Every Tuesday night since I’ve arrived in Belfast, I’ve been heading to my Irish class at An Droichead – an Irish language school off the Lower Ormeau Road in South Belfast. I had previously been taking courses with An Droichead virtually over the past three semesters. Needless to say, people were shocked to see me in person in September – they had only known me as the American on the Zoom screen! Since I now have a bit of Irish, I want to provide updates of my first two months in Belfast with a wee bit of Irish vocabulary interspersed.
My classmates and me at An Droichead
An Teach Beag – ‘The Wee House’
On Tuesdays, after my Irish class finishes up, I’ve been going to the Hawthorn Bar, also known as the ‘Wee House,’ to attend their open mic nights. This weekly event gathers artists, poets, and magicians from across Belfast to perform and gather in community. The pub is known as the Wee House since it lies in a small house on a residential street off the Falls Road – as you sit down for a pint, you feel like you’re sitting in your friend’s living room. Going here for the first time was especially cool for me considering my great-grandpa would have grown up just a few houses down on Hawthorn Street.
Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello at the Hawthorn open mic
Amanna maith le mo chol ceathracha – ‘Good times with my cousins’
I frequently ride the bus to West Belfast to visit my cousins who live in the Poleglass area. They’ve been so welcoming to me since I arrived. My cousin Trisha makes the best Irish stew in Belfast, so I’m up there on a weekly basis for dinner. Last week, I gathered with most of my cousins to celebrate the 60th birthday of a family friend. I impressed my two cousins who are Gaeilgeoirí (fluent Irish speakers) by holding some conversation.
My cousins and me at the birthday party
Ag rith in aice leis an abhainn agus ag siúl ar na sléibhte – ‘Running by the river and walking in the mountains‘
My student accommodation is a short distance away from the Lagan River, so I’ve been frequenting the riverside trail for runs to Ormeau Park and back. From the east side of the river, you can see the Black Mountains in the backdrop of Belfast city centre. I also recently visited Newcastle to see some of my cousins and visit the house where my grandparents used to live. We hiked up the Mourne Mountains and saw sheep, horses, and cattle along the way! We also went on a bus tour of the Antrim Coast, stopping at the Giant’s Causeway. Go hálainn (beautiful)!
Run by the River Lagan Me at the Giant’s Causeway
Overall, these first two months have been wonderful. I’m deepening my connections to Ireland and my cousins, making friends within my graduate course and around Belfast, and enjoying time with the rest of the Mitchell cohort as well. I’m thrilled for the rest of the year ahead. Slán go fóill! (Bye for now!)