The Irish Teacher in the US That's Bringing Gaeilge to the World of Memes

Memes are a relatively new phenomenon that have captivated the Internet but it’s not often you see them in Irish.

Cionaodh Mac Pheadair, aka An Timire on Facebook, is an Irish Language teacher born and bred in the United States and he regularly posts a quirky and popular meme as Gaeilge.

But why memes in Irish?

‘Feicim a lán pictiúirí greannmhara mar seo ar Facebook gach lá i mBéarla agus ba mhian liom roinnt i nGaeilge a fheiceáil. Rinne mé roinnt i nGaeilge do mo “chairde” ar FB; bhain siad sult astu agus roinn siad le cairde eile iad. Is deas é! Anois ’s arís feicim pictiúirí eile mar seo ó Ghaeilgeoirí eile agus taitníonn sé sin go mór liom.’

‘I see a lot of humorous pictures like these on Facebook everyday in English and I wanted to see more in Irish. I made a few for my friends in Irish and shared them on Facebook; they really enjoyed them and shared them with their friends. It’s great! Every so often I see pictures like mine from other Gaeilgóirí and I really enjoy them’ he told WorldIrish.

Take a look at some of his best work, do you know what they mean?

‘Ní raibh an Ghaeilge ag mo thuismitheoirí ar bith; ceapaim go raibh “an cúpla focal” ag mo shean-mháthair, ach ní raibh suim agam sa Ghaeilge nuair a bhí sí beo. Thosaigh mé ag foghlaim na Gaeilge i 1982 i ranganna do dhaoine fásta mar bhí suim agam sa litríocht, stair agus cultúr na hÉireann’

‘My parents didn’t have any Irish, I think my grandmother had the “cúpla focal” but I didn’t have any interest in the language when she was alive. I began learning Irish in 1982 in adult classes because I had an interest in the literature, history and culture of Ireland’ he said.