Lá na Gaeilge 2010. Irish Language Day 2010

Lá na Gaeilge 2010
a day of immersion in the
Irish Language
for beginners, continuing students, those who would like to rediscover their language and fluent enthusiasts.
Five levels from beginner to fluent conversation group
Comhrá, Craic, Ceol.

Saturday, February 27th 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
IONA College
New Rochelle, New York.
LA PENTA BUILDING
$50
lunch included
further information, brochure or to register call
Hilary Mhic Suibhne (914) 276-0412

or email: thehedgeschool@gmail.com
www.thehedgeschool.blogspot.com

Spring 2010

Language classes continue at four levels on Monday evenings at Iona College, New Rochelle.
Dates are:
Feb 22,
March 1, 8, 22,29
April 5, 12, 19,26
May 3.
10 Classes

Classes start at 6:00 pm
Beginners (part 2) @ 7:30
Intermediate @ 6:00
Advanced Conversation @ 7:30
Advanced Conversation, Grammar and composition @ 6:00

Cost $135 (registration received by Feb 10th) $160 after February 10th

Email: thehedgeschool@gmail.com or an.scoil.chois.clai@gmail.com (see link on right) for electronic version of brochure or phone 914 671 9491 and leave your address if you would like a printed copy.

Spring is always a great time for Irish classes. Everyone is energized by lengthening days. By starting our courses in February we hope also to have missed the worst of winter weather.
We also look forward to our annual day event, the famous Irish Language day at Iona College. 2010 is the tenth year we have organized this event, congratulations to the team... 10 years already? The date is February 27th. More about that in a couple of weeks.
In the meantime start watching TG4 and R na G, listen to those CDs and, dare I say it, tapes!, and get ready for class.

Fall Schedule

Classes will resume at IONA college New Rochelle for a 10 week term on Monday September 28th, 2009. Class times below.

Sept 28
Oct 5, 12, 19, 26
Nov 9, 16, 23, 30
Dec 7


1. Beginners: Introduction to Irish Language Conversation. 7:30 PM.
2. Intermediate: Conversation, Reading, 6:00 PM
3. Advanced Conversation: 7:30 PM.
4. Advanced Mix: Conversation, Reading,Grammar, Composition. 6:00 PM.

Bí Linn. Join Us.

Further Information?
For a brochure please email thehedgeschool@gmail.com or call 914 276 0412

Go raibh maith agat.

Irish Night in NYC

Breandán Caolai, vice-consul, was in touch recently to let me know that they are organizing a great evening in the Office of the Consul General of Ireland to start Irish Language events in NYC in 2009. It will be on January 30^th from 6 until 8 pm and everyone with interest in Irish is welcome. Everyone is also welcome to participate, whether by singing, reciting poetry or telling a story in Irish.
The event is free and to gain entry one must be on the door list, all you need to do is call (212) 319-2555 and ask that your name be added to the list for this event and then make sure to bring ID with you on the night.

It will be a great chance to meet up with others with interest in Irish and for learners a chance to practice your language skills without pressure!

An Téarma Úr 2009, Spring classes and Events 2009

I just received confirmation of our dates for Spring 2009 from IONA College.
We are starting a little later than usual this year as current students expressed the preference for starting as late as possible in February and therefore missing the harsh winter weather. Unfortunately the rooms we use are not available for the final week in February.

In the meantime there are many ways of keeping up to speed with your Irish Langauge Skills (Web TG4 and RnaG, blogs and most of all meeting up with others and practising in a social setting...the best way)
New students can even get started with Rosetta Stone for example. I've seen level 1 and it seems very good, though I'd love to hear from users about how they are doing with it.
The combination sets start to get quite expensive.

Rosetta Stone : Irish Level 1 with Audio Companion

Rosetta Stone : Irish Level 1 & 2 Set with Audio Companion

Rosetta Stone : Irish Level 1, 2 & 3 Set with Audio Companion


Anyway here are our dates:

Ranganna Gaeilge agus Lá na Gaeilge NY 2009 i Westchester, Nua Eabhrac.
@ La Penta Hall, Iona College, New Rochelle.

Ranganna ar Ceithre Leibhéal. Téarma 10 seachtain.
Oícheanta Dé Chéadaoin (Classes at 4 levels, 10 week term on Wednesday nights.)
Dátaí (Dates):
Márta (March): 4, 11, 25,
Aibreán (April): 1,8,15,22,29.
Bealtaine (May): 6. 13

Cost $135, received by Feb. 20th 2009 or
$160 for late registration, received after February 20th.

Lá na Gaeilge NY 2009 ar an 21 Mí na Márta (9:15 AM – 5:00 PM)
Irish Language Day NY 2009 will be on the 21^st of March (9:15 AM – 5:00 PM) Cost $50

The current brochure including registration form for classes and the Irish Language Day will be forwarded to all on our mailing list within the next week.

Beidh bileog ar fáil go luath leis na sonraí uile eile, muna bhfuil tú ar an liosta phoist cheana agus ma tá ceann uait cuir fios orm le do thoil. (If you ar not on our mailing list already and you would like a brochure please send an email and one will be forwarded to you) Email link is on right.

Class on November 26th

A Chairde,
Aine Mhaire was wondering if the college would be open for our classes on Wed Nov 26th, that is the night before Thankgiving. The college had confirmed these dates with me in June but I checked again and yes, La Penta will be open and our classes will go ahead as planned that evening.

Support for Learners from The Language Centre

There are many resources for Irish language learners available on various websites. One which is popular with An Scoil Chois Claí is the Language Centre at The National University of Ireland ,Maynooth .

1. The TEG site gives support to both teachers of adults and adult learners. The curriculum which is set out is a good guide to learning conversational Irish in a classroom setting. Most teachers who use this curriculum will augment it with grammar explanations and background information about the history of the Irish Language and its role in the history of the Irish people. Adult learners are usually interested in more than the acquisition of the language alone.

2.For more advanced learners the VIFAX portion of the Maynooth síte is very useful and again can be used by learners both within the classroom setting and for practice alone. The videos are fully supported by lesson plans and transcripts.

For too long the Irish language outside of Irish speaking families was supposed to be kept alive and well by schoolchildren, I think this has been finally recognized as being an unfair task for young Irish children. As soon as adults in Ireland start using Irish then children will be happy to use it too. I’ve never met a child who isn’t happy to answer me in Irish if I ask a simple question, (usually the answer will be accompanied by a giggle,) whereas it is often older people who will answer in English, indicating of course that the question was understood. It is often a lack of confidence rather than negativism towards the language that causes this. Although most Irish speakers have experienced negativism at some time or another. The support that sites like this one at the Language Centre provide can be very helpful to the small conversational language groups which are coming into existence timpeall na tíre