New England's Irish Language Instructors

Abhaile
(home)

New England Irish Language Instructors

Kathleen Joyce-Page
(Caitlín Sheoige)

Kathleen Joyce-Page (Caitlín Sheoige) , originally from Inis Bearacháin (near Leitir Móir, Co. Galway), was raised speaking Irish in her home -- what we call a "native speaker" of Irish, for whom English is a second language. Caitlín spoke Irish as her primary language throughout her childhood, and all of her school subjects were taught in Irish. With this background, Caitlín offers a unique and valuable perspective of the native language of Ireland.

Caitlín immigrated to the U.S. at age 18, and has worked in the airline industry since shortly after her arrival. She holds a degree from Bunker Hill Community College and is currently working on a further degree from UNH. In addition to her knowledge of Irish and English, Caitlín has also studied the Spanish and French languages.

Although Caitlín had no previous experience teaching the Irish language before first visiting our Manchester, New Hampshire Irish classes in 2004, our students soon came to appreciate her many visits and the insights and experiences she brings with her. Caitlín, in turn, is pleased to have the opportunity to share her language with others. "I never thought that I would make a 360° turn from speaking Irish by choice, to learning English, to then come full circle to teaching Irish here in New Hampshire!"

Caitlín now resides in Wilton, New Hampshire. In her spare time, she enjoys flying small planes, and has travelled to many parts of the world.

Domi O'Brien

For Domi O'Brien, Celtic culture has always been a part of life, and Ireland's native language is an important component of that culture. Domi began learning Irish in 1968.

Having grown up around the country and around the world (in a military family), Domi was raised on Irish myth and legend and daily offerings to the nature-spirits, and during her early years learned a few words of Irish (mostly blessings and curses). She began formal study of her Celtic heritage in 1964, as a college freshman.

Domi studied Celtic spirituality with Ciarriadhe Harvey, Celtic literature with Dr. Cornelius Lyle, and the Irish language in 1968 with UCC graduate Nollaig Kilgallen.

After a hiatus in her studies -- during which she homeschooled her children -- in 1987 Domi met Deirdre McFarland in Philadelphia, and studied Irish language with her for the next three years.

In 1990 Domi moved to Seattle and began teaching an Irish course for beginners while serving as Preceptor on the national board of Ár nDraoicht Féin. In Seattle she also studied Early Irish with Dr. Paul Remley at University of Washington, and Celtic harp with harper- fiddler-composer- storyteller- Scots Gaelic teacher Seumas Gagne.

Domi returned to the East coast in 1990. While teaching Psychology and Sociology at NHCTC/Manchester, she was asked to teach a non-credit course in Conversational Irish Gaelic there. Throughout the 1990s she taught several beginner and intermediate Irish courses, has recently hosted Irish conversation groups in Manchester, and in 2005 begins teaching formal classes in Manchester once more.

Domi and her daughter live in Manchester's west side and share a house with an enormous collection of books, seven birds, a cat, and a Siamese fighting fish.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tim Loftus
(Tadhg Ó Lachtnáin)

Tim Loftus (a.k.a. Tadhg Ó Lachtnáin - Ó Lachtnáin being the most likely form of the Loftus name before Gaelic surnames became a liability under the English penal laws in Ireland) became interested in Gaelic life as a youngster when he first became aware of his Irish heritage.

From listening to the old stories from his maternal side of his family to his genealogical research tracing his paternal side to a small farming village in County Galway, Tim has developed a deep fondness for this culture and language of his ancestors.

He says: "The Irish-Gaelic language seems to tie it all together. The stories of my elders, as was their turn of a phrase, make so much more sense now that I am studying the language of their Irish souls."

In 2004 Tim began his Irish language studies both through self-teaching programs and through local classes. In 2007 he began assisting Kenneth Peterson in Sturbridge as assistant instructor.

Tim lives in Spencer, Massachusetts and works as an Environmental Chemist.
In his spare time he enjoys beekeeping and playing traditional Celtic music on a wooden flute.

Thomas O'Rourke
(Tomás Ó Ruairc)

Tom O'Rourke is an American-born adult student of the Irish language who began his study at the old Fitchburg Irish-American club. His first teacher was a native-Irish speaker from West Cork who taught him how to read basic children's readers. Tom then found his way to the Boston based Irish language organization Cumann na Gaeilge where he pursued his study there with several excellent teachers and native speakers enriching himself with sean-nós singing, native Irish poetry, and stories from the native Irish folklore. This beneficial and highly entertaining learning experience only whetted his appetite for more and so he pursued four-semesters of Irish language study in an academic climate at Harvard University Extension School, to learn the grammar and structure of the Irish language.

Tom says: "It has been my good fortune to live within the metropolitan Boston area with its rich, thriving authentic Irish cultural experience, and to have had the opportunity to pursue my Irish heritage. I have been taught by several excellent native-speakers and Irish-American language teachers, and they have passed their enthusiasm on to me. It is now my turn to share this knowledge and experience with other interested students and to help spread the Irish language around New England. Whether your interest is in heritage, folklore, music or literature, the Irish language is the vehicle into the heart of the culture of the Irish People."

Tom tutored several Irish classes in the 1980s, and began teaching again in 2001 to the present. He has been to Ireland many times and has stayed with Irish speaking families in the Gaeltacht areas of West Kerry, West Cork, Connemara, North West Mayo, and Donegal. Tom continues to study a little Irish faithfully every day! His favorite radio station is Ráidió na Gaeltachta.

Kenneth Peterson
(Cionaodh Mac Pheadair)

Kenneth Peterson (a.k.a. "Cionaodh") began studying Irish in 1982, first on his own and later with various teachers in classroom settings and in private study groups.

Cionaodh began teaching others in 1989, first as a substitute teacher, then in 1992 taking on his own classes. He has held courses in 7 locations in three states since then, most recently teaching Irish in central Massachusetts again after 11+ years having taught in New Hampshire. He has guest lectured on the Irish language at Clark University in Worcester, and was a language software consultant for two successful Irish language programs. He has also tutored numerous students in the Irish language via the internet.

Cionaodh has spent 20+ years getting successful New England Irish classes up & running, and through trial-and-error has crafted an organizational strategy for Irish language courses that has been unmatched in its success throughout New England. His Fall, 2003 class location in Manchester, New Hampshire attracted over 70 students with course offerings that included advanced-level Irish!

In between semesters of teaching the language of Ireland, Cionaodh has been compiling a comprehensive bibliography of the countless Irish language learning books and materials that have been published in the last two centuries, and he is an avid collector of such priceless works.

When he is not teaching Irish, Cionaodh is a freelance graphic designer and
amateur arborist.

Peter Vatne
(Peadar Vatne)

Peter Vatne has been studying Irish since his first class with
Kenneth Peterson in January, 1994. He has gone through the entire
Progress in Irish book three times! Peter is currently reading and
translating Harry Potter agus An Órchloch with fellow students from Manchester, NH.

Peter is partly Irish from his grandmother, and can trace his
family's roots to Moycullen, County Galway.
He has visited Ireland four times, most recently in 2003.

In addition to Irish, Peter is also currently studying Norwegian and Italian.
He claims these languages are all different enough that he doesn't
get them confused!

Peter lives in Nashua, and is a retired Software Engineer
from Digital/Compaq/HP.