stobhaim=stew

As early as Celtic times stews were important aspects of any banquet. We hear of warriors entering the kings hall where meat cooked and boiled in great vats. In they would thrust a great fork and pull out their portion. St. Bridget while tending the stew one day reached into the pot and fed a dog a piece of meat-the meat reappeared in the pot as a blessing.

cois tine=fireside

The fireside was the focus of Irish cultural life. It is the place where stories were told, where fates were determined and of course where food was cooked. The Irish literally burn their history -the ancient peat- to stay warm.

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cláirseach=harp

It is said that the harp was invented by a man pursued by an angry wife who was forever scolding. As he was pursued by her he found himself walking along the beach where the wind was causing the sinus on a whale's ribcage to vibrate. His wife, hearing the music, was calmed. He then went to a tree and carved a piece of wood to relplicate the whale bone and then strung it with catgut to make the first harp. The Dagda (good god) had a living harp which could play itself, with special effects upon the listeners.

cláirseoir=harpist

Harpists were important musicians who traveled with the chieftains and important persons throughout the land. Through their travels harpists encountered other musical traditions which they blended skillfully with the native Celtic music. With the fall of Celtic civilization the harpers moved from the court to the village where they brought the ancient cultural traditions for safekeeping with the peasantry. Harpers were often blind .

bord=table

The Irish table was low to the ground with diners sitting on banks of fern and moss. This was quite a shock for more "European" guests.

crúsca=jug

The best jugs in Celtic times contained either beer or wine flavoured with cumin. Of course in the 19th centuries poteen or "little pot" was distilled as a fine spirit, often by widows as a source of income.

cú=hound

The greatest of Irish heroes was named "the hound of the smith." The warrior as a boy killed the smith's dog and volunteered to serve in its place until a replacement was found. Dogs were very popular in Celtic times and appear in several important ancient legends.

arán=bread

The Irish are of course famous for soda bread, but there are many other important Irish breads. The Celts ate a wheaten bread soaked in honey at their feasts. There is a special bread baked using yeast or barm called barm brack. For St. Bridget's day a wheaten bread called a stron is baked and then put out for the saint.

claiomh=sword

We know quite a bit about Celtic art through finds of swords which were ritually drowned in bogs and springs. Swords were talked to and carefully cleaned. They had names as well as personalities. Many were decorated with human shapes.

feoil=meat

Meat, especially game, was the focus of the feast with its carving and distribution closely regulated by custom. Ancient tales frequently describe hunts involving animals with special powers.

taoiseach=chief

The chief ruled over the tribe or tuath. He inherited his power in early times; however, later in history chiefs became strongmen who dominated their neighbours. Ocasionally the members of the tribe elected a chief, known as a tanist. This title is now that of the prime minister of the Republic of Ireland.

gaiscioch=warrior

Warriors represent achieved power in Irish society. While the chief was a hereditary ruler, warriors obtained their power by being brave and skillful in battle. Eventually only the strong warrior could survive as chief.

seanchai=storyteller

The ancient Celts had no written language. All the information of the culture had to be learned by poets called fili. There were many ranks of fili, each with a certain number of primary and secondary stories to memorize. With so much technical information to memorize, the fili would take great care that the words sounded well together.

crann=tree

Trees were very important for the ancient Celts, who developed an alphabet which described their special spiritual powers. In particular the Oak tree was associated with the druids and later with St.Bridget of Kildare, which means "the church of the Oak."

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tuathánach=peasant

In ancient Celtic society there were several lower classes beneath the kings ,specialists, artists and warriors. Freemen helped with the essential tasks of production. Slaves were also a part of ancient Celtic society. The peasntry inherited the civilization of the Celts. .

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deatach=smoke

Peasant dwellings were often filled with smoke and very dark.

carraig=rock

The West of Ireland is very rocky. However it was the lack of soil which helped the Bronze Age inhabitants find and use surface mineral deposits which they exchanged for the rich gold of the Near East, which in turn was made into artistic masterworks.

talamh:ground

Much of the ground in Ireland is either rocky or exceedingly wet and bog-covered. This nature of the landscape provided boundaries which separated people and made travel difficult in early times.

ceann=head

The head was extremely important for the Celts. They never abstracted the head in their art .Kings passed around the brains of their victims mixed with lime and hardened to give them wisdom, and altars with skulls inset have been found in France. Celtic warriors would take the heads of their victims in battle to the court as trophies.

Common greetings/sayings in Irish Gaelic T Dia duit (Lit. God to you) Dia is Muire duit (Lit. God and Mary to you) Go mbeannai/ Dia duit May God bless you. Go mbeannai/ Dia is Muire duit May God and Mary bless you. Bail ó Dhia ort The blessing of God on you. Bail ó  Dhia is Muire duit The blessing of God and Mary on you. Go raibh maith agat Thanks (Lit. May there be good at you). Go dtaga do riócht May thy kingdom come. Nár laga Dia do lámh May God not weaken your hand. Gura slán an scéalai/ May the bearer of the news be safe. Gurab amhlaidh duit The same to you. Tá fáilte romhat You are welcome. Cad é (Goidé) mar tá tu/? How are you? (Ti/r Chonaill) Cén chaoi 'bhfuil tu/? How are you (Connacht) Conas atá tu? How are you? (Mumhan) Tá mé go maith I'm doing well. An bhfuil aon rud u/r ag dul? What's new? Aon scéal 'ad? What's new? (Connacht) Slán leat Good Bye (said to one going). Slán agat Good Bye (said to one remaining). Sláinte chugat Good health to you. Gabhaim pardu/n agat beg your pardon. Gabh mo leithscéal Pardon me (Lit. Accept my excuse). Más é do thoil é If you please. Le do thoil Please Saol fada chugat Long life to you. For the following greetings Gurab amhlaidh duit is a common answer: Oíche mhaith duit Good night. Codladh sámh duit A pleasant sleep. Nollaig shona duit Happy Christmas. Nollaig faoi shéan is faoi A prosperous and pleasant mhaise duit Christmas. Athbhliain faoi mhaise duit A prosperous New Year. Terms of Endearment a ghrá a rún a stór a thaisce a chroí a chuisle my dear darling/love/treasure muirni/n leannán céadsearc sweetheart a ghrá  mo chroí love of my heart! Curses Imeacht gan teacht ort May you leave without returning. Titim gan éiri/ ort May you fall without rising. Fán fada ort Long travels to you. Go n-ithe an cat thú is go n-ithe an diabhal an cat May the cat eat you, and may the cat be eaten by the devil.

Now thats a mouthfull!

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