na míonna - the months

Saoirse · **Posted:** Wed 17 Jun 2015 10:46 am

I end up second-guessing myself sometimes depending on the month (particularly the spelling of June) so I thought this might be useful to somebody somewhere.

Eanáir (m) January, mí Eanáir
Feabhra (f) February, mí Feabhra
Márta (m) March, mí an Mhárta
Aibreán (m) April, mí Aibreáin
Bealtaine (f) May, mí na Bealtaine
Meitheamh (m) June, mí an Mheithimh
Iúil (m) July mí Iúil
Lúnasa (m) August, mí Lúnasa
Meán Fomhair (m) September, mí Mheán Fomhair
Deireadh Fomhair (m) October, mí Dheireadh Fomhair
Samhain (f) November, mí na Samhna
Nollaig (f) December, mí na Nollag

Redwolf · **Posted:** Thu 18 Jun 2015 1:08 am

The months always drive me crazy.

Lughaidh · **Joined:** Thu 15 Sep 2011 12:06 pm **Posts:** 2435

Why ?

Btw, these are some of the names that are used in Donegal

Mí Eanáir
Mí na bhFaoilleach
Mí 'n Mhárta
Mí Aibreáin
Mí na Bealtaine
Mí na Féile Eoin
Mí na Súl Buí
Mí Lúnasna
Mí Mheán Fómhair
Mí Dheireadh Fómhair
Mí na Samhna
Mí na Nollag

Saoirse · **Posted:** Thu 18 Jun 2015 9:04 am

Lughaidh wrote:

Why ?

Btw, these are some of the names that are used in Donegal

Mí Eanáir
Mí na bhFaoilleach
Mí 'n Mhárta
Mí Aibreáin
Mí na Bealtaine
Mí na Féile Eoin
Mí na Súl Buí
Mí Lúnasna
Mí Mheán Fómhair
Mí Dheireadh Fómhair
Mí na Samhna
Mí na Nollag

Are these versions used all the time in Donegal, Lughaidh? It is interesting to hear that there are variations in something like months.

CaoimhínSF · **Joined:** Sun 04 Sep 2011 11:02 pm **Posts:** 1580

Since we are starting a treatise on the months here, here's some additional info.

Ainmneach — Nominative
Eanáir
Feabhra
Márta
Aibreán
Bealtaine
Meitheamh
Iúil
Lúnasa
Meán Fómhair
Deireadh Fómhair
Samhain
Nollaig

when preceded by “i” [e.g. “in July”]
in Eanáir
i bhFeabhra [typo corrected]
i Márta
in Aibreán
i mBealtaine
i Meitheamh
in Iúil
i Lúnasa
i Meán Fómhair
i nDeireadh Fómhair
i Samhain
i Nollaig

Ginideach — Genitive
mí … [month of …] de mhí … [in the month of ...]
… Eanáir
... Feabhra
… an Mhárta
… an Aibreáin
… na Bealtaine
… an Mheithimh
… Iúil
… Lúnasa
… Mheán Fómhair
… Dheireadh Fómhair
… na Samhna
… na Nollag

Tabhartach — Dative
in dates [an chéad lá … = the first day [in/of] …]
… d’Eanáir
… d’Fheabhra
… de Mhárta
… d’Aibreán
… de Bhealtaine
… de Mheitheamh
… d’Iúil
… de Lúnasa
… de Mheán Fómhair
… de Dheireadh Fómhair
… de Shamhain
… de Nollaig

CaoimhínSF · **Joined:** Sun 04 Sep 2011 11:02 pm **Posts:** 1580

And, for comparison, here they are in Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig). Note that some of them (or their variants) resemble the Ulster variants. It's also interesting that the concept of "mid-summer" and "end of summer" for June and July (as variant forms) parallels the Irish use of "mid-harvest" and "end-of harvest" for September and October. The variant Mios Marbh ("dead month") for January is also ominous - the month when people start to die of hunger or cold, perhaps, or maybe it just refers to so many plants being dead.

Months in Gaidhlig [genitive in brackets]

1. Am Faoilteach (masc) [an Fhaoiltich] – Variants: Am Faoilleach [an Fhaoillich]; Mios Marbh; Deireadh-Geamhraidh
2. An Gearran (masc) [a' Ghearrain]
3. Am Mart (masc) [a' Mhairt]
4. An Giblean (masc) [a' Ghiblein]
5. An Ceitean (masc) [a' Cheitein] – Variant: A' Mhaigh (fem) [na Maighe]
6. An t-Ogmhios (masc) [an Ogmhiosa] – Variant: Meadhan-Samhraidh
7. An t-luchar (masc) [an luchair] – Variants: Deireadh-Samhraidh; Mios Buidhe
8. An Lunasdal (masc) [an Lunasdail]
9. An t-Sultain (fem) [na Sultaine]
10. An Damhair (fem) [na Damhair]
11. An t-Samhain (fem) [na Samhna]
12. An Dubhlachd (fem) [na Dubhlachd] – Variant: Mios na Nollaige

March 1st – A' chiad latha dhen Mhart
June 24th – An ceathramh latha air fhichead dhen Oigmhios
September 31st – A' chiad latha deug air fhichead dhen t-Sultain
December 22nd – An darna latha air fhichead dhen Dubhlachd

Saoirse · **Posted:** Fri 19 Jun 2015 9:13 pm

CaoimhínSF wrote:

It's also interesting that the concept of "mid-summer" and "end of summer" for June and July (as variant forms) parallels the Irish use of "mid-harvest" and "end-of harvest" for September and October.

That is an interesting parallel. :yes:

galaxyrocker · **Posted:** Sat 20 Jun 2015 1:12 pm

CaoimhínSF wrote:

And, for comparison, here they are in Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig). Note that some of them (or their variants) resemble the Ulster variants. It's also interesting that the concept of "mid-summer" and "end of summer" for June and July (as variant forms) parallels the Irish use of "mid-harvest" and "end-of harvest" for September and October.

Something I just saw: apparently Meitheamh comes from a word meaning 'midsummer'

Saoirse · **Posted:** Sat 20 Jun 2015 8:56 pm

galaxyrocker wrote:

CaoimhínSF wrote:

And, for comparison, here they are in Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig). Note that some of them (or their variants) resemble the Ulster variants. It's also interesting that the concept of "mid-summer" and "end of summer" for June and July (as variant forms) parallels the Irish use of "mid-harvest" and "end-of harvest" for September and October.

Something I just saw: apparently Meitheamh comes from a word meaning 'midsummer'

Sin suimiúil freisin.

Lughaidh · **Joined:** Thu 15 Sep 2011 12:06 pm **Posts:** 2435

Quote:

Are these versions used all the time in Donegal, Lughaidh? It is interesting to hear that there are variations in something like months.

I don't know if they are used all the time. They are some of the traditional names, but other versions exist, depending on the place. I'd need to ask people from Gaoth Dobhair, to know what they use in their everyday life.

I guess these names are going to disappear since these aren't taught in schools, they teach the standard ones unfortunately.

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