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Top ten old Irish phrases and their meanings - Éirinn Go Brách

Ever wondered what Eirinn go bragh and Cead Mile Failte mean?

NIALL O'DOWD,

IrishCentral Founder

Published Wednesday, September 5, 2012, 9:28 AM

Updated Wednesday, September 5, 2012, 1:28 PM

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Do you know what Eirinn go Brach means?

Photo by Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

Instead of "Kiss me I'm Irish" next time try "Pog mo thon"

What famous Irish sayings really mean.

May the road rise to meet you -

From the Gaelic, "Go N-eiri an bothar leat", which means may success be with you.

Top of the morning -

Hollywood invention, never used in Ireland.

And the rest of the day to yourself -

Also Hollywood.

Slainte -

Meaing good health. Slainte is the Gaelic word for health.

Slan -

Meaning farewell. Slan is the Gaelic word for safe so it means keep safe.

Erin go Bragh -

Meaning "Ireland forever" in Gaelic.

A hundred thousand welcomes -

From the Gaelic “Cead Mile Failte” which means literally that.

Dia is Muire Dhuit -

Meaning hello in Gaelic. The phrase literally means "God and Mary with you."

Dia is Mhuire Duit agus Padraig -

How the person responds,"God and Mary and St. Patrick with you."

Pog Mo Thoin -

Yes it means what you think it does, Gaelic for kiss my a**.

*Originally published in 2010.

Nster.com

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11 Comments

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Liamkeyes | Sep 29, 2012, 09:36 PM EDT

The actor Pat O'Brien does a good job on "The Exiles Return. In regard to Failte Roimh( pronounced Foil-cha Rove} means literally translated "Welcome to you) or You're welcome.......Na habar e(Don't mention it. Slan go Foil( Bye for now. Slan abhaile(Slawn Awall-yea) Safe home. That's your lesson for to=night. I'm off to the pub, not for one pint but two...."a bird never flew on one wing) Slainte!!!!!

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Liamkeyes | Sep 29, 2012, 09:25 PM EDT

In a Toast, what they usually say is "Slainte 'gus Saol agath(Health and Wealth to you). Ban ar do Mhean agath(The woman of your choice to you), agus Bas in Eireann( May you die in Ireland), The last toast goes back to the fact that a lot of people had to emigrate, so it was a blessing if you got to stay.

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Seanmor | Sep 08, 2012, 10:57 AM EDT

The "top of the morning" is never, never, used in any part of Ireland, at leat not by the natives. This rather silly expression probably has its roots in the U.S., from "the top of the inning" in baseball. In his famous poem, "The Exile's Return", John Locke includes these lines: Oh Ireland, isn't grand you look, like a bride in her dress adorned. And with all this pent-up love in my heart, I bid you the top of the morning". Unfortunately the author of this emontional poem never returned to his beloved homeland; he ended his days as an exile in the U.S.

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WoundedKnee | Sep 07, 2012, 02:40 PM EDT

Pilib: "there are distinctly different Gaelic dialects between Kerry, Donegal and Belfast". So they've stopped speaking Irish in South Connemara?

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Seanmor | Sep 06, 2012, 04:00 PM EDT

During the 8 years I attended the primary school in Ireland, our 2nd language was IRISH (No one ever called it Gaelic). I don't know of any equivalent for "Hi, "Hello" or "Howdy". The greeting is usually "Dia dhuit (to one person) and Dia daoibh (to 2 or more), which means "God be to you" or God bless you. "Bail ó Dhia ort (God prosper you) is also used. The strange paradox is that most church leaders are coldly indifferent, if not totally hostile to Irish, a language whose greetings usually mention God.

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esatdigiwank | Sep 06, 2012, 06:13 AM EDT

The Church really did a good 'job' on us - we cannot even greet each other in Irish without invoking religion!! How does one say Hello as Gaeilge without the God and Mary bit; its pure peasant-cringe! Póg mo thoin: seafóid ab ea é!- typical Gaelic vulgar tokenism remnant Because we cannot be competent to swear in Irish thanks to the diabhail Church! Póg mo... effectively means "I'm pretending to swear in my native language without knowing that I don't have a clue how to". 'Eire' agus a teanga go Bríste more like..

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pilib04 | Sep 05, 2012, 03:33 PM EDT

December, Ta tu Failte Roimh should be: Tah too fall-shah Ree-ov

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pilib04 | Sep 05, 2012, 03:31 PM EDT

Pog Mo Hoin - Pogue mah Hone; Slan go foill, mo chara - Slawn Go Foil Muh kara; Ta tu Failte Roimh - too fall-shah Ree-ov; Go row mawh ah-got (say quickly); December, please remember that there are distinctly different Gaelic dialects between Kerry, Donegal and Belfast. The above is quite possibly a mix of the three.

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December27 | Sep 05, 2012, 02:26 PM EDT

A pronunciation guide would've been nice.

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pilib04 | Sep 05, 2012, 11:22 AM EDT

Niall, I see your proof reader missed the gaelic spelling error in the first sentence. Thon? Try as I might, I have not been able to get anyone to go with Thon. Of course you got it right at the end. Very surprised that you left out "Slan go foill, mo chara" (Goodbye my friend) and "Go Raibh maith agat" (Thank you). Ta tu failte Roimh, Niall.

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torbreezy | Sep 05, 2012, 10:32 AM EDT

A "review" of the basics is always in order . . . .

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