Kilkenny Language Club

Captain Havoc

I am setting up a language club, I have decided this because I think it's something people like me need. It will be free. The concept is simple, we meet in a pub once a week. There will be tables there and you will sit at the table of the language you wish to speak in. You will sit down with fellow native speakers or fellow learners. Once at the table, you converse and drink beer/ coffee/ soft drinks as you would in a normal pub, except in a different language. I have one pub interested but they want me to see if there's actually a market before their name goes on posters. I know the Alliance Francaise has a thing on Thursday mornings and there are pop-up Gaeltachtaí but people work Thursday mornings and the Gaeltachtaí are irregular. Does this interest anyone else out there?

EKRIUQ

I like the idea of it, but what languages are you thinking about, I would like to meet some spanish speakers.

highgiant1985

not for me but it would be worthwhile you raising within this group as I'm sure there would be interest there ->

https://www.meetup.com/The-Kilkenny-Social-Club

Captain Havoc

EKRIUQ wrote: »

I like the idea of it, but what languages are you thinking about, I would like to meet some spanish speakers.

Supply and demand will sort that one out, so if one more person had an interest in Spanish then we would have a Spanish table. Spanish would be a popular language anyway and I think there will be a demand for it. I would like to see Irish and English tables there along with foreign languages. We will have a leader in each language to keep things going at a table, if the conversation got stale, they might have a couple of backup conversations to pull out but my main thing would be to keep it as a sociable event. We will have have a committee, with a representative from each language on it and see how we can progress. The club meeting will be absolutely 100% free and money raised would either be through a sponsor or a fundraising night separate to the regular meeting.

My own background in languages is, I lived in Switzerland and France and I speak very well French and OK German. I am currently in my third year studying part-time for a degree in languages (French and German) with the Open University. In my job, I get plenty of opportunities over the summer to practice my languages and sometimes those I don't know, particularly Italian. As a learner, I feel that practical real-world practice is missing and as a strong speaker, I feel I have lost a lot of what I knew through lack of practice.

highgiant1985 wrote: »

not for me but it would be worthwhile you raising within this group as I'm sure there would be interest there ->

https://www.meetup.com/The-Kilkenny-Social-Club

I think it would be certainly a good place to try and see if they have members who would benefit from this club.

frankie2shoes

I would love to get involved. I work in France a lot but lack the confidence to speak french, especially when most of the people I deal with speak very good English.

Captain Havoc

frankie2shoes wrote: »

I would love to get involved. I work in France a lot but lack the confidence to speak french, especially when most of the people I deal with speak very good English.

That was my problem in Zürich, I was always either talking English or French, which left my German short. One thing I appreciate now is saying what you know instead of what you don't know. If you're in France, you will make a bollix of what you're saying but the French will gladly correct you on it, which some people hate but I've come to appreciate.

The Princess Bride

I think this is a fantastic idea and I wish you good luck with it.
While I would be very interested, alas I work very unsocial hours so don't think I'd be able to benefit from it.

Captain Havoc

The Princess Bride wrote: »

I think this is a fantastic idea and I wish you good luck with it.
While I would be very interested, alas I work very unsocial hours so don't think I'd be able to benefit from it.

Thanks very much. I think it would be great even if you made it now and again, even some contact is better than none. I know all about unsociable hours and the irregular hours and days which leads to the inability to plan anything. I've mostly worked in the hospitality industry for the last twenty years, which is how I ended up working abroad, initially I was sent to Switzerland by my college (Shannon College of Hotel Management).

Captain Havoc

I've set up a facebook page and a LinkedIn group.

Facebook.

LinkedIn.

I'm looking at the 8th of January as the first meeting date.

Nokia6230i

But but but............won't you now blow your cover?

On another note I'll be keeping an eye out for the days/dates/times.

It's something I'd love to get involved in but for logistical reasons it may not be a runner if on in the night time as last train home for me is 19:02 I think.

However I'd certainly be up for daytime sessions and the language I'd most like to learn is German; I did 8 years of it and worked there too but I last spoke it with any regularity or fluency almost 20 years ago.

feargale

Captain Havoc wrote: »

I am setting up a language club. It will be free. The concept is simple, we meet in a pub once a week. There will be tables there and you will sit at the table of the language you wish to speak in. You will sit down with fellow native speakers or fellow learners. Once at the table, you converse and drink beer/ coffee/ soft drinks as you would in a normal pub, except in a different language.

Excellent idea. Unfortunately I'm too far from Kilkenny to benefit, but I wish you well with it. I'll be watching here to see how you get on.

Captain Havoc

Nokia6230i wrote: »

But but but............won't you now blow your cover?

On another note I'll be keeping an eye out for the days/dates/times.

It's something I'd love to get involved in but for logistical reasons it may not be a runner if on in the night time as last train home for me is 19:02 I think.

However I'd certainly be up for daytime sessions and the language I'd most like to learn is German; I did 8 years of it and worked there too but I last spoke it with any regularity or fluency almost 20 years ago.

A good few people here know who I am anyway [snipped]

I'm gonna do it in the evening as I kinda like the idea of some people having pints at it to take any kind of formal edge off it. You'd be surprised what could be buried in the back of the brain, some stuff just comes back. ONce I could speak French like a frog, not so much now, although I still have a decent level. My German is probably the best it's ever been, which really isn't saying much.

frankie2shoes

Mondays are the only day of the week that I can't make it......groan!
Best of luck with it though, it's a great idea

Captain Havoc

It could be on a Monday, that and Wednesday suit me. I doubt a pub would give up space on a weekend night.

Captain Havoc

Date set for our first meeting, Wednesday 10th of January. I've a good interest so far from people, I've gotten PMs here and on facebook. In terms of expected attendees, German seems to be the most popular with Irish following. If anyone is interested in coming let me know.

FCIM

I'd be interested in there was a possibility for Italian, French and/or Welsh (unlikely I know but you never know).

Captain Havoc

FCIM wrote: »

I'd be interested in there was a possibility for Italian, French and/or Welsh (unlikely I know but you never know).

I have one guy from Italy who wants to come, there are people interested in French and someone posted happy Christmas in Welsh on the fb page, so you never know.

up for anything

Good luck with it, Captain. I've shared it on FB. I'll be sorry to miss it but wouldn't be able to arrangement babysitting.

Captain Havoc

up for anything wrote: »

Good luck with it, Captain. I've shared it on FB. I'll be sorry to miss it but wouldn't be able to arrangement babysitting.

Thanks, the word of mouth has been great, can't believe the page is now on over 170 likes, the event has really taken off too. I'll be on Global Voices on Community Radio Kilkenny City after 4 today if anyone wants to tune in.

PeterCasey

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Thanks, the word of mouth has been great, can't believe the page is now on over 170 likes, the event has really taken off too. I'll be on Global Voices on Community Radio Kilkenny City after 4 today if anyone wants to tune in.

The best of luck talk about thinking outside the box. Its good to see the community radio back its great to hear some of the old familiar names.

Captain Havoc

We had a great first night, around 20 showed up and we had 4 tables with Irish, French, German and English. Edwina Grace was there from KCLR and I did an interview. More interest in it this week which is great. Thanks to everyone who helped spread the word.

Captain Havoc

Captain Havoc wrote: »

We had a great first night, around 20 showed up and we had 4 tables with Irish, French, German and English. Edwina Grace was there from KCLR and I did an interview. More interest in it this week which is great. Thanks to everyone who helped spread the word.

That's great news Captain - well done on coming up with the idea and making it happen.
I bet other towns will follow suit - you should take out a patent on the concept .

Realt Dearg Sec

Fair play Captain, that's a great idea. If I was still living in Kilkenny I'd love to have an outlet like that for Spanish. I've never heard of an idea like it, seems like if it's a success it could spread all over the place. Well done!

Captain Havoc

Thanks guys, I'm hoping with the radio coverage we'll get even more people coming this evening.