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The building that is a symbol of the Irish language revival in the north

G o mbeannaí Dia daoibh, learner and líofa alike to the Bluffer's Guide to Irish.

The Bluffer has been learning Irish for a long time, when it was neither popular nor profitable as Flann would say.

It was taught by men with hairy noses who wore cótaí trinse -trench coats to keep out an fuacht - the cold in old seomraí ranga classrooms that will be forever sepia.

The Bluffer would have preferred to have been reading comics by the coal fire at home than to be struggling with First Steps in Irish in the almost Dickensian surroundings.

He remembered those austere days when he took at trip this week to Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich, the über-symbol of the revival of Irish in the north.

Cultúrlann means a cultural centre.

From the Bleak House of yesteryear, the building on the Falls Road is a world away from what the Bluffer was used to. Dánlann is an art gallery and Dánlann Gerard Dillon has been home to spectacular taispeántais exhibitions over the years.

The Bluffer also harked back to when books in Irish medium schools were put together by staff with stencils and a Gestetner.

An Ceathrú Póilí - The

Fourth Policemen (Flann again) is the Clutúrlann's bookshop and the range and quality of the books on sale - in Irish and in English - is amazing. The Bluffer could spend hours looking through the beautifully illustrated childrens' books alone never mind the vast array of books for adults.

The other big change is in bia - food.

The Bluffer has long had an aversion to Marie biscuits, the snack of choice for many's an Irish class in days gone by, but the Cultúrlann has one of Belfast's finest cafe/ restaurants, simply called Bia.

Here you can have anraith agus ceapaire - soup and a sandwich or a cúrsa tosaigh - a starter followed by íostiarpa mairteola - roast silverside of beef, le brúitín - with mashed potato, glasraí séasúracha - seasonable vegetables and súlach - gravy.

Or if you are a vegetarian, you can have risotto beacáin fhiáine le ciabatta gairleoige - wild mushroom risotto with garlic ciabatta.

In the morning, you can have bricfeasta - breakfast, lón at lunchtime and Bia is now open late from Thursday to Saturday as well as for Sunday lunch.

The Cultúrlann and Bia attract all kinds of people, from families

to foreign tourists, Gaeilgeoirí and people with no Irish at all. Upstairs, there are plays, concerts, talks and all manner of activity and it is no wonder that other places have followed the example of Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich with great centres also in Derry, Newry, Carntogher and one on the way in Armagh city.

Yes, the Gael has come a long way from ham sandwiches and a cup of weak Nambarrie.

So, it's time to head off to Bia for a sailéad chloicheán oscailte and to book Christmas dinner!