Couldn't agree with Féabar more there.

My first course was Giota Beag which was free on the bbc website which taught Ulster Irish, I think your man was from Dungannon or something. I was living in England at the time and hadn't discovered all these site's and when I first saw Ros na Rún I was like, "what the f*$k", I couldn't understand a word of Conamara Irish apart from agus and I wondered had I been learning a different language alltogether. All i'd say on that is that your knowledge does broaden, but you sound like your well on your way to Irish so fair play.

About Tús Maith you wrote:


well, there are many things in Tús Maith that are standard (or from other dialects) and are not used in Donegal. To me it rather teaches a blend of Ulster and Standard Irish - as usual.
The only learning books that teach real dialects, are Learning Irish (Cois Fhairrge) and the old Teach Yourself Irish (Múscraí). I can't think of any other one.

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Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne

We will have to have a chat on Skype again if thats the case a chomrádaí

@Lughaidh: That's why I've called it "northern leaning Irish". It is not a course in Donegal Irish. The two courses you mentioned are not Donegal or northern leaning Irish at all, so at least with Tús Maith you are pointed in the general direction of Donegal Irish as a basis for study and you are exposed to Standard Irish. I believe that is why Oideas Gael recommended them to me. It's a great course for those who can't move there as you did.

@Benjamin: I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with you and felt like I had been on a roller coaster hanging on for dear life in our conversation, but it was a real thrill for me. Your Irish is beautiful and incredibly fluent. I will get there someday!

I wonder why there's no learning book that teaches Donegal Irish as it is spoken, a kind of 'Learning Irish' in Donegal Irish. There's no need to always blend it with standard stuff. Donegal Irish is worth being learnt in its real form.

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Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne

Id be great if someone did one as comprehensive, don't know why nobody has

Dá mbeadh cead, munar plagiarism é, bheinnse sásta féacháil le leagan Ultach do 'Learning Irish' a dhéanamh.

_________________
Is fearr Gaeilg na Gaeltaċta ná Gaeilg ar biṫ eile
Agus is í Gaeilg Ġaoṫ Doḃair is binne

Your Irish is improving all the time, if there was a competition for someone who has learned the quickest you would win, and I mean that hands down.



You've been saying this for years a chara

It would be terrific if you made a book for Donegal Irish

One thing people shouldn't be discouraged of their level of Irish if they don't understand a Conamara person, Conamara is the hardest dialect to understand in Irish for non Conamara speakers even if you are fluent you will still have problems understanding it unless you make it your business to understand.

Creidim gur dúirt Benjamin le Lughaidh "Níl ann ach déan túsa é!". Aontaim leis. Ba mhaith liomsa an cúrsa sin a fheiscint fosta. Gan sin, leanfaidh mé leis agus molfaidh mé an cúrsa Tús Maith le Risteard Macgabhann et al. Bhí comhra an-suimiúil againn. Thaitin snáithe seo liom! Meanwhile....I'll keep on keepin' on. Oíche mhaith ó Texas!