Note: the final h is aspirated, lighter than a ch as in the Scottish “ach.” In general, first syllables are stressed, with exceptions, marked by a (‘) immediately after the stressed syllable. There are two natural dipthongs, written as pronounced: ia, ua.
Adaltrach (ah'dal-trah) a second wife, whose presence must be approved by the first wife.
Aér (air): Originally meaning a spell, this satiric verse type was believed capable of causing facial blemishes or even death.
Ail (pronounced like “isle”): an insulting áer.
Aircetal (air' keh-tal): an inflammatory, satiric incantation.
Aisnés (ies nees'): a declaration in reproach, unrhymed.
An tsleg boi ac Lugh (an slay boy ach looh): Lugh’s spear of light.
Banais rígi (bahn' is ree' geh): literally “royal marriage,” this was a fertility rite.
Ban-Sídhe (bahn' shee): literally “white fairy,” a screaming spirit that heralds death.
Beltain (bel' tan): the Mayday feast, full of fertility rites. It often included the act of “beating of boundaries.”
Ben urnadna (ban ur-nah'-na): a contracted wife, usually for a period of one year.
Brat(a) (braht): an enormous cloak, worn folded over and around the tunic.
Brithem(ain) (bre' hev/plural: bre'hev-an): the judge class of Druids.
Buanbach (bwan' bah): a board game.
Carynx (kair' inx): a long-necked war trumpet, usually terminating in a stylized animal head.
Cathair (kat' air): a cluster of huts surrounded by a high wall.
Cendchaem (ken' chum): “smooth head,” the name of a fidchell board.
Clochán (klo kahn'); pl., clocháin: a priest’s stone hut.
Coibche (ko' ghe): the right of purchase paid by a prospective groom to the bride’s family.
Crossan (kro' san): a fertility figure of wicker appearing at wed-ding feasts.
Cumal (koo' mel): a female slave.
Cumtach (koom' tah): an oak box, a monastery shrine, in which leaves of a manuscript were placed.
Currach (koor' ak): a dugout boat.
Damliag (dahm' lea): a church.
Del chliss (klis): Cu Chulainn’s deadly throwing darts.
Derbfine (dair'vin-eh): an extended family, four generations large.
Druidecht (droo' i dech): the knowledge and art of Druidry.
Ecland (eh' klan): homeless, without clan.
Epona (eh-po'na): alternate name for Macha, the Horse Goddess.
Eraic (air'ak): the price paid by a murderer to the victim’s family.
Fear Dearg (farr dairg'): the “red man,” a malicious trickster.
Fer fognama (fair fo'na-va): literally, man of service,
Fer for ban thincur (fair for ban theen'gur): man under a woman’s thumb.
Fiana (fee-yah'na): mercenary warriors.
Fidchell (fee'hul): a board game.
Fili(d) (fil'lee): the class of bards in Eriu.
Fír fer (feer fair): “true man,” this represents rules of combat.
Fír Ulaid (feer oo'lie): literally, true Ulstermen.
Fuil (fwil): blood.
Gai Bulga (gie bol'guh): Cú Chulainn’s spear.
Geilt (gelt): Holy madness.
Geis(a) (gesh/plural: gesh' ah): a Druidic curse capable of compelling someone to perform or to stop performing a specific act, potentially for the rest of his life.
Gens (gens): a length of time lasting nine generations.
Gentraige (gen'tri): pleasant or happy music. (see also goltraige and suantraige)
Glam dicin (glahm dee'kin): a Druidic prescription in the form of a satire.
Goltraige (gol' tri): sad, lamenting music.
Grianan (gree ya'nan): a sunroom.
Imbas forasnai (em'vas for'os-nie): the gift of precognition.
Imbolc (im'volk): (February 1) also known as St. Brigid’s Night, a festival date that divided the winter half of the year into winter and spring.
Immram (im'rum): a supernatural voyage.
Kerlowe (kair'low): “four books,” a folio, such as the gospels, often located in monastery cumtachs.
Leanhuan Sídhe (laan'oun shee): an enticing but generally evil female fairy who lures men into the otherworld. Also spelled Leanan Sídhe.
Lughnasad (loo'nah-sah): (Lammas night), it divided the summer half of the year into summer and fall and was an important agricultural festival.
Merrow (mair'oe): a sea maiden.
Nemeton (ne'veh-tahn): an oak grove sacred to Druids.
Noinden (noyn'den): a measurement of time: nine nights.
Oenach (en'ach): a union of the people; an assembly held every Beltain at which Druids judged pressing legal cases.
Ogham (awch'em): the Druidic “secret” alphabet, composed of slash marks, usually found on standing stones.
Rí coicid (ree koyk'ah): king of a province.
Rí tuaithe (ree tyoo'ath): king of a single túath, one extended family.
Rí túath (ree tyoo'ath): king of several túatha.
Samain (sau'win): (November 1) the feast day separating summer and winter, on which the dead can escape from the grave.
Sét (saet): a unit of value equal to one heifer.
Sheela-na-gig: (shee'la na-gig) a grotesque female fertility figure, usually portrayed with a hideously evil face and distorted genitalia.
Síd(e) (shee): a mound in which the immortal Sídhe dwell. The words for mound and people are pronounced identically.
Suantraige (swan'tri): a lullaby.
Táin (tahn or toyn): “raid,” referring specifically to the Táin Bó Cuailnge (tahn bo koo-al'nyuh), the cattle raid that forms the previous set of tales about Cú Chulainn.
Tarbfeis (tar'vesh): the bull dream, used by Druids to predict kingship.
Tinnscra (tin'skrah): a woman’s personal dowry
Torc (tork): a circlet around the throat, indicative of the head of a family and, by elaborateness of craft and material, of one’s station in life. Kings and queens had torcs of gold.
Túatha (tyoo'ath): one’s tribe or people.
Vathi (Vah'tee): seers, in this case the living severed heads kept by Cathbad.
Wurrum (wer'rum): a mythical river monster.
PROPER NAMES
Abhartach (av'ar tah)
Aife (ee'feh)
Ailell mac Mata (eye’lel mak ma'ta)
Aillinn (eye'len)
Ainle mac Uisliu (ein'le mak ish'loo)
Aithirne (ah'hern)
Amargin (ahv'er-gin)
Badb (bive)
Blai Briuga (blie bree-oo' ha)
Blanad (blah' nah)
Boeve (boev)
Bricriu Nemthenga (brik'ryu nev'yen-gah)
Brig Bretach (bree bra'tah)
Buan (boo'an)
Buinne (bwin'neh)
Cairbre Naifer (kair'bruh nee'fair)
Cairpre Cundail (kair'bruh koon'dal)
Cathbad (kaf'fah)
Cathrach Catuchenn (kar'ruh kah'dyu-chen)
Celtchar mac Uthidir (kelt'har mak oo'he-der)
Cobthach (kow'tah)
Conall Cernach (ko'nal kair'nah)
Conchovor (ko'nah-hur)
Condere mac Echach (kon'der mak aek'ah)
Conganches mac Dedad (kon'yank es mak dae'duh)
Cormac Connlongas (kor'mak kon'lung-yes)
Crimthan (grif'han)
Cú Chulainn (koo hul'lin)
Cuimgedach (kooy'guh-dah)
Cú Roi mac Daire (koo-roy mak day'ruh)
Cuscraid (koos'krie)
Dagda (doch'da)
Dáire mac Fiachna (dah'ruh mak fee'an)
Deichtire (deh'ti-re)
Derdriu (dair'dru)
Devorgill (dae'ver-gil)
Dian Cecht (dee'an haeht)
Domnall Míldemail (doe'nal mil'de-mal)
Donall Dearg (doe'nal dairg)
Dubthach (duf'ach)
Emer (eff'er)
Eochaid Goll (yo'hee gaul)
Eochaid Ollathair (yo'he owl'luh-haer)
Eocho Rond (yu'cho ron)
Eogan mac Durthact (o'wen mak dur'haht)
Etarcomol (ed'ar-koe'vol)
Fachtna Fathach (fah'nah fach)
Fedelm Bhanfil (fae'delm ban'ful)
Fedlimid mac Dail (fae'le-mid mak dal)
Feirceirtner (faer-kert'nar)
FerDiad (fair'di-yah)
Fergus mac Roich (fair'gus mak roy)
Fiachu mac Firaba (fee-ya'hoo mak feer'ahv)
Fiannamail (feyan'nah-vahl)
Findchoem (also Finnchoem) (fin'gem)
Finnabair (fin'na-hur)
Finnbennach (fin'ven-nah)
Flidais Foltchain (flee-die' folt'han)
Forais Fingalach (for'eyes fin'hyuh-lah)
Fraech mac Fidaig (fray mak fi'day)
Friuch (free'yooch)
Fuidell (fwee'del)
Galeoin (gal'yen)
Geanann (ga'naun)
Imrinn (iv'run)
Iollan (yo'len)
Labraid (lou'ree)
Laeg mac Riangabra (loy mak ree'an-gahv'rah)
Laegaire Buadach (leer'ee boo'yuh)
Lendabair (len'ah-var)
Leochain (loe'hen)
Levarcham (1eh-vor'chum)
Luain (loo'in)
Lugaid Allchomaig Mac Nois (loo'hee owl'ho-mi mak neesh)
Lugh Lamfada (looh lauw'fah dah)
Maeve (mav or mayv)
Maine Mórgor (ma'ni mohr'gur)
Manannán (mah'nah-daan)
Morann (mor'en)
Morrigan[e] (mor-ree'gen)
Morrigu (mor'ree-goo)
Mugain (moog'an)
Munremoir mac Gerrcin (mwin're-var mak gar'sin)
Nad Crantail (nath kran'dal)
Naise mac Uisliu (nee'sheh mak ish'lyoo)
Nemain (nev'in)
Niam (nee'av)
Ochall Ochne (aw'kal awch'ne)
Rochad (ro'chah)
Rucht (rooch)
Sanglain (soun'lan)
Scathach (skow'ah)
Sedlaing (shed'lee)
Sencha (shen'ha)
Senchan Torpeist (shen'kan tor'pesht)
Senoll Uathach (sha'nul wah'dah)
Sétanta (shay-dan'dah)
Sualdam mac Roig (swal'dav mak roy)
Uathach (wah'dah)
PLACE NAMES
Ard Aighnech (ar eye'neh): “ard” means “high”
Ard Macha (ar ma'ha)
Ath Fene (ah faen): “ath” refers to a ford across a river
Ath Gabla (ah gow'la)
Ath Luain (ah loo'in)
Bernas Bo (bair'nas bo)
Breasail (bray'sal)
Breslach Mor (bres'lah moor)
Cian Beara (ke'an bar'ah)
Craebderg (kraev'dairg)
Craebruad (kraev roo'ah)
Crich Rois (kree' roy)
Cuailnge (kwie-a1'nyuh)
Cuil Sibrille (kil siv'rel)
Cuil Silinne (kil se1'een)
Dind Rig (din ree')
Dub (doov)
Dun Dealgun (doon dal'gun)
Dun Sobairche (don se'ver-ka)
Emain Macha (ev'in ma'cha)
Es Ruaid (as roe'eh)
Emain Ablach (ev'in ahv'lah)
Femen (Plain) (fev'en)
Fernmag (farn'mah)
Fid Duin (fee doon)
Finglas (fin'lus)
Focherd (fow'hard)
Fual Maetha (fwal mae'thah)
Gatlaig (River) (gat'lee)
Glas-linn (glas'-lin)
Glean-na-Bodhar (glen' na vohr)
Granaird (gran'ard)
Hy Maine (hie mah'nee)
Imorach Smirommair (iv'rah smeer'oum-mar)
Int Ildathach (int il'da-ha)
Iraird Cuillen (ir'ard kwil'en)
Isle of Leodus (lee-o'dus)
Lough Derravaragh (loch daer'ra-var'ah)
Lough Owel (loch o'wul)
Lughlochta Logo (loo'law-da lo'go)
Maeve Sleachtadh (maev slay'tah)
Magh Ai (moy eye): “magh” means “field”
Magh Mell (moy mel)
Magh Trego (moy tray'go)
Magh Turad (moy tir'ra)
Midluachair (midh-loo'a-hir)
Moin Coltna (moyn kolt'na)
Muirthemne (mur heyv'na)
Nith (River) (neeth)
Rathangan (rath an'yan)
Rath Ini (rath in'eh)
Slemain Midi (slay'wen meeth)
Slieve Fuad (shleev foo'id)
Slieve Fuait (shleev foo'id)
Slieve Cuilinn (shleev kwil'en)
Slieve na Caille (shleev na koy'la)
Tailtiu (toyl'tyu)
Temhair Mide (t'yower mi'hey)
Tete Brec (tet'eh brek)
Traigh Esi (try ae'suh)
Uisnech (oosh'neh)