H1 Irish student and went to two Irish boarding schools in the Gaeltacht! Looking to give Irish Grinds!

Find out more about Alice

• 1)Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn?

  That's a hard question for me, because my journey with the language is quite complex. I was born in America and spent many of my primary school years there. When I returned to Ireland, I had no Irish at all-it was actually a subject I really disliked. Everything changed when I was sent to a boarding school in the Gaeltacht, where I truly learned Irish for the first time. Becoming fluent completely changed my relationship with the language. I fell in love with it-and with the culture too. I became completely obsessed with Irish music, traditions, and especially the richness of natural, spoken Irish. I even spent several summers working as a waitress in the Gaeltacht just to soak in as much of the culture and language as I could.

• 2) Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  It's hard to pick just one, but the first person that comes to mind is Peig Sayers. She's such an iconic figure in Irish culture and literature, and she was on the Irish Leaving Cert curriculum for years. Her life story is incredibly inspiring, and her writing contains some of the purest Munster Irish I've ever come across.

• 3) Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or behaviour in the language that you particularly like?

  There's honestly so much that I love. One thing that really stands out to me is the storytelling tradition in Irish culture. The seanchaí-traditional storytellers-are making a bit of a comeback through pop-up events, and I absolutely love that. I'm also a huge fan of traditional Irish music-it's magical to experience it live.
  As for words, I adore the ones that feel like hidden gems among fluent speakers-like coicís (fortnight) or balcaire (strong stocky person or animal). Knowing and using these kinds of words feels like being in on a beautiful secret.

• 4) Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  Speaking Irish connects me deeply to my heritage, identity, and culture. It's more than just a way of communicating-it's a living thread to the past, to community, and to a way of seeing the world that's uniquely Irish. It also allows me to be part of a movement that keeps the language alive and growing.

• 5) What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  Like any language, Irish takes time and consistency to learn, but I wouldn't say it's especially difficult. The biggest challenge is its endangered status-because of that, it can be tough to find resources or immersive environments, especially outside of Ireland. What really helps is being surrounded by the language as much as possible-whether that's through time in the Gaeltacht, watching TG4, or chatting with other speakers online or in person.

• 6) Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school.

  When I first arrived at the boarding school in the Gaeltacht, I could barely string a sentence together. I remember feeling completely overwhelmed-but one night, after only a few weeks, I found myself laughing along with a group of native speakers at dinner. I didn't even realise I was following the conversation in Irish. It was such a small moment, but for me, it was like a lightbulb going off-it showed me how deeply language can connect people.

• 7) How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  Living in the Gaeltacht for over six years had the biggest impact on my fluency. I spent one year in An Rinn and five years in Corca Dhuibhne for school. Later, I worked summer jobs in the Gaeltacht, mostly in Corca Dhuibhne. Being surrounded by the language every day-in both formal and informal settings-was absolutely key to my development as a speaker.

• 8) What makes you a Superprof in language?

  I bring both passion and lived experience to the table. I know what it's like to struggle with Irish and come to love it through immersion, patience, and dedication. I'm not just fluent-I'm deeply connected to the culture behind the language, and I love sharing that with others. Whether you're a beginner or hoping to improve your fluency, I'm here to make Irish not just understandable, but enjoyable and inspiring.