A - U of Ireland
Ireland’s national language is Irish, a Celtic language with ancient roots. Irish is a treasured aspect of Ireland’s heritage, and has long offered its speakers a unique way of seeing the world.
The Irish alphabet traditionally consists of 18 letters, from A to U: we’ve selected one word for each that reflects something emblematic of Ireland.
From Aiteall to Uisce, join us on a journey through Ireland’s rich culture, nature and history, one letter at a time.
A: Aiteall – A fine spell between showers
In Ireland you can experience all four seasons daily. In fact, discussions on weather are so important we have dozens of words for different types of rain. But don’t let that dampen your spirits, just pack an umbrella and a raincoat.
B: Brioscáin – Crisps
One of Ireland’s lesser-known contributions to world cuisine, the world’s first flavoured potato crisps were invented here. In 1954 Joe ‘Spud’ Murphy debuted the cheese and onion flavouring which is still a firm favourite in Ireland today.
C: Cláirseach – Harp
Ireland is the only country in the world with a musical instrument as its national symbol. The Irish harp accompanied poets in times past, and still features in Irish traditional music sessions today.
D: Dúlamán – Channel-wrack
A kind of edible seaweed which formed part of the traditional diet for Irish coastal communities for centuries. It is also the title of a well-known Irish folk song that celebrates our resourcefulness in living off the land and sea.
E: Earrach – Spring
In Ireland the first day of spring is marked on 1 February with Saint Brigid’s Day; a holiday with roots in the pre-Christian festival of Imbolc.
F: Flaithiúlach – Generous, Princely
This word contains flaith (lord), who in medieval times was expected to bestow his wealth upon others. Nowadays, generosity is not confined to the upper echelons, as Ireland has been consistently ranked as the one of the most generous and charitable countries in the world.
G: Goitse! – Come here!
Even with its small size, Ireland boasts a startling variety of accents and dialects. Goitse is an informal greeting in the unique dialect of Irish spoken in Donegal, Ireland’s northernmost county. Roughly translates to ‘Come here!’
H: Húicéir – Hooker
An iconic sailboat of Galway Bay on Ireland’s west coast, the Galway hooker was specially designed to brave the rough seas of Ireland’s wild Atlantic seaboard. Every year Galway hookers race across Galway Bay at the festival of Cruinniú na mBád, or the gathering of the boats.
I: Ispíní – Sausages
Forming part of the traditional Full Irish Breakfast, sausages were introduced to Ireland by the Vikings, with the word coming from the old Norse í-spen.
L: Leathdhoras – Half-door
A common feature of traditional Irish architecture. It was used for ventilation and light, but also importantly as a place to lean on and gossip with neighbours; an essential function of any Irish house!
M: Míol mór – Whale
Over 20 species of whale and dolphin are present in Irish waters. The term literally translates to ‘Big creature’: its opposite is Míoltóg, meaning midge or fly. Ná déan míol mór de mhíoltóg. (Don’t make a whale out of a midge)
N: Nathair – Snake
Ireland is only a handful of places worldwide—including New Zealand, Iceland, Greenland, and Antarctica, which has no snakes. According to legend, Saint Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland over 1500 years ago, but our climate and surrounding seas mean they were probably never here to begin with!
O: Ogham – Ancient Irish alphabet
Dating back over 1,700 years, Ogham is the earliest known writing system in Ireland. Consisting of a series of lines and dashes carved into stone pillars, Ogham stones often marked the boundaries between different Irish kingdoms. Many still stand today.
P: Poc – The strike of a ball in hurling
The term given to a strike of the ball in the Irish national sport of hurling, the fastest field sport in the world with origins stretching back into ancient Ireland.
R: Rince – Dance
People in Ireland love to dance, whether at a gig, a session, or a céilí (social gathering with dance and music). Traditional Irish dancing was made famous worldwide by Riverdance and has influenced other styles of dance such as tap dancing.
S: Seanchaí – Storyteller
Although we’re known around the world for our contributions to the written word, Ireland has an ancient tradition of folklore passed down by word of mouth. The seanchaí was a member of the community entrusted with memorising this rich oral tradition and passing it down to the next generation.
T: Tae – Tea
Despite its origins in China, the Irish cup of tea is a national pastime. Ireland is one of the top three biggest consumers of tea per person in the world, even outranking our neighbours in Great Britain! Most discussions in Ireland centre around a pot of tea and its generally served dearg te (hot, scalding).
U: Uisce – Water
With nowhere in Ireland more than 90km from the sea, and with one of the highest rates of rainfall in Europe, water runs deep in Irish life and culture. Bodies of water were considered sacred in ancient Ireland and can still be seen today in the Holy Wells that dot the Irish landscape. Also: Uisce Beatha means whiskey, which literally translates as the water of life.