Gaelic
‘ail a n-uír’ ‘a stone from the earth’, from the Mórrígan’s prophecy
aire lord
a mháistir respectful address: ‘master’
athair altrama foster father
athair father
a thiarna uasal respectful address: ‘oh noble lord’
baile homestead/farmstead/manor
bealach bó finne the Milky Way: ‘path of the white cow’
Berchán’s prophecy a historical poem reputedly composed by St Berchán in the tenth or eleventh century
betagh a food-providing tenant
boaire a relatively wealthy farmer: ‘cow lord’
bodach churl/brute
bóthar road: ‘cow track’
brat a blanket/cloak, worn as an overgarment
brehon judge
buaile upland summer pastures, also a seasonal hut for cowherds: ‘booley’
Cain Adomnán the Law of the Innocents, drafted by Bishop Adomnán of Iona in the 690s
ceannbhán bog cotton
ciaróg beetle
clann family
clochrán wheatear (bird)
cnuc hill
coarb heir/successor to the original saintly founder of a monastery
currach boat made of hide over a wooden frame
Dindsenchas a collection of early poems and commentaries relating to placelore and topography
Domnach Airgid a famous ornate reliquary associated with St Patrick and the Bishops of Clogher
drochradh ill fortune
dunnóg dunnock (bird)
fianna ‘war band’; ‘the Fianna’ of Irish legend were specifically the warriors of Finn MacCumhal
fidchell board game somewhat akin to chess; the rules, now lost, are believed to have come to Ireland with the Norse
file poet
fraochóg billberries
Gaedil Gaelic Irish
gaill hostage
Gall foreigner, often referring to descendants of Vikings in Ireland and later to the Anglo-Normans/English
gearrán gelding/serviceable horse, not bred for speed
geis a taboo or forbidden act
giolla servant/squire/follower
gléas tool
immána ‘hurling’, a field/team sport played with a hooked stick, known from antiquity in Ireland
ionar padded jacket worn as armour
léine shirt
lios enclosure, usually a small ráth/ringfort
lóg n-enech honour price, value of a person in society
lough lake
meithel workgang
mongach meisce mugwort (plant)
náire shame
neantóg nettle
Nollaig Christmas
óenach assembly
oígidecht hospitality/lodging
ollamh master poet/learned man/lawman
osian woollen trousers
praiseach orache (plant)
ráth a circular fort (ringfort) constructed of an earthen bank enclosing a farmstead
récire performer of poetry
rí king
ríghdamhna royal family
saileach willow
saoirse freedom
Sasanach English person: ‘Saxon’
scéach hawthorn
scian mór somewhere between a dagger and a short sword: ‘big knife’
scian knife
sídhe the host of otherworld beings made up of pre-Christian deities who continued in legend, literature and folk belief after the advent of Christianity, often (poorly) translated as ‘fairies’
siocháin peace
síofra changeling
slat na ríghe rod of office: ‘rod of the kings’
slíghe roadway/highway
sméara dubha blackberries
spideog robin (bird)
táin cattle raid
tániste next in line of inheritance to leadership
taoiseach chief
tiarna lord
Tlachta the hill of Ward, co. Meath
tóchar wooden trackway or raised path
tricha cét unit of land somewhat equating to a ‘cantred’ (later barony)
túath (pl. túatha) petty kingdom
Norman French
arestare stop/halt
castel castle; can refer to a motte and bailey, earthen ringwork or stone castle
chaualiers knights: ‘chevaliers’
couvre-feu ceramic pot to cover the embers of a fire at night
dame lady; ma dame: ‘my lady’
fauchard long-handled axe/halberd
fuie flee
garsun squire: ‘boy’
latimer translator/interpreter
maréchal marshal: ‘master of the horses’
Normanni Normans
paysan peasant
pitie pity
secourz help
seignur lord
villein feudal tenant
Latin
civitas city
nones religious service held at midday
oratio oratorical skill
terce religious service held in the morning
Norse
faen devil
fendinn devil
lagmen alderman
nidstang cursing post
Middle English
cog single-master clinker-built sailing ship with high fore and aft castle
Engleis refers to both Normans and Anglo-Saxons from England
hulc single-master clinker-built sailing ship
Magnus Meylocklan Anglicisation of Mánus Máel Sechlainn
ORork Anglicisation of ‘Ua Ruairc’, giving rise to modern ‘O’Rourke’
Ostmen ‘East Men’, or descendants of ninth-century Norse (Viking) settlers, referring to the inhabitants of the port towns and their hinterlands who were culturally both Gaelic and Scandinavian
OToole Anglicisation of ‘Ua Tuathail’, giving rise to modern ‘O’Toole’
Shannun Anglicisation of river Sionnán, giving rise to the modern river Shannon
Yrlande Ireland