The Irish Alphabet | Fadas | Irish Proverbs | Irish Toasts | Irish Curses
The Irish Alphabet
Interesting facts about the Irish alphabet:
- Traditionally, Irish uses only 18 letters:
- 5 vowels-a e i o u
- 13 consonants - b c d f g h l m n p r s t
- The other letters - j k q v w x y z - are used in foreign words, mathematics, scientific terms, etc
Ever wonder how to apply accent marks over your letters? It's very simple! The accent marks are called "fadas".
FOR WINDOWS: You hold down your "alt" key and from the numeric keypad on your key board, key in the numbers following each corresponding letter shown below. After keying in the required numbers, release the alt key.
For example: á is created by pressing down the alt key on your keyboard, key in the numbers 0193, then release the alt key--viola!
WINDOWS á - 0225
é - 0233
í - 0237
ó - 0243
ú - 0250
Á - 0193
É - 0201
Í - 0205
Ó - 0211
Ú - 0218
FOR MACS: Hold down the "option" key, press the "e" key, release the "option" key, then press the desired vowel letter (a,e,i,o, or u) key. Most people get confused because to create the fada over "any" vowel, you must press the letter "e" key before you press the desired vowel key.
For example: to create an "ó": Hold down the "option" key at the bottom of the keyboard, press the letter "e" key, release the "option", press the letter "o" key and so forth for each vowel.
The great thing about fadas is that that they are cross-browser capable.
Short Irish Proverbs
~A man with no wit has little on a pig~
~Burning the candle at both ends
will soon leave you without a light~
~The truth comes out when the spirit goes in.~
~ May your glass be ever full. May the roof over your head be always strong. And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you’re dead.~
~ May those who love us love us. And those that don’t love us, May God turn their hearts. And if He doesn’t turn their hearts, May he turn their ankles, So we’ll know them by their limping. ~
Irish Curses in Gaelic
One should always be careful with the use of curses, no matter what language it is in.
Imeacht gan teacht ort
May you leave without returning
Titim gan éirí 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
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