A new term of Irish language classes for all levels of learners will begin in St Catherine’s College in Armagh on Wednesday 20 January at 7pm. The classes cater for lower and higher beginners, lower and higher intermediate and advanced levels and take place in the Irish medium unit of Coláiste Chaitríona on Convent Road in the city. The classes are extremely popular and focus on spoken Irish to help the learners obtain fluenct in the language. This term will finish on Wednesday 27 April and the cost for the 12 classes will be £30 or £15 concessions.
Cairde Teo are also offering an opportunity for those interested in learning Irish to attend one of a number of intensive language courses on Saturday 23 January in the Athletic Grounds in Armagh. There will be a class for beginners, intermediate and advanced levels. The courses, which are organised in conjunction with the Cultural Committee of Armagh GAA, take place from 11am to 4pm and the cost of £10 includes lunch. The intensive courses take place seasonally throughout the year and have received the backing of Armagh senior footballer Charlie Vernon and Armagh senior hurler Simon Doherty, who have pledged to encourage a number of their teammates to learn their native language during 2016.
If you are interested in improving your Irish or if you have made a new year’s resolution to learn something new, you can contact Seán on 028 3751 5229 or sean@cairdeteo.com or call in to the Cairde Teo office, which is located within the Irish language and Celtic crafts shop Cult Úr in Armagh City Shopping Centre. Cairde Teo support the Líofa initiative which was developed by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure to encourage people to sign up to a personal pledge to learn Irish and attain conversational fluency in the language. As well as the various classes, there are also a number of conversation groups to help learners practice their language. Armagh’s long-established conversation circle Ciorcal Comhrá Ard Mhacha meet on Tuesday nights from 9.30pm in the Station Bar. There is also a conversation group in Embers’ café on Market Street each Tuesday evening between 7pm and 8.30pm.
