--- title: Robert O’Driscoll description: Interview with Robert O’Driscoll on love.irish. Ireland’s Consul General to Western US based in San Francisco. He has a huge interest in promoting the Irish language and supporting the Irish-speaking community in California and beyond. canonical_url: md_url: last_updated: 2025-03-05T20:16:18Z --- # Robert O’Driscoll Ireland’s Consul General to Western US based in San Francisco. He has a huge interest in promoting the Irish language and supporting the Irish-speaking community in California and beyond. Robert O’Driscoll is Ireland’s Consul General to Western US based in San Francisco. He has a huge interest in promoting the Irish language and supporting the Irish-speaking community in California and beyond. ## Questions & answers **Q: How did you learn Irish?** **A: Irish is compulsory in Ireland at primary and secondary level so I learned Irish along with almost every child in Ireland.** It wasn’t until my second year at secondary level that I really fell in love with the language, mostly due to my teacher Seán Culligan, who was charismatic and dynamic and brought great life to the language. One trick he used – which in retrospect was genius – was to teach us to write Irish language horror stories … to this day my horror vocab is probably one of the strongest aspects of my Irish! I have spent a lot of my holidays in the Donegal Gaeltacht in recent years and that has helped me gain the confidence to speak it. **Q: What are your plans for encouraging people who have little or no connection to Irish to start engaging with it?** **A: A big part of my role is giving a platform to all things Irish, which includes our language.** Throughout my time in San Francisco we have hosted Irish language events at the Consulate, supported – both financially and through participation – Irish language events in California, included the Irish language as part of our social media strategy, and raised the general awareness of the fantastic resources available to engage with the language – both in California (as mentioned above) and online. This interview is an example of that broader outreach! I feel it important that the Consulate provides that example and encourages people to participate with what is a beautiful language, and as importantly with an incredible community of people who have such **grá** _(love)_ for the language, and **meas mór** _(huge respect)_ for people who engage with the language of any background. **Q: Cén rud is mó a chuir ionadh ort nuair a tháinig tú go California?** **Translation:** What was the most surprising thing when you came to California? Cúpla seachtain tar éis dom bogadh go California chuaigh mé chuig an **Deireadh Seachtaine Gaeilge** a bhíonn ar siúl gach Meán Fómhair i San Francisco. Bhí suas le dhá scór duine ansin, idir óg agus aosta, agus iad ag foghlaim Gaeilge. Is é an rud is mó a chur ionadh orm nó nach as Éirinn an chuid is mó de na daoine sin. Ní raibh ceangal ar bith ag roinnt acu leis an tír ach bhí grá acu den teanga. Casadh fear amháin orm, Galt Barber as California agus a bheirt mhac a bhfuil Gaeilge líofa acu. Thug sin an-spreagadh dom féin go pearsanta. **Translation:** A couple of weeks after I moved to California, I went to **Irish language weekend** that happens every September in San Francisco. There were dozens of people there all wanting to learn Irish. Some of them didn't have a family connection to Ireland but loved the language. I met a man, Galt Barber, from California and his two sons who are fluent Irish speakers. That was motiving for me personally. **Q: What is unique about the SF Bay Area and what can we do to help breathe life into the Irish language revival movement?** **A: The Bay Area is renowned for its innovation and I think this is where there is real potential for new technologies to provide accessibility to teaching materials, learning methods and to the global community of Irish language speakers.** The success of apps like [Duolingo](https://duolingo.com) are a testament to the enormous potential of technology in this area. I think another thing this region has is a huge Irish heritage, as a result of which we have a fantastic and inspiring group of community organizations–several of which are committed to promoting the Irish language in particular [Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann](https://comhaltas.ie/) (San Francisco) agus [Conradh na Gaeilge](https://cnag.ie/en) (Los Angeles). Participating in these organizations and perhaps setting up your own **ciorcal cómhra** _(speaking circle)_ are also great ways to support the language in California. **Q: What is your favorite Irish word or phrase?** **A: _Ní neart go cur le chéile_ which means "there is no strength without unity"** I speak a lot about Team Ireland in Western US and in that I mean the Irish government agencies, our local partners and of course the Irish and Irish American communities across the western United States. In that context, my favorite Irish phrase is **'Ní neart go cur le chéile'** which means _'there is no strength without unity.'_ I have seen first-hand what can be achieved when we work together as a team, be it through events surrounding St. Patrick’s Day ☘️, ministerial visits, festivals and particularly in times of tragedy. **‘Ní neart go cur le chéile’** sums up that sense of unity, solidarity and togetherness that is at the very heart of Irish values. **Q: What are some initiatives or upcoming events you’re excited about?** The first week of March is **Seachtain na Gaeilge** _(Irish week)_ in Ireland—throughout the first half of March (definitely longer than one week!)—throughout which people are encouraged to use the language or **cúpla focal** _(couple of words)_ in their day-to-day interactions and there is a range of cultural events focused on the Irish language. Visit the [Seachtain na Gaeilge](https://snag.ie/) website to view upcoming events. At the Consulate, we are celebrating Seactain na Gaeilge 2019 by hosting a **Bricfeasta Gaeilge** _(Irish breakfast)_ on March 1st in the Consulate with a panel discussion with three Irish speakers living in the Bay Area to discuss what the language means to them and how it has impacted their lives. The discussion will be **as Bearla** _(in English)_ and **as Gaeilge** _(in Irish)_ and it is a great opportunity for anyone in the Bay Area with some Irish to come along and celebrate our language with us. RSVP using the [event details page](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/irelandinsf-speaker-series-networking-breakfast-tickets-56666566225) on Eventbrite. **Q: What can we do to modernize the methods we use to teach Irish and make it more accessible?** **A: I believe that the Irish language has never been more accessible, especially to those living outside of Ireland.** There are some great resources available, from Irish-language classes to app-based learning like [Duolingo](https://duolingo.com) and the free online Irish courses provided by Dublin City University through its partnership with [FutureLearn](https://www.dcu.ie/connected/Short-Courses.shtml). The Irish language is also very prominent on social media with campaigns like Conradh na Gaeilge’s #TrasnanadTonnta in which people in over 100 countries around the world tweeted **as Gaeilge** _(In Irish)_. The success of campaigns like **Trasna na dTonnta** _(across the waves)_ and **Seachtain na Gaeilge** _(Irish week)_ are built on inclusivity because they encourage people with different levels of Irish to engage with the language from **cainteoiri duchais** _(native speakers)_ to people who only have a **cúpla focal** _(couple of words)_. _Read the full interview at https://love.irish/interviews/robert-o-driscoll_ ## More information - [Search love.irish for Irish & Celtic records (codex, library, collections, events, people, topics)]() - [Full markdown index of the site, every page (handy to browse, share, or hand to AI)]() - [Love.irish home]() --- Source: https://love.irish/interviews/robert-o-driscoll Made with ❤️ from love.irish – learn Irish (Gaeilge) through community, resources and a little adventure.