A short history of the Irish language...

Written Irish is first substantiated from the fourth AD. In the sixth century Old Irish, as the language was known, used the Latin alphabet. Over the next 12 centuries the Irish language experienced many changes and modifications. In the 18th century, the Irish language began to decline as many people favored using English. In the mid-19th century the Irish language lost many of its speakers to death and emigration due to poverty caused by the Irish Potato Famine. At the end of the 19th century, a movement known as the Gaelic Revival began encouraging the learning and use of Irish.

Did you know...

Irish is a Celtic language spoken in Ireland

There are only 380,000 fluent speakers of Irish

The Gaeltacht (where Irish is spoken as the native tongue) is in the north and northwest parts of Ireland

  • County Galway including Connemara, the Aran Islands, Carraroe and Spiddal
  • The west coast of County Donegal including Tyrconnell
  • Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry
  • Smaller areas in County Mayo, County Meath, County Waterford and County Cork

Irish is officially recognized as the first official language of Ireland (English is the second)

Irish is an official language of the European Union (EU)

There are three primary dialects of the Irish language: Munster, Connacht and Ulster

So...you want to learn to speak Irish?

Ireland forever..................................Éire go brách (Air-rah guh braw)

 

Cheers.............................................Slainte (Slon-chuh)

 

I’m Irish...........................................Is Éireannach mé (Iss air-in-ack may)

 

A hundred-thousand welcomes.........Céad Mile Fáilte (Ky-ed meel-ay fall-chay)

 

Bye..................................................Slan (slan)

 

Hello................................................Dia Duit (Dee-uh ditch)

 

Fun..................................................Craic (crack)




AMHRAN na bhFIANN

(The Soldier's Song)

Sinne Fianna Fail,   ata   faoi gheall ag Eirinn;

Sheena Feena Fal,  a-taw  fay yal egg air-in;

Soldiers are we,  whose lives are pledged to Ireland;

 

buion d'ar slua thar toinn do rainigh chugainn. Faoi mhoid bheith saor,

bween dor slooa har tin  duh raw-nig hoo-een.  Fwee voedj veh sayr,

some have come from a land beyond the waves,  Sworn to be free,

 

sean-tir  ar  sinnsear feasta,   ni   fhagfar faoin   tioran   na   faoin traill;

shan teer are  shin-sher fas-ta,  nee fawg-ferr fween tee-rawn  naw  fween  troyl,

no more our   ancient   sireland,  shall  shelter  the  despot  or  the  slave,

 

Anocht a theam sa bhearna bhaoil, le gean ar Ghaeil chun bas no saoil;

ah-nocht ah hay-im sah  varina vweel,  le gyan err Gwail khun boss no sayl;

to-night we man  the Bearna Bwail, in Erin's cause come woe or wail;

 

le  gunna  screach  faoi lamhach na bpilear, seo libh canaig Amhran na bhFiann.

le gon-nuh shkrayk fay  lawch  na bill-air,  shuh liv kah-nig Aw-rawn na bhFiann

mid cannon's roar  and   rifle's    peal,   we will  chant   a   Soldier's Song