A Dublin ice cream shop is offering customers a 10% discount if they ask for their order in Irish. 

Leamhain is located in St Stephen’s Green shopping centre and owner Conor Sweeny says he is enthusiastic about promoting an teanga dhúchais.

“The initiative came from Baile Átha Cliath le Gaeilge [Dublin with Irish] - it’s a Government run agency that helps promote Irish among small businesses in Dublin. 

“Leamhain is an ode back to my grandmother; she is originally from Glenbeigh in Co. Kerry and the Leamhain river that runs through Killorglin, Co. Kerry. 

“She was an Irish teacher her whole life and only speaks Irish with my partner Louise.” 

Conor admits that he is no gaeilgeoir himself - “I’m pretty bad at it if I’m honest” - but wanted to do something to honour his grandmother and her lifelong love of an Ghaeilge. 

And he says that it hasn’t just been Irish people who have been trying out their cúpla focail in the shop. 

“We’ve had parents bring their small children in to practise and we’ve had a lot of tourists - Americans, Swiss, Italian - all trying it out,” he enthused.

“And even people who haven’t spoken it since the Leaving Cert, they’ve been practising ‘Dia dhuit’, ‘Conas atá tú?’ 

“It’s amazing!”

Main image: Ice cream.