Growing up, University of Wisconsin-Madison Language Sciences Instructor Rebecca Shields was always curious about her Irish heritage.
From a young age, she participated in Irish music and dance and always wished her grandfather, an Irish immigrant and native speaker, passed down the language. But that Irish Gaelic language, Shields understood, carried a stigma in the United States.
“Irish immigrants, when they would leave the country, would hide their heritage, and they would stop speaking their native language,” Shields said.
In 2021, inspired by her heritage and extensive study of linguistics, Shields embarked on a journey to teach Irish Gaelic at UW-Madison.
Though she always had a desire to learn Irish, what really allowed Shields to immerse herself in the language was the increased necessity of Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Zoom revolution increased the accessibility to study Irish and other minoritized languages because it allowed communities that are spread out geographically to have more interaction,” Shields said. “That really made it attainable to learn the language to a level that wasn’t possible before.”
Shields said Zoom’s increased popularity correlated with an expansion in the amount and availability of online language classes. She also found it helpful to get involved with community organizations as a way to share knowledge and learn more about Irish culture, language and history. One of those organizations was the Two Rivers Gaelic League, a group that strives to make online Irish classes accessible for individuals all over the world.
Shields’ ability to speak the language quickly attracted interest from community members, who encouraged her to teach it. She began by teaching a summer class that ultimately evolved into an in-person introductory course. Due to high interest, she expanded to offer a second level of the language.
The classes are non-credit and draw a variety of different people, including undergraduate and graduate students, as well as community members and retirees. Since it is a non-credit course, Shields said participants take the class purely out of curiosity and a desire to learn.
Shields’ class exudes lively warmth and a genuine love for the subject. Current and past students gathered in her room on St. Patrick’s Day to enjoy a spread of Irish food, excited to spend time with others who share their passion. And though they all share a common desire to learn the language, each person has an individual, passionate reason why they sit in the classroom today.
One of those individuals is Emily Kaufman, a UW-Madison lab manager and technician enrolled in the course.
“When you study Irish history, you’ll find very quickly the importance of language rights and the fight to maintain Irish as a spoken language,” Kaufman said.
Many students in the room share the same sentiment, reflecting on how important it is to have a role in the conservation of an endangered language and how impactful that experience has been in their lives.
Others are there to pursue the artistic aspects of Irish language and culture.
Noa Rickey, a graduate student, has a background in Irish language and currently researches Irish lace as a textile artist.
Carter Kreft, a graduate student studying Mechanical Engineering, said he’s witnessed an increase in Irish influence in the music industry.
“Within the past five years or so, I’ve noticed that there’s more and more Irish culture present in the arts sphere,” Kreft said, sporting merchandise from Irish hip hop trio Kneecap. “Two of my favorite bands that I found in the last year pretty much only perform in Irish.”
Irish language, though endangered around the world, feels very alive in Shields’ classroom.
“I really wanted to learn Irish because I wanted to be a part of its revival and to be able to keep a dying language alive,” undergraduate Erin Kemper said.
Some students choose to advance their studies in the course by partaking in study abroad experiences, which can be found on the UW-Madison Language Sciences website. Linguistics graduate student Keira Hook called her experience at Oideas Gael, an immersion school in Donegal, Ireland, “transformative.”
In the end, studying an endangered language, Shields said, can be helpful in broadening perspectives and understanding the way certain cultures have been “minoritized and pushed to the edges.”
“It’s a really valuable contribution to study an endangered language.” Shields said, “You’re helping to support cultures that need it.”
