Member Profile: Eric Funston

“The way we express things shapes the way we pray, the way we believe, and the way we think.”

Eric Funston grew up hearing stories of one of his ancestral grandfathers, an Irishman that crossed the Atlantic nine times before settling in America. Later, as an Anglican priest, he took a particular interest in Celtic customs and spirituality. While studying this subject it was apparent to him that to truly understand a culture and the people in it one needs to know their language. Further visits to Ireland further convinced him that he needed to learn Irish.

In 2008 Eric received a grant from his bishop to study Irish and therefore was able to attend the Acadamh in An Cheathrú Rua (Carraroe). He returned to the Acadamh two years later during a sabbatical. Also in 2010, Eric took a cottage in County Offaly for a month and translated old Irish hymns, one of which his church’s choir sang. Having retired from the priesthood, Eric continues to pursue the language with Let’s Learn Irish and enjoys the opportunity to speak Irish with other learners. You can read more about Eric’s Irish language journey here!