Image via WikipediaOne of my goals for 2012 is taking a class to learn another language. I have an aptitude for languages, generally speaking, and after visiting Ireland in August, I chose Irish as my language to learn. Not only do I have some family history there, but I fell in love with the country and its people, making me all the more eager to learn more about the country as a whole.
After returning from our trip to County Kerry, which is an Irish-speaking area of Ireland, I started doing some online searches for local Irish classes. To my dismay, none immediately became apparent. I found places where you can learn online, though, and I started to consider that. But one day, after yet another Google search, I saw an article from a local newspaper featuring an interview with Éilís Crean, a native of Co. Roscommon, Ireland. She planned to offer Irish Gaelic classes locally soon, and thus I began an email correspondence with her to find out more about the classes. Fortunately for me, Éilís (pronounced Ā-lish) is a patient woman and tolerated my myriad questions. 
Tonight, the first official class begins. Since I would love to use some of the language in an upcoming novel, this is a perfect opportunity for me. And if you’re just interested in Irish culture and language, this would be a perfect opportunity for you as well. You can find out more about the classes here. We’re using Micheál Ó Siadhail’s book Learning Irish
