For this mionsraith, which will no doubt have at least trí nó ceithre chuid, I’ll adopt the same basic process as before, when I covered “before.”  First, we’ll look at two of the most basic phrases for “after” in Irish, “tar éis” and “i ndiaidh,” and eventually we’ll work our way up to some more specialized terms, including Seanchán’s question about how “anóirthear” compares with “arú amárach.” 

But first, na bunfhrásaí [BUN-RAWSS-ee].   These are largely a matter of dialect choice, not nuances of meaning, although I’m sure one could find some exceptions.

“Tar éis” and “i ndiaidh” are both compound prepositions, which means two critical things for their practical usage:

1.. Each phrase starts out with a recognizable preposition, “tar,” from “thar” (over, past, across, beyond) and “i” (in).  Maybe I should say “almost recognizable,” in the case of “tar” since the preposition is usually spelled “thar” (with the “h”) except in “tar éis” or related phrases. 

This spelling point is all the more important since there is one other widely-used word “tar” in Irish, the command form of the verb “to come” (Tar anseo, Tar ag a dó a chlog, srl.). 

2.. The second word in each phrase is a noun (éis, diaidh) but neither is used very widely on its own in today’s Irish.  The word “éis,” in fact, really isn’t used on its own at all, afaik.  It derives from a word that meant a “track” or “trace.” “Diaidh” means “wake” (as of a boat) or “rear” and is mostly limited to the phrase “i ndiaidh” (i mo dhiaidh, ina dhiaidh sin, srl.).  Today’s modern dictionaries typically direct the reader to the “i ndiaidh” family of phrases, without actually defining “diaidh” at all.

Because the second word of these two compound prepositions is a noun, the noun following “éis” or “diaidh” is in the genitive case.  It may help to remember that you’re literally saying something like “in the track of that event” (after that event) or “in the wake of those people” (after those people).  

Samplaí:

tar éis na hócáide sin, after that occasion (from ócáid)

i ndiaidh na ndaoine sin, after those people (from daoine)

These compound prepositions are widely used in phrases to indicate one has just completed an action:

Tá mé go díreach i ndiaidh an dráma sin a fheiceáil.  I’m just after seeing that play. 

Tá mé go díreach tar éis an rud sin a cheannach.  I’m just after buying that thing. 

These structures carry over into modern Hiberno-English (“He was just after going inside when there was a loud knock at the door,” etc.).  I’m sure that the readers of this blog who have grown up speaking Hiberno-English (even if they didn’t call it that as children) can think of many more such examples.  As can anyone who has seen or read the plays of writers like Synge and O’Casey.  Or, in fact, a lot of other modern Irish literature written in English.  The “just after” construction is very widely used. 

Do note that once you add the infinitive at the end (as in “a fheiceáil” or “a cheannach” above), the noun following “i ndiaidh” or “tar éis” is no longer sa tuiseal ginideach.   That’s because it is more closely aligned to the actual infinitive (verb) than to the compound preposition.       

Variants of “tar éis” include “thar éis,” “théis” (Gaillimh), léis (Maigh Eo), and “in éis” (Ulaidh), the latter two being somewhat on the obscure side, at least in my experience.  That is to say, situations don’t leap to mind in which I noticed speakers using the “léis” or “in éis” forms.  That doesn’t mean they’re not in use, but they are less commonly taught or encountered. 

So that’s the tip of the iceberg for ceist Sheancháin, and as we plow through more phrases for “after,” we’ll hone in on his question.  Honing in on an iceberg tip – now there’s food for thought, since originally “honing” was for sharpening stones.  Agus as Gaeilge?  “Faobhar” would be a “sharp edge” and you could also use that word figuratively.  If you put a “faobhar” on your “goile” (appetite), you’d be whetting it, which is what the various nuances of and questions about Irish do for my own interest in the language.  Keep ‘em coming!  

Fuaimniú: tar éis [tar aysh], i ndiaidh [in yay OR in YEE-uh, in both cases both d’s silent]