Initially I used the membership as a way to just reconnect with the language, nothing more than that, just expand my cúpla focal. I’ve grown up in a Gaeltacht but had mostly lost the language due to lack of use. “An bhfuil cead agam dul go dtí an leithreas” was still in my head 🙂 I’ve been motivated to move further than just the cúpla focal though.

Aistear is a really good resource. The weekly sessions are a great motivator as well. It’s nice to meet people with the same passion. The daily tasks (reading/writing/listening) are a great motivator. I loved the daily tasks and the craic we had at our online meetings.

I started with Bitesize Irish 2 1/2 years ago as a complete novice. I am now able to read Irish fairly well, understand some simple language and speak a little bit. It has been a slow journey for me, but a journey that has been filled with pleasure and joy. The language is fascinating and with it comes a rich cultural experience.

I love the learning community. The teachers are knowledgeable and very supportive. And I really enjoy meeting and developing relationships with other learners. The live sessions are rich with opportunities. The most valuable and unique feature of Bitesize is that it has helped me incorporate Irish into my daily life. It is not simply course of study which has a defined beginning and end. But rather it becomes a way of life that grows with you over time.

The Ciorcal Beo afforded me the opportunity to start speaking, listening to other speakers and learning pronunciation right away. I have really enjoyed meeting other people, from all over the world, who share the same interest in the language. It’s a friendly, helpful and supportive community, and knowing them has really enhanced my learning experience. I look forward every week to seeing them, catching up and learning Irish together.

I enjoy the Pobal enormously. I like to read members’ posts and respond and get a response–connecting with people, and in Irish at that! The community manager has been invaluable in helping my writing ability, in particular, with her helpful feedback. I enjoy the articles and videos she selects, and I appreciate that she pulls from different dialects, which is great exposure. We’ve had great hosts of the Beo sessions. And, Eoin has been enriching the experience with cultural and historical background and insights. I often, often, often refer to Tús Maith and the Reference Pack.

I like the fact that it offers everything that I need: practice speaking, opportunities to listen to native speakers, practice writing and reference material and self-paced lessons. I have feedback on attempts to write correctly. I also have teachers I can reach out to with questions.

I can practice very regularly (daily) through various exercises (reading, conversation, writing, listening, etc.) and at my own pace.

What I like most is the variety of proposals, and the Tuesday evening sessions (Live Irish Conversation Session) where we can talk with other people, under the guidance of a teacher.

I have to say that I’m a fan of live sessions and Bitesize Pobal, because these are real language situations.

For someone far from a Gaeltacht, this is the closest thing to immersion I might find.

Throughout the week, the community manager posts new prompts and activities on wide-ranging topics, to develop our Irish listening, reading and writing skills. There is no pressure to contribute or complete the tasks but they are a means of using our “Gaeilge Gach Lá”, Irish every day, at our own level. And inspired by what others write, we naturally want to respond. All this makes for dynamic learning and can be great fun too.

I chose Ciorcal Beo for its live sessions when we speak Irish with fellow learners from around the world. There is conversation and reading practice and once a month a cultural workshop for a deeper awareness of Ireland and the language. We meet up online once a week all year round. Everyone is enthusiastic and encouraging and our teachers are knowledgeable and supportive so it’s a great place to be. Go raibh míle maith agaibh!