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New England Irish Language Instructors
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Tim
Loftus 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. 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. |
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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. |
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Peter Vatne has been studying Irish since his first class with Peter is partly Irish from his grandmother, and can trace his In addition to Irish, Peter is also currently studying Norwegian and Italian. Peter lives in Nashua, and is a retired Software Engineer |