Learning Irish: We could all take a leaf out or Ruby’s leabhar

Sir, – I would like to commend Ruby Eastwood’s article “I’m learning Irish. I need to get comfortable with not being good for a long time”. (June 20th).

For someone accustomed to picking up languages easily, this is a very honest account and one which most Irish people can identify with. Many of us would love to become more fluent in our native language but embarrassment prevents us pursuing it. We expect that we should automatically be better speaking Irish without practice – what a high bar we set ourselves.

Taking a leaf out of Ruby’s book, let’s expect to be pretty bad at it for as long as it takes, but don’t give up trying. – Yours, etc,

ANNE WALSH,

RM Block

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Harold’s Cross,

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