If you’re keen to find ways to add more Irish into your everyday life, the hosts behind hit bilingual podcast ‘How To Gael’ share their tips
How To Gael has become Ireland’s number one bilingual podcast since launching in 2023. Hosted by broadcasters Doireann Ní Ghlacáin, Louise Cantillon and Síomha Ní Ruairc, the women share their experiences with navigating life in their 30s in a casual and conversational way. They explore topics from going to the cinema to how to be a legend switching between the English and Irish language as they speak.
The podcast’s success has also brought it ar an mbóthar with upcoming dates in Paris, London and two Irish dates in Cork and Dublin in March and April 2026. For ticéid, check out their site here.
If the podcast has inspired you to expand on your Cúpla Focal, we spoke with Doireann from How To Gael on ways to incorporate more Irish in your day-to-day life. She shares her advice.
Practice with others
“If there’s one thing we hear every single day from listeners of our podcast to the pizza delivery man or the person who’s serving us our coffees in the morning – it’s that the people of Ireland are crying out for an opportunity to use more Gaeilge in their day to day lives,” Doireann begins. “I bet if you ask your extended circle of friends or acquaintances, you’ll find at least half of them want to bring it more into their daily life too. Why not organise a weekly coffee or tea date with a friend or two where you sit down and speak to each other as Gaeilge for an hour? You could both bring 2 or 3 news stories with you that you have to discuss to break the ice and get the ball rolling. I bet after 2 weeks you’ll surprise yourselves with how quickly it comes back to you.”
Watch more Irish television
“To practice at home, TG4 have some really great programmes on their player, Seinnteoir TG4- we’re especially fans of their documentaries. It’s also cheaper than a Netflix subscription. You can actually go back and watch Ros na Rún from the start which is a great nostalgic watch – it started in 1996 and so it’s a real taste of Ireland before the Celtic Tiger came into play. Manchan Magan made a lovely series about our holy wells called Triall ar an Tobar that we’d really recommend and also An Fod Deireanach about the future of Irish bogs.”
Keep a notebook
Doireann also recommends making note of new words and phrases so you don’t forget. “You never stop learning a language – I always carry a notebook around with me or make notes on my phone about lovely phrases I hear and that I can go back to. Get into the habit of noting new words.”
“You could also try get an Irish language article into your newspaper rotation in the morning. RTÉ Gaeilge has great online articles as well as Tuairisc.ie It’s actually a very enjoyable habit to be in.”
