I understand that back in the dark days of soviet Russia, Moscow university language school taught Irish (Gaelic) as a gateway language to the other European languages from the Cyrillic (sp?) languages of the USSR. They don't even use the same alphabet. As I recall Irish is very easy (ha!) to learn as it only has a few exceptions to the rules of the language, whereas English has lots and lots!
If Spike Milligan and the CIA agents involved in Iran-Contra had Irish passports I see no reason why Amanda can't join. If you can play football and have seen a pint of Guinness you can play for Ireland - as some work colleagues used to joke.
Met a young woman -language student- who was working in the Empire State Building a few years back. She learned Irish from Linguaphone Courses over a few weeks as something to do. People have different skills that I struggle to comprehend. I have attempted to learn the hello, goodbye holiday stuff for my trip to Budapest but it really is worse than double Dutch to me.

But anyway...
I am
really struggling with the diet today. Are baked beans free or super free? This chill weather has me feeling like I could inhale a full Christmas dinner and it would not even touch the sides!
Thanks for the kind word about my place in the thread Amanda and Orla. I have an ear (in English) for a turn of phrase that sounds good to me and seem to have a huge store of them that I plagiarise from at will... The "Showdown with the Scales" is spoken in *my* head like an American boxing announcer. Like "Rumble in the Jungle" which totally matches my weekly deathmatch with the results of my appetite.
I do like language and oddly find the English love of the pun to be highly amusing. (Don't shoot me - please.)
I trust that we all find the strength not to eat that which we know we should not eat.
Have a great time in Dublin Orla - I rather wish I were there to be tempted by E&C Buffalo Chicken Wings *NOM* *NOM* *NOM*
Kind regards,
Ian