Lean ar Aghaidh: Seven ways to help your teen hold on to their Gaeltacht Irish 

"Speaking the language for its own sake rather than the pursuit of points in state exams is probably the first step to getting the result you want."

Pic: iStock

As we approach the end of summer, thousands of young Irish students will be saying slán to the dozens of new friends they have met at their Coláistí Samhraidh and returning to their (mainly) English-speaking homes. 

The two or three-week immersion in Irish has done them no end of good and most will undoubtedly come away with a greater knowledge and, more importantly, appreciation of the language.