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Tag Archives: mbliana

Cúig phictiúr d’imeachtaí an tséasúir: Irish words for some festivals and events from late January through mid February Posted by on Jan 27, 2017

(le Róislín) This time of year seems to be jam-packed with holidays and special events, be they religious, calendrical, or pop/folk cultural.  So we have five pictures (cúig phictiúr) in the graphic above and there are five descriptions (cúig chur síos) to match them up with.  NB: In case anyone thinks I put them in…

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How many ways can we say ‘bliain’ (year) in Irish, including ‘athbhliain’? Posted by on Jan 11, 2016

(le Róislín) As we settle into the new year (an bhliain nua, an bhliain úr, an athbhliain, srl.), let’s think of how many ways we can say and use the word ‘year’ in Irish. Most recently, you’ve probably seen the phrase “Athbhliain faoi shéan is faoi mhaise” (A happy and prosperous New Year). But let’s look…

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Years, Ears, and Donkeys in Irish (Bhuel, Not Really Donkeys!) Posted by on Jan 25, 2014

(le Róislín) This time in January, in between the western New Year (1 Eanáir) and Chinese New Year (31 Eanáir i 2014) seems like a good time to look again at the word “bliain” (year) in Irish (nasc thíos do bhlag eile faoi seo).  In this blog, we’ll look at the basic forms of the…

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New Year’s – Celtic Style (1 Mí na Samhna in ionad 1 Eanáir) Posted by on Oct 31, 2012

(le Róislín) While January 1 is widely considered to be “New Year’s Day” in many parts of the world, including Ireland, there is/was a Celtic concept of the New Year that placed the holiday much earlier in the winter season, specifically on November 1. I say “is/was” quite deliberately.  Considering “an t-aonú lá de mhí…

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Blianta Go Leor — Years Galore, Except the Donkey’s! Posted by on Jun 29, 2009

(le Róislín) You may have noticed Transparent’s recent Word of the Day, bliain (year) or an bhliain (the year).  Care to guess how many forms of this word are in common use? Well, there’s the lenited form (an bhliain), the special form used after the numbers 3, 4, 5, and 6 (bliana), the eclipsed “special”…

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