"I think you really take a risk when you launch yourself into speaking in a language that's new to you, but people couldn't have been more encouraging. It's been wonderful."
"It's really challenging, but I'm 54 now, one of the things I love about getting older is you just worry less. You just worry a whole heap less. I know I'll be making mistakes all over the place. I've found that will offend some people, maybe, if they want it to be perfect. But, there's nothing I can do. My wish to understand it really deeply, and to be able to get better and better at it is really deep and sincere. It's a beautiful language. I love the phraseology, it helps me understand why Hiberno-English is like it is. In some ways it makes me understand deep cultural frames of references that I find in Ireland"
Kara Owen met her husband William Tierney from Galway when he served in the Irish Defence Forces. She took on the role in September and presented her Letter of Credence to President Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin, demonstrating Irish language skills. She attended the All-Ireland camogie final and offered a "comhghairdeas" to the Galway team. Irish people have been kind and encouraging as she has learned the language. She described learning Irish as risky but rewarding, called it the most difficult language she has learned, and said she intends to continue improving and to communicate more easily.
Read at Irish Independent
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