With St. Patrick's Day around the corner, the first half of the month of March is dedicated to the celebration of our Irish language.
Seachtain na Gaeilge launched this week and will run until March 17, St. Patrick's Day. As everything is still virtual, we're going to have to make the most of trying to add cúpla focail into our lives.
If you've always wanted to improve on your Irish language skills, this month is the perfect opportunity to do so. Here are a few ways that the Irish language festival can be fun for the whole family.
Get Involved
There are loads of resources available for families or individuals about Seachtain na Gaeilge. From books and games to read and play, to online learning and where to listen and watch various Irish media, it's all there. Be sure to keep on top of the full schedule and tips and ideas by following the festival on social media.
Peppa Pig As Gaeilge
As well as TG4 and RTÉ running lots of dedicated shows on TV and online, everyone's favourite television pig (we still love you Miss Piggy) will also be making her Irish language debut very soon. RTÉjr and the RTÉ Player will have episodes of Peppa Pig as Gaeilge in the future, so be sure to look out for these over the coming weeks. RTÉjr and TG4 also host a number of shows in Irish every day which little ones can tune into. Not only that, but our favourite sponge's latest movies, Spongebob: Sponge on the Run, is available to watch in Irish on Netflix.
Duolingo
Did you know that the language-learning app Duolingo is also available as Gaeilge too? Word is that it's one of the fastest-growing languages on the app! With us having some extra time at home still, why not whip out your phone for 10 minutes a day and improve those Irish language skills. Make it even more challenging by competing against a family member to see who can keep on top of their play streak the longest.
Cúpla Focail
And finally, if all else fails, why not just speak a cúpla focail with the family at home? Even if your Irish language skills aren't up to scratch, all it takes is a little bit of practice. All those hours spent learning with Leaving Cert grinds might just come flooding back to you. If not, even just throwing in the odd word as Gaeilge into your conversations at home will do wonders, and why not ask the children for help too. This will get EVERYONE learning, and you can even make a game out of it, head outside, and see who can remember the most words for their surroundings as possible!
Be sure to head to the dedicated Seachtain na Gaeilge website for a rundown on everything about the festival. They even have downloadable phrases you can use for playing games with the family.