Cúrsa Tumoideachais sa Ghaeilge

Irish Language Immersion Courses

Butte, Montana

July 20 – 27 2024

Immersion Camps

The first immersion camps in Irish language and culture were organized in the Gaeltachtaí (Irish-speaking districts) of Ireland in 1901 and quickly became a corner-stone of the movement to preserve Ireland’s ancient Gaelic culture. It was here that students encountered the living culture, learned the language, the music and dance and returned home to share their learning and experience within their own communities. The importance of these camps in saving the culture from extinction is undeniable. The course offered in Butte again this summer is designed to give students the same experience, with the hope that they in turn will help in the movement here in the United States to preserve and promote their ancestral heritage.

Courses

There are three courses offered on campus:

i.               Beginning Irish 1

ii.              Intermediate Irish 1

iii.             Advanced Irish I

Curriculum

The main objective of all three courses is to impart and/or improve the student’s conversational knowledge of the Irish language. Classes begin at 9:00am and continue until 4:30pm in the afternoon. Each class is one hour long, with a 30 minute break between each class so students can work together and study the material covered in each class. The course is taught over 7 days and comprises 45 hours of instruction.

The evening time is reserved for the student to study or engage in recreational activities with their colleagues. There is a lot going on in Butte and many enjoy evening walks, investigating the old city, and visiting some of the many sites commemorating the history of the Irish in the town. Believe you me, you will not be bored!

Instructors

All instructors are fluent speakers and trained teachers from Ireland who have spent time in the United States teaching American students. They are very familiar with the challenges facing student in this country and are well able to assist in overcoming them. 

Credits

There is one Montana Office of Public Instruction renewal credit for each hour of instruction. A student completing one day of instruction earns 6 credits; a student completing the full course receives 45 credits.

Accomodation

For those coming from out-of-state, rooms are available on the Montana Technical College. To view the facilities, please go to www.mtech.edu. The cost per night for accommodations on campus is $35 or $245 for the full week (7 nights). For those of you not wishing to forsake the creature comforts for the dorm experience, then there is the Hodgens Ryan Mansion. I would suggest booking early here, as it is just off campus, very comfortable, very reasonable, and very much in demand.

Costs and Registration

The cost of the tuition for all courses is $60 per day or $350 for the full course. Members of the Friends of Irish Studies are entitled to a $20 reduction for the full course ($330)

Click here to register and complete payment online, or download a printable form to register by mail here.