. I think about $600 U.S.
In Clare? Very little Irish to be found spoken in Clare ,or in Ireland for that matter , outside of the Gaeltacht of course. Not saying it isn't there, just that it is not very abudant. ...Come the revolution mind you.
If you want to understand the TV (TG4 and RTE) the most prevalent dialects are Conemara and to some extent Munster. That being said, Gaeilge Tir CHonail is fighting its own corner now ;) the "Now your talking" seris as well as the "Giota beag " seris on BBC as well as the "Irish is fun" books are based upon Gaeilge Tir Chonaill.
TO be honest don'T reall yworry about which of the three you choose as, you should find without much exception that speakers of Irish are more than happy to converse as Gaeilge given the chance regardless of dialect ;)
Adh mor le seo!
Just curious, Floss, but who is it by? It's just that 'Y Lolfa' is Welsh for ' The Lounge'. Why would an Irish tutor be published by a Welsh publisher? I very recently met a flute player and fine sean-nos singer who lectures in Irish at the University of Aberystwyth. Any connection?
Yep, I know it seems strange, granama, but the company's first book was 'Welsh is Fun'. Y Lolfa was (or even still is) based in Talybont. Oh, and the Irish book's author is one Aodán Mac Póilín - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aod%C3%A1n_Mac_P%C3%B3ilin.
Once again - thanks everybody. I've had a try of the Rosetta Stone demo and was very impressed - I could say 'the man is drinking' after five minutes and I'm sure with a couple of run-throughs it would all be firmly stuck in the old grey matter.
I'll have a run through the BBC one and then decide.
Teach yourself Irish
Teach yourself Irish
Does anyone have experience of any good teach yourself Irish books with CD's?
I'm looking for a recommendation!
# Posted on July 12th 2008 by Sugarfoot Jack
Re: Teach yourself Irish
Depends what dialect. Padraic O'Sadhail's 'Teach Yourself Irish' is excellent but it is Connacht Irish. Check 'An Siopa' link at the Oideas Gael website for suggestions. Beo.ie has some good lessons and lots of articles for intermediate and advanced learners too.
Adh mor agus bain sult as ar dteanga alainn!
# Posted on July 12th 2008 by Mac Donn
Re: Teach yourself Irish
Even though I'm a Tir Chonaill man meself, try www.desbishop.com for a very good FRE online course.
# Posted on July 13th 2008 by macfion
Re: Teach yourself Irish
Thanks for the advice.
I want to be able to understand what's being said on the radio, TV programmes and in songs I listen to, as well as being able to talk in Irish when I visit next year.
Is there a more prevalent dialect? Is there the Irish equivalent of received pronunciation? What dialect do they speak in Clare?
# Posted on July 13th 2008 by Sugarfoot Jack
Re: Teach yourself Irish
One of my favourite language books is 'Irish is Fun!', published by Y Lolfa in 1987, largely because it provides pretty accurate phonetic versions of things one might actually need to say in Gaeltacht areas of Ireland.
There's a pretty good online series covering the basics at http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/irish/blas/learners/.
However, nothing beats learning a language in situ and you might want to consider one of the Oideas Gael courses (http://www.oideas-gael.com) held in Glencolmcille, Co. Donegal. A week-long course costs €190, plus accommodation.
Oideas Gael recommends a book/CD set called 'Turas Teanga'. Visit http://www.rte.ie/, click on 'shop' and follow the links. It costs €40.
For details on the language the Wikipedia article - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_language#Dialects - is very informative.
# Posted on July 13th 2008 by Floss the Tethers
Re: Teach yourself Irish
Herself owns many different CD/book sets. Her favorite is the recently released Rosetta Stone offering. Rather than try to get you to memorize conversational Irish, it interactively teaches you the language the way you learned your first...pictures to words to phrases and proper grammer. The price is fairly dear, though. I think about $600 U.S.
# Posted on July 13th 2008 by whistler gan ainm
Re: Teach yourself Irish
In Clare? Very little Irish to be found spoken in Clare ,or in Ireland for that matter , outside of the Gaeltacht of course. Not saying it isn't there, just that it is not very abudant. ...Come the revolution mind you.
If you want to understand the TV (TG4 and RTE) the most prevalent dialects are Conemara and to some extent Munster. That being said, Gaeilge Tir CHonail is fighting its own corner now ;) the "Now your talking" seris as well as the "Giota beag " seris on BBC as well as the "Irish is fun" books are based upon Gaeilge Tir Chonaill.
TO be honest don'T reall yworry about which of the three you choose as, you should find without much exception that speakers of Irish are more than happy to converse as Gaeilge given the chance regardless of dialect ;)
Adh mor le seo!
# Posted on July 14th 2008 by macfion
Re: Teach yourself Irish
"'Irish is Fun!', published by Y Lolfa"
Just curious, Floss, but who is it by? It's just that 'Y Lolfa' is Welsh for ' The Lounge'. Why would an Irish tutor be published by a Welsh publisher? I very recently met a flute player and fine sean-nos singer who lectures in Irish at the University of Aberystwyth. Any connection?
# Posted on July 14th 2008 by ragaman
Re: Teach yourself Irish
Yep, I know it seems strange, granama, but the company's first book was 'Welsh is Fun'. Y Lolfa was (or even still is) based in Talybont. Oh, and the Irish book's author is one Aodán Mac Póilín - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aod%C3%A1n_Mac_P%C3%B3ilin.
# Posted on July 14th 2008 by Floss the Tethers
Re: Teach yourself Irish
Once again - thanks everybody. I've had a try of the Rosetta Stone demo and was very impressed - I could say 'the man is drinking' after five minutes and I'm sure with a couple of run-throughs it would all be firmly stuck in the old grey matter.
I'll have a run through the BBC one and then decide.
# Posted on July 15th 2008 by Sugarfoot Jack