BIOGRAPHY

Mícheál ÓMáille, a native of Connemara, Co.Galway, has taught Irish & lectured on Irish & Celtic history & culture in a variety of settings in the U.S., Canada & abroad, including several years in China, Taiwan & Korea. He has participated in Immersion events, teaching all levels from beginners to advanced, hosted the Irish radio hour at WRSU, Rutgers & most recently performed in “St.Patrick, his life & times”, a one-man show, at the H.J. Hamilton Stage in Rahway, he is a member of Daltaí na Gaeilge & is the regional Gaeilgeóir (Irish language officer) for Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, North America & Canada.

Mícheál is an entertaining & accomplished teacher of Gaeilge, blending the language with the culture, so that at weeks end, students will not only be conversant in Irish, but will have an appreciation for Irish, a Celtic language, the language of the first Europeans, the oldest vernacular language in Europe, once the most spoken language in the known world & its effect on other languages, including English.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Crash Course in Irish
–  Ideal for immersion schedules (day, weekend, week)
Triallim timpeall na Fódhla / Wandering around Ireland
– Learning Irish via. placenames & surnames
Amárach Inné / Tomorrow Yesterday
– Embracing IT in the proto-European language
Stair na Teanga Gaeilge / History of the Irish Language
– From pre-Celtic Ireland to globalization
Where the Irish have come from – a 9000 year odyssey
History of the Celts
– The culture (language, art, music, dance, beliefs, dress, social system, law, etc.,)
The Oldest Rock in Ireland
– Geological Ireland ( plate tectonics, fauna, flora, eiscir ríada, megalithics)
– An Bhoireann, New Grange, Gríanán Áileach
An Gorta Mór / The Irish Famine
– From rich native culture to slavery ( ó saor go daor)
– Poem (gaeilge/bearla) “1845-1848” le Micheál ÓMáille
Glas, Gorm ‘s Liath / Green, Blue & Grey
– The Irish in U.S. Civil War – before, during, after – Fort Sumter to Appomattox
– The numbers, units, casualties, uniforms, flags, slogans, songs, language, battles
Mná na hÉireann/Women of Ireland (mythology, religion, revolution, literature, politics)
Ulysses – the life & times of James Joyce, with selected readings
Rince / Dance
– Irish dancing fundamentals – steps & figures (reel, hornpipe, jig for céili, set, sean nós)