Further Reading and Resources

This page provides a list of recommended books for learners of Irish, including textbooks, dictionaries, and grammars. Many of these were used as sources for the material on this site. We also list some online bookshops where you can purchase them.

Textbooks and Phrasebooks

Lehrbuch der Irischen Sprache / Learning Irish

• Author: Mícheál Ó Siadhail
• Publisher: Buske-Verlag (German) / Yale University Press (English)
• ISBN: 3-87548-029-5 (German) / 978-0300180899 (English)
• Notes: A comprehensive textbook focusing exclusively on the Connacht dialect of Cois Fhairrge, west of Galway (Gaillimh). The English version is titled Learning Irish. Accompanying audio material is available.

Sláinte!

• Authors: Arne A. Ambros, Theresa-Susanna Illés
• Publisher: Reichert Verlag
• ISBN: 3-89500-512-6
• Notes: A German-language textbook for self-study, strictly oriented towards Standard Irish and containing ample grammar. No audio material is included.

Irisch-Gälisch Wort für Wort

• Author: L. Kabel
• Publisher: Reise-Know-How-Verlag
• ISBN: 3-89416-281-3
• Notes: A small German-language phrasebook with accompanying audio, ideal for beginners who want a brief introduction to the language.

Teach Yourself Irish

• Author: Diarmuid Ó Sé
• Publisher: NTC
• ISBN: 0-8442-3800-7
• Notes: A popular self-study course with accompanying audio. Earlier editions by different authors were more oriented towards the Munster dialect, but newer versions focus on the standard language.

Linguaphone Language Course

• Author: Diarmuid Ó Donnchadha
• Publisher: Linguaphone
• Notes: A comprehensive distance learning course with books and audio material, well-suited for self-study. It may no longer be in print but is worth looking for second-hand.

Essentials of Modern Irish

• Author: Alfred Bammesberger
• Publisher: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag
• ISBN: 3-533-03194-2
• Notes: Volume 1 of the “A Handbook of Irish” series, containing texts, vocabulary, and grammar lessons.

Progress in Irish

• Author: Máiread Ní Ghráda
• Publisher: Educational Company of Ireland
• ISBN: 0-8616-7159-7
• Notes: A compact, grammar-oriented course, though it lacks extensive explanations.

Dictionaries (Foclóirí)

Wörterbuch Irisch-Deutsch

• Authors: Th.F. Caldas / C. Schleicher
• Publisher: Buske-Verlag
• ISBN: 3-87548-124-0
• Notes: An Irish-German dictionary with a German-Irish index and phonetic transcriptions for around 17,000 headwords.

Collins Gem Irish Dictionary

• Authors: S. Mac Mathúna / A. Ó Corráin
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• ISBN: 0-00-470753-2
• Notes: A pocket-sized Irish-English and English-Irish dictionary.

English-Irish Dictionary

• Author: Tomás de Bhaldraithe
• Publisher: An Gúm
• ISBN: 1-85791-035-4
• Notes: A comprehensive and authoritative English-to-Irish dictionary, considered one of the standard reference works.

Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla

• Author: Niall Ó Dónaill
• Publisher: An Gúm
• ISBN: 1-85791-037-0
• Notes: The companion to de Bhaldraithe’s dictionary, this is the standard Irish-to-English reference work.

Foclóir Gaedhilge agus Béarla / Dinneen’s Irish English Dictionary

• Author: Patrick S. Dinneen
• Publisher: Cumann na Scríbeann nGaedhilge
• ISBN: 1-870-16600-0
• Notes: Last revised in 1927, this is one of the most important Irish-English dictionaries. It is written in the old Gaelic script and pre-reform orthography, which makes it an invaluable resource for reading older texts.

Foclóir Scoile and Foclóir Póca

• Publisher: An Gúm
• ISBN: 1-85791-121-0 (Foclóir Scoile), 1-85791-047-8 (Foclóir Póca)
• Notes: These two dictionaries (school and pocket versions) are identical in content. Their main advantage is the inclusion of phonetic transcriptions for headwords.

Grammars (Graiméir)

New Irish Grammar

• Author: The Christian Brothers
• Publisher: C J Fallon
• ISBN: 0-7144-1298-9
• Notes: Often considered the standard English-language reference grammar for learners.

Graiméar Gaeilge na mBráithre Críostaí

• Author: Bráithre Críostaí (Liam Ó hAnluan)
• Publisher: An Gúm
• ISBN: 1-85791-327-2
• Notes: A comprehensive and authoritative grammar, far more detailed than the English New Irish Grammar. It is written entirely in Irish, making it more suitable for intermediate and advanced learners. The work is also available online as a PDF.

Leabhar Gramadaí Gaeilge / Irish Grammar Book

• Author: Nollaig Mac Congáil
• Publisher: Cló Iar-Chonnachta
• ISBN: 1-902420-48-9 (Irish), 1-902420-49-7 (English)
• Notes: A clear and well-structured grammar available in both Irish and English editions. The English version, Irish Grammar Book, is highly recommended.

Irish Grammar

• Author: Noel McGonagle
• Publisher: Hippocrene Books
• ISBN: 0-7818-0667-4
• Notes: An older, much shorter grammar by the same author as the book above. It is generally considered too brief to be very useful.

An Outline of Modern Irish Grammar

• Author: Alfred Bammesberger
• Publisher: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag
• ISBN: 3-533-03423-2
• Notes: Volume 2 of the “A Handbook of Irish” series. Its scope is similar to the New Irish Grammar.

Irish (Languages of the World / Materials 201)

• Author: Aidan Doyle
• Publisher: Lincom Europa
• ISBN: 3-89586-259-2
• Notes: Aimed primarily at linguists, this book offers clear and practical insights into Irish phonology, morphology, and syntax.

Modern Irish: Grammatical Structure and Dialectal Variation

• Author: Mícheál Ó Siadhail
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• ISBN: 0-521-42519-0
• Notes: An advanced work for linguists, focusing on grammatical structure and dialectal differences, not a textbook for learners.

Gramadach na Gaeilge agus Litriú na Gaeilge, An Caighdeán Oifigiúil

• Publisher: Oifig an tSoláthair
• Notes: A concise summary of the official standard for grammar and spelling (An Caighdeán Oifigiúil). It is written entirely in Irish.

Where to Buy These Books

• Litriocht.com: An online bookshop based in Kerry (Ciarraí) specialising in Irish-language materials.
• An Siopa Leabhar: The bookshop of Conradh na Gaeilge in Dublin, with a wide selection of Irish books.
• Cúpla Focal: A bookshop in Bray, Co. Wicklow (Bré, Co Chill Mhantáin).
• Kenny’s Bookshop: Formerly a physical bookshop in Galway, now a major online retailer.
• Amazon: Many of the English-language and some of the German-language titles are available through regional Amazon sites.