In the name of the fada

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New Yorker Des Bishop shows the Irish how to learn to speak Irish.
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No challenge is too great or small for Ireland’s adopted son of comedy, Des Bishop. His latest, and most anticipated, challenge is to learn how to speak ‘as gaelige’. This is Des’s most difficult challenge yet as he moves to Connemara’s Gaeltacht for 11 months with the aim of performing an entire gig in Irish. RTÉ has been filming his progress for In The Name Of The Fada since March ‘07 and his experience will evoke memories for anyone who has battled with the modh coinnollach. The six-part series commences on Thursday 13th of March at 10.15pm on RTÉ One.
As a native New Yorker, Des Bishop moved to Ireland in his mid-teens in 1990, thereby being exempt from learning Irish at school. He has since carved out a highly successful career in stand up comedy in Ireland as well as having had two acclaimed television series on RTÉ “The Des Bishop Work Experience” (2004) and “Joy in the Hood” in 2006. In spite of his assimilation into Ireland, Des has always felt like he didn’t have a rite of passage due to his complete ignorance of the Irish language. So Des swapped ‘immersion heating’ for immersion learning and has been based in Leitir Moir in Connemara learning the language from scratch.
Des takes the narrator’s seat for this reality television series, and tells of his own journey in grasping the language and his assimilation into Connemara Gaeltacht community. For the series Des discovers the joys of having a Bean an ti, struggles to get his head around Irish grammar and sits the leaving certificate oral Irish exam all in preparation for his gig as gaeilge. Des’s ultimate challenge is to reclaim the tradition of seanchai in its modern incarnation – stand up comedy – through the medium of its native tongue.
Will he succeed in his final challenge? A refreshingly candid look at Des’s experience, the appeal of ‘In the Name of the Fada’ will extend beyond those who have learnt Irish, to those who have learnt any language or attempted to integrate themselves into another community. Prepare yourself for some fresh and highly provocative comedy, as Des once again demonstrates that once you put your mind to something, you will be amazed at what can be achieved.
Des Bishop
Ireland's favorite young Irish–American comic takes on the Irish language: can he learn enough Irish to perform his stand–up comedy as Gaeilge across the Gaeltacht? In a new six–part series, Des Bishop immerses himself not only in the language but in the Gaeltacht community itself. Will he succeed in what, on paper, seems an enormous challenge?

In the name of the fada, is New Yorker Des Bishop perform stand-up comedy show as Gaeilge
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Go Maith- Des Bishop spent one year in Connemara learning Irish
American 'exile’ Des Bishop is learning to perform his comedy stand-up routine in the Irish language.
The native New Yorker’s biggest challenge so far has been to move to the Connemara Gaeltacht to learn Irish and make people laugh by gigging ‘as Gaeilge.’
His new television series about his Irish-learning adventure is aptly named ‘In the Name of the Fada.’
He has spent the last 11 months living in the Gaeltacht and his experiences will evoke in viewers some of their own memories of struggling with Irish. The six-part series begins on March 13 at 10.15pm on RTE1.
Des left New York to move to Ireland in his mid-teens in 1990 and was exempt from learning Irish at school in Ireland.
He has since carved out a highly successful career in stand-up comedy in Ireland as well as having had two acclaimed television series on RTE “The Des Bishop Work Experience” [2004] and “Joy in the Hood” in 2006.

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Despite his years of living in Ireland, he felt he missed out by remaining completely ignorant of the Irish language.
So he decided to to move to Tir na Fhia in Leitir Moir in Connemara last March to begin learning the language from scratch.
Des will narrate as well as star in this reality television series, and tells of his own journey in grasping the language and his assimilation into the Connemara Gaeltacht.
Des had a ‘Bean an Ti’ at his new home and struggled with Irish grammar. He even sat the Leaving Cert oral Irish exam in preparation for his gig as Gaeilge.
He said his ultimate challenge was to try to reclaim the tradition of seanchai in its modern incarnation – stand up comedy – through the medium of its native tongue.
Will he succeed in his latest challenge? With its candid approach, ‘In the Name of the Fada' will extend beyond those who have learnt Irish, to those who have learnt any language or attempted to integrate themselves into another community.
Some “fresh and highly provocative” comedy is promised by the programme makers.
He even joined the Junior GAA team, worked odd jobs with locals, and did a gig in a nearby pub to explain in his own words what he is doing.
His show will coincide with this year’s Seachtain na Gaeilge when RTE will offer a range of programming along with a special language course, Easy Irish!, which will be made available free of charge to the public via both the RTE Guide and RTE.ie.

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