Irish Language Blog

(le Róislín)

fleasc na hAidbhinte

We’ve had lots of vocabulary lately, much of which might be new to many readers.  So how about a little review, matching the holiday concept or item to the holiday involved?  The holidays will be listed in Colún A and the items and concepts in Colún B.  And once again, for the dúshlán [doo-hlawn, silent “s”], there’s one more answer i gColún B than you’ll need do Cholún A.

In some cases, the answers have been specifically referred to in recent blogs.  In other cases, they fall in the category of “eolas ginearálta,” which will, of course, vary ó dhuine go duine.  Freagraí thíos.

1. An Chéad Domhnach den Aidbhint, i. an dath corcra (dath éide an tsagairt, dath an bhrat altóra, agus an dath atá ar chuid de na coinnle i bhfleasc na hAidbhinte)

2. An Dara Domhnach den Aidbhint, e. An dara coinneal (i bhfleasc na hAidbhinte)

3. Féile San Nioclás, d. Paitíní (clogs)

4. An Tríú Domhnach den Aidbhint, l. lúchaireach (joyful), ón bhfrása, “Bígí lúchaireach” (Filipigh 4:4, Gaudete i Laidin/ Rejoice / Be joyful)

5. An Ceathrú Domhnach den Aidbhint, m. coinneal an ghrá (sometimes the candle for this day has other names, but this seems to be the most standard)

6. Oíche Nollag, g. réinfhianna

7. An Nollaig,  h. mainséar

8. Lá Fhéile Stiofáin, k. an dreoilín

9. Oíche Chinn Bhliana, j. seaimpéin

10. Lá Caille,  f. Paráid na nGeocach [... nung YUK-ukh] i bhFilideilfa, le blianta fada anuas (ó 1901 go hoifigiúil ach i bhfad níos sine ná sin)

11. An Chéad Luan den Bhliain Úr, a. féirín

12. An Nollaig Bheag, b. túis (bronntanas ó dhuine de na Trí Ríthe)

An freagra breise: c. brídeog, an effigy of Naomh Bríd, sometimes an actual doll but usually a figure made of a sheaf of straw dressed in clothing or clothing stuffed with straw, carried from house to house for St. Bridget’s Day (2 Feabhra) by children, especially girls, or “biddy-boys.”

Gluais: brat altóra, altar cloth; coinneal, candle; corcra, purple; dara, second; dúshlán, challenge; éide, vestment; fleasc na hAidbhinte, Advent wreath; geocach [GYUK-ukh], mummer (nothing to do with “geocaching” or a “geocache,” by the way – that’s a sheer coincidence of spelling); grá, love; mainséar, manger; sagart, priest (éide an tsagairt [AY-djuh un TAHG-irtch, note the silent “s”]; seaimpéin [SHAM-payn], champagne; túis [toosh], frankincense

(le Róislín)

Lá an Dreoilín sa Daingean

Wren Day has become increasingly well-known outside of Ireland, ever since the Clancy Brothers recorded “The Wran (i.e. Wren) Song” in 1955.  Groups as diverse as Steeleye Span and the Chieftains have added to the musical legacy of the wren festivities.  Well, festive for everyone except an dreoilín.  Ar an dea-uair, the wrens in today’s processions are either artificial or symbolic, but the original custom did include actual wrens.  I think, though, that we need to look at the practice of hunting a live wren in the context of the times.  In an era when rural dwellers constantly dealt with the life-cycle of animals and the realities of the food chain, it probably didn’t seem as disconcerting.  And if the custom is as old as it appears to be, perhaps pre-Christian, we could look at a lot of other life-and-death situations of the times and wonder why life was taken so casually.  But suffice it to say here that in those days, the notion of quarry stretched far beyond wrens.

As many of you know, the basic wren procession involved men and boys in handmade costumes, usually of straw (“strawboys”).  The Irish name for the strawboys, however, doesn’t refer to straw, which would be “tuí” or “cochán” or “sop.”  It’s “cleamairí,” which could also be translated as “rompers” or “mummers.”  Nowadays, women and girls may participate.  The group is sometimes called “lucht an dreoilín” (“wren-boys,” lit. the wren “crowd”).  They sang and played music, especially on easily portable instruments like the orgán béil and the bodhrán, and proceeded from house to house in their local community, performing and asking for money.  The wren was displayed, often on a miniature beribboned funeral bier.  The word “dreoilín” is probably one of the most widely recognized Irish words, even in English speaking communities.  It’s sometimes anglicized as “droleen” and most versions of the “Wran Song” that I’ve heard use both terms at different points in the lyrics: “The wren, the wren, the king of the birds” and “Droleen, droleen, where’s your nest?”

“Droleen,” as an anglicized Irish word, has its own interesting history.  Droleen II is a 33.6 ft. yacht built in 1945.  The British Classic Yacht Club description of it gives no hint as to why it was called Droleen II.  Or what happened to Droleen I?  If there’s a luamhaire or díograiseoir luamh reading this, you’ll find the mionrudaí on Droleen II at http://www.britishclassicyachtclub.org/register/Droleen.htm.  Hmmm, ainmneacha bád in Irish in general, even in anglicized Irish, now there’s a topic in itself.  The British Classic Yacht Club also lists Talisker Mhor, Corrie, Huff of Arklow (huff?!), Kelpie, Rinamara (Rí na Mara?), Cuilanaun, and Ceilidh Mhor.  Lots of food for thought there!  “Droleen” also occurs as a name for dogs (Milton Droleen, an Irish Terrier aka “the American Erin” – whereby must hang a tail/tale!) and horses (Cnoc na Droleen, not grammatically correct but c’est la vie, and Glencairn Droleen; for the grammatical analysis of “Cnoc na Droleen,” see below).  There is also the Droleen Cup (Bray Sailing Club) but I can’t find any background to that – thereto must hang a sail, or a scéal, but níl na mionrudaí agam.

But what about the word “dreoilín” itself?  Cén díochlaonadh?  An bhfuil ciall ar bith eile leis?

“Dreoilín” is a fourth-declension masculine noun, with the familiar “-ín” suffix, used for diminutives.

All the forms of this noun are fairly straightforward:

An dreoilín, the wren; the same form is used for the possessive (mar shampla: cosa an dreoilín, cinniúint an dreoilín, the feet of the wren, the fate of the wren)

Na dreoilíní, the wrens

Na ndreoilíní [nuh NROH-leen-ee], of the wrens (cosa na ndreoilíní, cinniúint na ndreoilíní, srl.)

“Dreoilín” is used in various phrases, e.g. dreoilín teaspaigh, grasshopper, lit. wren of hot weather, dreoilín ceannbhuí, goldcrest (the bird, aka “golden-crested wren”), and dreoilín spóirt, an object of ridicule

Various related words also suggest silliness!  For example, “dreoileachán” can mean “a little wren” or “a silly wretch.”  And “dreolán” can either be an alternate spelling of “dreoilín” or yet another word for “a silly person,” for which Irish already has a rich vocabulary, including “glagaire,” “pleidhce,” and the intriguing “leathamadán,” a silly person, lit. a “half-fool,” presumably in contrast to a full-fledged “amadán” (fool).

Ornithologically speaking, it’s quite interesting that the wren is so celebrated, if infamously, in Irish tradition.  Apparently, there are about 80 species of wrens, but only one of these is native to the Old World, the Eurasian wren.  Although all the species are small in size, they are known for having disproportionately loud and complex songs.  Perhaps that contributed to the notion of the wren as a betrayer, revealing the hiding place either of San Stiofán, when he was i bhfolach, or of saighdiúirí Éireannacha, who were then attacked by Uigingigh.  Which reminds us of the original theme of the day and why the wren is singled out for the strawboys’ attention.  The San Stiofán connection, of course, leads us back to the alternate name for this day, Lá Fhéile Stiofáin (St. Stephen’s Day), which is also alluded to in “The Wran Song”: “… on St. Stephen’s Day, he was caught in the furze.”  And that may suggest another ábhar blag for the future — “whin” do we say “furze,” and “whin” do we say “gorse,” and “whin” to we say “whin”?  And how does “aiteann” connect to all of those?  Ach sin ábhar blag eile, ar ndóigh.  SGF, Róislín

Gluais: díograiseoir, enthusiast; i bhfolach [ih WOL-ukh]; in hiding; luamh [LOO-uv], yacht; Uigingeach, a Viking

Nóta gramadaí faoin bhfrása “Cnoc na Droleen”: the word “na” would be used either if “dreoilín” were grammatically feminine (which it isn’t) or if it were plural, in which case it would have the “-í” ending.  “Cnoc” is “hill,” so to say “the hill of the wren,” it would be “Cnoc an Dreoilín.”  That could anglicized as “Cnoc an Droleen” (not “na Droleen”).  If we want to retain the “na,” the word for “wren” would have to become plural and it would take eclipsis (“d” changing to “nd”), which would probably end up anglicized as “Cnoc nan roleenee.”  And that looks to me like a situation where all three words would be run together, creating “Cnocnanroleenee.” Which barely looks like even anglicized Irish to me, but sin scéal eile.  It would mean “the hill of the wrens,” at any rate.  The original “d” of “dreoilíní” would have become silent, since it was “eclipsed.”

In fact “Cnoc na Droleen” is another example of hybridization when Irish words are used in an English-language context.  “Cnoc” is the actual Irish spelling of the word for “hill” and is often, if oddly, anglicized as “Knock” (as in Knockmany, Knockmealdown, or simply Knock, Co. Mayo, the shrine site).  Why do I say “odd”?  Because in Irish the initial “c” is pronounced like a “k” [cnoc, “knuk”], but we have to understand the initial “k” as silent in the English version [knock, “nahk”].  Anyway, one might think that if “dreoilín” is going to be anglicized to “droleen,” then “cnoc” would be also, giving us “Knock an droleen.”  But it isn’t, so once again, c’est la vie.  Ag an ainmneoir an t-ainm, is dócha, which roughly means, “to the namer (belongs) the name.”  I wonder what the horse would have to say about it, dá mbeadh caint aige!

(le Róislín)

Ceist mhaith, nach ea?  Cathain a thosaíonn séasúr na Nollag? Braitheann sé, is dócha, ar an áit ina bhfuil tú.  I Meiriceá?  In Éirinn?  In áit eile?

Ar bhealach d’fhéadfadh muid a rá go dtosaíonn an Nollaig i mí Iúil mar bíonn an oiread sin de rudaí a bhaineanns leis an gcoincheap sin.  B’fhéidir gur thosaigh sé leis an scannán “Christmas in July” (1940) nó b’fhéidir go raibh an coincheap ann roimhe sin.  Níl a fhios agam.  Ach faoi láthair tá thart fá 4,000,000 tagairt do “Christmas in July” mar théarma cuardaigh (sin i gcomharthaí athfhriotail leis!).  Fiosrach faoi “Nollaig in Iúil” (i nGaeilge) mar théarma cuardaigh? – gan ann ach amas amháin agus téann an ceann sin ar ais go dtí an blag seo (http://blogs.transparent.com/irish/aoine-dhubh-aoine-an-bhreacain-agus-cibearluan-tearmai-siopadoireachta-iar-la-an-altaithe/)!  Fuair mé dhá amas do “Nollaig i mí Iúil” (le “mí”) ach níor oibrigh ceachtar acu agus pé scéal é, ní mórán dhá amas d’ábhar sa lá atá inniu ann.  Is dócha go dtig linn a rá, mar sin, nach mbactar mórán le “Nollaig in Iúil” in Éirinn.

What’s the next landmark date then?  I Meiriceá, cinnte, Oíche Shamhna (31 Deireadh Fómhair).  Go díreach an mhaidin i ndiaidh na hoíche sin, tosaíonn margaíocht na Nollag i ndáiríre.  Ach i Meiriceá tagann Lá Altaithe idir Oíche Shamhna agus an Nollaig agus mar sin bíonn an dá short margaíochta “gob ar ghob” – margaíocht Lá Altaithe (turcaithe plaisteacha, srl.) agus margaíocht na Nollag (Daidithe na Nollag plaisteacha, drualus plaisteach, srl.)  Ar feadh thart fá mhí, ar a laghad, go dtí Lá Altaithe é féin.  Agus ansin, an mhaidin i ndiaidh Lá Altaithe, níl aon éalú ó mhargaíocht na Nollag.  Aoine Dhubh, Cibearluan, srl.  Maisiúcháin, caiféanna latté le lus an phiobair, gimicí díolacháin go leor, lascainí réamh-Nollaig; ceol Nollag in ardaitheoirí (aon Ghaeilge ar “mhuzak”?  Is trádmharc é “muzak,” mar sin déarfaimid “ceol timpeallach”!).

Ní dóigh liom go bhfuil rás mhargaíocht na Nollag chomh láidir in Éirinn is atá sé sna S.A.M.  Ar a laghad, ní dóigh liom go bhfuil sé chomh láidir chomh luath is atá sé sna S.A.M, go díreach i ndiaidh Oíche Shamhna.  In Éirinn níl lá saoire mór mar Lá Altaithe ann mar atá sna Stáit Aontaithe is de bhrí sin níl an mhearchiall siopadóireachta chomh dian i mí na Samhna.

That’s not to say, of course, that there isn’t some “brú” in it in Ireland as well.  I checked out the dates of the Christmas markets listed in an interesting article “10 Best: Irish Christmas Markets,” by Pól Ó Conghaile (http://poloconghaile.com/10-best-irish-christmas-markets/, for 2010).  As I suspected, the markets he describes start a little later than the Christmas rush in America, the earliest being November 19^th, but most being squarely in December itself.

Ach rud amháin, ar a laghad, a thosaíonn in Éirinn i ndiaidh Oíche Shamhna — doirteadh an fhuisce isteach sna cístí Nollag go mbeidh siad deas, bhuel, deas ar maos faoin Nollaig.

Ach cad faoin bhféilire a bhaineanns leis an Nollaig mar lá saoire creidimh?

D’fhéadfadh muid tosú leis an Aidbhint (na ceithre Dhomhnach roimh an Nollaig).  Athraíonn na dátaí gach bliain.  I 2012, tosóidh an Aidbhint ar an 2ú lá de mhí na Nollag.  Interesting, isn’t it, that the big marketing push, in the U.S.at least, nearly coincides with the beginning of Advent!

27 Mí na Samhna 2011: An Chéad Domhnach den Aidbhint

4 Mí na Nollag 2011: An Dara Domhnach den Aidbhint

6 Mí na Nollag: Féile San Nioclás, an-tábhachtach san Ísiltír, “Sinterklaas kapoentje, Gooi wat in mijn schoentje,” srl., mar a chantar sa scannán “Miracle on 34^th Street.”

11 Mí na Nollag 2011: An Tríú Domhnach den Aidbhint (“Gaudete Sunday”)

18 Mí na Nollag 2011: An Ceathrú Domhnach den Aidbhint

24 Mí na Nollag: Oíche Nollag

25 Mí na Nollag: An Nollaig

26 Mí na Nollag: Lá na Dreoilín, Lá Fhéile Stiofáin

31 Mí na Nollag: Oíche Chinn Bhliana, Oíche na Coda Móire, Oíche Nollag Beag (not to be mistaken with the other use of “an Nollaig Bheag,” which is on 6 Eanáir!)

Note that none of typical phrases used to say “New Year’s Eve” actually use the word “nua” (new).  Nor do they use the word “athbhliain” as found in the greeting “Happy New Year” (Athbhliain faoi mhaise!).  They translate literally as “Eve of the end of the year,” “The Night of the Big Portion (of food),” and “The Eve of Little Christmas.”

1 Mí Eanáir: Lá Coille (Lá Caille); Lá na nIarsmaí (féach “Handsel Monday,” thíos, freisin); Lá Nollag Beag (as with Oíche Nollag Beag, not to be mistaken with the other use of “an Nollaig Bheag,” which is on 6 Eanáir!).  Literally, these are “Calends Day,” “The Day of the Little Gifts,” and “The Day of Little Christmas.”

An Chéad Luan den Bliain Úr (2 Eanáir 2012):  Handsel Monday (ní bhfuair mé Gaeilge ar ainm an Luain seo in áit ar bith ach tá trí fhocal i nGaeilge ar “handsel” é féin: féirín (an ceann is fearr liomsa mar níl sé chomh ginearálta; ciallaíonn sé “fairing” freisin), bronntanas (a chiallaíonn “gift” de shórt ar bith freisin), agus “iarsma” (a chiallaíonn “remainder, remnant, encumbrance” chomh maith).  Tagann an focal Béarla “handsel” ón SeanBhéarla “handselen, hand-gift”).

Ar “Handsel Monday” thugtaí bronntanais bheaga do pháistí, airgead is mó ach amanna cístí beaga is a leithéid.  In áiteanna, tugadh “suggit” ar an mbronntanas é féin agus síltear go dtagann sé seo ón nGaeilge “seo dhuit” nó “so dhuit” (“here to you,” said when giving the gift).  In áiteanna théadh na páistí ó theach go teach ar Lá Coille féin agus thugtaí na bronntanais ar an lá sin.  Mar sin tugtar “Lá na nIarsmaí” ar 1 Eanáir amanna freisin.

6 Mí Eanáir: An Nollaig Bheag, Nollaig na mBan, Eipeafáine, Lá Chinn an Dá Lá Dhéag,

Cé go bhfuil trí théarma ar a laghad ar na “Magi,” ní fheicim mórán tráchta orthu mar chuid d’ainm an lae seo.  Seo na téarmaí ar na Magi: na Saoithe, an Triúr Eagnaithe, na Trí Ríthe.  Ar ndóigh, i dteangacha eile, deirtear rudaí mar “Three Kings’ Day,” “Dreikönigstag,” “O Dia de Reis,”  “Trijkungu diena,” “It-Tre Re,” “Trzech Kroli,” “El Dia de los Reyes”  Wondering what languages those are?  Ainmneacha na dteangacha thíos.

7 Mí Eanáir: dó an duilliúir (cuileann, fleasca síorghlasa, srl.) agus cur na maisiúchán eile i dtaisce.

Níl anseo ach achoimre ar na dátaí is na nósanna a bhaineanns leis an Nollaig ach tá súil agam go raibh siad suimiúil duit.  Dá mba rud é gur chuala tú aon téarma eile ar na laethe seo, bheadh sé go deas dá scríobhfá isteach chugainn leis an eolas.  SGF, Róislín

Gluais: amas, hit (in Internet search); ar maos, steeped (as in drink, etc.); comharthaí athfhriotail, quotation marks; dó, burning; dreoilín [DR^zhOH-leen], wren; drualus [DROO-uh-luss], mistletoe; duilliúr, greenery; eagnaí, wise man (pl: eagnaithe [AG-nih-huh]); fleasc, wreath; fuisce, whiskey; gob ar ghob, neck and neck (lit. beak on beak); lus an phiobair, peppermint; mearchiall, frenzy, craziness; síorghlas, evergreen; thugtaí [HUG-tee], used to be given; théadh, used to go; timpeallach, ambient

Ainmneacha na dTeangacha (ina ndeirtear “Triúr Ríthe” is a leithéid): Gearmáinis, Portaingéilis, Laitvis, Máltais, Polainnis, Spáinnis