Profs and Pints Online  presents: “Intro to Irish Gaelic,” with Jennifer O’Riordan, native of Cork and former assistant director of Irish Studies and Irish language instructor at Catholic University.

[ This talk will remain available in recorded form at the link given here for tickets and access.]

The Irish language is Ireland’s most fragile natural resource and an unbroken link to its past. Called An Ghaeilge or simply Irish within Ireland, and Gaelic beyond the island’s borders, it is the oldest written vernacular north of the Alps. It’s taught to all Irish schoolchildren from the ages of five to eighteen, and about 40 percent of the Republic of Ireland’s population can speak it, with large percentages using it as their first language in the Irish-speaking regions known as Gaeltachtaí. Its importance is emphasized with the saying Tír gan teanga tír gan anam—a country without a language is a country without a soul.

Learn about the language that speaks to the Irish soul by taking an introductory Gaelic class from Professor Jennifer O’Riordan. You won’t find any better way to gain an insight into Ireland, its people, and its culture. She will start by discussing the origins and use of the language and Irish words you did not know you knew, such as whiskey, galore, brogue, smithereens, and Baltimore. She’ll then give you tips on basic pronunciation:  Why is Saoirse Ronan’s name pronounced Seersha?  Why don’t the Irish pronounce the th like the rest of the English speaking world?

From there Professor O’Riordan will tackle questions such as why the Irish are always talking about craic: How’s the craic, what’s the craic, did you have good craic? What is craic anyway? Then she’ll launch into teaching a selection of Gaelic greetings and useful phrases.

Come gain an appreciation of why Gaelic is experiencing a revival not only in Ireland, but all over the world, and now ranks among the ten most popular languages offered by the language app Duolingo.  Beir bua!

Profs & Pints Online: Intro to Irish Gaelic