I had never been to Donegal before my trip to Glencolmcille to spend a week there learning Irish.
I had heard it’s beautiful there. But pictures don’t really do it justice. When our bus was winding its way down into the valley, it looked breathtaking, laid out before us like a green haven where we’d spend the week immersed in the language as well as the landscape.
The reason I say that pictures don’t do it justice is that the light is constantly changing, like in the Lake District or the Dingle peninsula. The beauty is formed of equal parts geography and meteorology.
We had a day to explore before the language courses begin. We strolled along the beach. We walked down winding paths to find ancient burial tombs and standing stones. The curve of a sandy beach lapped by waves flanked by green rocky countryside on either side. Green grass and rugged hill under a blue sky with wisps of cloud. An ancient stone tomb in a lush green and rocky landscape. A standing stone with celtic carvings and a single small hole amidst greenery.
Then it was time to knuckle down and learn Irish.
Oideas Gael provides seven levels of learning, increasing in experience. Jessica went in at level one and I was amazed by how much she had picked up by the end of the week. I figured I’d go in at level three or maybe four, but after hearing a description of all the levels, I actually decided to try level five.
It turned out to be just right. There was lots to learn, and I definitely need to make sure I keep working on it, but the teacher was great and my classmates were lovely.
Tar éis an cursa, tá níos mó ealois agam, tá níos mó taithí agam, ach an rud is tábhachtaí, tá níos mó féin-mhuinín agam. After the course, I have more knowledge, I have more experience, but most importantly, I have more self-confidence.
And after a day of learning Irish, it was nice to unwind in the evening with a pint in the local pub, where there was also a session every single night. Not only were the musicians top-notch, they were also very welcoming to this blow-in mandolin player. A fiddler and a flute player at a round pub table. Two women, one playing fiddle and the other playing piano accordion at a pub table. A woman playing button accordion and a man playing fiddle in a pub. A fiddler and a box player at a pub table.
All in all, it was a wonderful and fulfilling week.
Beidh mé ar ais arís! I’ll be back again!
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