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Is Féidir Linn: Obama’s Irish Gaelic

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American Flag by AICAD, on Flickr
American Flag by AICAD, on Flickr

President Obama has visited his ancestral home in Ireland.

He used some Irish language in his speech in Dublin. Fair play to him!

He said:

Tá áthas orm a bheith in Éirinn.

…which means “I’m happy to be in Ireland“.

I have to congratulate him, his accent was quite impressive.

He preceeded this by saying:

Broken Irish is better than clever English.

To say this in Irish Gaelic say:

Is fearr Gaeilge briste ná Béarla cliste.

Is féidir linn

He finished his speech with:

Is féidir linn. Is féidir linn. Yes we can.

His ancestral home is Moneygall, Co. Offaly where his great great great grandfather lived, but had to emigrate.

Obama had a pint of Guinness in the local pub in Moneygall before moving on to Dublin. His speech in Dublin, when he used Irish Gaelic, came 15 years after Clinton’s.

To learn to speak some Irish Gaelic, take our first free lesson, or join now.

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