An Ciorcal Comhrá

We have been meeting together for a number of years now. There are usually five or six staff members at least present, and visitors, readers and members of the general public who wish to have a conversation as Gaeilge - in Irish - are very welcome.  Fluency is not required.  You can just sit and listen if you prefer to do that. 

We also met regularly via Zoom during the lockdown and we supported each other during those challenging times. We talk about all sorts of things and an all staff email is sent out about once a month to remind everyone that it is taking place and to encourage them to use Irish in their own company if they aren’t in a position to come to the regular ciorcal comhrá or conversation circle.

There are a lot of readers who have Irish coming to the reading rooms or corresponding with us by email or on the telephone. We often share old sayings in the email that goes around and common words that would be used in library communications. That glossary helps everyone to improve their Irish vocabulary. Sometimes colleagues from the National Museum join us, and from the translation service or from state offices in the Kildare Street area and it is great when they are able to make it. 

Irish is this country’s first language. If the public can’t do their business in Irish in the National Library, where in the state can they expect to get a service in Irish? 

Seanfhocal an lae: "You can’t judge a book by its cover – Ní mar a shíltear a bhítear. Is fearr Gaeilge bhriste ná Béarla cliste."

Táimid ag bualadh le chéile le ceithre nó cúig bliana anois. Bíonn cúigear nó seisear baill foirne i láthair de ghnáth ar a laghad agus céad mile fáilte roimh chuairteoirí, léitheoirí agus muintir an phobail go ginearálta ar mian leo comhrá agus comhluadar a bheith acu as Gaeilge. Ní gá bheith líofa. Is féidir suí agus éisteacht más fearr leat é sin.  

Bhuail muid go rialta gach seachtain ar Zoom i rith an dianghlasáil leis agus thug muid tacaíocht dá chéile i rith an aimsir dúshlánach sin. Labhrann muid faoi gach saghas rud agus seoltar ríomhphost amach go dtí an bhfoireann iomlán faoin gciorcal comhrá thart ar uair sa mhí chun a mheabhrú do gach duine go bhfuil sé ar siúl agus chun iad a spreagadh chun Gaeilge a labhairt i measc a gcomhluadar féin munar féidir leo teacht go dtí an ciorcal comhrá rialta. 

Bíonn a lán léitheoirí le Gaeilge ag teacht go dtí na Seomraí Léitheoireachta nó ag déanamh comhfhreagras leis an Leabharlann tré ríomhphost nó ar an teileafón. Is minic a roinneann muid seanfhocail sa ríomhphost agus foclóir coitianta a úsáidfí i gcumarsáid leabharlainne. Cabhraíonn an ghluais sin le gach duine feabhas a chur ar a léacsacan Gaeilge. Uaireanta tagann comhghleacaithe ón Ardmhusaem agus ó Rannóg an Aistriúcháin agus ó oifigí stát timpeall ar Shráid Chill Dara chun bheith linn agus is breá linn nuair is féidir leo teacht.  

Is í an Ghaeilge céad teanga na tíre seo. Munar féidir le muintir an phobail seirbhís tré Ghaeilge a fháil sa Leabharlann Náisiúnta, cá háit sa stát ar féidir leo bheith ag súil le seirbhís tré Ghaeilge a fháil?