Cúpla focal at a Cup of Focals – Guerrilla tactics to learn the Irish language
It’s likely you hear this often around the city this month during Seachtain na Gaeilge, a celebratory festival running throughout Ireland paying homage to the Irish language.
Cúpla focal. “A couple words” in Irish.
Though Irish is the country’s first official language, over 60pc of the population does not speak it – and there is a push of fresh learners on the rise to keep it alive.
Somewhere on Upper Cross Street this weekend you may run into a team using guerrilla tactics to spur Irish learners to use the language in an impromptu way. A Cup of Focals was created by Áine Gallagher, a comedian, storyteller, and Irish language advocate who is coined the “Queen of the Offbeat” for her participation in unique performance arts. The event pronounced casually and intentionally as ‘A Cuppa Focals’ to play on the Irish colloquialism, uses a spontaneous and surprise effect to invite people to engage in casual bi-lingual conversation. This is the first year that the event will be participating in Seachtain na Gaeilge and the second year in existence.
“We will bring a life size cup around town”, a cup that has a grab bag of words As Gaeilge, “for a quick fun, friendly chat.” People can stop by, pull out a word, have a small discussion about a subject pertaining to the word or practice pronouncing it. It also leaves room for people to participate in whatever capacity they so choose to draw in a variety of crowds from strictly English-speaking tourists to native Irish speakers, and everyone in between.
Gallagher did not grow up learning the language, nor did she speak it until becoming an adult and learning. She “understands how hard it is to learn especially because people can’t engage with what is not available to them”. Áine is passionate about learning and teaching the language so she decided to bring the language “to the streets… making it playful.” Now she takes ‘A Cup of Focals’ all-around Ireland to events and festivals saying it’s about “disrupting everyday life with a small ambush tactic” but in a commual way that draws people in.
“What’s so funny about the Irish mind is that we all know how to speak Irish, but we are just scared.”
If the Irish are known for anything, it’s their warm hospitality and deep-rooted culture—and it extends far beyond the pubs. Festivals like this one play a vital role in keeping the Irish language alive and engaging, ensuring its beauty and poetry, steeped in history, continue to be authentically cherished. Through these celebrations, the stories of old remain rich with colour and originality.
