![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/irish\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/17\/2018\/02\/0898-intl-polar-bear-day-2-27-18-for-2-27-18-e1519787492703.jpg\")
<\/a>photo used by permission of Polar Bears International-US, Bozeman, Montana. https:\/\/polarbearsinternational.org\/get-involved\/international-polar-bear-day\/<\/a> We recently referred to International Polar Bear Day in a list of f\u00e9ilte, feiseanna, <\/strong>and laethe speisialta<\/strong> in February (nasc th\u00edos<\/strong>).\u00a0 February 27th is International Polar Bear Day, and a straightforward translation of the phrase into Irish is “L\u00e1 Idirn\u00e1isi\u00fanta na mB\u00e9ar B\u00e1n<\/strong>” (literally: International Day of the White, i.e. Polar Bears).<\/p>\n We’re probably all aware of the plight of the polar bear, as human activity encroaches upon its habitat.\u00a0 And all of us have probably admired the beauty and photogenic appeal of “na b\u00e9ir bh\u00e1na<\/strong>” (the polar bears), but how many of us knew that they apparently have a genetic connection to an ancient Irish bear?\u00a0 Research by Dr. Ceiridwen Edwards (Trinity College, Dublin; Oxford University), Professor Daniel Bradley (Trinity College, Dublin), and Professor Beth Shapiro (Pennsylvania State University) and others has established a link between polar bears and subfossil grizzly bears in Ireland.\u00a0 Here is a link to a short article on the research and there are some more links below: https:\/\/polarbearsinternational.org\/news\/article-research\/polar-bears-with-a-brogue\/<\/a>.\u00a0 Dr. Edwards’s research includes examining bear remains found at the aptly named “Poll na mB\u00e9ar<\/strong>” (Cave of the Bears) in County Leitrim.\u00a0 Actually, it’s literally “hole” (poll<\/strong>), not “cave” (which is normally “uaimh<\/strong>” in Irish).\u00a0 But I don’t want to split hairs here!<\/p>\n For a little more about “Poll na mB\u00e9ar<\/strong>,” you might want to check out “Eagle’s Rock” (http:\/\/leitrimtourism.com\/stories\/eagles-rock\/) .\u00a0 According to this website, ” Eagle\u2019s Rock is the highest free-standing natural rock tower on the island of Ireland, it stands\u00a0at 330m tall.”\u00a0 The area has many caves, including “The Cave of the Bears.”<\/p>\n Back in 1999, Michael Viney published another interesting article on the topic in the Irish Times, “Wriggling our way into history’s hidey-holes, Sat, Oct 23, 1999, (https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/news\/wriggling-our-way-into-history-s-hidey-holes-1.242439)<\/p>\n An raibh duine ar bith ar an liosta seo riamh ag an uaimh sin?\u00a0 M\u00e1 bh\u00ed, cad a chonaic t\u00fa?<\/strong><\/p>\n Let’s finish up by working our way through the forms of the phrase “b\u00e9ar b\u00e1n<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n an b\u00e9ar b\u00e1n<\/strong>, the polar bear<\/p>\n an bh\u00e9ir bh\u00e1in<\/strong>, of the polar bear (gn\u00e1th\u00f3g an bh\u00e9ir bh\u00e1in<\/strong>, the habitat of the polar bear)<\/p>\n b\u00e9ir bh\u00e1na<\/strong>, polar bears (N\u00ed bh\u00edonn c\u00f3na\u00ed ar bh\u00e9ir bh\u00e1na in Antartaice agus n\u00ed bh\u00edonn c\u00f3na\u00ed ar phiongain\u00ed san Artach<\/strong>, Polar bears don’t live in Antarctica and penguins don’t live in the Arctic.)<\/p>\n na b\u00e9ir bh\u00e1na<\/strong>, the polar bears (An bhfuil na b\u00e9ir bh\u00e1na sa z\u00fa compordach agus s\u00e1sta<\/strong>?\u00a0 Are the polar bears in the zoo comfortable and satisfied?)<\/p>\n na mb\u00e9ar b\u00e1n<\/strong>, of the polar bears (T\u00e1 gn\u00e1th\u00f3g na mb\u00e9ar b\u00e1n faoi bhagairt<\/strong>, The habitat of the polar bears is threatened)<\/p>\n T\u00e1 s\u00fail agam gur bhain t\u00fa sult as seo agus go mbeidh t\u00fa ag smaoineamh faoin drochbhail at\u00e1 ar na b\u00e9ir bh\u00e1na.\u00a0 Cad is f\u00e9idir linn a dh\u00e9anamh a chuideoidh leo?<\/strong>\u00a0 I hope you enjoyed this and that you will be thinking about the plight of the polar bears.\u00a0 What can we do that will help them?<\/p>\n T\u00e1 roinnt nasc th\u00edos ar an \u00e1bhar.<\/strong>\u00a0 There are some links below on the topic.<\/p>\n Previous Transparent Language blogs:\u00a0Vocabulary Round-up for F\u00e9ilte agus Feiseanna agus Laethe Speisialta na Feabhra: Fill in the Blanks<\/a>\u00a0Posted by\u00a0r\u00f3isl\u00edn<\/a>\u00a0on Feb 5, 2018 in\u00a0Irish Language<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0F\u00e9ilte agus Feiseanna agus Laethe Speisialta i m\u00ed Feabhra: Fill in the Blanks<\/a>\u00a0Posted by\u00a0r\u00f3isl\u00edn<\/a>\u00a0on Jan 31, 2018 in\u00a0Irish Language<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n International Polar Bear Day: https:\/\/polarbearsinternational.org\/get-involved\/international-polar-bear-day\/<\/a><\/p>\n Polar Bears International: http:\/\/www.polarbearsinternational.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n Irish connection to polar bears:<\/p>\n “Ancient Hybridization and an Irish Origin for the Modern Polar Bear Matriline,” by Ceiridwen J Edwards, Marc A Suchard, Philippe Lemey, John J Welch, Ian Barnes, Tara L Fulton, Ross Barnett, Tamsin C O’Connell, Peter Coxon, Nigel Monaghan, Cristina E Valdiosera, Eline D Lorenzen, Eske Willerslev, Gennady F Baryshnikov, Andrew Rambaut, Mark G Thomas, Daniel G Bradley, and Beth Shapiro\u00a0\u00a0(Current Biology, Volume 21, Issue 15<\/a>,\u00a09 August 2011, Pages 1251-1258, https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0960982211006452<\/a><\/p>\n And a little less technical: “Polar bears have maternal Irish brown bear ancestors,” By Steven McKenzieBBC Scotland Highlands and Islands reporter, 7 July 2011;\u00a0 http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-13965286<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" (le R\u00f3isl\u00edn) We recently referred to International Polar Bear Day in a list of f\u00e9ilte, feiseanna, and laethe speisialta in February (nasc th\u00edos).\u00a0 February 27th is International Polar Bear Day, and a straightforward translation of the phrase into Irish is “L\u00e1 Idirn\u00e1isi\u00fanta na mB\u00e9ar B\u00e1n” (literally: International Day of the White, i.e. Polar Bears). We’re…<\/p>\n
photo link: International Polar Bear Day Toolkit https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1aMYeLQLwptQX9pwQXof9JbHiIW_gymf0XhMqtwDOXQc\/edit?usp=sharing<\/a>; T\u00e9acs Gaeilge le R\u00f3isl\u00edn, 2018<\/p><\/div>\n