S2 #6 Gaeilge i mo Chroí: Living and Loving the Irish Language: A Conversation with Molly Nic Céile
The Language Question ~ Ceist na TeanganShow Notes
In this episode of Season 2 of The Language Question ~ Ceist na Teangan, host Finghin Mac Cárthaigh (Flor McCarthy) sits down with Molly Nic Céile, Irish language teacher, content creator, author, and founder of Gaeilge i mo Chroí / Irish in my Heart: A Guide to Loving and Living the Irish Language. Together, they explore how learning Irish (Gaeilge) can go far beyond grammar and vocabulary, opening powerful pathways into identity, heritage, and belonging. Thanks for your interest in The Language Question ~ Ceist na Teangan! Subscribe for free to receive priority notification on future episodes and to access valuable Irish language learning resources.
Throughout the conversation, they reflect on the emotional power of Irish — from family connections and memory to the deep cultural meanings embedded within words. Molly shares her personal journey from learning Irish in an English-medium school in Donegal to building a global Irish-language community online through YouTube, Instagram, teaching, writing, and podcasting. Through her work, she is helping thousands of learners rediscover Irish not as a school subject, but as a living language connected to joy, creativity, identity, and community. This episode reminds us that Irish is not simply something to learn — it is something to experience, feel, and live. This Episode Celebrates: * The role of storytelling and media in learning Irish * The importance of conversation and community in language revival * The emotional connection between language, identity, and heritage * Breaking perfectionism and fear around speaking Irish * Making Irish accessible through creativity, technology, and modern media If you’ve ever felt disconnected from Irish — or unsure where to begin — this episode will inspire you to start again. Thanks for reading The Language Question ~ Ceist na Teangan! Subscribe for free to receive priority notification on future episodes and to receive valuable resources.
Podcast Notes Rediscovering Irish Beyond the Classroom Molly reflects on her experience learning Irish through the Irish education system and how, despite enjoying the language at school, she still left feeling unable to truly speak it conversationally. She and Finghin discuss the limitations of exam-focused language teaching, particularly the emphasis on rote learning and artificial oral exam structures, and how this can disconnect learners from the living reality of the language. The conversation highlights an important truth: many people already carry more Irish than they realise — they simply need confidence, encouragement, and opportunities to use it naturally. Building an Irish Language Community Online After studying media production, Molly began creating Irish-language content online in 2019 through her YouTube channel Gaeilge i mo chroí. What began as simple videos teaching basic phrases gradually grew into a global online Irish-language community. Molly speaks about the surprise and excitement of hearing from learners around the world — from Ireland to Australia to the United States — all reconnecting with Gaeilge online. Through YouTube, Instagram, podcasts, and conversation circles, Molly discovered that Irish could become part of everyday life outside traditional educational structures. Today, her work helps thousands of learners around the world build confidence speaking Irish through accessible, encouraging, and community-driven learning. Thanks for reading The Language Question ~ Ceist na Teangan! Subscribe for free to receive priority notification on future episodes and to receive valuable resources.
Gaeilge i mo Chroí: Irish in the Heart Molly discusses the inspiration behind her award-winning book Gaeilge i mo Chroí: Your Guide to Loving and Living the Irish Language, which won Lifestyle Book of the Year at the Irish Book Awards 2024. The book explores: * The emotional relationship many Irish people have with Gaeilge * Common myths about the language * Language shame and perfectionism
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