Hi there!
I am so grateful to have found this forum/site. I have been wanting to learn to speak Gaelic since I was a little girl. My grandfather spoke it, though not often as only one or two of his friends could, and I was fascinated. He told of stories of Ireland and he visited every few years. It became my life goal to get there someday...and I did. I was in love! Never in my life had I felt so at ease or heard (though few still spoke it...out in the country) such a beautiful sounding language. I want to fulfill another goal and learn this language. I know it won't be easy, and I am up for the challenge. I was sort of sad, that even in Ireland, the language seems to be dying. I do not want that to happen! It is my hope to return to Ireland and volunteer eventually, to find a way (though it may be hard, such a proud people!) to give back to such a beautiful country and my heritage.
I also want to learn to translate at least a little for now. There is a phrase that I have stuck in my head for a few years.." Habit dulls the senses" I think I may eventually want to get it tattooed, still debating.
Anyway, I am honored to be here. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance...
Jennifer

Hi, Jenny. Welcome and thanks for sharing your story with us.

Which part of Ireland was your grandfather from? Knowing this may help us direct you to the dialect your grandfather spoke - if you don't already know which one.

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Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

He was from County Shannon?...I forget at the moment exactly where. I can ask my family and let you know tomorrow....

Dia duit - fáilte romhat
Franc
PS I think you'll find that the Shannon is a river rather than a county, but in Co. Donegal there's a place called Ballyshannon/Béal Átha Seanaidh where they have a nice festival of traditional music in July.

You could be right, Franc, but it could also be Sionainn (​Shannon) in County Clare, where the international airport is located.

That would place it in Munster in terms of dialect (historically speaking, of course), would it not?

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Múinteoir Gaeilge - Irish Teacher
My "specialty" is Connemara Irish, particularly Cois Fhairrge dialect, but I can also speak Ulster and Munster Irish with native-level pronunciation.
Is fearr Gaeilge ḃriste ná Béarla cliste, cinnte, aċ i ḃfad níos fearr aríst í Gaeilge ḃinn ḃeo na nGaeltaċtaí.
Gaeilge Chonnacht (GC), go háraid Gaeilge Chois Fhairrge (GCF), Gaeilic Uladh (GU), Gaelainn na Mumhan (GM), agus Gaeilge an Chaighdeáin Oifigiúil (CO).

That was my first thought—but Shannon is, according to Wikipedia, quite a new town, built on marshland in the 1960s, which doesn’t quite fit with jenn22ems’ grandfather hailing from there.

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Not a native speaker.

Always wait for at least three people to agree on a translation, especially if it’s for something permanent.

My translations are usually GU (Ulster Irish), unless CO (Standard Orthography) is requested.