Adam-Richter.com

None of my ancestors in living memory spoke Irish. I don’t live on the Aran Islands. I have no practical reason for even attempting to learn the language, let alone including it in a play.

And here I am, incorporating the Irish language into dialogue in “Banshee,” with the aim of making the Irish characters even more so.

If the thought of seeing a bilingual play scares you off, fear not: The dialogue in “Banshee” only contains a few scattered words and phrases in Irish.

This is appropriate, since after four years or so of trying to learn the language, I only know a few scattered words and phrases. But I can say “Is maith liom uisce:” I like water.

The sparseness of spoken Irish is fitting for the time: In 18th-century Ireland, the language was outlawed by the English rulers, so any use of it would have been an act of rebellion.

Despite the best efforts by the British Empire, the Irish language survived, as did Irish culture. The two are inextricably linked, as I was reminded earlier this week. I recently found a new resource for learning Irish, a website called bitesized.irish. They offer classes in the language, and through their “Gaeilge gach lá” (Irish Every Day) challenge, I learned an old proverb that is worth pondering:

“Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam.”

Translation: A country without a language, a country without a soul.

In other words, language is the vessel for culture. If you are interested in any nation’s culture — Irish, French, Chinese, Filipino, Mexican, etc. — you can gain an appreciation without learning the language. But your experience will be that much richer if you can connect the two.

Poetry is another incredible intersection of language and culture. I had the pleasure of attending Berks Bards’ monthly open-mic night, which this month featured poet Steven Concert. Listening to him read his works aloud, as well as the dozen or so other poets who performed — was an absolute joy. If you’ve never sat in a room and allowed yourself to get enveloped by images, emotions and the universe strung together with mere words, do yourself a favor and attend a poetry reading.

You may think of poetry as a useless skill. Enjoy it anyway.

I may never have a need to hold a conversation in Irish. I’m learning anyway.

You do not know when the time will come when you will need to write about a supernatural creature who speaks the language of your long-dead ancestors.

It never hurts to be prepared.

“Banshee,” a play featuring music, dance, foreign languages — and, yes, verse — opens May 1. Get your tickets here.