Imeachtaí – Upcoming Movie Night and more!

A chairde, nóta gairid chun a rá libh faoin Oíche Chluichí agus cúpla imeacht eile / A quick note to let you know about Games Night and some upcoming events…

Oíche Chluichí / Games Night

Last Tuesday’s Oíche Chluichí/Games Night was ‘go hiontach!’ We played card games, Scrabble, jigsaws, Twister ‘as Gaeilge’ (aka Casta!) and topped the night off with a very competitive and tense Tráth na gCeist / Table Quiz! See the photos below for a taste of what went down! Buíochas do gach duine a tháinig – táimid ag súil leis an gcéad cheann eile!

‘Comhghairdeas’ to all the students who completed their Introductory course on Tuesday night. A continuation Introductory course will run Nov 11-Dec 16th (5 weeks). If current or returning Introductory students would like to attend, please click here. We will be continuing with Living Language Irish: Complete Edition. Copies available at Irish Is Fun.com.

Intermediate classes are currently running on Thursdays,  7:00 – 8:20pm until Dec 18. If you’ve studied Irish before and would like to join either the current Introductory or Intermediate class, please contact us today.

Oíche Scannán / Movie Night

Our next Oíche Scannán / Movie Night will take place on Sunday, Nov 16th, 7 – 8:30pm in the Chevy Chase Pavilion. We will be screening a brand new Irish language thriller…for more info and to register, please see our MeetUp page. Fáilte roimh chách / All welcome. Refreshments (and subtitles) included! Anyone who would like to pick up one of the remaining Irish Verb Cards ($12) or Quickguide Grammar Guides ($15) can do so on the night. Súil againn go mbeidh tú ann – hope to see you there!

Finally, an Chéadaoin, 10ú Nollag (12/10) is being suggested as the date for our annual Cóisir na Nollag / Holiday Happy Hour. Any suggested locations? Leave your comments below!

Tráth na gCeist / Quiz

Tráth na gCeist / Quiz

Tráth na gCeist / Quiz

Oíche Chluichí / Games Night

Oíche Chluichí / Games Night

Oíche Chluichí / Games Night

Oíche Chluichí / Games Night

MeetUp Group Updates

“Go raibh mile maith agaibh” (a thousand thanks) to everyone who has joined the Arlington MeetUp group over the past three sessions. The turnout has been spectacular, and it has been a pleasure to work with so many individuals dedicated to learning the Irish language. Moving forward, I will post updates on this site regarding various housekeeping items.

First, the next Arlington MeetUp will take place on Monday, June 16 at 6:30 p.m. We will enjoy friendly conversation and cover Buntús Cainte, chapters 9 through 12. Please feel free to purchase a copy of the book from IrishIsFun.com. If you are unable to purchase a copy or waiting for it to arrive via post, please leave a comment when you RSVP and I will send you materials via email. This MeetUp takes place on the first and third Monday of each month.

Join an Irish Meetup!

Next, there is interest in starting another MeetUp group that meets in or closer to Maryland. If you are interested in helping to run this group, or are just interested in attending, please send us a message and let us know what role you can play. If someone is willing to organize and enough people are interested, we will post the details here and on the MeetUp site.

There is also interest in forming a Skype voice-chat group, for those who are not able to attend the MeetUps in person. There are already two members willing to host the chats, so please make contact if you are interested. Please feel free to suggest times and days that work best with your schedule.

Finally, we have discussed some great Irish learning resources at our meetings. I want to share a list and links to some of these materials that you can use to practice on your own. Feel free to use the Irish you’ve learned at the next MeetUp!

• Now You’re Talking is a 28-part TV series that teaches beginner’s Irish in the Ulster dialect. Each 30 minute episode covers essential conversational Irish. You’ll be ready to converse like a pro at the next MeetUp! It’s free to watch on YouTube.
• Raidió Fáilte is an Irish language radio station based in Belfast. The Irish is usually spoken at a slower pace than RTÉ’s Raidió na Gaeltachta, so it is ideal for beginners and intermediate speakers. For newer beginners, the site offers audio for the first 20 chapters of Buntús Cainte for free.
• Interested in watching Irish language television (with English subtitles!)? Check out TG4, which has tons of dramas, documentaries, talk shows, news broadcasts, and more.
• Finally, some members were asking about the book David and I have been using for independent study. It is called “Spoken World Irish,” and the pack includes a text and 6 audio CDs. It is available at IrishIsFun.com for those who are interested.

As always, thank you so much for your participation in the group! We all learn more quickly and have a lot more fun when there are others to practice with. See you at the next meeting!

Monday Meetup This Evening!

Monday Meetup

Meetups continue to go ‘ó neart to neart‘ (from strength to strength) on the 1st & 3rd Monday of each month at Bayou Bakery in Arlington!

This evening we will be reviewing chapters 5, 6, 7 & 8 from Buntús Cainte. The early chapters are short exercises which will be very useful to new learners, and a fun review for experienced speakers. If you RSVP on our Meetup page, we will contact you to make sure you have the materials and audio to practice before each meeting.

Look out for the Irish flag on the table! The Bayou Bakery is only a few hundred feet from Courthouse Metro (Orange Line). Come out the plaza exit and head away from the escalators and AMC, and you will see Bayou Bakery. Feicfimid thú ansin / see you there!

Vote Your Support for Irish!

A chairde,

It was smiles all around this week with news of the selection of Ronan Connolly in this year’s Irish Echo ’40 Under 40′ list. Ronan is Stiúrthóir/Director at Let’s Learn Irish and has been teaching the ‘cúpla focal’ in the USA since 2009. The annual event is a celebration of Irish and Irish-Americans who have distinguished themselves in their respective fields of work by the age of forty.

Vote Your Support for Irish in the USA!

There will also be a People’s Choice Award on the evening; you can show your support for Irish students and teachers in the USA by voting for Ronan at IrishEcho.com, or by clicking here. Voting ends this Thursday, and presentations will take place in New York City on Friday, Feb 28th. A big ‘go raibh míle maith agat’ to everyone who has voted so far!

*New Irish courses for DC students are set to begin soon. Intermediate (Rang 2) is now full, but spaces remain for the Thursday class, March 6 – April 10. Am: 6:30 – 8pm. Fee: $179. Register before Sat March 1 for Early Bird rate!

1-Day Introductory Intensive: Sunday April 13th, 10 – 5pm. By the end of this day, students will be able to introduce themselves and talk about their family life, where they live, occupation, likes/dislikes, hobbies, numbers and tell the time! Lunch will also be provided. Register now.

Upcoming Courses

A chairde,

The following new courses are coming up soon:

Oíche Chluichí / Games Night

Intermediate (Rang 2): Wed March 5, Tues Mar 11 – Tues April 8. New topics for those who have attended Rang 1 and Rang 2 classes. Course topics include: Feeling Unwell, My Body, Placenames and Counties, Short Film, Prepositions ‘do’ and ‘le’, Conversation Phrases, Proverbs and a game! CLASS NOW FULL. Please contact us to be added to the waitlist.

Advanced (Ard Rang): Thurs March 6 – April 10. Tá na cúrsaí seo dírithe ar dhaoine atá roinnt ama caite acu ag foghlaim na teangan.

1-Day Introductory Intensive: Sunday April 13th, 10 – 5pm. By the end of this day, students will be able to introduce themselves and talk about their family life, where they live, occupation, likes/dislikes, hobbies, numbers and tell the time! Lunch will also be provided.

Beginner 1-Day Intensive in April

A chairde,

We are very excited to announce a 1-Day Introductory Intensive on Sunday April 13th, 10 – 5pm. This popular class is designed for complete beginners who would like to immerse themselves in a challenging (yet fun) day of Irish learning. By the end of the day, students will be able to introduce themselves and talk about their family life, where they live, occupation, likes/dislikes, hobbies, numbers and tell the time! Lunch will also be provided.

Let’s Learn Irish!

The year 2014 has already begun in earnest, with Introductory, Intermediate and Ard Rang classes all full and now in session. If you’re ready to start learning Irish, and can’t wait until our next 8-week course in September, then the 1-Day Introductory Intensive is the perfect place to start! CLASS NOW FULL. If you are interested in this course or a follow-up 1-day intensive, please contact us.

Last Chance for Competition and Early Bird Rates!

Comórtas Coole Swan!

A chairde, 2013 has been a great year for the Irish language community in DC, and we are looking forward to our community growing more in 2014! As 2013 comes to an end, classes are already filling up for 2014 and today is your last chance to secure your spot in a class with 2013’s Early Bird Rate (see below for information to enroll in classes in 2014*).

Today is also your last chance to be one of three lucky winners in our ‘Comórtas Coole Swan’! Each winner will receive a free 700ml bottle of exquisite Coole Swan Irish cream liqueur, as well as some tasty Coole Swan treats! There is no cost to enter, just simply send an email with the subject line ‘Comórtas‘ to info[at]LetsLearnIrish.com by 5.00pm on Tuesday, 31st December 2013. Entrants must be over 21 years of age. Please include your name, postal address, phone number and answer the following question:

How many students studied with Let’s Learn Irish in 2013?

A) 50

B) 100

C) over 200 students!

All correct answers will be entered into a draw, with the lucky winners receiving their Coole Swan prize in early January 2014! Go raibh maith agaibh, agus ádh mór / Thanks again, and good luck!!

*Early Bird rates end tonight for upcoming Rang 2 and Ard Rang classes:

Beginner (Rang 1): Fáilte – Welcome to learning Irish! This class is for anyone new or just beginning to acquire the ‘cúpla focal’. This 8-week course is offered twice annually, in January and September. Here we cover all the basics and prepare students for the Intermediate class. By the end of this course, students will be able to introduce themselves and talk about their family life, where they live, occupation, likes/dislikes, hobbies, numbers, tell the time, days of the week, describe how they feel and more!

Upcoming Course: Tues Jan 7, 14, 21, 28, Feb 4, 11, 18, 25. Time: 6:15 – 7:30pm. Small class size. Class is held in the Chevy Chase Pavilion, directly above Friendship Heights Metro. CLASS FULL.

Intermediate (Rang 2): These courses run throughout the year, and are suitable for anyone who has taken the Rang 1 Beginner level class (but not sitting a TEG examination). Each 6-week Rang 2 course covers a different range of topics, with a strong emphasis placed on developing conversation and confidence in Irish. This course is also a good option for anyone who has previously learned Irish, but not spoken the language for a while. Course topics include The Weather, Verbal Nouns, Describing People, Greetings, Prepositions ‘ag’ and ‘ar’, Conversation Phrases, Proverbs and a song!

Upcoming Course: Tues Jan 14, 21, 28, Feb 4, 11, 18. Time: 7:40 – 9pm. CLASS FULL

Advanced (Ard Rang): Buail isteach linn! These 6-week courses are designed for experienced students of Irish. Upcoming course: Thursday Jan 16, 23, 30, Feb 6, 13, 20. Time: 6:30 – 8pm. CLASS FULL.

Nollaig Shona – Competition Time!

[English version below]

Nollaig Shona agus athbhliain faoi shéan agus faoi mhaise daoibh!

Agus muid ag druidim i dtreo dheireadh na bliana, teastaíonn uainn ár mbuíochas a ghabháil le gach duine a chuidigh linn i rith 2013. Bliain ar leith a bhí ann do Let’s Learn Irish; ina measc ár n-imeachtaí, chuir muid tús lenár Seomra Cíbir don Gramadach 101/102, an grúpa MeetUp, oícheanta scannáin, Seachtain na Gaeilge DC agus Naughty Irish Night! Lean muid ar aghaidh lenár ranganna saor in aisce in Alexandria agus DC. Rinneamar athdhearadh suntasach ar ár suíomh idirlíne, agus thosaigh múinteoir nua linn! Chomh maith, bhí leathanta agus oicheanta ag Ambasáid na hÉireann againn, agus bhí an-rath orthu. Anuas ar achan rud, bhuail RTE isteach linn i rith na bliana agus bhí ár bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge le cloisteáil in achan chearn den tír dúchais! Le buíochas a ghabháil leat as tacú linn i rith na bliana, tá comórtas beag againn…

**

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

As the year draws to a close, we would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped us in 2013. This has been a very special year for Let’s Learn Irish; among the many activities this year, we started our ‘Cyber Classroom’ for our grammar courses, a MeetUp group, movie nights, Irish Week in DC and Naughty Irish Night! We continued our free classes, with introductory days and theme nights in DC and Alexandria. We redesigned our website and we also had a new teacher come onboard! There were also two highly successful days at the Irish Embassy. On top of all this, national broadcaster RTE paid us a visit, and our hard-working students were heard speaking ‘Gaeilge’ across the Irish airwaves!

Comórtas Coole Swan!

As a thank you to all our students and múinteoirí for their hard work in 2013, we have teamed up with our friends at Coole Swan in Co. Meath! We are giving away a free 700ml bottle of exquisite Coole Swan Irish cream liqueur, as well as some tasty Coole Swan treats, to THREE lucky entrants! To be in with a chance to win this exclusive prize, simply send an email with the subject line ‘Comórtas‘ to info[at]LetsLearnIrish.com by 5.00pm on Tuesday, 31st December 2013. Entrants must be over 21 years of age. Please include your name, postal address, phone number and answer the following question:

How many students studied with Let’s Learn Irish in 2013?

A) 50

B) 100

C) over 200 students!

All correct answers will be entered into a draw, with the lucky winners receiving their Coole Swan prize in early January 2014! Go raibh maith agaibh, agus ádh mór / Thanks again, and good luck!!

Upcoming Rang 1 (Beginner), Rang 2 (Intermediate) and Ard Rang courses begin Jan 7 – for more details, click here. Our next 1-Day Introductory and Intermediate Intensives are scheduled for April 2014.

All Classes Begin in January!

Bliain Úr = Ranganna Nua

New year, new classes! This January will be a vibrant time for Irish in Washington DC, with Introductory Rang 1 beginning January 7th, and Intermediate Rang 2 and Ard Rang courses kicking off the following week. The 8-week Introductory course runs only twice annually, and there are only a few spaces remaining for January. With class sizes limited, and Early Bird rates ending soon, now really is the best time to register your intent for 2014! See below for all class details.

Beginner (Rang 1): Fáilte – Welcome to learning Irish! This class is for anyone new or just beginning to acquire the ‘cúpla focal’. This 8-week course is offered twice annually, in January and September. Here we cover all the basics and prepare students for the Intermediate class. By the end of this course, students will be able to introduce themselves and talk about their family life, where they live, occupation, likes/dislikes, hobbies, numbers, tell the time, days of the week, describe how they feel and more!

Upcoming Course: Tues Jan 7, 14, 21, 28, Feb 4, 11, 18, 25. Time: 6:15 – 7:30pm. Small class size. Class is held in the Chevy Chase Pavilion, directly above Friendship Heights Metro. CLASS FULL

Intermediate (Rang 2): These courses run throughout the year, and are suitable for anyone who has taken the Rang 1 Beginner level class (but not sitting a TEG examination). Each 6-week Rang 2 course covers a different range of topics, with a strong emphasis placed on developing conversation and confidence in Irish. This course is also a good option for anyone who has previously learned Irish, but not spoken the language for a while. Course topics include The Weather, Verbal Nouns, Describing People, Greetings, Prepositions ‘ag’ and ‘ar’, Conversation Phrases, Proverbs and a song!

Upcoming Course: Tues Jan 14, 21, 28, Feb 4, 11, 18. Time: 7:40 – 9pm. Class size is limited. Register by Dec 31st for Early Bird rate!

Advanced (Ard Rang): Buail isteach linn! These 6-week courses are designed for experienced students of Irish.

Upcoming course: Thursday Jan 16, 23, 30, Feb 6, 13, 20. Time: 6:30 – 8pm. Class size is limited. Register by Dec 31st for Early Bird rate!

Throughout the year we also run our popular 1-Day Intensive courses. Our next Introductory and Intermediate Intensives are scheduled for April 2014.

Our Next Monthly Meetup!

Oíche Scannán / Movie Night!

A big ‘Go raibh maith agat’ to everyone who was able to attend our September ‘Oíche Scannán / Movie Night’! The documentary was very interesting, and there was an enjoyable and lively discussion afterwards!

Our next meetup will be a ‘Oíche Chluichí / Games Night’, on Tues, Oct 29th in Chevy Chase Pavilion. If you happen to be attending our Introductory class that evening, do not fear: we will be playing games from 7 – 9pm!

We will have a range of board and card games that have been adapted to be played ‘as Gaeilge’.  We will bring some student favorites, including ‘Cé Sin / Guess Who’ and the classic ‘Intinn / Cranium’, but we will also be unveiling a few exciting new games!!  We will have directions and tip sheets at the ready, so everyone can get stuck in…but please, no serious gambling! If you also have a board game that you would like to bring, please contact us in advance!

Newbies, intermediates, advanced –  everyone is welcome! To help us prepare, please register your attendance via the Oíche Chluichí event on the Failte DC group page or through our MeetUp page.