Yesterday, I visited each classroom on a mission to promote the use of spoken Irish in the School. A central part of this is the use of Frásaí na seachtaine, a weekly phrase which is given particular emphasis. Each Friday, I will put up a frásaí na seachtaine tab on the website so that you can reinforce the work of the School at home.
The reluctance many of us to speak the language is in marked contrast to the efforts (often hilarious!) we all make to go local when in Spain, France and Germany. The barriers to speaking Irish are cultural but mainly as a result, in my view, of a right or wrong approach to it- people who perceive that their Irish is not good simply get psyched out when in the company of speakers with a better level of Irish.
SO……. the message is, be seen not to be afraid to practise your cúpla focal at home with the boys- the two effects will be that your family will see it as just another language, and the gaeilge we all have will seep through the cracks of our subconscious and into our mouths!
THis past week’s frásaí were
Dia Dhuit! …………..Dia is Muire dhuit! (correctly spelled Dia ‘s Muire dhuit, but one step at a time!!!)