TheHarpNews.com

AN Irish language class launched by Birmingham Adult Education Service has proved to be a big hit in Hall Green.
The classes were launched in September by John Higgins, programme manager for the Hall Green Adult Education Centre in Southam Road.
John, who comes from Ros-common originally but has lived in Birmingham for almost 40 years, has extensive experience in the field of adult education.
Originally a teacher but more recently a programme manager for the Hall Green centre, he decided classes in Irish language and Irish history would prove a worthwhile addition to the curriculum.
"I started there this year and was looking for new courses to put on and also courses that would be relevant to the community," said John.
"Hall Green has got a large proportion of Irish and second generation Irish people so I decided to put Irish language and Irish history courses on and both seem to have taken of very well."
"The take up for the Irish language course in particular has been very good and we now have 12 people doing it. This is particularly impressive when you consider it has just been set up and also that there hasn't really been much publicity. It has only really been advertised in the adult education brochure."
"Those who have signed up are mostly second generation Irish people but there are also some Irish born people who did some Irish at school and want to pick up on it again."
John confesses he is no fluent Gaelic speaker himself, though like most Irish people he learned the language while at school.
"I did learn it at school but to be honest I was not very good at it. However I can read a little."
At one time the teaching of Irish was banned in Ireland but following the setting up of the Irish Free State it became a part of the core curriculum and indeed still is. Arguably the enthusiasm to create a country of fluent Gaelic speakers as quickly as possible probably put more than a few people off and John confesses he was not particularly enthusiastic about the language during his schooldays.
"When I was growing up it was compulsory and forced on us to a certain degree, which I think put us off and might have led to us being fed up with it."
"But now I think you find people are coming back to it to keep their culture and heritage alive and taking an active interest. It is something that is very much worth keeping alive."
Perhaps something that is connected to John's experience and a fact that might put a lot of people off who are coming to the language with little or no experience of it is the fact it is not the easiest language in the world and to an English speaker it can seem like quite an alien tongue.
"I think people who haven't come across it before do find it difficult, particularly the pronunciation" said John."
"Although I don't remember a lot of it, one thing that has stayed with me is the pronunciation. English people do find it very difficult to get their tongues around it."
"You need to be a bit committed and give it a good go rather than just dipping in."
Although the programme is already underway and the course will run for an academic year, John says people are still welcome to come on board, though the likelihood is they would need to be people with some experience of the language. Anyone interested in finding out more is invited to turn up on a Monday night at the centre, part of Hall Green School in Southam Road. The course
runs between 6.45pm and 8.15pm and interested parties should
talk to the course tutor Denise Lynch. The Irish history class runs from 7-9pm on a Thursday. It is taught by Peadar O'Toole who
John found through the Irish Heritage Foundation in Birmingham.
John found Denise through Conradh Na Gaeilge, an organisation based in Birmingham which promotes the Irish language.
The course has proved so successful that already John is thinking beyond next year and hopes he may be able to run two classes simultaneously, a beginners class and an improvement class for the students learning at the moment.
One of the best indicators is the fact that there is an excellent retention rate on the course. No mean feat.
"I was pleasantly surprised at the interest and delighted when we got 12 people come through the door without really trying hard," said John."
"People just seemed to turn up and there was great interest straight away. I am really pleased it has got off the ground and there is such enthusiasm for it."
"The students seem to be getting a lot out of it, though it is early days and we haven't really evaluated it yet. But people are continuing to come. A lot of people join classes and find it is too much or don't like it and drop out. But there is a high keep up rate which is a good indication."
* To find out more about the Irish language and Irish history classes call the Trittiford Road Adult Education Centre on 0121 464 7401.