For those of you from the Long Island area interested in learning Irish, a new semester of free Irish language classes begins tomorrow night (Thursday) at the Gerry Tobin Irish Language School in Babylon. I attach a press release below. Bua & Beannacht, - Jerry LOCAL IRISH LANGUAGE SCHOOL GOES WORLDWIDE WITH NEW AND ANCIENT TECHNOLOGIES The Gerry Tobin Irish Language School in Babylon, Long Island, New York is using a combination of new and ancient technologies to teach the Irish language around the world, for free. The School's most ancient technology is the 1500 year old Irish alphabet, a system of only 18 letters plus dots and accent marks used to represent the entire pronunciation system of the Irish language. Ingeniously, with fewer letters, this system communicates a much broader array of sounds than the English language possesses. The School's newest technology can be found on the Worldwide Web at www.scoilgaeilge.org/pronunciation.htm . Here, beginning students anywhere in the world are able to learn the entire modern pronunciation system of the Irish language from "Gearóid Ó Ceallaigh," a talking, teaching, digitized, video host with video flashcards. Meanwhile, more advanced students can join the School's Virtual Gaeltacht (or Irish-speaking district) by dropping in at the School's new website created by Madhc Mac Conmara and Séamas Ó Neachtain at www.scoilgaeilge.org , or by writing to aireacha@scoilgaeilge.org . Irish speakers and learners from a number of states and countries are already participating in the Tobin Virtual Gaeltacht. Back in the 3-dimensional world, the School's new, weekly "Mommy, Daddy, & Me" program of Irish language instruction for children of all ages and their parents will begin Thursday, 9/9/04 at 7:15PM in AOH Division 2's Hall in Babylon. Eight weekly classes for beginning and intermediate adult students and two workshops for advanced students and fluent speakers will begin at 7:45PM and 9:00PM the same night at the same location. One of the workshops will explore An File Ar Buile - Poems From America, the celebrated new book of Irish language poetry by Séamas Ó Neachtain, an American author from the Long Island Gaeltacht. The Gerry Tobin Irish Language School offers one of the most extensive Irish language instructional programs in North America. All of its classes, workshops, activities, and programs are free. Everyone with interest in the Irish language is invited to learn and have fun. For more information, call Jerry Kelly at 516-679-0465, or see the Irish Voice article at http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irishinamerica/news/IrishLanguageAliveonLongIsland.asp .