One of our most popular outreach projects has been these innovative folded business cards with old Irish words that we documented from older people across the county. The cards are available free of charge and fit easily into your pocket, purse or wallet!
Click here to download a free PDF of these cards...
Please find below some of the words with audio snippets to show you how to correctly pronounce the word. Just click on the word and save to your computer. You can burn these to CD, transfer to your iPOD...
Words of Endearment
| As Gaeilge | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A Rún Alternative content (Pr. A-Roon) |
Sweetheart | Sleep well, a rún. |
|
A Stór / A Stóirín (Pr. A-Store/A-Store-een) |
My heart’s treasure |
Happy Birthday, a stór! |
|
A Chroí (Pr. A-Kree) |
My dearest |
When will you be home, a chroí? |
| A Mhuirnín Alternative content (Pr. A-Voor-neen) |
Sweetheart |
I’ll meet you there, a mhuirnín |
|
A Pheata (Pr. A-FAH-Tah) |
Pet/Little one |
Be careful not to play out on the road, a pheata |
|
A Dalta (Pr. A-Doll-tah) |
A ward/a Pet |
I'll take care of that, a dalta |
|
A Chusile (Pr. A-Koosh-la) |
My Darling |
Yes, mo chuisle, I'll wait for you |
|
A Mhac/Mac (Pr. a-wock/mok) |
My Son/Also used to describe a jolly person |
Your dinner is on the tabe for you, a mhac/ Sean is great mac |
Jibes & Taunts
| As Gaeilge | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Pleidhce Alternative content (Pr. Ply-keh) |
A fool | Play no mind to that pleidhce |
|
Leibide (Pr. Leb-eda) |
An awkward clown/A helpless idiot |
You should steer clear of that leibide |
| óinseach Alternative content (Pr.Own-shock) |
A foolish woman |
She's a terrible óinseach |
| útamálaí Alternative content (Pr. Oot-amawl-ee) |
A fumbler/Clumsy person |
Look at that útamálaí - he is all toes and no fingers |
|
Ceolán (Pr. Keo-lawn) |
A giddy, lightheaded babbler |
There's no stopping that ceolán, once she gets talking. |
| Seoinín Alternative content (Pr. Shown-een) |
One who apes foreign ways |
That seoinín was always anti-irish |
|
Amadán (Pr. Amadawn) |
A person who acts foolishly |
He's an awful amadán |
Social Gatherings
| As Gaeilge | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Meitheal Alternative content (Pr. Meh-hell) |
A network of borrowed reciprocal labour | We'll have a meitheal to bring in the turf |
|
Comhar (Pr. Koh-ar) |
A day's work in exchange for the same |
I made comhar with the neighbours so that I could have a meitheal later |
|
Céilidhe (Pr. Kay-lee) |
An evening visit with music/dancing |
They're going on céilidhe |
|
Feis (Pr. Fesh) |
A festival of song/dance |
The feis will be great craic |
|
Seanchas (Pr. Shan-a-kas) |
Gossip/conversation |
She's an awful woman for the seanchas |
|
Cuairt (Pr. Coo-rd) |
A social visit |
He goes out on cuairt every Friday |
|
Ragairne (Pr. Rog-ar-nah) |
A social, neighbourly visit (N. Clare) |
He's gone out ar ragairne, and God only know's when he'll be home |
Quantities
| As Gaeilge | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Gabháil Alternative content (Pr. Go-awl) |
As much as can be taken between the outstretched arms | Bring in a gabháil of turf for the fire |
|
Dornán (Pr. Dor-nawn) |
A fistful |
Could I have a dornán of corn? |
|
Beart (Pr. Barth) |
A bundle carried on the back of shoulders |
Where is he going with that beart of hay? |
| Mám Alternative content (Pr. Maw-m) |
The full of two hands taken together |
Those hens are in need of a mám of oats |
|
Ladhar (Pr. Lie-arr) |
A loose handful |
Give a ladhar of mess to those pigs |
|
Deor (Pr. A-Doll-tah) |
A drop |
There is not even a deor left |
|
Droídar (Pr. Dree-a-dor) |
The Dregs/Residuum |
That bottle has been drained so it's very droídar |
