Category: Travel

Tá mé ar ais anois / Tha mi ar ais a-nis

By Simon

I’ve now returned from my adventures in Ireland and Scotland. Well, in fact I’m currently staying with my parents in Lancashire for a few days on my way back to Bangor.

Oideas Gael, Gleann Cholm Cille, Donegal, Ireland

The summer school at Oideas Gael was as brilliant, and it was lovely to see so many of the people I met last year again, as well as to meet many new people. With such a gathering of friendly, interesting, talented and knowledgeable people you couldn’t help but have a great time.

I decided to go for the level 6 Irish language class rather than the level 7 one I did last year, which I found a bit too challenging and lacking in opportunities to speak Irish. The level 6 class was good fun and we all got to speak plenty of Irish. In fact I spoke Irish most of the time both inside and outside the classroom.

My Irish has now got to the level at which I can converse comfortably about everyday topics. When talking about more specialised areas my vocabulary isn’t always sufficient, but I can often find alternative ways to get across my meaning even if I don’t know the relevant words.

In the afternoons I did the sean-nós singing class with Gearóidín Bhreatnach, as I did last year, and enjoyed it immensely. We went over some of the songs we learnt last year, and learnt quite a few new ones. As well as explaining the backgrounds to the songs, Gearóidín also told us many interesting stories related to music traditions in Ireland.

A number of musicians and singers from Donegal and other parts of Ireland performed at concerts in the evenings, and I was particularly impressed by to Donegal fiddlers whose playing was outstanding. On other evenings there was story telling and a talk about the future of the Irish language. I found most of the stories quite difficult to follow, but could understand most of the talk.

After the evening concerts there were informal music sessions in the local pubs, and this year for the first time I played (the low whistle) in some of the sessions, as well as singing along with the songs I knew.

There’s a video made by one of the guys at the summer school here, and a video of Gearóidín and her daughters singing here. I even appear briefly in the first one.

After leaving Gleann Cholm Cille I travelled to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic college on the Isle of Skye for a week of Gaelic Song with Christine Primrose. The journey, which lasted two days, took me through some very beautiful scenery in both Ireland and Scotland. When I arrived at the college, the sun was shining and it continued to do so for the next few days. The second half of the week was quite wet, as it was in Ireland, but this did nothing to dampen my spirits.

A view of Àrainn Cholm Cille campus of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on the Isle of Skye

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig is located on the Sound of Sleat (An Linne Shlèiteach) in the south of Skye (an t-Eilean Sgitheanach) and just up the road from Armadale and Ardvasar. It has two campuses – Àrainn Ostaig and Àrainn Cholm Cille. The former is the original campus and was where I stayed. Our singing classes also took place there. The latter is a new campus just down the road with spectacular views across to the mainland. The college runs short courses during the summer in Gaelic language, music and singing, as well as a number full-time degree courses taught through the medium of Gaelic during the rest of the year.

There were 15 of us in the Gaelic song class from many countries, including Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, Norway, Catalonia and Germany. Only three of us spoke Gaelic or had much knowledge of the language; the others found the pronunciation of the words quite tricky. Even so, in just five days we learnt over 30 songs, including waulking songs (òrain luaidh), mouth music (puirt a bheal), love songs (òrain gaoil), lullabys (talaidhean) and reels (ruidhlean). Christine, who is a great tutor, also told us the stories behind the songs, and about life on Lewis, where she grew up.

In the evenings there was more singing, and also dancing, films, a Gaelic conversation circle, and music sessions in the bar on Àrainn Ostaig. I went to some of the conversation circles and spoke a bit a Gaelic there. I also spoke Gaelic with a number of other people who were doing Gaelic classes, and with some of the tutors and staff, and realised that I can speak Gaelic reasonably well, at least at a fairly basic level. My knowledge of Irish certainly helps. I also got to speak plenty of Irish with some of the Irish speakers who were doing the Scottish Gaelic course for gaeilgeorí.

Gleann Cholm Cille

By Simon

I arrived in Gleann Cholm Cille in Donegal yesterday evening after a long but trouble-free journey by train, ferry and bus. The Irish Sea was very calm and the crossing was so smooth that if I hadn’t been looking out of the window, I wouldn’t have know that I was on a boat. It was more like a floating shopping centre in fact with numerous shops, cafés, bars and a small amusement arcade.

After arriving in Dun Laoghaire, I took the train into central Dublin, had some lunch at the bus station, then got the bus to Gleann Cholm Cille. The bus routes have changed a bit since last year and now go via Dublin airport, which adds half an hour or so to the journey. I slept or dozed much of the time, except for the last part of the journey between Donegal Town and Gleann Cholm Cille, the part with the best scenery.

I’m staying in the B&B I stayed in the first time I came here four years ago and sharing a room with Murt from Dublin, a native Irish speaker who hasn’t spoken the language much for many years. There are a couple of other Irish people staying here, both of whom speak Irish well, though are somewhat out of practice, and a couple from Holland or one of the Scandinavian countries – I’m fairly sure their speaking a Germanic language, but haven’t worked out which one yet. My hosts here, Margaret, is an excellent cook and her husband, Martin, is a professional chef in a local hotel. When I turned on my laptop yesterday, I was pleasantly surprised to find that they have wifi here I can use.

Many of the people who were here for the summer school last year are here again this year, including the President of Ireland, so there are plenty of familiar faces. The programme is similar to last year as well. Last night we had the usual welcome talk from Liam, the director of Oideas Gael, and today we will be sorted into classes. There are eight levels of classes – last year I chose level 7, which was very interesting but more like a series of lectures than a typical language class, so this year I’m going to try level 6, which I hope will give me more chances to speak Irish.

Apart from a brief shower on the way here, the weather has been warm and sunny so far.

Long journey

By Simon

Tomorrow morning I’m off to Ireland for a week of Irish language and culture at Oideas Gael in Donegal. After this I’ll be going to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic college on the Isle of Skye, for a week of Gaelic song, and should have plenty of opportunities to speak Scottish Gaelic there as well.

Even though the journey will be long and complex involving trains, ferries, buses and planes, plus an overnight stay in Glasgow as it’s not possible to get from Donegal to Skye in one day, I’m really looking forward to it as it will take me through some beautiful scenery.

I probably won’t have internet access during the first week, but might during the second, so it could take a while for me to reply to your emails.

Taith hir

By Simon

A i i Iwerddon yfory i ddysgu mwy o Wyddeleg yn Oideas Gael, Sefydliad Diwylliant Wlster yn Donegal. Bydda i’n cymryd mewn yr ysgol haf mewn iaith a diwylliant am wythnos, fel mi wnes i y llynedd. Yna a i i Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, coleg Gaeleg ar Ynys Skye i wneud cwrs mewn caneuon Gaeleg. Ar y ffordd yn ôl i Fangor, treuliais i dau ddydd efo fy rhieni yn Sir Gaerhirfryn.

Bydd y daith yn un hir a chymhleth – a i a’r trên i Gaergybi yn cyntaf, ac yna i Glencolmbcille yn Donegal ar fferi, trên a bysiau trwy Dulyn a Thref Donegal. O Donegal i Skye a i ar bysiau, awyren, trên a fferi trwy Belfast, Glasgow, Mallaig ac Armadale, ac bydda rhaid i mi aros yn Glasgow un noson.

Dw i’n edrych ymlaen yn fawr at y daith ac at y cyrisau.

Turas fada

Rachaidh mé go hÉirinn amárach níos mó Gaeilge a fhoghlaim in Oideas Gael. Beidh mé ag glachadh páirt sa Scoil Shamhraidh i dTeanga agus Cultúr mar a rinne mé anuraidh. I ndiaidh sin, rachaidh mé go Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, coláiste Gàidhlig san Oileán Sciathanach cúrsa amhráin Gàidhlig a dhéanamh. Ar an mbealach ar ais go Bangor, caithfidh mé cúpla lá le mo thuismitheoirí i Lancashire.

Beidh sé turas fada agus casta sa traein go Holyhead ar dtús, agus ansin i mbád go Dún Laoghaire, sa traein go Baile Átha Cliatha agus ar an mbus go Gleann Cholm Cille trí Baile Dún na nGall. Ó nDún na nGall go dtí an Oileán Sciathanach, rachaidh mé ar an mbus, san eitleán, sa traein agus i mbád trí Béal Feirste, Glaschú, Mallaig agus Armadale, agus beidh orm oíche a chaitheamh i nGlaschú.

Tá mé ag súil go mór leis an turas agus na cúrsaí.

Bangor

By Simon

I’m currently in Bangor, Gwynedd in search of a new place to live – I plan to move here soon and will be starting an MA in Linguistics at Bangor University in September.

Bangor is one of the smallest cities in the UK and is an attractive place with views across the Menai Strait to Anglesey (Ynys Môn) and along the North Wales coast. Students make up a significant proportion of the population, at least during term time, and at least half of the permanent population speak Welsh as their first language, which is one of the reasons why I chose the course in Bangor.

Welsh has now ousted Mandarin as the dominant language (apart from English) in my head. Mandarin dominated for many years, even after I left Taiwan. Now when I try to say things in languages other than Welsh, they come out partly in Welsh, or with Welsh word order, which tends to confuse people. There aren’t many people around, as far as I know who can follow a Mandarin/Welsh mixed conversation. Well, I do know one person who could.

On the train on the way here today I heard some people talking in an unfamiliar language. As I usually do, I tried to work out which language it was. At first I assumed it was Spanish or Portuguese as I saw Iberia Airlines tags on their bags and they looked Hispanic. When I listened more closely, I realised it wasn’t either of those languages, though there did seem to be a few Spanish loanwords, which made me suspect it was maybe Quechua or one of the other indigenous languages of Latin America. Unfortunately I didn’t have a recording device to hand, otherwise I could have posted a recording here to see if any of you recognised the language. I suppose I could have asked the people what language it was, but where’s the challenge in that?!

Yn ôl ym Mrighton

By Simon

Cyrhaeddais i yn ôl i Brighton nos Sadwrn diwethaf ar ôl taith hir iawn ar y trên. Arhosais i ym Mhwllheli nos Wener ar ôl i mi orffen y cwrs yn Nant Gwrtheyrn. Darllenais i y nofel Blas y Cynfyd gan Islwyn Ffowc Elis bron i gyd ar y trên.

Dim ond saith dyn roedd ar y cwrs, a fi roedd yr un ifancaf. Roedd y llaill yn dod o Gymru, neu yn byw neu yn treulio eu gwyliau yno. Cyd-dynnon ni’n dda efo’n gilydd, a siaradon ni Cymraeg bron drwy’r amser. Roedd tua phum awr a hanner o ddosbarthiadau y dydd ac roedden nhw’n ddiddorol ac yn ddefnyddiol. Heblaw cryn dipyn o eiriau, ddysgais i ddim llawer o bethau newydd, ond roedd hi’n wych cael cyfle i ymarfer yr iaith.

Un o’r lleoedd harddaf a thawelaf dw i erioed wedi ymweld arno ydy Nant Gwrtheyrn. Roedd y bwyd sydd wedi darparu yng Nghaffi Meinir yn flasus ac yn doreithiog, ac roedd y tywydd yn braf trwy’r wythnos hefyd, heblaw tipyn bach o law ddydd iau.

Ar ais i mBrighton

D’fhill mé ar ais i mBrighton oíche Shathairn seo caite i ndiaidh turas an-fhada sa trén. D’fhág mé i bPwllheli oíche hAoine agus mé indiaidh an cúrsa i Nant Gwrtheyrn a chroichnaithe. Labhair mé an chuid is mó de úrscéal Breatnaise sa trén.

Níl ach seachtar fear bhí ar an cúrsa agus ba mise an daoine is óige. Ba ón Bhreatain Bheag na daoine eile, nó i bhur gconaí nó ag ceatheadh ár leathanta-saoire ansin. Reitigh muid go maith le cheile agus labhairt muid as Breatnaise beagnach an t-am ar fad.Bhí cúig uaire a chloig go leith ceachtana againn gach lá, agus bhí siad suimúil agus usaideach. Ach oiread cuid mhaith focalaí, ní d’fhoghlaim mé go leor rudaí nua, ach bhí sé go hiontach.

Is áit iontach álainn agus suaimhneach í Nant Gwrtheyrn. Bhí an bía a raibh ar fáil i gCaffi Meinir an bhlasta agus flúirseach, agus bhí sé go bréa an seachtaine ar fad, ach amháin giota beag baisteach ar Déardaoin.

Return to Brighton

By Simon

I arrived back in Brighton last night after an enjoyable week of studying and using Welsh in Nant Gwrtheyrn. There were only six others on the courses – all men – and I was the youngest. Most of the others were Welsh, or had Welsh connections, or at least make regular visits to Wales. Most of us were roughly at the same level, but there was one bloke from the Rhondda who spoke Welsh almost like a native speaker, and another who could read and write Welsh very well and had a huge vocabulary, but who couldn’t speak Welsh all that well.

A view of Nant Gwrtheyrn

We had about five hours of classes a day, which were interesting and useful. There were also a couple of organised evening activities, and an afternoon trip to Caer Gors, former home of one of Wales’ best known Welsh language authors, Kate Roberts (1891-1985), after which we had a look round Caernarfon. The rest of the time we spent chatting (mainly in Welsh), stuffing ourselves with the delicious food provided in the on-site restaurant, Caffi Meinir, and admiring the spectacular views.

Nant Gwrtheyrn is in a very isolated, beautiful and peaceful spot on the Llŷn Peninsula in North Wales. It’s surrounded on three sides by mountains with the sea on the fourth side. The nearest village, Llithfaen, is three miles away up a narrow, winding and very steep road. On a clear day you can sea Anglesea, and on a very clear day you can apparently see Ireland.

A view of Nant Gwrtheyrn

Apart from a bit of rain on Thursday, the weather was fine and fairly warm, and the sun made quite frequent appearances. I was expecting a lot more of the wet stuff to be falling from the sky, so was pleasantly surprised.

There are a few more of my photos of Nant Gwrtheyrn on Flickr.

Nant Gwrtheyrn

By Simon

Tomorrow I’m off to Nant Gwrtheyrn, the Welsh Language and Heritage Centre in North Wales, where I’m going to learn some more Welsh. I’ll be there for a week and probably won’t have internet access, so won’t be able to answer your emails. I’m also going to turn off comments to prevent the usual flood of spam that inundates this blog.

In the meantime, here’s a recording of a poem in a mystery language. Can you work out which language it is? I’ll give you the answer when I return from Wales.

Gwyliau

By Simon

Yn ddiweddar, dw i wedi bod yn meddwl am le i fynd ar fy ngwyliau eleni. Dw i wedi penderfynnu gwneud cwrs Cymraeg yn Nant Gwrtheyrn ym Mis Mai. Yna ym Mis Gorffenaf, a i ar yr Ysgol Haf Iaith a Diwylliant yn Oideas Gael yn Glencolmcille yn Iwerddon. Ar ôl hynny, bydda i’n mynd i Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (Ysgubor Mawr Ostag), y coleg Gaeleg ar Ynys Skye, i wneud cwrs caneuon Gaeleg. Mae dwy wythnos o wyliau eraill ‘da fi, ond dw i ddim wedi penderfynnu lle i fynd eto.

Laethanta saoire

Le déanaí tá mé ag smaoineamh cá bhfuil mé ag dul ar mó laethanta saoire i mbliana. Chinn mé ar Breatnais a fhoghlaim i Nant Gwrtheyrn sa Bhreatain Bheag i mí na Bealtaine. Ansin i mí Iúil rachaidh mé go Oideas Gael i nGleann Cholm Cille an Scoil Shamhraidh i dTeanga & Cultúr a dhéanamh. I ndiaidh sin déanfaidh mé cúrsa amhránaíocht as Gaeilge na hAlban i gColáiste Sabhal Mòr Ostaig san Oileán Sciathanach. Tá dhá seachtaine saoire eile agam, ach na chinn mé cá bhfuil mé ag dul go fóill.

Holidays

Recently I’ve been thinking about where to go on holiday this year. I’ve decided to do a Welsh language course at Nant Gwrtheyrn in Wales in May. Then in July I’ll be off to Ireland for the Irish Language and Culture Summer School at Oideas Gael in Glencolmcille. After that, I’ll go to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic College on the Isle of Skye, to do a course in Gaelic Song. I have two more weeks of holiday left but haven’t decided where to go yet.