Ar dtús, an ghnáthshúil siar ar an mblag deireanach (an briathar “téigh”) agus na foirmeacha coibhneasta.  If you don’t remember the translations for these, please check back in the most recent blog.  Keep in mind that this a particularly irregular verb, changing roots for all three tenses (té-, present; chuaigh, past; rach-, future).  I think I’ll take a little liberty here of abbreviating Baile Shéamais Dhuibh to B. Sh. Dh., since, this is just a súil siar (review, revision).  I’ve seen BJD for  Ballyjamesduff in English, but can’t say I’ve ever noticed the placename being “giorraithe” (abbreviated) i nGaeilge. 

Aimsir Láithreach: Téann Paddy Reilly go Baile Shéamais Dhuibh (B. Sh. Dh.).  An dtéann Paddy Reilly go B. Sh. Dh.?  Seo Paddy Reilly, an fear a théann go B. Sh. Dh.  Seo Róisín Nic Giollaráin, an bhean a dtéann a stócach go B. Sh. Dh.

Aimsir Chaite: Chuaigh Paddy Reilly go B. Sh. Dh.  An ndeachaigh Paddy Reilly go B. Sh. Dh.?  Seo Paddy Reilly, an fear a chuaigh go B. Sh. Dh.  Seo Róisín Nic Giollaráin, an bhean a ndeachaigh a stócach go B. Sh. Dh.

Aimsir Fháistineach: Rachaidh Paddy Reilly go B. Sh. Dh.  An rachaidh Paddy Reilly go B. Sh. Dh.?  Seo Paddy Reilly, an fear a rachaidh go B. Sh. Dh.  Seo Róisín Nic Giollaráin, an bhean a rachaidh a stócach go B. Sh. Dh. 

Agus anois, the verb “to come” in the present, past, and future tenses, in abairtí simplí agus i gclásail choibhneasta.  The command form is “tar” and the verbal noun is “teacht” (in some dialects “tíocht”).  Again, we won’t actually be using the forms “tar” or “teacht” as we practice relative clauses.  Maybe at the end of all of this, we’ll practice the command forms for all these irregular verbs, and then we can order poor Paddy Reilly to come or go to our heart’s content.  Idir an dá linn, seo an séú briathar neamhrialta inár sraith.   

This verb also undergoes some major changes from tense to tense.  Here’s the forewarned part:  “Tagann sé” (he comes) becomes “tháinig sé” (he came) and “tiocfaidh sé” (he will come).  With that under our belts, let’s proceed, fore-armed.  And yes, we’ll continue with Paddy Reilly, for just a wee cúpla bomaite eile, to paraphrase my friend Sóisear.  Last time, we had Paddy going; this time he’s coming.   Eventually, he probably won’t know whether he’s coming or going, an créatúr, if we keep using him to conjugate our briathra, but as long as he ends up “ar ais i mBaile Shéamais Dhuibh,” Rosie will be “sásta.” 

As mentioned before, Ballyjamesduff is “Baile Shéamais Dhuibh” in Irish, with “Shéamais” pronounced “HAY-mish.”  “Dhuibh” has a softened guttural (throaty) h-sound for the “dh.”  There’s nothing comparable in English but the sound exists in some varieties of Spanish and German, in words like “agua” or “sagen” respectively.  But just a “caveateen” there, the throaty sound isn’t in those words as they are typically taught in American high school language classes.  It’s the voiced velar fricative, if you want to pursue it further, linguistically.  It’s similar to a voiceless velar fricative (the well-known “ch” sound of German “Achtung,” Scots “Loch,” or Welsh “Bach”) but articulated lower down in the throat.  The final “-bh” sound of “Dhuibh” is “v.” 

Since we’re talking in these examples about Paddy coming to BJD, the viewpoint is now from someone in BJD.  Anyway, is leor sin mar réamhbheart [rayv-vyart] (prelude).  Ar aghaidh leis an seó (“leis an tseó” i nGaeilge Uladh)!

Aimsir Láithreach: Tagann Paddy Reilly ar ais go Baile Shéamais Dhuibh (B. Sh. Dh.).  An dtagann Paddy Reilly ar ais go B. Sh. Dh.? 

And the relative forms:

Seo Paddy Reilly, an fear a thagann ar ais go B. Sh. Dh.  Seo Róisín Nic Giollaráin, an bhean a dtagann a stócach ar ais go B. Sh. Dh.

(stócach = boyfriend, young unmarried man)

Aimsir Chaite: Tháinig Paddy Reilly ar ais go B. Sh. Dh.  Ar tháinig Paddy Reilly ar ais go B. Sh. Dh.? 

And the relative forms:

Seo Paddy Reilly, an fear a tháinig ar ais go B. Sh. Dh.  Seo Róisín Nic Giollaráin, an bhean ar tháinig a stócach ar ais go B. Sh. Dh.

Aimsir Fháistineach: Tiocfaidh Paddy Reilly ar ais go B. Sh. Dh.  An dtiocfaidh Paddy Reilly ar ais go B. Sh. Dh.? 

And the relative forms:

Seo Paddy Reilly, an fear a thiocfaidh ar ais go B. Sh. Dh.  Seo Róisín Nic Giollaráin, an bhean a dtiocfaidh a stócach ar ais go B. Sh. Dh. 

Of course, at some point we could practice all of this with a regular verb, “fill,” which in Irish means “return.”  Then we wouldn’t have to use the phrase “ar ais” (back) throughout.   One more verb for the tickler! 

Actually, the song has always seemed a little ambiguous to me.  Does Paddy actually ever come back, as the song implores (Come back, Paddy Reilly, to Ballyjamesduff)?

Anyway, six down, five to go!  Irregular verbs, that is.  As for counting the Paddy Reillys, I know last fall’s festival was hoping for over 1000.  But I can’t find a total online for how many actually came.  An bhfuil a fhios ag duine ar bith agaibh? 

P.S. All forms of the name Patrick were accepted: Pádraig, Pádhraig, Páidín, Peaits, Pat, Paudeen, etc.