Teach Yourself Irish by Myles Dillon

Hi there - I've just found an original copy of this book for a pound, and it will be turning up in the next few days. My Dad tells me that it used to come with LPs for the (Munster) pronunciation. (He's also warned me what to expect - grammar and lots of it, though he assures me it is very practical.)

Anyway - I have heard it said that, in some mystical internet land, there are mp3s of the original LPs. Which would obviously help pronunciation if it were true.

Does anyone know where I can find sound files? Or if worst comes to worst, where I can find LPs that aren't scratched to ribbons?

Thank you!

Hi, Mary.

i actually own a (paperback) copy of that book, but it did not include any LPs, cassettes, or other sound file sources.  If you do find them, I would appreciate knowing about them!

it is heavy on grammar, but teaches some essential background items and a very comprehensive, if somewhat mind-boggling list of rules for lenition (which he calls aspiration) and eclipsis.  This was the book I bought in a bookstore in Cork, and a friend came up to me and said, "You'll never learn Irish reading that!"  She proceeded to give me her copies of Buntús Cainte, but the books only.  I later bought my own copy with the cassette tapes.  I do still open up my Teach Yourself book from time to time.  It has a very good section on proper names, and possessive constructs, along with other idioms.  He also includes a glossary at the end, but it is Irish to English only, and contains only the vocabulary included in the lessons.  Also, you should be aware that the older Irish spellings are used, so hopefully that does not introduce many issues.

Good luck!  Let me know if you find the sound files!

Dale D

Hi, Mary.

Someone just e-mailed me with the sound files (and a pdf file of the book) for Teach Yourself Irish, and I downloaded them in a zip file.  Did they e-mail you as well?  If not, I can forward you the link.

Dale