Is scríobhneoir/údar mise agus file in oiliúint. I am a writer/author and poet in training, ag foghlaim cúpla focal and writing bits and pieces as Gaeilge ó am go ham. I feel it is important as writers to represent our heritage and native tongue where possible, as this is where our rich culture of storytelling, poetry, song and the arts comes from. Generations of Seanchaí teachings and traditions have been passed down from family to family, keeping our cultural history vibrant and far reaching across a global stage.
Ar Seachtain na Gaeilge, indeed all year round, it is vital to keep cúpla focal in our vocabulary and daily caint le chéile, in our chat and greetings and especially in our writing. Is beatha teanga í a labhairt. It is only by using the language that we keep it alive. Is fearr Gaeilge briste ná Béarla cliste, a few broken or imperfect words of Irish in every day use, are all it takes to bring the language back. Do you hear your friends and family using grammatically correct English in every day conversation? Not at all! So why worry about grammar or correct and proper Gaeilge? Just have the craic. The rest will follow.
I try to write bits of poetry as Gaeilge everyday in my quest to relearn, looking up words on Fóclóir.ie or Teanglann.ie and many others as I go. Just simple verse about subjects meaningful to me, little every day events that inspire me to keep writing, a beautiful sunrise, murmurations of starlings in my garden and the wonderful people I meet. Sharing my cúpla focal online helps me to push myself to do better and hopefully inspire others to take up the cúpla focal mantel along the way. Níl sé deacair. Its not difficult to throw a couple of focal into an email or text, a dinner toast or a slagging match with friends.
There is a great community of online Gaeilgeóir, young and old, sharing frásaí an lae, a word or phrase of the day, pointers and helpful tips as well as wonderful performances of pop hits translated into Irish. Look out for them on Instagram, u tube, Tik Tok and Facebook or simply throw your eyes on TG4 to see the great programming content and shows such as Aperitif, the dating show for Gaeilgeóirs and cúpla focal users alike. I haven’t a clue of so much of it but am picking up words here and there and developing an ear for the dialects.
Ireland was once the Island of saints and scholars. Bringing education and law, music and the arts to Britain and far afield before English was forced down our throats and our language stolen from us. We have a duty to bring it back. Irish can be fun if you forget the academic crap pushed down our throats in school and just have the craic with it. Correct me if I’m wrong, or don’t. Ná bac liom. I care not. Lean ar aghaidh. Off you go. Cúpla focal ar Seachtain na Gaeilge, why not?
Iníon na hÉireann
Is as na páirceanna glas mé
Iníon na hÉireann
M’anam lán de filíocht
‘S Aislingí móra i mo cheann
Le grá i mo chroí le scéalta
Damhsa agus amhráin
Ceol ‘s tradisiúnta ón gcré
Tá mo chupán lán
I am from the green fields
A daughter of Ireland
My soul filled with poetry
And big dreams in my head
With love in my heart for stories
Dance and song
Music and traditions from the soil
My cup is full
(c) Mary Egan Campbell
Read more from Mary Egan Campbell on Writing.ie here.
