Clíodhna Campbell
CAD é an scéal? Tá Mí na Samhna cóir a bheith linn agus níl fhios agam cá háit ar imigh an bhliain sin. Ní cuimhin liom fiú Lá Fhéile Pádraig, is cosúil go raibh an Cháisc blianta ó shin agus tá Oíche Samhna linn cheanna féin. Beidh Nollaig linn gan moil.
It’s almost November and I couldn’t tell you where this year has gone. I can’t even remember St Patrick’s Day, it’s as if Easter was years ago and Halloween here already. Christmas will be here in no time.
Tháinig ‘Halloween’ féin ón fhéile ‘Samhain’ a bhí ag na Phágánacha in Eirinn agus mar sin de mothaim gur chóir go raibh muid ábalta ómós a thabhairt do trí mhéan na Gaeilge.
The festival of Halloween itself originated in pagan Ireland in the form of Samhain and therefore I feel it is relevant to pay homage to it through Irish. With that in mind I thought we’d focus on a little holiday terminology.
Oíche Shamhna
Ee-ha how-na
Halloween night
Samhain*
Sow-en
The festival of Halloween
Beannachtaí na Samhna
Ban-ocht-ee nah sow-na
Happy Halloween
Bob nó bia
Bob no bee-a
Trick or treat
*Samhain is also the word for November.
Some of the Samhain staples in our house would be:
| Toirtín úill | Tor-cheen ew-ll | Apple tart |
| Toirtín subh mhilis | Tor-cheen sue vil-ish | Jam tart |
| Úll taifí | Ew-ll taff-ee | Toffee/Candy apple |
| Gallchnónna | Gal-hrow-anna (the ‘a’ in gal is pronounced like ‘a’ in ‘a ghost’ | Walnuts |
| Piseanna talún | Pish-anna tal-oon | Peanuts |
| Cnónna | Crow-anna | Nuts |
| Púca | Poo-ka | Ghost |
| Cailleach | Kai-ll-ach | Witch |
| Scanrúil | Scan-rule | Scary |
Comhrá:
Tá mé ag dúil go mór le Oíche Shamhna
Tah may igg do-ll go more leh ee-ha how-na
I’m really looking forward to Halloween
Mise fosta
Mish-e faw-stah
Me too
An mbeadh tú ag imirt bob ón bia?
Ann may too igg imm-irtch bob no bee-a?
Will you be going trick or treating?
(imirt is directly translated to play/playing)
Beidh
Bay
I will
Ní bheidh
Knee vay
I won’t
Tá mé ag déanamh toirtín úill don cóisir
Tah may igg jan-ew tor-cheen ew-ll dawn co-shirr
I’m making an apple tart for the party
An bhfuil cnónna de dhíth agat?
Ann will crow-anna de yee ug-ut?
Do you need nuts?
Tá go leor agam, go raibh maith agat
Tah go lower ug-um, go row my-h ug-ut
I have enough, thanks
Tá súil agam go mbainneann sibh uilig sult as Oíche Shamhna agus beidh mé ar ais libh gan moil le hamharc ar an Nollaig.
Clíodhna Campbell is a teacher, language enthusiast and mother. If you would like to get in touch with her with any linguistic queries, e-mail: cliodhnamorgan@live.co.uk
PIC: EMILIA WILLBERG
