A IRISH conversation group has appealed for more members.

‘Ciorcal Comhra’, which is Gaelic for Conversation Circle, was set up 18 months ago to keep the Irish language alive and kicking in Oxford.

The group was set up by Dublin-born Loretta Plunkett-Murphy, who lives in Headington, and members meet each week at the Half Moon Pub in St Clement’s to tell stories and chat about poetry and books in Gaelic.

After the Oxford Mail helped launch the group in May last year, numbers quickly grew, but they have since dropped to nine.

Ms Plunkett-Murphy, 77, who moved to England in 1953 and has lived in Oxford since 1991, said the number of people in Ireland itself who spoke Irish was growing because many schools in the country had started to teach all subjects in Irish, rather than English.

But she said it would be wonderful to see more people attending Oxford’s group.

She continued: “We started with a lot more people but it’s not really a class for beginners.

“We don’t like to speak any English during the meetings so it is perfect for people with at least a basic grasp of Gaelic.

“It’s important because it’s part of our culture and heritage and several of us who learned it at school want to keep that alive here in Oxford.

“There are a lot of people going back to it in Ireland too.”

Ms Plunkett-Murphy regularly travels to her homeland to stay with an Irish-speaking family and maintain her fluency.

But she said she would love for more of the 3,000 Irish people thought to live in Oxford to come along to the meetings.

She said: “We have a really nice mix of people. We have one 18-year-old member who has an Irish speaking grandmother and has taught himself the language.

“And we also have members who have learned Gaelic as children, but have since moved over here and lost it. We would love more members to come along and have what we call the ‘craic’.

“If anyone wants to join they are more than welcome to join us at the Half Moon Pub next Tuesday evening.”

The group meets at 8pm every Tuesday at the pub.

To find out more call Ms Plunkett-Murphy on 01865 742924.