Name: James Kelly E-mail: Location of Study: Ireland Program of Study: Sponsor(s): Robert Berner
25 thoughts on “Kelly, James”
19 Iúil 2013
Tá sé leathuair tar éis a deich ar maidin. I’m after eating a delicious “full Irish breakfast” at a Galway B&B and have just started packing my bags for my four weeks in Carraroe. As I write this blog post, I feel overwhelmed as butterflies in my stomach and adrenaline rushes of excitement compete for my emotions. Out of all of the Irish phrases I know, one in particular is applicable now: tóg go bóg é!
Unlike some of my fellow Domers arriving today, I won’t be jet-lagged at all. I have been in Ireland for the past eight weeks; I spent six weeks at Notre Dame’s Summer Dublin program and have been travelling around the Ireland with my parents for the past two. In being here for this long, I should only need to worry about the language alone as I continue to immerse myself in Irish culture. After dodging the hustle bustle of Dublin and winding along the narrow roads of the Burren in my travels, I think it’s safe to say that there’ll be no significant culture shock!
Ireland is not a utopia—it is a country with a unique cultural atmosphere in which people endure the universal human condition. There is suffering and anguish here just as there is in any other country, ranging from the violence endured during the wars and Troubles of the past century to the anxiety felt by those who have the endure the heartbreak of divorce or the burden of the Leaving Cert. As I have travelled farther west from the city, I noticed that Ireland focuses on the importance of the community rather than that of the individual; people enjoy the company of neighbors and friends in the pubs and joyous frolic with them at ceilidhs. As I start this new program, I hope to not only see more of this community, but also discover what it means to give myself to others in society. As a theology major and devout Catholic, I realize that I am called to love God above all and love others as myself. Using my faith as a lens to look through, I aspire to see how this calling can be lived out in Connemara society through the medium of the Irish language.
19 Iúil 2013
Tá sé leathuair tar éis a deich ar maidin. I’m after eating a delicious “full Irish breakfast” at a Galway B&B and have just started packing my bags for my four weeks in Carraroe. As I write this blog post, I feel overwhelmed as butterflies in my stomach and adrenaline rushes of excitement compete for my emotions. Out of all of the Irish phrases I know, one in particular is applicable now: tóg go bóg é!
Unlike some of my fellow Domers arriving today, I won’t be jet-lagged at all. I have been in Ireland for the past eight weeks; I spent six weeks at Notre Dame’s Summer Dublin program and have been travelling around the Ireland with my parents for the past two. In being here for this long, I should only need to worry about the language alone as I continue to immerse myself in Irish culture. After dodging the hustle bustle of Dublin and winding along the narrow roads of the Burren in my travels, I think it’s safe to say that there’ll be no significant culture shock!
Ireland is not a utopia—it is a country with a unique cultural atmosphere in which people endure the universal human condition. There is suffering and anguish here just as there is in any other country, ranging from the violence endured during the wars and Troubles of the past century to the anxiety felt by those who have the endure the heartbreak of divorce or the burden of the Leaving Cert. As I have travelled farther west from the city, I noticed that Ireland focuses on the importance of the community rather than that of the individual; people enjoy the company of neighbors and friends in the pubs and joyous frolic with them at ceilidhs. As I start this new program, I hope to not only see more of this community, but also discover what it means to give myself to others in society. As a theology major and devout Catholic, I realize that I am called to love God above all and love others as myself. Using my faith as a lens to look through, I aspire to see how this calling can be lived out in Connemara society through the medium of the Irish language.
23 Iúil 2013
I had no idea that Irish would be so hard to speak until I arrived to Carraroe last Friday. My host talked to me and my housemates in Irish from the get-go and no matter how much I studied before the trip, I wouldn’t have been any more prepared for it than I was then. I am very good with sentence structure and grammatical syntax, but cannot remember vocabulary for the life of me. As a result, I found myself stuttering, mute, struggling to utter a single word. Thankfully, I find relief that most of the other people in the program are on a similar level of competency, so this entire ordeal is probably a normal part of any immersion experience.
Despite the language barrier, I have found a sense of community within my household. There are eight of us students in total who come from a variety of backgrounds (American, Canadian, and Dutch) and with very different life experiences. As we get to know each other, we’ve found each other’s perks right away, and continually bond over jokes, TV shows, and funny YouTube videos. Amidst all this fun, we also help each other with our Irish; two of my housemates are in the advanced class, two in the beginners, and four (including me) are in the intermediate course. The two advanced students have helped tremendously in facilitating our communication with the host family these first few days, while most of us as whole have taught the beginner students many of the basic salutations and greetings.
By forming these bonds of friendship, my housemates and I have become like a family in its own right; we do nearly everything with each other, from eating meals to attending class. This family can form a foundation from which we can engage with the rest of the local and student communities. While I may not “become Irish” by the end of these four weeks, I nevertheless hope to become engaged with the community to a more advanced degree.
3 Lúnasa 2013
I can’t believe I’m almost halfway done! It feels like I’ve been here forever; the town, the people and the culture have become so familiar to me.
Being exposed to the language all day every day has been so helpful in my immersion experience. I understand fully what my teachers and peers say to me, but still struggle a bit when it comes to forming responses to more complicated questions. After taking my first oral exam today, I realize that I know all of the grammatical rules and verbal conjugations by heart but have difficulty in coming up with the correct form of each word on the spot. To remedy this shortcoming, my teacher recommended that I practice using the words I know more frequently; that way, I’ll have less trouble in forming sentences and can focus on learning more nouns and adjectives.
In addition, I have come to appreciate the culture of the town more. I speak Irish whenever I can with locals and store employees; they assume I only speak English since I am clearly American, so it’s been tough to become “fully” immersed. As a program, we have visited historical sites such as Patrick Pearse’s house and Inis Oírr (one of the Aran Islands). While these are clearly important places in Irish society, many people still speak English and give us little opportunity to practice our linguistic skills.
The most beneficial experiences I’ve had have been at mass these past two Sundays. As a lifelong Catholic and member of the Notre Dame Liturgical Choir since August 2011, I have become very familiar with the format of the liturgy and know when certain prayers and readings are. While I could barely understand what was said at the first mass, I nevertheless was able to follow along and pick up certain words and responses such as “Tiarna (Lord)” and “Buíochas le Dia (Thanks be to God).” At the other mass, I understood over 50% of what the priest was saying! As I continue to learn over the next few weeks, I hope to grow both in faith and knowledge of Irish when at mass.
8 Lúnasa
Just wrapped up my second oral exam today, and it was very much better than the first! By studying little by little each morning and afternoon and using as much Irish as possible outside of class, I have gotten much more comfortable with the language. Although I was prompted with possible questions before I took the “measúnú,” I chose not to prepare any written answers to memorize. Instead, my housemates and I quizzed each other a bit to see if we’d be able to answer the questions on the spot. As I continue to practice speaking Irish, the words and grammar will hopefully become better engrained in me.
Went to Spiddal and Galway the other day! There wasn’t a whole lot to do in the former—only a few shops to look in—but we still managed to make it worthwhile by relaxing by the seaside. Galway was fun as ever! It was my third time visiting the city, so I knew what to expect in terms of good restaurants and pubs to patronize. I didn’t have any opportunity to speak Irish there though, so it really threw us all for a loop when we had to cram in a late-night study session!
Now it’s time to go to An Chistin for a celebratory pint—slán go fóill!
11 Lúnasa
A Dhia! What a day!
Faraor, An Cheathrú Rua lost to Leitir Móir in the Galway GAA Gaelic football championship today. Fortunately for us, they didn’t go down without a bunch of North Americans cheering them on (loudly and clearly)! The match also served as an opportunity for us to use our Irish, whether it was for cheers (“An Cheathrú Rua!!!”) or jeers (“Pucaí Leitir Móir!”). Between the excitement and the good company with friends, I couldn’t have asked for a better day.
Yesterday I attended mass, and got to participate fully for the very first time!!! Well…almost. I had written down the people’s mass responses from an online pamphlet on Friday and tried to memorize them as best I could. Despite my effort, both the priest and the congregation sped through their responses, so it was tough for me to keep up. Fortunately, I was still able to comprehend about 75-80% of what was said at the mass. As icing on the cake, the choir sang one of my favorite hymns (“Be Thou My Vision”) as Gaeilge for the recessional. As I embark on this final week in Ireland, I hope that I can continue to enjoy the language as I speak it outside of the classroom, whether it be in a sacred or profane setting.
16 Lúnasa
Well, Ireland, it’s been a grand twelve weeks!
After taking buses from Carraroe to Galway and then Galway to Dublin, I’ve finally taken off in the air en route to Boston. As I waited in transit at each stop I took, I couldn’t help but think of the memories and friends I made in those places—family, fellow DSPers, agus mo chomradaí tí. Looking back on my summer, I wished that I had blogged or journalled more often; then again, I was so busy that I barely had time to do so.
The final oral exam was terrific! I was calm the entire time and was able to say what I wished without forgetting any vital words. I didn’t even feel like I was taking an exam; it was as if I sat down with my teachers for four or five minutes for some tea and good company. Unfortunately, I’m not as perfectly fluent as I anticipated I would be before the program, but I feel that the program benefitted me in that I can now speak as Gaeilge more naturally rather than in the structured, regimented way my peers and I did in class.
I very much appreciated the song and dance session last night; since I was leaving Carraroe earlier in the morning than most people, it served as a good opportunity for me to say goodbye and to remember them when they were in high spirits, rather than when they may have been melancholic the next day. Between the language classes and my engagement with the community at pubs and other events, I truly feel that I have formed a bond with Ireland and its people. The fact that I was able to learn more Irish and feel welcomed by everyone in town means the world to me. Do I want to go back? Who wouldn’t?
19 Iúil 2013
Tá sé leathuair tar éis a deich ar maidin. I’m after eating a delicious “full Irish breakfast” at a Galway B&B and have just started packing my bags for my four weeks in Carraroe. As I write this blog post, I feel overwhelmed as butterflies in my stomach and adrenaline rushes of excitement compete for my emotions. Out of all of the Irish phrases I know, one in particular is applicable now: tóg go bóg é!
Unlike some of my fellow Domers arriving today, I won’t be jet-lagged at all. I have been in Ireland for the past eight weeks; I spent six weeks at Notre Dame’s Summer Dublin program and have been travelling around the Ireland with my parents for the past two. In being here for this long, I should only need to worry about the language alone as I continue to immerse myself in Irish culture. After dodging the hustle bustle of Dublin and winding along the narrow roads of the Burren in my travels, I think it’s safe to say that there’ll be no significant culture shock!
Ireland is not a utopia—it is a country with a unique cultural atmosphere in which people endure the universal human condition. There is suffering and anguish here just as there is in any other country, ranging from the violence endured during the wars and Troubles of the past century to the anxiety felt by those who have the endure the heartbreak of divorce or the burden of the Leaving Cert. As I have travelled farther west from the city, I noticed that Ireland focuses on the importance of the community rather than that of the individual; people enjoy the company of neighbors and friends in the pubs and joyous frolic with them at ceilidhs. As I start this new program, I hope to not only see more of this community, but also discover what it means to give myself to others in society. As a theology major and devout Catholic, I realize that I am called to love God above all and love others as myself. Using my faith as a lens to look through, I aspire to see how this calling can be lived out in Connemara society through the medium of the Irish language.
19 Iúil 2013
Tá sé leathuair tar éis a deich ar maidin. I’m after eating a delicious “full Irish breakfast” at a Galway B&B and have just started packing my bags for my four weeks in Carraroe. As I write this blog post, I feel overwhelmed as butterflies in my stomach and adrenaline rushes of excitement compete for my emotions. Out of all of the Irish phrases I know, one in particular is applicable now: tóg go bóg é!
Unlike some of my fellow Domers arriving today, I won’t be jet-lagged at all. I have been in Ireland for the past eight weeks; I spent six weeks at Notre Dame’s Summer Dublin program and have been travelling around the Ireland with my parents for the past two. In being here for this long, I should only need to worry about the language alone as I continue to immerse myself in Irish culture. After dodging the hustle bustle of Dublin and winding along the narrow roads of the Burren in my travels, I think it’s safe to say that there’ll be no significant culture shock!
Ireland is not a utopia—it is a country with a unique cultural atmosphere in which people endure the universal human condition. There is suffering and anguish here just as there is in any other country, ranging from the violence endured during the wars and Troubles of the past century to the anxiety felt by those who have the endure the heartbreak of divorce or the burden of the Leaving Cert. As I have travelled farther west from the city, I noticed that Ireland focuses on the importance of the community rather than that of the individual; people enjoy the company of neighbors and friends in the pubs and joyous frolic with them at ceilidhs. As I start this new program, I hope to not only see more of this community, but also discover what it means to give myself to others in society. As a theology major and devout Catholic, I realize that I am called to love God above all and love others as myself. Using my faith as a lens to look through, I aspire to see how this calling can be lived out in Connemara society through the medium of the Irish language.
23 Iúil 2013
I had no idea that Irish would be so hard to speak until I arrived to Carraroe last Friday. My host talked to me and my housemates in Irish from the get-go and no matter how much I studied before the trip, I wouldn’t have been any more prepared for it than I was then. I am very good with sentence structure and grammatical syntax, but cannot remember vocabulary for the life of me. As a result, I found myself stuttering, mute, struggling to utter a single word. Thankfully, I find relief that most of the other people in the program are on a similar level of competency, so this entire ordeal is probably a normal part of any immersion experience.
Despite the language barrier, I have found a sense of community within my household. There are eight of us students in total who come from a variety of backgrounds (American, Canadian, and Dutch) and with very different life experiences. As we get to know each other, we’ve found each other’s perks right away, and continually bond over jokes, TV shows, and funny YouTube videos. Amidst all this fun, we also help each other with our Irish; two of my housemates are in the advanced class, two in the beginners, and four (including me) are in the intermediate course. The two advanced students have helped tremendously in facilitating our communication with the host family these first few days, while most of us as whole have taught the beginner students many of the basic salutations and greetings.
By forming these bonds of friendship, my housemates and I have become like a family in its own right; we do nearly everything with each other, from eating meals to attending class. This family can form a foundation from which we can engage with the rest of the local and student communities. While I may not “become Irish” by the end of these four weeks, I nevertheless hope to become engaged with the community to a more advanced degree.
3 Lúnasa 2013
I can’t believe I’m almost halfway done! It feels like I’ve been here forever; the town, the people and the culture have become so familiar to me.
Being exposed to the language all day every day has been so helpful in my immersion experience. I understand fully what my teachers and peers say to me, but still struggle a bit when it comes to forming responses to more complicated questions. After taking my first oral exam today, I realize that I know all of the grammatical rules and verbal conjugations by heart but have difficulty in coming up with the correct form of each word on the spot. To remedy this shortcoming, my teacher recommended that I practice using the words I know more frequently; that way, I’ll have less trouble in forming sentences and can focus on learning more nouns and adjectives.
In addition, I have come to appreciate the culture of the town more. I speak Irish whenever I can with locals and store employees; they assume I only speak English since I am clearly American, so it’s been tough to become “fully” immersed. As a program, we have visited historical sites such as Patrick Pearse’s house and Inis Oírr (one of the Aran Islands). While these are clearly important places in Irish society, many people still speak English and give us little opportunity to practice our linguistic skills.
The most beneficial experiences I’ve had have been at mass these past two Sundays. As a lifelong Catholic and member of the Notre Dame Liturgical Choir since August 2011, I have become very familiar with the format of the liturgy and know when certain prayers and readings are. While I could barely understand what was said at the first mass, I nevertheless was able to follow along and pick up certain words and responses such as “Tiarna (Lord)” and “Buíochas le Dia (Thanks be to God).” At the other mass, I understood over 50% of what the priest was saying! As I continue to learn over the next few weeks, I hope to grow both in faith and knowledge of Irish when at mass.
8 Lúnasa
Just wrapped up my second oral exam today, and it was very much better than the first! By studying little by little each morning and afternoon and using as much Irish as possible outside of class, I have gotten much more comfortable with the language. Although I was prompted with possible questions before I took the “measúnú,” I chose not to prepare any written answers to memorize. Instead, my housemates and I quizzed each other a bit to see if we’d be able to answer the questions on the spot. As I continue to practice speaking Irish, the words and grammar will hopefully become better engrained in me.
Went to Spiddal and Galway the other day! There wasn’t a whole lot to do in the former—only a few shops to look in—but we still managed to make it worthwhile by relaxing by the seaside. Galway was fun as ever! It was my third time visiting the city, so I knew what to expect in terms of good restaurants and pubs to patronize. I didn’t have any opportunity to speak Irish there though, so it really threw us all for a loop when we had to cram in a late-night study session!
Now it’s time to go to An Chistin for a celebratory pint—slán go fóill!
11 Lúnasa
A Dhia! What a day!
Faraor, An Cheathrú Rua lost to Leitir Móir in the Galway GAA Gaelic football championship today. Fortunately for us, they didn’t go down without a bunch of North Americans cheering them on (loudly and clearly)! The match also served as an opportunity for us to use our Irish, whether it was for cheers (“An Cheathrú Rua!!!”) or jeers (“Pucaí Leitir Móir!”). Between the excitement and the good company with friends, I couldn’t have asked for a better day.
Yesterday I attended mass, and got to participate fully for the very first time!!! Well…almost. I had written down the people’s mass responses from an online pamphlet on Friday and tried to memorize them as best I could. Despite my effort, both the priest and the congregation sped through their responses, so it was tough for me to keep up. Fortunately, I was still able to comprehend about 75-80% of what was said at the mass. As icing on the cake, the choir sang one of my favorite hymns (“Be Thou My Vision”) as Gaeilge for the recessional. As I embark on this final week in Ireland, I hope that I can continue to enjoy the language as I speak it outside of the classroom, whether it be in a sacred or profane setting.
16 Lúnasa
Well, Ireland, it’s been a grand twelve weeks!
After taking buses from Carraroe to Galway and then Galway to Dublin, I’ve finally taken off in the air en route to Boston. As I waited in transit at each stop I took, I couldn’t help but think of the memories and friends I made in those places—family, fellow DSPers, agus mo chomradaí tí. Looking back on my summer, I wished that I had blogged or journalled more often; then again, I was so busy that I barely had time to do so.
The final oral exam was terrific! I was calm the entire time and was able to say what I wished without forgetting any vital words. I didn’t even feel like I was taking an exam; it was as if I sat down with my teachers for four or five minutes for some tea and good company. Unfortunately, I’m not as perfectly fluent as I anticipated I would be before the program, but I feel that the program benefitted me in that I can now speak as Gaeilge more naturally rather than in the structured, regimented way my peers and I did in class.
I very much appreciated the song and dance session last night; since I was leaving Carraroe earlier in the morning than most people, it served as a good opportunity for me to say goodbye and to remember them when they were in high spirits, rather than when they may have been melancholic the next day. Between the language classes and my engagement with the community at pubs and other events, I truly feel that I have formed a bond with Ireland and its people. The fact that I was able to learn more Irish and feel welcomed by everyone in town means the world to me. Do I want to go back? Who wouldn’t?