Interview with An Treasach

Interviewed May 2008. An Treasach has been a forum member since December 2006. You can discuss this interview on the forum.

Who is An Treasach?

My name is John (but I get called Seán and also ‘Larry’…don’t ask) and I’m an Irish language student from Belfast in Ireland.

So, what’s your connection to the Irish language? Are you involved with other Irish language groups, apart from IrishGaelicTranslator.com?

I started learning Irish when I went to secondary school at the age of 12, so I’ve been involved in the language for almost a decade now. After finishing A Levels at school I’ve continued studying Irish at university which I’m doing at the present. Very little of my family speak Irish so I can’t say I grew up surrounded by the language, so it’s really just been since I started it as a school subject, but I developed a huge interest along the way and it’s something I’m very proud of.

What has been your path of learning Irish?

Since I started learning Irish in school it took me a while to appreciate how different Irish was to the likes of French, which I also studied until the start of university. They’re different languages from different parent language groups and a lot of people immediately slam Irish as being far too difficult in comparison to French or Spanish. Once I realised the differences in structure it became more enjoyable and have obviously been enjoying it ever since. In the earlier years of school I think I had a Foclóir Scoile, then our A Level teacher gave us Ó Dónaill and de Bhaldraithe dictionaries, which were and still are invaluable to me in my studies. Along the way I’ve bought myself different books that have interested me, such as Focail I bhFócas, a great book for idioms, and Úrchúrsa Gaeilge.

Like I said, I’m right in the middle of my Irish & Celtic Studies BA degree course and I’m hoping to go straight from there to my MA in Irish Translation in 2009/2010. Who knows where I’ll go afterwards? Maybe to washing windows.

Do you see your Irish skills improving in the future?

I hope so! I admire those who are passionate about the language and are doing a lot to promote Irish as a worthwhile language in everyday Ireland (and further afield!) in an all-inclusive way, so I aspire to be among those people some day, doing my bit for the language. Posting and contributing on the forums has been a great way for me to hone in on translating skills, which is a career aspect I’m really hoping to get into.

I want to start learning Irish. Where do I begin??

I’d say the best thing you could do is attend an intensive beginner’s course in one of Ireland’s Gaeltacht areas, where you’ll be submerged in the regions that Irish is spoken most in daily life and surrounded by native speakers. But that’s obviously not feasible to everyone, so the next best thing you could do is join a local Irish language group or class and start listening to what Irish sounds like, how it’s spoken and why people choose to learn it, and begin your journey there. I can only speak as an Irish person living here in Ireland, so I’m not sure how things are outside of Ireland, but I’m sure there are groups worldwide for learning Irish.

Do you have any other tips for people interested in learning Irish?

Use it. Irish, like every language, becomes rusty when you don’t use it, and you’ll find yourself more and more reluctant to practice with people when they speak Irish to you. The majority of speakers are supportive and will want to help you, so don’t be afraid to use what you have. Seek out mediums in which you can use your Irish skills. Like the Irish proverb, I’m of the opinion that broken Irish is better than clever English!

Apart from Irish, what other hobbies or interests do you have?

Music has to be what drives me in life. From I was no age music has been central to me and I enjoy all types of (good!) music. I play a few musical instruments, mostly the acoustic guitar and the piano. One of my favourite things to chat about with like-minded people has to be sound engineering and equipment for live performance…woo baby! I’m a bit of a technophile too; I love all things technological and my room is a haven of gadgets, electronics, audio systems and musical instruments. I’ve also played about with website and graphics design. Needless to say I also enjoy being out, gigging, galavanting about, all the things students like to do. I love a good pint of Guinness – don’t let them tell you that Dublin is the only place in Ireland you can get a good Guinness, Belfast is on a par!

Other than Focail I bhFócas, and Úrchúrsa Gaeilge, what is your favorite books or other learning resources that you have that you would recommend people in getting to learn the language? (asked by Benjamin)

Cruinnscríobh na Gaeilge is another great grammar book; in my opinion it's better laid out and presented than Úrchúrsa Gaeilge is, the only thing is it's all in Irish, so beginners would get little or nothing out of it. New Irish Grammar by the Christian Brothers would be the next best thing on my list, then of course there's the classic Progress in Irish by Máiréad Ní Ghráda, both of which are in English. To be honest I get most of my resources from university!

You say music is your life if you wasnt studying gaelic would you have gone into music maybe as a artist or a sound tech and are we going to hear you sing us all a song then we can all say we heard him here first (asked by SeanMurphy1)

I probably would have gone in that direction Seán. I'm still young and still deciding what the right path for me is, so sound engineering could still be a possibility - although I'd be happy enough keeping all things music as a hobby instead of going professional. And sing you a song? I can't sing a lick man! I let the guitar do the singing for me ;) I might record something for you though - any requests?

I'll ask a variation on a question I've asked others in the past: What is your opinion of foreigners learning Irish? Do you think it's a positive, negative, or neutral thing for the language? Does it bother you at all that people who don't (and probably never will) live in Ireland have an interest in learning the language? (asked by Redwolf)

Seán, Redwolf stole that question just from my mouth. As a foreigner who have a deep interest in learning Irish, i'd like to know your opinion about that issue as well. (asked by Julius)

I think it's really cool that foreigners would take an interest in Ireland's often unheard-of or misunderstood language. Most people from outside of Ireland seem to think Irish is just English with an Irish accent (I know of someone from France who once said 'I know some Irish: "what's the craic?"'), so I think it's great that so many are now becoming genuinely interested in it. I love all things Japanese and keep meaning to join a Japanese class some time, yet I'm almost sure I'm never going to end up living in Japan, so it doesn't bother me at all that outsiders wish to learn Irish. In fact it makes me proud! Long may it continue.

Seán, living in a divided community, does the Irish language follow strictly sectarian divides too or do the other side show any interest or support..or is it denigrated?

It's pretty much the same story as it has been in the past 40 years here. Certain people often look on Irish with suspicion and distrust, probably due to the use of it by paramilitary groups. That can only frighten and distance people from something. In saying that, I can definitely see more and more people relaxing their views, especially among younger people who may be uninformed or just completely uninterested about the political situation of their country.

A goal of mine would be getting unionists and loyalists involved and interested in the Irish language; to show them that it's not a political tool, but a language indigenous to this island that is there for everyone to use and enjoy.

Is giotáirí den chéad scóth é Seán! (a dúirt Somhairle)

Fear uasail thú a chara, go raibh maith agat! :) (Is fiú a lua gur seinnteoir feadóige ar dóigh é an fear seo fosta)

What is the Biggest obstacle in the way of the Irish language's way to becoming more acceptable and more widely used (Mar Shampla) Bad Education system, Reluctance of people to learn, ? ? (asked by Teifeach)

I think for Irish to become widely spoken again the support of the majority of Ireland is needed and I can't see that happening in this day and age. While I think Irish is successfully stepping into a new light in terms of modern usage and I'm glad to see the language last this long through so much, I don't think Irish will ever be as widely-spoken as it once was. I can see the Gaeltachts diminishing in the years to come, but that doesn't necessarily bother me that much, as long as people show interest and support for the language in other ways anywhere in Ireland (or outside of Ireland for that matter!).