One of the items working its way toward the top of my wishlist is a copy of Ó Dónaill's Foclóir Gaeilge – Béarla. Of course there's the website when I need it, but computer-addicted that I am, I try to prioritize completely unplugged time daily as well. At the opposite end of the dictionary spectrum , I use my copy of Collins Easy Learning Irish Dictionary, but while everything in there is easy to find, read, and understand, the set of words included is limited to frequently used beginner vocab.

Now I've never seen Ó Dónaill dictionary in person, much less handled it in either format -- but I'm guessing a number of you have. An bhfuil an foclóir seo an-mhór? Which in your opinion do you think will be more usable and easier to handle, the paperback or hardcover version of Ó Dónaill? Will the paperback be better to move around the house with me, while a hardback would remain a weighty tome on the shelf? Or would the softcover be awkwardly floppy to handle, as very large paperbacks on thin dictionary paper can be (given I read and study in comfy chairs, not at a desk), while the hardcover would withstand years of heavy use? If you were buying it afresh, which format would you find more practical?

Níl sé ana-mhór.

I've been using my hardback Ó Dónaill dictionary for years and it's never been a problem for me. It's about the same size as a hardback edition of "War and Peace" and is very sturdy, reasonably light and it opens flat and stays open on the page that I'm looking at. I've never seen the paperback version, but I definitely like my trusty old hardback edition.

I say get the hardbound. The paperback is not much smaller, and a lot less durable.

Sadly, its counterpart, De Bhaldraithe, is no longer in print, but if you get a chance, I recommend snapping that up in hardbound as well.

Redwolf

Speaking of dictionaries, if you have FGB, is there any point in getting De Bhaldraithe's dictionary?

If so, what is they difference between the two? I thought both were geared towards the caighdeán?

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Please wait for corrections/ more input from other forum members before acting on advice

De Bhaldraithe's dictionary is still good to have for the times when you want to look up an Irish word for something that is written in English. I see where you're coming from, though; I use my Ó Dónaill's dictionary about 10 times more often than De Bhaldraithe.

Ó Dónaill's I Irish to English; De Bhaldraithe's is English to Irish.

That's true, but there are lots of words, in good Munster Irish, that are listed as "variants" – including the word Gaolainn, for example.

As WFM mentioned, De Bhaldraithe is the complement to FGB...English to Irish (FGB is Irish to English). I find both to be useful. I especially find Baldy to be useful when I'm trying to find a suitable Irish idiom for an English idiom.

That said, as I said above, Baldy is no longer in print. If you want a copy, you'll have to keep an eye on used book listings.

Redwolf

Thanks everyone for the feedback! You're right, it does make sense to have a good sturdy copy of such a core reference book.

Thanks for the tip on De Bhaldraithe, too. I had noticed with dismay that the opposite-direction counterpart to Ó Dónaill appeared to be out of print. But OTOH there's nothing quite like my bibliophile's joy at discovering a new field to explore, where the constraints of a tight budget versus out of print rarities exercise my crafty inner hunter-gatherer (and then there's the childish joy of receiving packages from afar, and all this before I even get to open the book!)

I've finally managed to get hold of both (with soft covers), but I find looking words up on the on-line versions easier and often you can look down the list of expressions that goes with them, which can be interesting, plus you have the pronunciation and grammar pages - very useful. It is a pity that they don't specify which variants come from where, but it's good that you can listen to and compare the different dialects for the same word. Sometimes there's a link to the other dictionary Foclóir.ie, again with the sounds in the three dialects - they say they intend to bring out a print version of that one as well later on.
If you want to get hold of the soft cover version of de Bhaldraithe (English-Irish), you can look at Bookfinder - the starting price for a new one is 17.18€ (from Book Depository) but it's also available from Kenny's.

Check that out! Is that where you got yours?

There's a bunch of sellers on Amazon now too. I would swear that a couple of months ago, it was really hard to find. Has it come back into print, and if so why don't any Irish booksellers but Kenny's sell it?

The raving bibliophile is mystified.

There have been sellers on Amazon for a while, but they've been charging ridiculous prices (I think one person was asking $600!). If you can find it anywhere for a reasonable price, snap it up!

Redwolf