Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

How would you like to walk and speak (or learn) Irish at the same time?

A new group which aims to encourage people to speak whatever Irish they have while walking together for an hour is coming together for the first time in Claregalway next Wednesday evening, April 22, at 7.30pm.

The idea behind the ‘Siúlach Scéalach’ is that people can relax and talk to one another in our native language while exercising and the organisers say you do not need to be fluent in Irish to take part.

The group will meet up at the Claregalway GAA Centre in Knockdoe on Wednesday (7.30pm) for a one hour walk and organiser Gearóid O Fathaigh says that anyone with an interest in practicing or learning some Irish is more than welcome to take part.

Participants will be paired together at the start and they will be encouraged to speak ‘as Gaeilge’ and learn from either other over the course of a one-hour walk.

The idea is that people will get ‘paired’ with a new partner each week and each participant is invited to speak ‘cúpla focal’ over the course of the walk.

Everyone is welcome to take part in the walk, no matter what their level of Gaeilge, and Gearoid says it is a great way to meet people, to practice Irish, and to get some exercise.

The concept of the walk is based on the Irish ‘seanfhocal’ “An té a bhíonn siúlach, bíonn scéalach’ which means that those who travel have stories to tell.

It’s a bit like a mobile conversation circle ‘as Gaeilge’. Instead of sitting together in a classroom or a hotel, people meet up and walk together, and practice their ‘cúpla focal’ along the way.

The ‘Siúlach Scéalach’ is organised by Gaeltacht an Eachréidh and it is hoped it will become a weekly event during the summer months if people enjoy taking part. All you have to do is turn up at the Claregalway GAA centre in Knockdoe on Wednesday evening. The Eircode is H91 E754.

Photo by Aryaman Agarwal on Unsplash