Grá

The Irish word grá (pronounced 'graw') translates to "love" in English. It doesn’t just refer to romantic love, it encompasses passion, affection, and care in all forms.

You will find the spirit of grá during the Seachtain na Gaeilge festivities. Whether that’s in traditional music sessions in cozy pubs or lively céilís, in village halls, the love for Irish culture is everywhere as people come together to celebrate a shared heritage.

Thanks to the grá of language lovers, teachers, and communities, their unshakeable passion is keeping the indigenous language of Gaeilge alive. The Irish language is going from strength to strength, and I'm so pleased to be a part of it.

I’m working my way through Irish with Mollie’s beginners’ course. Mollie is a shining example of this passion. Her grá for the language is contagious and she makes it much more enjoyable than I found it when I was in school. She also makes it much easier to understand and learn.

My Grá design

So let me tell you a bit about this drawing I made.

Naming the piece was a bit of a no-brainer. ‘Grá’ seemed like the perfect fit – short, sweet, and with the right meaning. It's a nod to the love and warmth that Seachtain na Gaeilge brings out in people, whether they're fluent Irish speakers or just have a ‘cúpla focal’ (a few words).

And as we say as Gaeilge (in Irish), "Ní neart go cur le chéile" – there is no strength without unity!