Cúpla focal

[muckefuck]

an t-aonach an caonach (an cúnlach) an chabhair (an chobhair) an chiotóg an fhéasóg an folt an fhórithint an gheargáil an ghlúin an t-ionathar (an t-ineathar) an ioscaid (an t-ioscad) an lúidín an meigeall an nádúr an tomán

foltrua gormroscach leisciúil nádúrtha

cabhrú

Featured word: Bealtaine

There's an old Irish expression for "to be in a predicament", idir dhá thine Bhealtaine "between two Beltane fires", which stems from the ancient custom of driving livestock between two bonfires on May Eve to protect them from sickness throughout the coming year. The word Bealtaine itself actually contains the word for "fire", tine. (The initial element is probably related to the PIE *bhel- "flash, burn".)

If you're accustomed to the English pronunciation of the word, the Irish--or at least the Munster Irish, at any rate--will surprise you. It's [ˈbʲaulˠhɪnʲɪ] or (in rough approximation) "BYOWL-hin-yih", but the diphthongisation of the first vowel and lenition of the /t/ are local features not found in northern dialects. By itself, it means "May" (although this is also called mí na Bealtaine "month of Beltane") and Lá Bealtaine is the term for the day itself; tonight is Oíche Bhealtaine (from the earlier practice of reckoning the beginning of the day at sundown, as in the Jewish tradition). A spell of wintry weather during the month of May is a scread na Bealtaine, a "May scream".