DAVITT'S GAC’s Pop-Up Gaeltacht is proving popular in the club’s lounge on Fridays – including a mixture of Irish, music and craic.
Niall Páirc, who teaches Irish in the Davitt's clubhouse, revealed the story behind the initiative.
“When I was about 17, I was invited to take a few lessons. Teaching almost gave me a boost in confidence because it was something that I knew well, I knew how to teach it, so that kind of brought parts of my personality out," he said.
“When I went to university and joined An Cumann Gaelach, I became quite involved there and I started taking the classes at Queen's”.
“We’ve always been a Davitt’s family, so we decided then to provide Irish classes at the club, free of charge. It’s just a beginners’ class to invite people to a very informal setting and because we’re situated on the Falls Road we’re in a good place to entice a lot of the locals."
Niall revealed how widespread the Irish language is in Belfast.
“You always hear the tagline of ‘Irish is in danger’ or ‘dead language’. I think in the last two decades or so it’s been the opposite.
“Really in the last ten years or so, it’s just grown exponentially. Cumann Chluain Árd and Cultúrlann were maybe the only places where you could go to for Irish classes. Now you’re seeing classes that are taking place in East Belfast and South Belfast.
“There’s a massive, massive increase in interest. You get big crowds at the classes.”
Anyone interested in joining the sessions can contact 028 9032 8004.
