Irish 101: An Introduction to Irish Language and Culture Course - Dublin City University
Online, United Kingdom
Course
DURATION
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
STUDY FORMAT
Key Summary
About: This course from Dublin City University introduces Ireland’s language and culture. You’ll learn basic Irish (Gaeilge), explore its script and alphabet inspired by nature, and sample dance, Gaelic games, music, storytelling and literature. Study cultural context and language fundamentals at your own pace in a 100% online format.
Career Outcomes: You'll gain language awareness and cultural competence useful for education, tourism, museum or heritage work, translation and content creation. The course can support further language study or entry-level roles such as teaching assistant, tour guide, cultural interpreter or digital content creator.
Career opportunities: education, tourism, heritage, translation, content creation.
Get an introduction to Ireland’s culture by learning the basics of the Irish language.
Engage with Irish culture and history through language
Ireland is home to a unique language and vibrant Gaelic culture.
In this course, you’ll discover how Irish people drew inspiration from nature to create their own unique script and alphabet.
You’ll explore Ireland’s rich culture of dance, Gaelic games, music, storytelling and literature. And you’ll gain an insight into the language of Ireland and the people who speak it.
So take the first step on your journey to learn one of the oldest literary languages in Europe.
Bígí linn – join us!
When would you like to start?
Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts.
- Date to be announced
Who will you learn with?
Who developed the course?
Dublin City University
Dublin City University is a young, dynamic and ambitious Irish university with a distinctive mission to transform lives and societies through education, research and innovation.
What topics will you cover?
- Introduction to the Irish language
- Ogham and the first writing in Irish
- The alphabet & pronunciation
- Greetings, blessings and curses
- Irish names and mythology
- Me, my family and where I come from
- An overview of the Gaeltachtaí and other cultural places in Ireland
- Numbers and counting
- The home and social life
- Amenities, directions and Gaelic sport
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to:
- Engage with the Irish language through culture.
- Discuss greetings, blessings and curses in the Irish language.
- Describe your family, your home and your interests.
- Explore the cultural association of the language with mythology, sport and music.
- Explore the beginnings of the written language through learning about OGHAM and the origins of the Irish alphabet.
- Discuss where you and your people come from.
- Compare Irish names and gain an understanding of naming conventions in Irish.
- Identify the Gaeltachtaí or Irish speaking areas where Irish is the main language of communication.
Who is the course for
This course is aimed at anyone interested in the Irish language, history and culture.
