All levels of interest in the Irish language welcome May 3.
CHICOPEE -- On May 3, the Irish Cultural Center at Elms College will hold its 14th Lá na Gaéilge (Irish Language Day) on the college campus. The day is presented as an "opportunity for those with an interest in the language - beginners and those with varying levels of competence - to deepen their knowledge." Registration begins at 8:30 a.m, and concludes with entertainment around 5 p.m.
The cost for center members is $40, $50 for non-members, and $15 for students. The price includes lunch, as well as coffee, tea and light refreshments throughout the day. For further information contact Ellen Dziura at center (413) 265-2537 or email irishcenter@elms.edu.
More information is also available at www.elmsirishcenter.org or www.facebook.com/IrishCulturalCenter
Many native Irish speakers, from Ireland's West coast, immigrated to the Pioneer Valley in the 19th and 20th centuries. Some of their stories can be found in The Republican's "The Irish Legacy: A History of the Irish in Western Massachusetts."
Elms has long offered courses in the language, both for credit and non-credit. Irish belongs to the Celtic branch of Indo-European languages. It is closely related to Scottish Gaelic and more remotely related to the other Celtic languages still spoken - Welsh and Breton. It is estimated that some 76,000 people speak the language on a daily basis in Ireland.