FOOTBALLERS ON TWITTER rarely have the capacity to leave you sitting in stunned silence, jaw on the floor, staring in disbelief at the screen.
But that was pretty much what happened when former Liverpool and Aston Villa striker Stan Collymore fired out a few quick messages last night — in Irish.
Collymore’s Irish followers were caught off guard when the TalkSport presenter tweeted a link to Sinead O’Connor’s 1992 single ‘Success Has Made a Failure of Our Home’ with the line “An t-éan beag is áille sa ghairdín” (“the most beautiful little bird in the garden).
Collymore’s perfect use of the superlative and correct deployment of that troublesome little séimhú did not go unnoticed, and he later explained that hours of Welsh language TV had given him an interest in the Celtic languages and inspired him to learn a “cúpla focal”.
“I haven’t got much Irish but at least I’m trying,” he tweeted as Gaeilge. “All started with Pobol y cwm(S4C) and a fascination with Cymreag/Alba/Irish & Kernow languages. So giving all a go in the next 40 years! Lol.”
As it turns out he’s actually pretty good; good enough to discuss the ins and outs of Thierry Henry’s return to Arsenal with Dara O’Briain and even ask the comedian for a few private lessons over a couple of pints.
I wonder how he’d fare with the Leaving Cert aural exam. “Léigh anois go cúramach ar do scrúdpháipéar na treoracha agus na ceisteanna…”
He’s got better Irish than I have. He gets a lot of grief from nutjobs on Twitter and he’s done wrong in the past, but he does seem to be a sound head. Maith an fear, a Stan!
I’m guessing those people whos jaw what “dropping” never heard of google translate! c’mon man!!
but it’s nice to see all the same
Google translate’s grammar is horrendous… it’s only ever good for translating 1 or 2 words directly or just trying to get the gist of a phase.
Google translate grammar is perfect when translating mandarin to English or vice versa
“I haven’t got much Irish but at least I’m trying,” (Stan Collymore)
He says this and yet you are you are still cynical. What are his motives then?
Didn’t he drop some girls jaw with a dig on a trip to Dublin a few years ago?
Except that Google Translate may be a great tool for other languages, but it is utterly useless when it comes to Irish. The syntax, grammar and, in a lot of cases, the vocabulary itself is completely wrong.
I think dara o’brian is testing his knowledge now
Whooops accidentally pressed the thumbs down sorry :)
Right back atcha! (used to red thumbs anyway!)
English man talks in Irish? Unusual news I’ve ever heard but this should be welcome!
Is as sasana mise chomh maith agus ta Gaeilge agam. Rinne me an ard teist i mi Aibrean seo caite agus fuair me pas. Ta se deacair ach nil se mi-dheantach. Ta fhios agam nil me ag uisaid aon fada ach nil a fhios agam ca bhfuil siad ar mo fon poca.
Why should it be welcome?
Andy. When needing to use a fada hold your finger down on the chosen vowel and slide don’t lift your finger upwards and all options will appear. Continue to slide your finger over to the vowel with the fada and lift your finger. Tá súil agam go bhfuil sé ceart go leor.
theres no need of a fada agus tu ag baint usaid as an gaeilge ar an idirlíon…do germans use umlauts?
Go raibh míle maith agat a Réada
Tá fáilte romhat Andy. ;)
Go stan, am very impressed! Maith thu Stan
Does he often park his car in the Gaeltacht?
Only kidding, fair dues to him for taking the time to learn.
He pushed ulrika in a bar during world cup 98 or euro 2000.he got into a scuffle outside burger king on grafton street with bath rugby players I think it was after one of them called him a ‘coon’.allegedly of course
Mike Catt (a bath player) was seeing Ulrika-ka-ka-ka at the time. Allegedly Stan passed some remark to Mike about her.
meant to say – Wonder was he madra-ing lately?
Wonder was Madra-ing lately ?
Is he the footballer one who gave Ulrika Johnson a bit of a battering in a bar in Spain or somewhere a few years ago?
And no, I don’t think that means he’s no right to be whatever..just wondering!.. :)
I’m sorry, it’s lovely that he’s making an effort to speak a language that lots of actual Irish people don’t give to figs about, but he is not tweeting in ‘perfect’ irish. You can see Google Translate’s hand a couple of times. I hope he does learn some Irish and that it gives him all the joy it has given people like me over the years. But jaws can be lifted off the floor, he’s not doing it on his own.
“My Irish is not big, but at least I want.”
No, not perfect, but it’s nice that he’s trying.
Tà ‘google translate’ go hìontach…