This article uses theIPA to transcribeIrish. Readers familiar with other conventions may wish to seeHelp:IPA/Irish for a comparison of the IPA system with those used in learners' materials.
The north and west of Dingle Peninsula (Irish:Corca Dhuibhne) are today the only place in Munster where Irish has survived as the daily spoken language of most of the community although the language is spoken on a daily basis by a minority in other official Gaeltachtaí in Munster.
Historically, the Irish language was spoken throughout Munster and Munster Irish had some influence on those parts ofConnacht andLeinster bordering it such asKilkenny,Wexford and southGalway and theAran Islands.
Munster Irish played an important role in theGaelic revival of the early 20th century. The noted authorPeadar Ua Laoghaire wrote in Munster dialect and stated that he wrote his novelSéadna to show younger people what he viewed as good Irish:
Ag machtnamh dom air sin do thuigeas am' aigne ná raibh aon rud i n-aon chor againn, i bhfuirm leabhair, le cur i láimh aon leinbh chun na Gaeluinne do mhúineadh dhó. As mo mhachtnamh do shocaruigheas ar leabhar fé leith do sgrí' d'ár n-aos óg, leabhar go mbéadh caint ann a bhéadh glan ós na lochtaibh a bhí i bhformhór cainte na bhfilí; leabhar go mbéadh an chaint ann oireamhnach do'n aos óg, leabhar go mbéadh caint ann a thaithnfadh leis an aos óg. Siné an machtnamh a chuir fhéachaint orm "Séadna" do sgrí'. Do thaithn an leabhar le gach aoinne, óg agus aosta. Do léigheadh é dos na seandaoine agus do thaithn sé leó. D'airigheadar, rud nár airigheadar riamh go dtí san, a gcaint féin ag teacht amach a' leabhar chúcha. Do thaithn sé leis na daoinibh óga mar bhí cosmhalacht mhór idir Ghaeluinn an leabhair sin agus an Béarla a bhí 'n-a mbéalaibh féin.[1]
Peig Sayers was illiterate, but her autobiography,Peig, is also in Munster dialect and rapidly became a key text. Other influential Munster works are the autobiographiesFiche Blian ag Fás byMuiris Ó Súilleabháin andAn tOileánach byTomás Ó Criomhthain.
Munster Irish differs fromUlster andConnacht Irish in a number of respects. Some words and phrases used in Munster Irish are not used in the other varieties, such as:
in aon chor (Clear Island, Corca Dhuibhne, West Muskerry, Waterford) orar aon chor (Clear Island, West Carbery, Waterford) "at any rate" (other dialectsar chor ar bith (Connacht) andar scor ar bith (Ulster)
fé, fí "under" (standardfaoi)
Gaelainn "Irish language" (Cork and Kerry),Gaeilinn (Waterford) (standardGaeilge)
ná "that...not" andnách "that is not" as the copular form (bothnach in the standard)
In both demonstrative pronouns and adjectives speakers of Munster Irish differentiate betweenseo "this" andsin "that" following a palatalised consonant or front vowel andso "this" andsan "that" following a velarised consonant or back vowel in final position:an bóthar so "this road",an bhó san "that cow",an chairt sin "that cart",an claí seo "this fence"
the use ofthá instead oftá in the extreme west of Corca Dhuibhne and in Gaeltacht na nDéise.
the prepositionchuig "to, towards", common inConnacht Irish andUlster Irish where it developed as a back formation from the 3rd person singular prepositionchuige "towards him" is not used in Munster. The formchun (from Classical Irishdo chum), also found in the West and North, is used in preference.
Munster Irish uses a fuller range of "looking" verbs, while these in Connacht and Ulster are restricted:féachaint "looking", "watching",breithniú "carefully observing",amharc "look, watch",glinniúint "gazing, staring",sealladh "looking" etc.
the historic dative formtigh "house", as in Scots and Manx Gaelic, is now used as the nominative form (Standardteach)
Munster retains the historic form of the personal pronounsinn "us" which has largely been replaced withmuid (ormuinn in parts of Ulster) in most situations in Connacht and Ulster.
Corca Dhuibhne andGaeltacht na nDéise use the independent formcím (earlierdo-chím, ad-chím, classical alsodo-chiú, ad-chiú) "I see" as well as the dependent formficim / feicim (classical-faicim), whileMuskerry and Clear Island use the formschím (independent) andficim.
The adverbial formschuige,a chuige in Corca Dhuibhne anda chuigint "at all" inGaeltacht na nDéise are sometimes used in addition toin aon chor orar aon chor
The adjectivecuibheasach/kiːsəx/ is used adverbially in phrases such ascuibheasach beag "rather small", "fairly small",cuibheasach mór "quite large". Connacht usessách and Ulsteríontach
Faic,pioc,puinn andtada in West Munster,dada inGaeltacht na nDéise,ní dúrt pioc "I said nothing at all",níl faic dá bharr agam "I have gained nothing by it"
The interjectionsambaiste,ambaist,ambasa,ambaic "Indeed!", "My word!", "My God!" in West Munster andamaite,amaite fhéinig inGaeltacht na nDéise (ambaiste =dom bhaisteadh "by my baptism",am basa =dom basaibh "by my palms",ambaic =dom baic "by my heeding";amaite =dom aite "my oddness")
obann "sudden" instead oftobann in the other major dialects
práta "potato",fata in Connacht andpréata in Ulster
oiriúnach "suitable",feiliúnach in Connacht andfóirsteanach in Ulster
nóimint,nóimit,nóimeat,neomint,neomat.nóiméad in Connacht andbomaite inDonegal
Munster differentiates betweenach go háirithe "anyway", "anyhow" andgo háirithe "particularly", "especially"
gallúnach "soap",gallaoireach in Connacht andsópa in Ulster
deifir is "difference" in Munster, and is a Latin loan:níl aon deifir eatarthu "there is no difference between them"; the Gaelic worddeifir "hurry" is retained in the other dialects (cf.Scottish Gaelicdiofar "difference")
deabhadh ordeithneas "hurry" whereas the other major dialects usedeifir
Thephonemic inventory of Munster Irish (based on the accent of West Muskerry in westernCork) is as shown in the following chart (based onÓ Cuív 1944; seeInternational Phonetic Alphabet for an explanation of the symbols). Symbols appearing in the upper half of each row arevelarized (traditionally called "broad" consonants) while those in the bottom half arepalatalized ("slender"). The consonant/h/ is neither broad or slender.
Thevowels of Munster Irish are as shown on the following chart. These positions are only approximate, as vowels are strongly influenced by the palatalization and velarization of surrounding consonants.
In addition, Munster has thediphthongs/iə,ia,uə,əi,ai,au,ou/.
Some characteristics of Munster that distinguish it from the other dialects are:
Thefricative[βˠ] is found insyllable-onset position. (Connacht and Ulster have[w] here.) For example,bhog "moved" is pronounced[βˠɔɡ] as opposed to[wɔɡ] elsewhere.
Thediphthongs/əi/,/ou/, and/ia/ occur in Munster, but not in the other dialects.
Word-internalclusters ofobstruent +sonorant,[m] +[n/r], and stop + fricative are broken up by an epenthetic[ə], except that plosive +liquid remains in the onset of astressedsyllable. For example,eaglais "church" is pronounced[ˈɑɡəl̪ˠɪʃ], butAibreán "April" is[aˈbrɑːn̪ˠ] (as if spelledAbrán).
Orthographic shorta is diphthongized (rather than lengthened) before word-finalm and theOld Irishtense sonorants spellednn,ll (e.g.ceann[kʲaun̪ˠ] "head").
Word-final/j/ is realized as[ɟ], e.g.marcaigh "horsemen"[ˈmˠɑɾˠkəɟ].
Stress is attracted to noninitialheavy syllables:corcán[kəɾˠˈkɑːn̪ˠ] "pot",mealbhóg[mʲal̪ˠəˈβˠoːɡ] "satchel". Stress is also attracted to[ax,ɑx] in the second syllable when the vowel in the initial syllable is short:coileach[kəˈlʲax] "rooster",beannacht[bʲəˈn̪ˠɑxt̪ˠ] "blessing",bacacha[bˠəˈkɑxə] "lame" (pl.).
In some varieties, long/ɑː/ is rounded to[ɒː].[citation needed]
Irish verbs are characterized by having a mixture ofanalytic forms (where information aboutperson is provided by apronoun) andsynthetic forms (where information about number is provided in an ending on the verb) in their conjugation. Munster Irish has preserved nearly all of the synthetic forms, except for the second-person plural forms in the present and future:
Munster
Standard
Gloss
Present
molaim
molaim
"I (sg.) praise"
molair
molann tú
"you (sg.) praise"
molann sé
molann sé
"he praises"
molaimíd,molam
molaimid
"we praise"
molann sibh (archaic:moltaoi)
molann sibh
"you (pl.) praise"
molaid (siad)
molann siad
"they praise"
Past
mholas
mhol mé
"I praised"
mholais
mhol tú
"you (sg.) praised"
mhol sé
mhol sé
"he praised"
mholamair
mholamar
"we praised"
mholabhair
mhol sibh
"you (pl.) praised"
mholadar
mhol siad
"they praised"
Future
molfad
molfaidh mé
"I will praise"
molfair
molfaidh tú
"you (sg.) will praise"
molfaidh sé
molfaidh sé
"he will praise"
molfaimíd
molfaimid
"we will praise"
molfaidh sibh
molfaidh sibh
"you (pl.) will praise"
molfaid (siad)
molfaidh siad
"they will praise"
Some irregular verbs have different forms in Munster than in the standard (seeDependent and independent verb forms for the independent/dependent distinction):
Munster independent
Munster dependent
Standard independent
Standard dependent
Gloss
chím
ní fheicim
feicim
ní fheicim
"I see, I do not see"
(do) chonac
ní fheaca
chonaic mé
ní fhaca mé
"I saw, I did not see"
deinim
ní dheinim
déanaim
ní dhéanaim
"I do, I do not"
(do) dheineas
níor dheineas
rinne mé
ní dhearna mé
"I did, I did not"
(do) chuas
ní dheaghas/níor chuas
chuaigh mé
ní dheachaigh mé
"I went, I did not go"
gheibhim
ní bhfaighim
faighim
ní bhfaighim
"I get, I do not get"
Past tense verbs can take the particledo in Munster Irish, even when they begin with consonants. In the standard language, the particle is used only before vowels. For example, Munsterdo bhris sé orbhris sé "he broke" (standard onlybhris sé).
Theinitial mutations of Munster Irish are generally the same as in the standard language and the other dialects. Some Munster speakers, however, use/ɾʲ/ as the lenition equivalent of/ɾˠ/ in at least some cases, as ina rí/əɾʲiː/ "O king!" (Sjoestedt 1931:46),do rug/d̪ˠəɾʲʊɡ/ "gave birth" (Ó Cuív 1944:122),ní raghaid/nʲiːɾʲəidʲ/ "they will not go" (Breatnach 1947:143).
One significantsyntactic difference between Munster and other dialects is that in Munster (exceptingGaeltacht na nDéise),go ("that") is used instead ofa as theindirect relative particle:
an fear go bhfuil a dheirfiúr san ospidéal "the man whose sister is in the hospital" (standardan fear a bhfuil...)
Another difference is seen in the copula.Fear is ea mé is used in addition toIs fear mé.
Four of the most notable Irish writersas Gaeilge (in Irish) hail from the Munster Gaeltacht:Tomás Ó Criomhthain whose most well-known book is the autobiographicalAn tOileáineach (The Islandman).Peig and Machnamh Seanamhná (An Old Woman's Reflections) byPeig Sayers was a fixture on the secondary school Irish syllabus for several decades. The other two authors areMuiris Ó Súilleabháin withFiche Bliain ag Fás (Twenty Years A-Growing) and Eilís Ní Shuilleabháin'sLetters from the Great Blasket.
Breatnach, Risteard B. (1947).The Irish of Ring, Co. Waterford. Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.ISBN0-901282-50-2.{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
De Bhial, Tomás (1984).An Cabhsa (in Irish). Baile Átha Cliath: An Gúm.
Mac Clúin, Seóirse (1922).Réilthíní Óir (in Irish). Vol. 1. Comhlucht Oideachais na h-Éirean.
—— (1922).Réilthíní Óir (in Irish). Vol. 2. Comhlucht Oideachais na h-Éirean.
Nic Phaidin, Caoilfhionn (1987). de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (ed.).Cnuasach Focal Ó Uíbh Ráthach. Deascán Foclóireachta (in Irish). Vol. 6. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy.ISBN978-0-90-171457-2.
Nikolaev, Dmitry; Kukhto, Anton (September 2016).An update on the phonology of Gaeilge Chorca Dhuibhne. Celtic Linguistics Conference. Cardiff University.doi:10.13140/RG.2.2.11371.34088.
Ó Buachalla, Breandán (2003).An Teanga Bheo: Gaeilge Chléire. Dublin: Institiúid Teangeolaíochta Éireann.ISBN0-946452-98-9.
—— (2017).Cnuasach Chléire. Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.ISBN978-1-85-500234-0.
Ó Cuív, Brian (1944).The Irish of West Muskerry, Co. Cork. Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.ISBN0-901282-52-9.{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
Ó hAirt, Diarmaid (1988). de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (ed.).Díolaim Dhéiseach. Deascán Foclóireachta (in Irish). Vol. 7. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy.ISBN978-0-90-171476-3.
Ó hÓgáin, Éamonn (1984).Díolaim Focal (A) ó Chorca Dhuibhne. Deascán Foclóireachta. Vol. 3. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy.ISBN978-0-90-171430-5.
Ó Sé, Diarmuid (1995).An Teanga Bheo: Corca Dhuibhne. Institúid Teangeolaíochta Éireann.ISBN0-946452-82-2.
Ó Sé, Diarmuid (2000).Gaeilge Chorca Dhuibhne. Tuarascáil Taighde (in Irish). Vol. 26. Dublin: Institiúid Teangeolaíochta Éireann.ISBN0-946452-97-0.
Sjoestedt, Marie-Louise (1931).Phonétique d'un parler irlandais de Kerry (in French). Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux.
Wagner, Heinrich (1966).Linguistic Atlas and Survey of Irish Dialects. Vol. II: The Dialects of Munster. Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.ISBN0-901282-46-4.
Breatnach, Nioclás (1998).Ar Bóthar Dom. Rinn Ó gCuanach: Coláiste na Rinne. [folklore, Ring]
de Mórdha, Mícheál, ed. (1998).Bláithín = Flower. Ceiliúradh an Bhlascaoid. Vol. 1. Dingle: An Sagart. [Kerry]
de Róiste, Proinsias (2001). Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí (ed.).Binsín Luachra: gearrscéalta agus seanchas. Dublin: An Clóchomhar. [short stories, folklore, Limerick]
Gunn, Marion, ed. (1990).Céad Fáilte go Cléire. Dublin: An Clóchomhar. [folklore, Cape Clear Island]
Mac an tSíthigh, Domhnall (2000).An Baile i bhFad Siar. Dublin: Coiscéim. [Dingle Peninsula]
Mac Síthigh, Domhnall (2004).Fan inti. Dublin: Coiscéim. [Dingle Peninsula]
Ní Chéileachair, Síle; Ó Céileachair, Donncha (1955).Bullaí Mhártain. Dublin: Sáirséal agus Dill. [Coolea]
Ní Chéilleachair, Máire, ed. (1998).Tomás Ó Criomhthain, 1855-1937. Ceiliúradh an Bhlascaoid. Vol. 2. Dingle: An Sagart. [Kerry]
——, ed. (2000).Seoirse Mac Tomáis : 1903-1987. Ceiliúradh an Bhlascaoid. Vol. 4. Dublin: Coiscéim. [Kerry]
——, ed. (2000).Muiris Ó Súilleabháin 1904-1950. Ceiliúradh an Bhlascaoid. Vol. 5. Dublin: Coiscéim. [Kerry]
——, ed. (2001).Oideachas agus Oiliúint ar an mBlascaod Mór. Ceiliúradh an Bhlascaoid. Vol. 6. Dublin: Coiscéim. [Kerry]
——, ed. (2004).Fómhar na Mara. Ceiliúradh an Bhlascaoid. Vol. 7. Dublin: Coiscéim. [Kerry]
——, ed. (2005).Tréigean an Oileáin. Ceiliúradh an Bhlascaoid. Vol. 8. Dublin: Coiscéim. [Kerry]
Ní Fhaoláin, Áine Máire, ed. (1995).Scéalta agus Seanchas Phádraig Uí Ghrífín. Dán agus Tallann. Vol. 4. Dingle: An Sagart. [Kerry]
Ní Ghuithín, Máire (1986).Bean an Oileáin. Dublin: Coiscéim. [Kerry/Blasket Islands]
Ní Mhioncháin, Máiréad (1999). Verling, Máirtín (ed.).Béarrach Mná ag Caint. collected by Tadhg Ó Murchú. Inverin: Cló Iar-Chonnachta.ISBN1-902420 05-5.
Ní Shúilleabháin, Eibhlín (2000). Ní Longsigh, Máiréad (ed.).Cín Lae Eibhlín Ní Shúilleabháin. illustrated by Tomáisín Ó Cíobháin. Dublin: Coiscéim. [Kerry/Blasket Islands]
Ó Caoimh, Séamas (1989). Ó Connchúir, Éamon (ed.).An Sléibhteánach. edited for print by Pádraig Ó Fiannachta. Maynooth: An Sagart. [Tipperary]
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Ó Cíobháin, Ger (1992). Ó Dúshláine, Tadhg (ed.).An Giorria san Aer. Maynooth: An Sagart.
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—— (1992).An Gealas i Lár na Léithe. Dublin: Coiscéim.
—— (1992).An Grá faoi Cheilt. Dublin: Coiscéim.
—— (1995).Desiderius a Dó. Dublin: Coiscéim.
—— (1998).Ar Gach Maoilinn Tá Síocháin. Dublin: Coiscéim.
—— (1999).Tá Solas ná hÉagann Choíche. Dublin: Coiscéim.
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——; Ó Criomhthain, Tomás (1997). Ó Fiannachta, Pádraig (ed.).Cleití Gé ón mBlascaod Mór. Dingle: An Sagart.
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—— (1997).Bloghanna ón mBlascaod. Dublin: Coiscéim.
Ó Cróinín, Seán (1985). Ó Cróinín, Donncha (ed.).Seanachas ó Chairbre 1. Scríbhinní Béaloidis. Vol. 13. University College Dublin: Comhairle Bhéaloideas Éireann.ISBN978-0-90-112090-8.
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Ó Laoghaire, Peadar.Eisirt. Dublin: Brún agus Ó Nualláin Teoranta.
——.An Cleasaí. Dublin: Longmans, Brún agus Ó Nualláin Teoranta.
—— (1999).Mo Scéal Féin. Dublin: Cló Thalbóid.
——. Mac Mathúna, Liam (ed.).Séadna. foreword by Brian Ó Cuív. Dublin: Carbad.
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