Leagan Gaeilge anseo

The Irish Language:

Learner Aids

Self-instructional courses
CD ROMS
Dictionaries
Grammar

Below is a list of self-instructional Irish courses, dictionaries and grammar books which may be of help to the learner or to those wishing to improve their Irish. The list is based on the catalogue of An Siopa Leabhar which classifies the books on offer under the following headings: complete courses, monolingual and bilingual dictionaries, dictionaries of specific terminology, books on dialects, Irish books in English translation, books for intermediate learners, books for advanced learners and magazines.

The full catalogue can be viewed at www.egt.ie/lghlin/siopa6/index.html and books can be bought online at that website.

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Self-instructional Irish courses

Ó Dónaill, Éamonn
Turas Teanga
Turas Teanga is a multimedia language course aimed at learners of Irish at intermediate level. A twenty-part television series was broadcast on RTÉ in the first half of 2004. Those programmes are now available on DVD and the following elements are also part of the course: a full-colour book (published by Gill and Macmillan), 3 audio CDs, and a website (www.rte.ie/tv/turasteanga).

Byrne, Annette
Gaeilge agus Fáilte
This course is aimed at beginners. It is comprised of a 200 page book and two 60-minute audio cassettes.
ITÉ/Gael-Linn 2001

Ó Dónaill, Éamonn & Ní Churraighín, Deirbhile
Now You're Talking
Now You're Talking is the modern user-friendly way to learn Irish whether you are a complete beginner or looking to brush up on your existing knowledge. It is based on the RTÉ/BBC NI television series of the same name. In conjunction with this book there are five 96-minute audiocassettes which take you through the entire course.
Ulster Dialect.
Gael Media 1995

Mac Gabhann, Risteard
Cúrsa Closamhairc Gaeilge
An audiovisual self-instructional course in Irish for adults. It consists of a textbook and three audiocassettes. It is aimed at people with little or no Irish and is based on the Ulster dialect.
Book and cassettes (not available separately), Andersonstown News, Belfast, 1975 (4th ed. 1987)

Mac Gabhann, Risteard
Tús Maith
A self-instructional language course for adults, comprising of 20 units of learning in total. Three audio CDs accompany the book.
Ogmios, 10 Bóthar Dhún an Chreagáin, Derry BT48 OAD
Tel: ++44 28 71264714
Email: r.macgabhann@ulster.ac.uk

Mac Póilín, Aodán
Irish is Fun
Based on the original Welsh course Welsh is Fun, this is a funny but effective introduction to the Irish language which uses cartoons as visual aids for the learner. There are 17 graded lessons, with exercises, grammar and vocabulary.
Y Lolfa, Wales 1987

Ó Riain, Seán
Irish is Fun-tastic
A follow-up of Irish is Fun with more lessons in spoken Irish. It begins with a revision of material covered in Irish is Fun but there is a more detailed section on grammar.
Y Lolfa, Wales 1990

Ó Riain, Flann
Lazy Way To Irish
This is an introduction to basic Irish words, phrases and sentences which uses cartoons and a minimum of grammatical explanations. Much of the course is based around verbal structures.
Munster dialect.
Y Lolfa, Wales 1993

Cogar - RTÉ course in spoken Irish
Cogar is a first-stage Irish Language learning series, designed to help both beginners and those whose Irish is a little rusty. It is a 20-part radio course which covers everyday topics with instruction in English. There are revision and writing exercises to which answers are provided at the end.
The course is based on a series of conversations recorded in the Conamara Gaeltacht.
2 Books and 4 Cassettes
RTÉ/Gael-Linn/ITÉ

Ó Sé, Diarmuid & Sheils, Joseph
Teach Yourself Irish
This is a complete course for beginners and for people who have learnt some Irish at school but who have had little opportunity to speak it. The course consists of 20 lessons or units of study and there are appendices on aspects of the grammar of Irish.
There is a pronunciation guide on CD.
Munster dialect.
Hodder & Stoughton, 1993, 2002 (new edition)

Ó Siadhail, Mícheál
Learning Irish
This course is based on the dialect of Cois Fharraige in West Galway. The learner is introduced to the language in a graduated series of lessons based on linguistic and pedagogical principles. Exercises are provided for self-testing and full keys to all texts and exercises are included. The accompanying set of cassette recordings, as well as teaching the sound-system, covers all the texts in the book. Use is made throughout the book of the International Phonetic Alphabet.
New edition from Yale U.P. 1988
Four cassettes

Wilkes, Angela
Irish for Beginners
This entertaining and colourful book is an introduction to Irish for complete beginners and has been specially devised to make language learning easier and fun. Humorously illustrated, it deals with everyday situations and provides a thorough grounding in useful basic Irish. New grammar is clearly explained and there are plenty of puzzles to encourage practice. There is a cassette that can be used separately, but one can follow the lessons with the text.
Language consultants: Ó Cróinín, Séamus & Smith, Michael.
Usborne Language Guides 1989

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CD-ROMs

The CD-ROMs below can be ordered from the following:

Cúpla Focal, Irish language bookshop,
Bray, Co. Wicklow (Tel: (01) 276-5120;
web site: www.cuplafocal.ie)

www.litriocht.com

www.oideas-gael.com/siopa


Talk Now! Learn Irish
Eurotalk Interactive. PC/Mac
Core sentences for beginners. Comprehensive and interactive.

Speakwrite Gaeilge - Parts 1, 2, 3
This Irish language course on CD-ROM concentrates on listening and speaking skills. Contains many recordings of native speakers and a comprehensive guide for grammar.
Further information: Mícheal Ó Flatharta, Áras Mháirtín Uí Chadhain, An Cheathrú Rua, Co. na Gaillimhe. (091) 595101

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Dictionaries

HarperCollins
Collins Gem English-Irish, Irish-English Dictionary
This dictionary contains 40,000 references and 60,000 translations as well as a guide to Irish grammar.

Collins
Pocket Irish Dictionary
A more comprehensive version of the above dictionary. Editors: Séamus Mac Mathúna, Ailbhe Ó Corráin; Sub-editor: Pádraig Ó Mianáin

Valerie Grundy and Breandán Ó Cróinín
The Pocket Oxford Irish Dictionary
More than 100,000 words, phrases and translations.

De Bhaldraithe, Tomás (ed.)
Foclóir Béarla-Gaeilge
This is the standard and comprehensive English-Irish Dictionary. First published in 1959.
Oifig an tSoláthair, repr. 1998

Oireachtaigh, Bríd Bean Uí
Nuafhoclóir
English-Irish Dictionary
Designed for the school learner, but may also be of use to the adult beginner.
Fallons, Dublin 1967

Ó Siochfhradha, Mícheál (ed.)
Foclóir Béarla-Gaeilge/Gaeilge-Béarla
This is a very useful dictionary for the learner. Modern and up-to-date reference with highlighted headwords and useful phrases to illustrate word usage.

Educational Company, Dublin
Pocket Irish Dictionary
Designed to provide the basic, key vocabulary of the language swiftly and with as little effort as possible.
Appletree Press, Belfast, 1985

Ó Baoill, Dónall P. (ed.)
Foclóir Póca
An Irish-English/English-Irish dictionary of 30,000 words, phonetic pronunciation, new terminology, tables of verbs and listing of geographical names. There is also an accompanying learner's cassette available.
An Gúm, Dublin 1986

Ó Dónaill, Niall, agus de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (ed.)
Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla
This is the standard and comprehensive Irish-English Dictionary. It supersedes the famous Dineen dictionary.
Oifig an tSoláthair, Dublin 1977

An Roinn Oideachais
Gearrfhoclóir Gaeilge-Béarla
This is a shorter version of the Irish-English dictionary compiled by the Department of Education and published in 1978, with editor Niall Ó Dónaill and consultant editor Tomás de Bhaldraithe. It contains the standard headwords given in the original dictionary, with some exceptions, together with the English translations and some of the more important illustrative phrases. In order to save space, alternative forms of headwords are omitted.
Oifig an tSoláthair, Dublin 1981

Dinneen, Patrick S.
Foclóir Gaedhilge agus Béarla
The classic Irish-English dictionary. Only suitable for an advanced learner as pre-1959 reform spelling is used. Gaelic script is also used in the headwords as opposed to the standard Roman script. The author also indicates geographical, literary and personal sources of words. Essential reference for access to Irish literature.
Irish Texts Society, Dublin 1975

An Roinn Oideachais
An Foclóir Beag
Approximately 13,000 words are explained in this dictionary as well as grammar explanations and sample sentences. Though aimed primarily at teenagers, it would be suitable as a basic dictionary for adults.
Oifig an tSoláthair, Dublin 1991
An Foclóir Beag is available on-line at: www.csis.ul.ie/focloir

The following comprehensive site contains searchable lists of contemporary words: www.acmhainn.ie

A spelling checker, developed by Diarmaid Mac Mathúna, is available free of charge at www.gaelspell.com

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Grammar

Ó Dónaill, Éamonn
Teach Yourself Irish Grammar
Useful grammar is taught in this comprehensive book and the focus is very much on everyday usage rather than on the rules. The grammatical rules are presented in clear, non-technical language. Each unit contains exercises and the answers to those exercises are given at the end of the book. Suitable for beginners upwards.
Hodder and Stoughton, 2005

Mac Congáil, Nollaig
Leabhar Gramadaí Gaeilge
Grammar book nearly completely in Irish and therefore not suitable for the beginner. Rules are presented clearly and concisely, and complex explanation is avoided.
Cló Iar-Chonnachta, 2002

Mac Congáil, Nollaig
Irish Grammar Book
An Irish language version of the above book, suitable for learners at all levels of competence.
Cló Iar-Chonnachta, 2004

Mac Murchaidh, Ciarán
Cruinnscríobh na Gaeilge
A practical short course in the accuracy and grammar of Irish. The book is aimed in the main at undergraduates of Irish however it is expected that it will be of use also to learners and teachers. It contains plenty of exercises which help the learner come to grips with the main structures and features of Irish grammar. In this, the new revised edition, there is more material and exercises in addition to an electronic version to further assist the reader. Completely in Irish and therefore not suitable for the beginner.
Cois Life, 2002 (new edition 2004)

Baoill, Dónall P. & Ó Rónáin, Conchúr
Úrchúrsa Gaeilge
Aimed primarily at third-level students but also suitable for post-primary and self-instruction. This is a good compact grammar book which concentrates on the more common pitfalls facing the learner who wishes to write grammatically correct Irish. It contains numerous useful exercises. The text is completely in Irish. An answerbook can be bought separately.
Institiúid Teangeolaíochta Éireann, Dublin 1980

Christian Brothers
New Irish Grammar
The commentary to this grammar is in English. Rules are presented in clear terms that can be understood by the average learner.
Dublin 1976

Christian Brothers
Graiméar Gaeilge na mBráithre Críostaí
An Gúm published a newer, enlarged, clear version of this grammar book (first published in 1960) in 1999.
An Gúm, Dublin 1999.

Mac Giolla Phádraig, Brian
Gearrchúrsa Gramadaí
A less comprehensive, shorter version of Réchúrsa Gramadaí. Completely in Irish and therefore not suitable for the beginner. Covers a wide range of grammatical topics.
Mac an Ghoill, Dublin [s.d.]

Ó hÍomhair, Seán & Ó Broin, Risteárd
Buntús Gramadaí
A grammar guide for young students and beginners. Completely in Irish. Half of the text is devoted to the Irish verb system.
Educational Company, Dublin 1984

McGonagle, Noel
Irish Grammar: A Basic Handbook
The aim of this book is to provide a basic working and reference grammar of Irish in the English Language. The order in which the various lessons appear in this book does not necessarily have to be followed. The freedom to pick and choose is left to the learner although there is a certain sequence of fundamental lessons that will have to be followed at the outset. All major components of the language are tackled but not all the various rules and exceptions to rules are given.
Cló Iar-Chonnachta 1988

Ó Murchú, Déaglán / Ó Murchú, Pádraig
Briathra na Gaeilge (Irish Verbs)
Regular and Irregular Verbs.
Folens, Dublin

Gramadach na Gaeilge agus Litriú na Gaeilge: An Caighdeán Oifigiúil
This book outlines the standardised Irish spelling and grammar rules and the principles applied when deciding on the standard form. Suitable for the advanced learner.
Oifig an tSoláthair 1979

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