Eolas Fúinn
About Us
Our Mission
Media
Conradh na Gaeilge is a world-wide organization whose aim is to provide and promote a forum for the revitalization and regrowth of the Irish language both throughout Ireland and worldwide.
Conradh na Gaeilge was established by Douglas Hyde, Eoin Mac Néill, and their colleagues on July 31, 1893. Since then, members of the Conradh have been actively promoting Irish in every aspect of life in Ireland, from legal and educational affairs to the development of new media and services through Irish.
Conradh na Gaeilge currently has over 200 branches and numerous individual members registered around the world, from Cork to Belfast and from Hong Kong to Canada. It encourages the people of Ireland and beyond to respect and value our unique linguistic heritage, giving us a fresh perspective and understanding of our culture.
Founded in 2016, Craobh Chumar an Dá Uisce is a branch of the world-wide organization Conradh na Gaeilge, whose mission is to promote the use and teaching of the Irish language and culture through education, arts, family and community services. We take our name from the Confluence of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers and share our name with the beautiful Vale of Avoca in County Wicklow. Our branch symbol is the Dobharchú, the water-hound or king otter, also a mythological animal thought to be part fish, part hound. We chose this fierce amphibious creature as our mascot to signify our blended identities as Irish speakers in the United States. We are a recognized non-profit and we welcome donations to help provide Irish classes and programs!
A note about dialects of Irish: Our teachers and guest speakers are from the United States and Ireland, and use a variety of dialects.
We offer scholarships each year to branch members, students and teachers to attend Irish classes, immersion programs, and Gaeltacht courses. Scholarship applications become available in April of each year and are due May 1. Scholarships must be used within one calendar year.
All are welcome! Contact us by email at tworiversgaelicleague@gmail.com.
The Teachers
Ruairí Aldrich
Ruairí began his Irish language journey learning with Barbara McCarthy, the noted children’s book author.
Donegal is Ruairí’s favorite place to visit in Ireland to attend Irish immersion programs and enjoy the beautiful natural landscape. He was fortunate to have the opportunity to practice Irish with his host family of native speakers in Na Doirí Beaga in Gaoth Dobhair, Donegal. As part of a team called Volunteers In Mission, Ruairí visited Northern Ireland eleven times to support organizations who work for peace between sectarian communities.
Gaelic Sports have a special place in Ruairí’s heart. He teaches workshops in football and hurling at Irish cultural events.
Rich (Risteárd) Angehr
Risteárd is a 3rd generation Irish-American whose interest in learning Irish was inspired by his attraction to Irish traditional music and a desire to know what they were singing about! He was introduced to the Irish language over 20 years ago in a class offered through Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, the Irish traditional music organization.
In 2011, he fulfilled a lifelong dream of visiting Ireland after appearing on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. He returned to Ireland in 2014, visiting Dublin and Galway. While in Dublin he won first prize in the Dublin Literary Pub Crawl before heading to Galway to visit friends and touring Connemara and Inis Mór in the Aran Islands. In 2018, he won the Scoláireacht de hÍde (Hyde Scholarship) to attend Tionól Gaeilge UCD (University College of Dublin) for one week, awarded in commemoration of the Bliain na Gaeilge. In 2019, he won scholarships through our Branch as well as Foras na Gaeilge, which he used to enroll in Gael Linn’s Gaeltacht program in Gaoth Dobhair, Donegal. He began teaching Irish and becoming more interested in stand-up comedy and acting after retiring from a long career as a Psychiatric Social Worker.
Aodán de Barra
Aodán de Barra is from Massachusetts and currently lives in the city of Boston. He started learning Irish as an undergraduate at university where his teachers encouraged him to apply for the Fulbright Gaeltacht Summer scholarship program. He won this scholarship for the first time in 2019, and he has since done three immersion programs in Ireland with this scholarship, attending multiple different courses with Oideas Gael i nGaeltacht Thír Chonaill.
In 2023 Aodán travelled extensively in Gaoth Dobhair, attending the course Saibhreas na Gaeilge on Toraigh Island. He has great interest in the dialects of Ulster, including Rathlin Island and the Inishowen peninsula.
He was able to earn his Fáinne Óir, which indicates fluency in Irish, online during the pandemic lockdown. In the Fall of 2022, he was elected to be the Marketing and Outreach coordinator for the branch's leadership board.
Aodán works in the finance industry and has a master's degree in alternative investments.
Donncha Ó Coinn
Although born in the US of Irish-born parents, Donncha spent many summer holidays visiting family and friends in Cork, where he developed an interest in the Irish language.
He has been teaching Irish with Daltaí na Gaeilge, Brookdale Community College and at regional Irish language events for more than 20 years.
He travels to the Gaeltacht each summer to attend courses and visit friends, enjoying courses in Baile Bhúirne, Gaillimh and Trí Chonaill.
Pádraig Ó Dubhghaill
Pádraig Ó Dubhghaill is originally from Loch Garman (Wexford) and is a proud supporter and player of Gaelic games, including football and hurling. He togs out for the Albany Rebels Gaelic Football team when needed and enjoys watching GAA matches and cheering on his favorite team—Loch Garman (Wexford)! He is also deeply interested in Irish culture and history.
An engineering graduate of Coláiste Ollscoil Bhaile Átha Cliath (UCD), Pádraig learned the Irish language in national school, including spending sixth class at scoil na leanaí at Coláiste na Rinne in Pórt Láirge (Waterford), and in St. Peter’s College, Summerhill. After a career that has involved working in 15 countries (and visiting another 60), Pádraig has come back to the language here in the US A with renewed interest and enthusiasm.
He has taken classes with our branch as well as Coláiste na Rinne in Port Láirge (Waterford). He frequently attends immersion programs with Daltaí na Gaeilge and helps run workshops on hurling and football. He frequently travels home to Loch Garman, and recently returned home with his son to explore Gaeltacht areas in Donegal and Kerry.
Pádraig joined the Board in 2021 and has contributed to organizing educational events as well as marketing and promotions. He runs the conversation group for intermediates and the reading group for lower intermediate/advanced beginners.
In his free time, he enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his family.
Antaine Mac Con Rí
Antaine Mac Con Rí is originally from The Bronx, New York and currently lives in New York State's Hudson Valley. He became interested in the Irish language while researching family history and began learning Irish on his own at first using various resources, then worked with a tutor before joining the branch when it started offering on-line classes in early 2020 during the Covid pandemic. He currently serves as an “at-large” member of the Board of Directors and led the effort to incorporate the branch and obtain 501c3 status. In 2021 he began to assist teachers at the Total and Continuing Beginner levels and currently leads the Beginner’s Conversation group.
In addition to the Two River Gaelic League’s Ardrang, Antaine has been attending on-line courses with Gaelchultur and Oideas Gael, and as well as immersion events at Daltaí na Gaeilge. In 2023 he attended a weeklong immersion course at Oideas Gael and was a recipient of a Gael-Linn Gaeltacht Study Scholarship. Antaine is particularly interested in the dialect and cultural traditions of Connemara.
Antaine has a degree in Electrical Engineering and worked in the electric power industry for 40 years before retiring in 2020. He started learning Welsh last summer and has recently completed the Entry Level (A1) course through Cardiff University. His other interests include music, reading, and hiking.
Seoirsín Ní Mheachair
Seoirsín has had the honor of learning Irish from many excellent teachers over the years, both in the U.S. and in Ireland. She has attended courses in Ireland with Oideas Gael, GaelTuras, Gael Linn, and Scoil Éigse (Comhaltas). She was awarded the Daltaí na Gaeilge Scholarship for study in Ireland in 2010 and the Firefighter John Tierney Memorial Teachers’ Scholarship in 2016. In 2014 she earned the Fáinne Óir for fluency in Irish and in 2021 was honored by the Irish Echo as a “Rebuilder” of Irish culture and community following the pandemic.
Seoirsín has taught Irish language classes for a variety of organizations, including Dutchess GAA, ICCHV, Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center, Let’s Learn Irish, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Gaelchultúr, Elms College, and Daltaí na Gaeilge. She is an Instructor in Irish Language at Vassar College, in Poughkeepsie, NY.
In 2021, she earned the Teastas i Múineadh na Gaeilge do Dhaoine Fásta (Certificate in Teaching of Irish Language to Adult Learners), and in 2022 completed a certificate with first honors in Cruinneas na Gaeilge. She has earned a full scholarship to attend Maynooth’s Master’s Degree Program in Aistriúchán agus Eagarthóireacht (Translation and Editing) and completed the Post-Graduate Diploma in 2024. She has worked as a professional Irish Language translator since 2023.
Seoirsín is also the President of Daltaí na Gaeilge, which organizes and runs immersion programs 5 times per year. She is a passionate supporter of the Irish of the Gaeltacht. She enjoys traveling to Gaoth Dobhair each summer to attend courses, visit friends, and practice Irish.
Bríd Munafo
Bríd Munafo has been learning Irish since 2017, when she started attending lessons with the Branch, having been inspired by Irish traditional music and the Irish language community online. A committed student, she progressed quickly and began attending Adrang (Advanced Level) within two years.
After winning the first scholarship offered by the Two Rivers Gaelic League, she was able to attend an immersion program in Gaoth Dobhair, Donegal. She is an ardent supporter of Irish of the Gaeltacht, and is committed to bringing native speakers and performers from the Gaeltacht of Tír Chonaill to the U.S.
Bríd has degrees in Art History, Graphic Design, and Illustration. Her artwork is inspired by her love of Irish language and mythology. Bríd has been instrumental in designing artwork and merchandise for the Branch. She has a deep interest in Irish literature and book design, particularly graphic novels and illustrated stories.
When not studying Irish, Bríd does art, plays games, and has begun studying Welsh.
Becky Shields, PhD
Becky grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and now lives in Madison, Wisconsin. She has enjoyed Irish culture, music, and dance since she was a child - some of her fondest childhood memories include dancing at céilís with her Irish grandma in St. Louis, and learning stepdancing there with mighty accordian player Con O'Sullivan from Kerry.
Becky has been fortunate to study the Irish language with many excellent teachers from across Ireland and the U.S., including in Gleann Cholm Cille, Donegal at Oideas Gael, online with Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin, Gaelchultúr, Oideas Gael, and Two Rivers Gaelic League, and at regional events such as Celtic Junction's St. Paul weekend, Tionól Gaeilge at UW-Milwaukee, and the Celtic Cultural Center in Madison. In 2020 she founded Ciorcal Comhrá na Cuinge (The Isthmus Conversation Circle), which connects learners of the Midwest and beyond for online weekly conversation practice. In 2024 she completed the Teastas i Múineadh na Gaeilge d'Fhoghlaimeoirí Fásta (Certificate in Teaching Irish to Adult Learners) from Maynooth University. She is continually blown away by the generosity and kindness of the worldwide Irish language community, and is happy to give back through volunteer teaching at Two Rivers.
Becky has a doctorate in Linguistics and currently works as an instructor and academic advisor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, teaching both linguistics and the Irish language. When she's not occupied with music, dance, or language, you can find her happily pottering in her garden or hiking in nature with friends and family.
Mearta Wagar Wright, PhD
Mearta first became interested in sean-nós singing when she traveled to Northwest Donegal in the 1980s, where she learned Irish language and song first hand from native speakers and some of the most influential and learned singers in the area, even performing at Oireachtas na Gaeilge. She attended University of Colraine spent several years in the North of Ireland.
She spent many years in Africa, where she raised her family, before returning to the United States. She continues to travel to Northwest Donegal to immerse herself in the rich language and culture of the region. Winner of the senior women’s sean-nós competition in the Middle Atlantic Fleadh in 2025, Mearta teaches Irish and sean-nós singing in the Philadelphia area and online.
The Board
The members of the Board of Conradh na Gaeilge are elected every two years, are instrumental to Branch operations, and help run all programs. Quarterly Board meetings are open to all Branch members. Meetings are currently running on Zoom. Board elections for the next term will take place in December 2021. We are actively seeking nominations for Marketing and Outreach, as Justin is stepping down this year! Are you a Branch member who is enthusiastic about Irish language and want to make a difference? Let us know!
Chair: Bríd Munafo
President: Seoirsín Ní Mheachair
Vice-Chair: Ruairí Aldrich
Secretary: Calia Heroth
Treasurer: Antaine Mac Con Rí
Marketing/Outreach: Aodán de Barra
Board Members: Connie Ostrowski, Seán Conway
Membership to the Branch is free with class registration or $15 without registration. Our Branch membership consists of approximately 70 members, and includes Irish language supporters in the U.S., Canada, and Ireland.