FOR
MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT
ANSON SMITH AT 203-332-5229 or
MARY ELLEN O’SULLIVAN AT 203-218-1714.
IRISH TO BE OFFERED AT HCC
MEETS POPULAR DEMAND FOR LANGUAGE
HAILED BY FAIRFIELD STUDY GROUP
OFFERED ONLY AT HCC
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – A course in Elementary
Irish will top the list of new courses being offered this fall at Housatonic
Community college.
The
course, which will be offered Wednesday evenings, presents the phonetic system
of the language, basic vocabulary and fundamental grammatical principles emphasizing
communications competency. All linguistic skill areas will be covered, listening
comprehension, reading, speaking and writing. Orientation to the geography,
history and culture of Ireland and Irish-Americans will be included.
“This
is a wonderful opportunity to be trained in the language,” said Mary
Ellen O’ Sullivan of Fairfield, Conn. one of several people who have
been teaching themselves the language at the Gaelic-American Club in Fairfield. “We
are eagerly looking forward to having a professional instructor who will give
us guidance in pronunciation and grammar.”
O’Sullivan,
a part-time instructor at HCC, noted that, at a recent all-day workshop on
the Irish language, people from all across Connecticut attended. There is definitely
a need in the community for this course,” she said.
The
course meets Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:50 p.m. The instructor is John
Feeney, of Danbury, Conn., who has taught Irish for the last 12 years. His
goal is to enable students to converse in the language.
“For the past 150 years, many people have said the language would be
dead in a short time, yet it survives,” he said. “What better way
to learn the customs and culture of a people than to learn the language and
how they express their ideas and views of the world and life.”
Anson C. Smith, Public Relations Coordinator
Housatonic Community College
900 Lafayette Blvd.
Bridgeport, CT 06604
Tel: 203-332-5229, Fax: 203-332-5247
E-mail: asmith@hcc.commnet.edu