About us
Irish is worth learning. Knowing where to start is the hard part.
There are apps, courses, books, podcasts and tutors for learning Irish (sometimes called Irish Gaelic), and each promises something different. Some are excellent. Some teach Irish that no native speaker would recognise. From the outside, it’s hard to tell which is which.
Best Irish Learning exists to make that choice easier.
Whether you’re starting from scratch, coming back to the Irish you learned at school, or working towards fluency, we want to help you find a way of learning that works for you.
At a glance
- A non-profit
- Reviews written by Irish teachers
- One published rubric for every resource
- No affiliate links
- No sponsorship or paid rankings
Our mission
Help more people learn, enjoy and connect with Irish by making good resources easy to find.
Our aim
To be the first place people check before spending time or money on learning Irish.
Who we are
Our reviewers are Irish teachers
[Short description of the review team as a group, e.g. “Our reviews are written by qualified Irish teachers working at primary, secondary and adult level.”]
We test each resource ourselves and judge it against the same framework: how well it teaches, whether the Irish is accurate, which dialect it uses, who it suits and what it really costs. We tell you where it shines and where it falls short.
We describe our reviewers as a group rather than by name, to protect their privacy.
How our teachers review
- At least 10 hours with every app and course before scoring it. Books are read in full.
- Every resource marked on the same nine criteria, from teaching quality to dialect coverage.
- Prices checked within 30 days of publishing, with the date shown.
- No reviewer scores a resource they have worked for, been paid by or hold a stake in.
Who we write for
Six kinds of learner
The best resource for a Leaving Cert student is rarely the best for an adult in Boston. Every review ends with who it’s best for, and who it isn’t.
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Adult beginners
Clear structure, help with pronunciation and a low-pressure start.
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Returning learners
Rebuilding school Irish and gaining confidence in conversation.
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Exam students
Resources that fit Junior Cycle and the Leaving Cert, including preparation for the oral.
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Parents of young learners
Age-appropriate, safe resources that support Gaelscoil or school.
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Learners abroad
Options that work without a local class, and tutors in your time zone.
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Teachers
Classroom resources, and how well they line up with the curriculum.
What we care about
How we work
Evidence first
Every review is priced, sourced and dated, and a score is only final once a teacher has tested the resource. If we can’t back up a claim, we don’t make it.
Plain explanations
We write like a teacher explaining your options, not a salesperson. Grammar terms come with plain words.
A living language
Irish is spoken in the Gaeltacht, on TG4 and by new speakers everywhere. We name the dialect every resource teaches: Munster, Connacht, Ulster or An Caighdeán Oifigiúil.
Honest recommendations
If a rival suits you better, we’ll tell you. A lower score can still be the best fit for you.
Non-profit and independent
Our only interest is that you find the right way to learn
We’re a non-profit. We don’t use affiliate links, we don’t accept sponsorship, and no company can pay to be reviewed or ranked.
Our promise is simple: careful research, honest recommendations, and a real commitment to helping people learn Irish.
Read our independence policyLearn Irish with confidence
We test the options, explain the differences, and help you find what’s right for you, with nothing to sell.
Spotted something wrong?
Learners and companies can report an error, and every correction is dated on the page where it was made.
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