Guide to pronounciation of Irish mythic names & places

[Wren MacDonald]

Hello...

I realize that this is a wicked old post to be replying to, but just wanted to say go raibh maith agat to Beith for posting this! And also, Pangur... I am one of those "American Druids," and I use my Irish dictionary... and cassette tapes... and textbooks...

My Gaelige isn't stellar but it is slowly becoming less horrendous.


Wren ^.~*

[DixieThorn]

Oh my! Beith, you can't imagine how exhilirating this is. I have been struggling for years, knowing full well I wasn't pronouncing anything right! Thank you so much

[salmoncat]

thank you

[salmoncat]

Beith, how do you pronounce brionnfhionn (I hope is the correct spelling for salmon)

[Beith]

Hi there!

Just to qualify the "guide" - there are various pronunciations for many of the words based on either Munster, Ulster or Connacht dialects. I wote them mainly as I pronounce them in my "Leinster gaeilge" which is a mish mash of Munster and everything else!

Most of those names though are very very old and many would have been pronounced differently in earlier forms of the language. Where I can estimated it, I added it to the list already given and stated it, but my early Irish is in infancy so it's an approximation.

Hi Salmon Cat! (Which 4%?!!!) Brionnfhionn would be something like "Breeon-yonn" in phonetic english.
Bradán ("Brad-awn") is the word commonly used for salmon and one will also find Eo-fios as a reference to the salmon of knowledge in folklore texts on the story of how Fionn* got his name.

To give you an idea of variant pronunciation,

Fionn would be Connacht Irish
Feeyown would be Munster Irish
Finn is Ulster Irish
All are variant pronunciations of Fionn, and likewise Brionn.
I haven't seen that word used for salmon before (Brionnfhionn) it would imply "fair or pale" something. I will check it in a more comprehensive source.

Best wishes!
Beith

[Fiacharrey]

Though I'm sure I can't pronounce all these names properly, I have been studying Gaelic on my own, and cringe at the slaughter of the names of the Gods and mythological entities in  ADF rituals I've attended.  They insisted on calling Bres, "Bray", for example. Have checked it out at http://www.daltai.com, where they who should know agreed with me, but these "American Druids" still wouldn't listen. They have copies of Gaelic dictionaries but don't bother to try and use them. Thanks for your list, at least it helps me!
Slan, Pangur Ban

That's a shame.  As an ADF member, I try to pronounce things at least somewhat correctly.  Being in ADF is what led me to study Irish.  ADF has a pronunciation guide in the form of wav files for some of the common phrases used in ritual, but nothing for the names of divinities and such IIRC.  Maybe I should point this out on their lists and direct them here.

[Sam]

I've been trying to sound my way through these names, I have a really cool book about Women in Celtic Myths, so I was having a bit of a tricky time with them. However I am really happy about this guide!