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Seán Lord a’ tSléibhe

This tale also comes from Éamonn a’ Búrc. It was recorded on the ediphone in January of 1933 by Liam Mac Coisdealbha. It can be found on Dúchas’s website here. I am also working on a new style of presenting these stories, as several readers have complained that the long quote blocks make things more

Domhnach na bhFear

Once again, I have decided to transcribe a story from Éamonn a’ Búrc, as written down by Seán Mac Coisdeabhla. This one is called Domhnach na bhFear and can be found here. If you’ve read other stories on this blog, it’s likely you’ll recognize this one. Nuair a tháinic Naomh Páraic annseo go hÉirinn fadó

Mac Dara (2) agus Oileán Ma Dara (2)

These two stories both come from Annála Beaga ó Iorrus Aithneach. As usual, I will write any dialectal notes that catch my eye below. Naomh a bhí i Mac Dara. As Condae an Dúin a tháinig sé – ceapann siad gubh as é. Bhí mórsheisear acab uiliug ann: Mac Dara, Mac Duach, Caolann, Cáillín, Éinne,

Oileán Cháillín (5) agus Sianach

This week’s post contains two stories from Annála Beaga ó Iorrus Aithneach. As usual, I will transcribe them with the original spelling, and note any pertinent dialectal features. An chré atá ar Oileán Cháillín i n-aice le Ceann Léime dá gcaithtí cuid di ar chruach arbhair ní bhcfadh na luchain leis an arbhar. Tá oileán

An Triúr Searrachán

Unlike the previous two stories, which were taken from Seán Mac Giollarnáth’s wonderful Annála Beaga ó Iorrus Aithneach, this one comes from one of Liam Mac Coisdealbha’s notebooks in the Main Manuscript Collection of the Folklore Department at UCD. These are the transcribed manuscripts collected by the IFC in the 30s, in pure, unadulterated form.

Naomh Pádhraic agus Crom Dubh

This the second story in Annála Beaga ó Iorrus Aithneach. Like with the last story, I am going to transcribe it here, and note any dialectal features in it. I will not attempt a translation, however. Ar Dhomhnach Chrum Dubh tugtar turas na Curaiche. ‘Sé an Domhnach deireanach é i mí Iúil. I n-aimsir Naoimh

Iasg na Fairrge

This article is the second in the two-part series about fish and other sea-side animals, taken from Séamus Mac con Iomaire’s famous book Cladaigh Chonamara. As in the previous post, the list here pulls from the original print run of the book, and thus uses the older spellings and likely reflects a bit more on

Iascán trá

This is the first of a two posts about “fish”. I say “fish” as the author also includes worms and other creatures that can be found on and near the sea in his collection, not just fish. These two selections come from Cladaigh Chonamara, the 1937 edition; there is a newer edition which has been

Na Míonna

Everyone knows the standard months of the year in Irish, as taught by schools everywhere: Eanáir (January), Feabhra (February), Márta (March), Aibreán (April), Bealtaine (May), Meitheamh (June), Iúil (July), Lúnasa (August), Meán Fómhair (September), Deireadh Fómhair (October), Samhain/Mí na Samhna (November) and Mí na Nollag (December). However, what most people don’t know, is that these