Derek Hollingsworth

Maith thú! I have to say I once would not have believed I would be doing an exam at this level! Coimeád suas é!

I took an exam yesterday in Irish, TEG level B2. The TEG levels are based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which is standardised. Sometimes, with language learning, you can feel like you're not making any progress. This is a good way to know.
It also gives you a target!

Rinne mé mo scrúdú TEG B2 inniu agus bhí sé deachair go leor domsa. Ní raibh mé chomh ullmhaithe ná a bhí mé ag iarraidh, ach ceapaim go bhfuil mo chuid Gaeilge ag feabhsú - go mall mar is gnáth!! 😂😂😂
Céim ar chéim mar a deirtear!

I did my TEGB2 exam today. I wasn't as prepared as I wanted to be...

Bhí mé ag iarraidh labhairt leat ann ach ceapaim go raibh tú imithe nuair a chuaigh mé ar ais. Súil agam gur bhain tú taitneamh as an imeacht!

D'fhreastail mé ar seoladh Foclóir Gaeilge Nua le Uachtarán na hÉireann, Catherine Connolly, anocht. Bhí sí an-mhaith.
Is foclóir aonteangach é - Gaeilge amháin ar líne.
❤️ #Gaeilge @president.ie @forasnagaeilge.bsky.social

Non contemporary painting of Aodh Mór Ó Néill

A cunning character; a thug; a brilliant strategist; a once potential Ardrí na hÉireann; a survivor; one of the cursed last Gaelic leaders of Ulster; a great general; a tragic figure; a hero; all of the above?
How do you see Aodh Mór Ó Néill?
#stairnahéireann #historyofireland

Thanks for that, Tom. Very interesting!

The English manglicised Irish surnames in the past. I have a theory the English versions (O'Byrne for Ó Broin, O'Brien for Ó Briain etc.) may have sounded much closer to the original but for 'the great vowel shift' in the English language. Maybe someone knows if it's the case?

It's mad how some people display their own ignorance of languages & literacy by making fun of Irish names.
What's wonderful is to hear all these gorgeous names-many of which were almost lost-in use again all over the place: Síofra, Rían, Sadhbh, Fiadh, Fionn, Aoibhe
♥️ #Gaeilge

How talented is this woman?! Is there any better singer/songwriter/performer in pop? Brilliant CMAT gig last night at a rocking 3Arena.
When you think of Fontaines DC, Kneecap, The Mary Wallopers, Kingfisher et al., Ireland is producing incredible musicians again!!! What a time!

How talented is this woman?! Is there any better singer/songwriter/performer in pop? Brilliant CMAT gig last night at a rocking 3Arena.
When you think of Fontaines DC, Kneecap, The Mary Wallopers, Kingfisher et al., Ireland is producing incredible musicians again!!! What a time!

"Ní dhéanfaidh mé ach seasamh."
"I'll only stay for a minute."
♥️ #Gaeilge

Go deas!

"Slí an-mhaith atá ann leis an am a mheilt."

"It's a good way of killing time."

❤️ #Gaeilge #FoghlaimGaeilge #LearnIrish #AnNollaig #Nollaig

An ghealach os cionn Droichead na Life aréir.

The moon over the Ha' Penny Bridge last night.

#BaileÁthaCliath #Dublin

There's a new Café in Clonsilla called NudieBrews Siopa Café. The owner has a cúpla focal Gaeilge & would like to encourage others with the same to use, "Le do thoil", "Go raibh maith agat", etc. when there.
Eircode D15HR7W. #Gaeilge

"It's a language nobody speaks, it's hard to understand, & I'm not interested in it".
People say this about Irish.
But this was said to me about the central role Shakespeare has in the Irish education system.
The people who say this about Irish don't say this about Shakespeare.

A lán = an tuiseal ginideach - "Tá a lán oibre le déanamh agam"! 😭😂
Genitive case!
I knew I had a lot of work to do! 😄

Rang deireanach inniu ar an drochuair. Tá a lán obair le déanamh agam!

My last class today, unfortunately. I have a lot of work to do!
#Gaeilge #Irishlanguage

I was in Brussels last week and had 5 conversations in Irish with Irish speakers working there.
Language isn't just a means of communication. It's far more than that, and speaking Irish is more than just speech for many of us.

Ireland 2 - 0 Portugal
Hungary 2 - 3 Ireland
Come on, Ireland!!! 🇮🇪 ⚽️
Éire abú!
#Ireland

Turas go dtí an Bhruseil
Trip to Brussels 🇮🇪 🇧🇪

Bhuail mé le cúigear cainteoir Gaeilge ann, an tseachtain seo! Tá Conradh na Gaeilge, Comhaltas agus CLG suite anseo. Níos Gaelaí ná na Gaeil iad féin?!

Met 5 Irish speakers this wk - lots of Irish organisations! More Irish than the Irish themselves?!

Lá 4/5 sa Bhruseil 🇮🇪 🇧🇪
Bhuail mé le cúigear cainteoir Gaeilge idir inné agus inniu - go deas! Tá Conradh na Gaeilge, Comhaltas agus CLG suite anseo. Níos Gaelaí ná na Gaeil iad féin?!
Met 5 Irish speakers here in Brussels in the last two days!
❤️ #Gaeilge

Ar ais sa Bheilg arís inniu agus fuair mé cainteoir Gaeilge - caintoeir dúchasach as Cléire i gContae Chorcaí, mar a tharlaíonn sé. 🇧🇪
Tá sé i gcónaí go hálainn labhairt i nGaeilge that lear.

❤️ #Gaeilge

Sanasaíocht na Gaeilge.
Etymology of Irish.
Uachtarán is the Irish word for president. Many will recognise úachtar as the Irish word for cream. Both come from Old Irish "úachtar", which can mean cream or the top/upper part.
Uachtarán na hÉireann- President of Ireland
❤️ #Gaeilge

"Irish is part of the solution and I would encourage all of you in most positive way to learn the Irish language. Not in any way that says you have to, quite the opposite, because it's an absolute gift to us and it's an invitation to look at the world through a different eye," she said.

Irish will be to the fore, President Connolly says as she repeats 'working language' pledge President Catherine Connolly said she had been inspired by the stories people had told her during her campaign about their struggles to get services.

Irish will be to the fore, President Connolly says as she repeats 'working language' pledge

Oíche deireanach do Michael D. Higgins mar Uachtarán na hÉireann anocht. Bhí mé ag labhairt lena iar-bhearbóir ansin. Dúirt sé go nglacfadh sé a áit sa scuaine i gcónaí, agus go raibh sé béasach agus cairdiúil.
Go raibh maith agaibh Michael, Sabina agus na madraí

Go deas 👏

Sanasaíocht na Gaeilge.
Etymology of Irish words.

Gráinneog - Hedgehog
Gráin - hatred/hated
Gránna - ugly
Óg - little

Gráinneog - cosúil le rud beag gránna
Hedgehog in Irish literally means "ugly/hated little thing"!