Why did I wait 47 years to learn to speak Irish? It's lyrical. It's poetic. It's a damn good time. In less than a week, I've learned a few greetings, how to ask someone how they're doing, answer same, ask where someone is from, answer same. I can ask someone their name, which translates as "what is the name that you wear". What a wonderful way to phrase it. I can also ask the time, answer same for the hour, quarter past, half past, and quarter to. If the time is anything else, I can't say it. I can count to twelve! Got forbid I want to order thirteen pints. I can also inquire about the weather and tell you that it's dry, wet, warm, raining, windy, or snowy. I can ask if you'd like tea or coffee or whiskey (esca baja, literally the water of life) and answer same. I can tell you that I like certain things and dislike others. All in all, a successful few days of learnin'.
One of my favorite things to say is thank you; go raibh maith agat. For the first few days, it sounded like "go row my yogurt" to me. It took some time to develop an ear. I'm still working on it. I've also learned some handy phrases like suigh sios agus lig do scith. It means sit down and take a load off.
It's my hope that when I hit Killarney, I'll be semi-conversational in Irish. Certainly, I won't be able to discuss politics or religion, but I don't do that here so I sure as hell won't want to do it there. However, I will be able to exchange pleasantries and - most importantly - ask kindly for a pint. I won't even try to speak it until I hit County Kerry. If I spoke it in Dublin, there wouldn't be many who would understand the dialect, even if they speak the language. There are three main dialects, Ulster (way up north) Connaught (sorta middle), and Munster (south west). I'm learning some Ulster and some Munster, although I'd prefer to learn Muster exclusively. Those who speak Irish in Dublin are probably not familiar with the Muster dialect and I'd make an ass of myself. Better to save the ass-makin' for Kerry.
I'm sad to say that I haven't learned any bad words, but I'm not going until June, so there's hope. If you know any, please feel free to share in the comments section below. Extra points if it's extremely vulgar.
When Lauren and I walked across England, we hired an outfit called The Sherpa Van to pick up our bags each morning and deliver them to our next night's accommodations. Because of that, we only had to carry what we needed for each day's hike (rain gear, first aid supplies, extra socks, emergency blankets, lots of water, hats and gloves, extra layers, and food. Don't be fooled, that's a lotta shit to carry on one's back.) In the van, we sent a suitcase of clean clothes and extra shoes, plus two carry-ons with laptops, chargers, hair stuff, etc. For our 16-day hike, I think I paid 200 lbs for baggage transfers. It was absolutely worth it. They even gave Lauren and I a ride from one town to the next when she was too sick to walk.
I started looking into something similar for my walk of the Kerry Way. No such luck. Although there's no organized service, I could pay each B&B/hostel to send my bags ahead...in a cab. The going rate is about e45/day. That's more than I'll be spending for most night's accommodations and breakfast combined. It's highway robbery.
Since I'm traveling alone and I'm flying home immediately following the walk, I've decided to carry everything I need on my back. The idea of that should make you cringe. Included in that pile of things to carry will be my laptop because I HAVE to blog every day (I already promised you that I would) and I'll want to skype my family. I really don't know how I'm going to 1) fit everything I need in my pack; and 2) carry it twenty miles a day over mountains. Maybe I should look into hiring a pack horse. Lauren's dwarf had this advice: "Go small and be dirty." Those of you who know Owen are not at all surprised by this. I have time to look for odor-resistant fabrics and practice hiking with a full pack.
You'll be pleased to know I've begun training....and not just the drinking of Guinness, either. I logged about fifteen miles last week and just completed another six today. I've a long way to go, but while I'm walking I practice my Irish. While walking the Old Rd today, I was going through everything I know - out loud. I was really getting into it and made a rather large arm gesture as I explained to an imaginary person that I don't like tea but would love a glass of whiskey. While gesturing, I whacked a man passing me on his bike. Then I apologized in Irish. He pedaled faster.
Was it something I said?
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