Perhaps this extremely well known but I couldn't find a single mention of it by searching the forum (either in the forum or using Google) - apologies if so, otherwise it could be an interesting addition to Learning Materials.

I was searching for something online and ended up finding http://people.fas.harvard.edu/~hillers/BUNTUS-1.pdf "Buntús na Gaeilge", a textbook for a Harvard class. It does say "for class and private circulation only", but it is spread all over the Internet, so I suppose mentioning it here isn't particularly harmful.

I found it interesting because it provides some additional grammar focus compared with most of the stuff aimed at adult learners (I'm also making an initial description of the "Gaeilge Gan Stró!" book and CDs I received this week in another topic).

It seems to be based on Ulster Irish (...[f]or the learner, an introduction to a consistent regional dialect was thought to be desirable. Ulster Irish has never presented a more viable didactic choice than today. Its prominence on both sides of the border is on the increase and is reflected in the media and
educational apparatus.[...] A number of strategies have been adopted to make the book as compatible as possible with other varieties of Irish), which could also interest those more geared towards that dialect.

Could be interesting to have someone do some audio for it, perhaps there is even something like that already. Will investigate a bit further.

This seems pretty good for introducing Gaeilge.
There may be some small errors, such as
'bean deas' which should in this example case be 'bean dheas' (in the box 'Dental Rule')
but such things can be easily dealt with if you have someone helping you as you study through this.
I wouldn't worry about the northern dialect as the language is basically the same - and there again with someone helping you these things can be met and explained.
A regular arrangement on Skype would do it, I reckon, if you can't find someone locally.

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Bí cinnte de go nglacfaidh triúr le gach aistriúchán a thabharfar.
Be sure to get three in agreement with a translation given.

Yes I've unloaded it as well and printed it out and put it in a ring file - there's a second volume if you want it. It was recommended to me by a long standing member of the forum as it has quite a few rhymes and songs. Unfortunately there's no sound. You could try using Buntús Cainte but I've recorded the CD's on to audio cassettes (yes I still have them) so that you can put gaps in and you can stop it and rewind where you want to, if it's too fast for you.

Sorry to bump up an old thread, but there are audio files available for the summer version of this course. The audio files and all three editions of the course book (Beginner, Intermediate, and Summer) are available on the author's faculty page at Harvard. You'll need to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page.

http://people.fas.harvard.edu/~hillers/

I found these by accident, I don't even remember how (probably inability to spell Buntús Cainte properly). Tonight I discovered there was already this one thread about them here, so I'd keep the all info about it consolidated in one place for the benefit of future searches.

Very sensible.

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Can any connoisseur (Lughaidh?) give the audio a listen and say if this course is "real" Donegal Irish? (i.e. dialect, not just Donegal-flavoured Standard Irish)

When the introduction talks about dialects, this is the only mention of compromise:

Wherever two words (or grammatical features) compete in Donegal Irish, the one with
the greater regional spread was chosen (e.g. of the two words used to denote `girl' in Donegal,
cailín and girseach, we chose cailín since it is also found in Munster and Connacht; similarly
the negative particle ní, which is found throughout Ireland, is adopted rather than cha which
is only found in Ulster (as well as Scottish Gaelic); the use of cha is however covered in the
appendix that deals with issues of dialect, Cúrsaí Canúna.)

audio: http://people.fas.harvard.edu/~hillers/ ... udioFiles/

course book for the audio: http://people.fas.harvard.edu/~hillers/ ... summer.pdf

That's the "summer" course book. There's also books 1 and 2 for her beginner and intermediate courses. She teaches an advanced course too, but she hasn't made a book for that, so I guess she's decided that what's in books 1 and 2 is already most of what can be taught by course books. In her advanced course the students read literature.

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Pages I made:
(These are unfortunately offline for the near future, but they'll be back!)

• Teaching Young Kids Irish (It's just my notes, a work in progress.)
• CD transcript and translations for the book Learning Irish

How is it incorrect? would dntls not stop lenitation from occurring?

DNTLS doesn't stop attributive adjectives from leniting. So you'd have an bhean dheas but you'd need to say an deis.

Not to be confused with Buntús Cainte.
Initially designed for Harvard students summer school, IMHO it is by far the best course for self-learners.
There are two versions Introduction and Intermediate. Sound files may also be available.
It leans toward the Ulster dialect, but includes a chapter outlining the differences.
Hillers is now with Indiana University and Buntús na Gaeilge has moved with her.
Harvard still has Buntús na Gaeilge, but modified to the Connaught dialect.