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Tag Archives: an bhratach gheal-réaltach

Amhrán Náisiúnta na Stát Aontaithe: All Four Verses of “The Star-Spangled Banner” in Irish with a glossary, literal translation, and pronunciation guide Posted by on Jul 6, 2014

 (le Róislín) I wonder how many Americans have actually sung all four verses of “The Star-Spangled Banner” in English, let alone in Irish.  Well, here’s your opportunity!  And if it’s not your own “amhrán náisiúnta,” it’s certainly an interesting song vocabulary-wise and history-wise.  In fact, I find all “amhráin náisiúnta” to be fascinating (and have…

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Four Ways to Say ‘Star-Spangled’ in Irish (plus ‘star’ in general — réalta) Posted by on Jul 4, 2014

(le Róislín) It seems like such a specific term, but there at least four ways to say “star-spangled” in Irish.  A timely phrase for this time of year (Lá na Saoirse) in the United States. Let’s start with the ‘star” part, since that’s the basis of all of the terms that follow, and also probably…

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Ó Abair An Léir Dhuit, Véarsa 4: Oh, Say Can You See, 4th (and final) verse (Amhrán Náisiúnta na Stát Aontaithe) Posted by on Jun 27, 2012

(le Róislín) The Irish expression for “to leave no stone unturned” is reasonably apropos here.  In Irish, it’s  not actually expressed as a negative injunction (“don’t leave it unturned”) but rather as a positive instruction (“turn” it, or more literally “search it”)   The phrase is “dóigh agus andóigh a chuardach,” literally “to search every…

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Ó Abair An Léir Dhuit, Véarsa 3: Oh, Say Can You See, 3rd verse (Amhrán Náisiúnta na Stát Aontaithe) Posted by on Jun 24, 2012

(le Róislín) By now maybe you’ve made your way through the first verse of “An Bhratach Gheal-Réaltach” (The Star-Spangled Banner) and proceeded on to the less frequently sung second one, presented in the two recent blogs (naisc thíos).  But, mar a déarfadh Ron Popeil (dá mbeadh Gaeilge aige), “Ach fan, tá a thuilleadh ann!”  Yes, tá…

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Ó Abair An Léir Dhuit, Véarsa 2: Oh, Say Can You See, 2nd verse (Amhrán Náisiúnta na Stát Aontaithe) Posted by on Jun 21, 2012

(le Róislín) Most people only sing the first verse of “The Star-Spangled Banner” but an tAthair Ó Gramhnaigh translated all four verses.  Here is Véarsa a Dó, with the same set-up as in the previous blog.  I’ve split the lines to facilitate the columns and I’ve added a pronunciation guide and  a literal translation.  The…

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Ó Abair An Léir Dhuit: Oh Say Can You See (Amhrán Náisiúnta na Stát Aontaithe) Posted by on Jun 18, 2012

(le Róislín) As those of us sna Stáit Aontaithe transition from Lá na Brataí (14 Meitheamh) go Lá na Saoirse (i Meiriceá; 4 Iúil), this might be an apt time to try the American National Anthem in Irish.  It was translated long before the ongoing row as to whether “The Star-Spangled Banner” should be sung…

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