http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/herit ... 65366cf95f

A taster:

"Irish was the first language I heard. Words like “a leanbhín gleoite” (O gorgeous child) or “a bhuachaillín bhig” (O little baby boy). When I was sick, sad or sleepy these terms soothed me. A stóirín mhín, a mhaicín séimh, a ghráidhín gheal.

Now that I’m all grown up these sounds should have less potency, but I am embarrassed to admit how evocative they still are. They are intimate reminders of the unconditional love my parents radiated....."

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I was going to post, then I vomited over my keyboard...

Only joking. He's not a bad sort, but a little wrapped up in himself to the degree he'd try those phrases on any cailín

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__̴ı̴̴̡̡̡ ̡͌l̡̡̡ ̡͌l̡*̡̡ ̴̡ı̴̴̡ ̡̡͡|̲̲̲͡͡͡ ̲▫̲͡ ̲̲̲͡͡π̲̲͡͡ ̲̲͡▫̲̲͡͡ ̲|̡̡̡ ̡ ̴̡ı̴̡̡ ̡͌l̡̡̡̡.___

how is it possible that Irish is the 1st language Manchán heard, and that his Irish is so awful?
I taught Irish during one year in a university, and by the end of the year, some of my students pronounced better than him... (and they had only 2 hours every week, if I remember well). Not to mention grammar.

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

I wonder if he only heard it in terms of endearment? I seem to recall him saying something about his grandmother giving them candies to speak it growing up, and it led me to assume he wasn't truly a native speaker.

Anyway, I feel this whole article was advertising for that fair thingy he's at.

Did anyone go to the 'adopt a word' gig?

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I constantly meet people born and raised in the Gaeltacht , through Irish, in Irish speaking homes that have a standard of spoken Irish you would associate with someone who's only exposure to Irish was through the school system.

on other occasions people have remarked how fluent speakers Irish changes to school Irish upon entering secondary school.

Just because they lack the native blas it doesn't mean they haven't been exposed to and immersed in the language since their earliest days.

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Bíonn rudaí maithe mall