Irish Miscellany

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Ireland

Dermot McEvoy

• Publisher: Skyhorse
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9781629145167
• eBook ISBN: 9781632200099
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: History Reference
• Index: History

With Irish Miscellany, author Dermot McEvoy lets you revel in the fun and fascinating explanations behind Irish traditions and folklore. He offers the answers to questions you've always had—or never knew you had—as he covers all aspects of Ireland. From Irish culture to ancient history to modern pastimes, this full-color book educates and entertains. Such facts include: The true history of Halloween
Why the Celtic cross is such a staple icon of Ireland
A history of the Irish Gaelic language
Where to find megalithic art in Ireland and why it's there
A history of the Tailteann Games
Historical monarchies that ruled Ireland in ancient times
The world's first suburban commuter railway
And many moreThis delightful book is the perfect gift for anyone planning a visit to Ireland, with an interest in Irish history, or with a drop of Irish blood.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

1

HOW’S YOUR ERSE? ADVENTURES IN THE IRISH LANGUAGE

If someone in Ireland asks you “How’s your Erse?” they are not inquiring about the health of your buttocks. (Note: the preferred Irish designation for the derrière is “arse.”)

“Erse” is what they call Irish Gaelic.

There are two official languages in the Republic of Ireland—English and Irish—a language also known as Gaelic, especially by Americans. (There are three Gaelic languages: Irish, Scotch, and Manx; Irish is the most prominent.) Irish is spoken mostly in the west of the country and in the Gaeltacht, or Irish-speaking enclaves.

Although English is the majority language, Irish is used frequently, with an estimated 5 to 10 percent of the population using it as their primary language. There are Irish-speaking channels on television and radio and such things as street and road signs are bilingual. The Irish national anthem, Amhrán na bhFiann (“The Soldier’s Song”), is always sung in Irish. So Irish words are used fluently and effectively. While visiting Ireland you may come in contact with some of these frequently used Irish words:

Pleasantries
Dia Duit	hello
Fáilte	welcome
Cead mile fáilte	one hundred thousand welcomes (a typical Irish greeting)
Go raibh maith agat	thank you
Sláinte	health (a common Irish toast)
Slán	goodbye

Places/Travel
Éire	Ireland; the official name of Ireland
Poblacht na hÉireann	the Republic of Ireland
Oifig an Phoist	post office
An Lar	The Centre, as in City Centre, often see...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• 1 How’s Your Erse? Adventures in the Irish Language
• 2 Understanding Irish Slang: Don’t Get Slagged Because You’re an Eejit
• 3 Name that Irish Pejorative
• 4 Protestants of the Republic, Take a Bow
• 5 The Irish Famine: Fact or Fiction?
• 6 Can’t Tell the Rebels Without a Scorecard
• 7 Ferocious Fenian Women
• 8 How Michael Collins Helped Save Winston Churchill’s Career
• 9 Michael Collins: Sex and the Single Revolutionary
• 10 “The Troubles”: Conflict in the North
• 11 The Irish Diaspora: Taking Part of Ireland with You
• 12 The Abbey Goes Hollywood: The Shields Brothers and The Quiet Man
• 13 Hollywood on the Liffey: The Irish Film Industry—Bigger Than You Think
• 14 Why the Irish Love Statues
• 15 Gay Gaels
• 16 Éire Errs on Censorship
• 17 What’s a Taoiseach? How the Irish Government Has Evolved Since 1916
• 18 Nighttown: “The Whores Will Be Busy”
• 19 How the Irish Put the “E” in Whiskey
• 20 Searching Under the Ould Sod for Your Irish Genealogical Roots
• 21 Saintly Irish Names
• 22 Ireland’s Amazing Jews
• 23 The Irish Will Always Have Paris
• 24 Titanic to Viagra: Made in Ireland
• 25 What the Hell is Black Pudding? Adventures in Irish Cuisine
• 26 Another Kind of Spirits: Ghosts, Banshees, Leprechauns, Wakes, and Faeries
• 27 The Castrated Celtic Tiger: Beware of False Profits
• Photo Credits