Gaeltacht an Eachreidh is delighted to announce that we are going to run two six-week Irish language classes for adults at The Arches Hotel, Claregalway, from Tuesday, October 21.

For six weeks, until November 25, young teacher Máire Nic Oireachtaigh will put two groups through their paces with enjoyable, interactive classes where the emphasis will be very much on conversation and fun.

Spaces are strictly limited and people are urged to book places as soon as possible. The cost is just €50 for six one-hour lessons over six consecutive Tuesday evenings. If the feedback is positive, we hope to expand on the classes in 2026.

If you are a complete beginner, or have not spoken a word of Irish since school, you are encouraged to take the lower level class from 7 to 8pm. Máire will teach students basic conversational phrases with an emphasis on having fun.

Students who believe they are at the Intermediate (B1) or Lower Intermediate (A2) levels are encouraged to join the second class from 8.15 to 9.15pm. If you understand Ros na Rún or match commentaries on TG4, but are maybe a bit “rusty”, then this is the class for you.

Gaeltacht an Eachreidh strongly urges you to check out your level of Irish online before registering for one of the classes. Gaelchultúr have a brilliant online level test which is easy to use and takes about 10 to 20 minutes to complete: https://www.gaelchultur.com/en/assessment

After completing the test, please choose the correct course for you.

The Beginners’ class (7 to 8pm) is for those who have very little or no Irish, or only know a few words or phrases.

The Intermediate class (8.15 to 9.15pm) is for those who can communicate in basic Irish, are able to greet people, introduce themselves, or talk about their lives and families.

The emphasis in both classes will be very much on having fun and learning in an enjoyable and informal way which may be much different from the Irish classes you remember from school.

Our young teacher, Máire, completed a Diploma in Irish at the University of Galway this year and is looking forward to meeting her new students on Tuesday, October 21.

The Arches Hotel has been the location of our weekly ‘ciorcal comhrá’ in Claregalway since February and we are delighted to be extending our friendship with this family-run business which has been at the heart of the Irish speaking community in Gaeltacht an Eachréidh for generations.

Please note that you must pay the €50 for the six week term in advance on our Eventbrite page and it will be much better for you and everyone else if you complete the level test before registering. There is a maximum of just 12 students in each class.

Once you have checked your level of Irish, please register and pay at this link: https://tinyurl.com/mrxvz22m

Contact Ciarán at optanteachreidh@gmail.com to find out more.

 

Enjoying a Ciorcal Comhrá at The Arches earlier this year. There is a growing interest in the Irish language in Claregalway.