Author Archives: gmcdavid

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About gmcdavid

Retired IT professional with a wide range of interests. Married. Three sons, two with autistic-spectrum disorders and the third being transgender with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. From Chicago but now living in the Twin Cities metro, Minnesota. Episcopalian. Carleton College (BA 1972, physics) and Stanford University (MS 1974, Applied Physics; MS 1976 Statistics).

Monday night Irish Class, July 9, 2018

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Irish Class, July 9, 2018

Rang Gaeilge, 9ú lá Mí na Iúil 2017

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Fadas: áéíóúÁÉÍÓÚ

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Seanfhocal

You have a hiccup from a sandwich you did not eat.

Thig came var p of tar
Thig sé gan iarraidh mar a thig an do-aimsir. “He came/comes without asking, like
bad weather came/comes.”
Literally this is in the past tense, but can be used as present
Tá snag an cheapire nár ith tú ort. “your meddling has created a problem that really wasn’t there before you created it.”
sop in áit na scuaibe a wisp in place of a broom “a token effort”
idir chraiceann agus chnámha both skin and boes “warts and all.”
idir =”both” since both nouns are lenited

Na Déithe Luachmhara Deiridh

le Padraic Breathnach

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Monday night Irish Class, June 18, 2018

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Irish Class, June 18, 2018

Rang Gaeilge, 18ú lá Mí na Mheiteam 2018

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Fadas: áéíóúÁÉÍÓÚ

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Seanfhocal

Is minic a fuarthas comhairle ghlic ó amadán. Clever advice is often gotten from a fool.
Tá níos mó ná a phaidreacha aige. He knows more than is prayers. (He is not stupid)
Dhá dtreabhfadh sé an tír, chaithfeadh sé an ríocht. If he’d plow the whole country, he would spend the kingdom. (he’s a very hard worker, but he never gets ahead because he is a spendthrift.)

Súil le Breith

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Monday night Irish Class, June 4, 2018

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Irish Class, June 4, 2018

Rang Gaeilge, 4ú lá Mí na Mheiteam 2018

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Fadas: áéíóúÁÉÍÓÚ

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Seanfhocal

gráinne grain, single grain m
pónaire bean f
Tá fhios aige cé mhéad gráinne pónaire a dhéanann cuig He knows how many beans makes five. “He knows what is what”
Tabhartas Uí Néill agus a dhá shúil ina dhiaidh. O’Neil’s gift (or favor), and his two eyes after it. “Someone who gives you something and then draws attention to it, reminding you what a nice thing they did for you!”

Lá Bealtaine

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Monday night Irish Class, May 21, 2018

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Irish Class, May 21, 2018

Rang Gaeilge, 21ú lá mí na Bealtaine 2018

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Fadas: áéíóúÁÉÍÓÚ

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Seanfhocail

Is cuid den mhuc a drioball. the tail is part of the pig Chip off the old block, Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, etc.
domhain deep
éa- [negative prefix
Is é an t-uisce is éadoimhne is mó tormán. The shallowest water is the noisiest
ní thing, something [sometimes] hence copula construct: ní+is→níos

No contraction in past tense: ba mhó

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Monday night Irish Class,May 7, 2018

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Irish Class, May 7, 2018

Rang Gaeilge, 7ú lá mí na Bealtaine 2018

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Fadas: áéíóúÁÉÍÓÚ

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Seanfhocail

An té a bhíonn síos, buailtear cloch air He who is down, is hit by a stone.
agus an té bhíonn suas, óltar deoch air. and he who is yup, drink is drunk by him
taod=taghd fit, impulse
is iomaí taod a thig i lá earraigh Many an impulse comes on a spring day =

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Ceardlann, 20ú lá Mí na Bealtaine 2018

bainextract, release, …bíogchirp; start, jumpbrisbreakcaiththrow, spend, wear,…
ceapthinkcíorcombcuirputdíolsell
doirtpourdúnclose, shutfágleavefanwait, stay
féachlookfillBend, turn back; foldfliuchwetgeallpledge, promise
gobpeck, project; sproutgoidTake away, removelaslightleanfollow
liglet, allow, permit, let out, release,…measEstimate, value, judge; deem, considermolPraise, commend; recommendmúchSmother, suffocate; extinguish, dull, deaden, suppress
múinteachnochtBare, strip, uncoverpléascExplode; burst, shatterpógkiess
priocPrick, prod, goadscuabSweepseasstandsiocfreeze
stadstop, halttittógLift, raise; take up, taketuigunderstan d
atswell, bloatéagDie; expire, die outéistlisteniarrask, request, attempt
iascfishiocpayóldrinkúscOoze, exude
bailighCollect, gatherbreathnaighObserve, examine; look at, watch; look, appearceannaighbuycodailsleep
coinnighkeep, maintaincríochnaighfinishdeifrighhurrydírighstraighten, direct, point at
dorchaighdarkendúisighwake, awakefiosraighinquirefógairCall out, proclaim
foilsigh Reveal, disclose; publishgiorraighgiorraighgortaighHurt, injuremaraighkill
labhairspeakléirighMake clear, explain, illustratemínigh Smooth, polish; make gentle, quiet; explain, expoundmungailMunch, chew
múscailWake, awakeneartaighstrengthenpeacaighsinponcaighPoint, punctuate; dot
postaighPost, appoint to postsmaoinighthinkséimhighThin, attenuatesocraighsettle, level, adjust
taitinshine; pleasetarlaighhappen, occurteastaighBe wanted, neededtosaighbegin
ainmnighnameaistrighMove; transfer, translateéirighrise, becomeeitilfly
imirplayimighgo away, leaveinistellíslighLower, depress
oibrighworkoscailopenullmhaighMake ready, prepareúraighfreshen, become moist/damp

Monday night Irish Class, April 23, 2018

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Irish Class, April 23, 2018

Rang Gaeilge, 23ú lá mí Aibreáin 2018

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Fadas: áéíóúÁÉÍÓÚ

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Seanfhocail

Ní raibh sé go maith ó rinne slat cóta dó. “He hasn’t been any good since a yard [of cloth] made a coat for him”
Ní raibh sé ar fáil nuair a bhí a chiall á roinnt. He was not alive when they were handing out sense. “He was not available when his share of sense [was given]”

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Monday night Irish Class, April 9, 2018

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Irish Class, April 9, 2018

Rang Gaeilge, 9ú lá mí Aibreáin 2018

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Fadas: áéíóúÁÉÍÓÚ

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Seanfhocail

corr bird, e.g. crane, stork, heron. Suppose to be very vigilant
Ghoidfeadh sé an ubh ón chorr agus an chorr féin faoi dheireadh. Someone who can steal an egg from one of these birds (and then get the bird itself) is stealthy indeed!
Torann mór ar bheagan olla. Big noise for little wool.
Bíonn duilliúr állainn agus toradh searbh ar chrann na scéimhe. Leaves are beautiful and fruit bitter on a tree of beauty

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Monday night Irish Class, March 19, 2017

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Irish Class, March 19, 2018

Rang Gaeilge, 19ú lá mí na Márta 2018

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Fadas: áéíóúÁÉÍÓÚ

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Haiku le Gabriel Rosenstock

fidléireacht Shligigh
ag teach as ball éigin –
Lá Fhéile Pádraig
 Sligo-style fiddling
coming from somewhere
St. Patricks Day		 Sligigh (no lenition)?
NÁ BEATHAIGH NA COLÚIR!
RÓPHÓRÚ A THIOCFAID AS –
IS SALACHAR		 DO NOT FEED THE PIGEONS!
IT LEADS TO OVERBREEDING –
AND FILTH!
sneachta síobtha i Nua-Eabhrac –
na francaigh féin
mothaíonn siad é		 New York blizzard –
even the rats
feel it
ciúnas –
d’fhéadfadh bláth leis éag
de leamhthuirse gan léas		 stillness –
a flower too can die
of unrelieved boredom
bheith i d’iasc órga –
gan eire na cuimhne
is an mhiangais ort		 to be a goldfish
without the weight of memory
and desire
asfalt fliuch –
an duine is an t-ainmhí
gafa dua aige		 wet asphalt –
how effortlessly it catches
man and beast
lá eile
bríce os cionn bríce
sinn go léir faoi bhallaí		 another day
brick upon brick
we wall ourselves in
chloisfeadh páiste é –
blátha is a mbaile móinéir
á chaoineach acu		 a child might hear it it
flowers weeping
for their meadow-land home

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