Glossary

We take the Irish language very seriously within Comhaltas, and as far as possible we use it for our day-to-day activities. This can be a bit daunting, though, for the Comhaltas visitor or member unfamiliar with the language! We’ve created this page to give you some pronounciations and definitions for Irish words that we use frequently within Comhaltas.

For more information on the Irish Language, you might want to visit our friends at Foras na Gaeilge, an organisation that does great work promoting and teaching Irish.

Amhráin Bhéarla
  \ow-ROIN VAIR-le\
Song in English
Amhráin Ghaeilge
  \our-ROIN GWAIL-ge\
Songs in Irish
Amhráin Nua Cheaptha
  \our-ROIN NEW-a KYAP-a\
Newly composed songs
Ardchomhairle
  \ard-HOR-le\
"Council" - the Central Executive Committee of Comhaltas
Ardstiúrthóir
  \ard-STEW-i-hor\
Director-General
Athnuachan
  \AH-ha-NEW-i-han\
Renewal, a programme instituted by Comhaltas in 2001
Éireann
  \AY-ren\
Ireland
Óstach
  \OHS-tach\
Host, M.C.
Bainseo
  \BAN-show\
Banjo
Bean a’Tí
  \BAN-a-TEE\
Leader of a concert or session (female)
Bodhrán
  \BOW-RAWN\
Bodhrán
Bosca Ceoil
  \BUS-ka CYOO-ial\
Button Accordion
Buanchoiste
  \BOO-an-HOOSH-ta\
Standing committee (of the Ardchomhairle)
Buíon Cheoil Cháirdín
  \BWEE-yun HYO-il CYAR-deen\
Accordion Band
Buíon Cheoil Chéilí
  \BWEE-yun HYO-il HYAY-lee\
Céilí Band drums
Buíon Cheoil Fheadóg Mhór
  \BWEE-yun HYO-il A-dog VOOR\
Flute Band
Buíon Cheoil Phíob
  \BWEE-yun HYO-il FEE-ib\
Pipe Band
Buíon Rogha Ghléas
  \BWEE-yun RAH-ha GLAIS\
Miscellaneous Band
Bunreacht
  \BUN-racht\
Constitution
Cathaoirleach
  \ka-HEER-lach\
Chairman
Cáirdín Pianó
  \COR-deen pi-AN-o\
Piano Accordion
Céilí
  \KAY-lee\
Irish dance evening
Céilithe
  \KAY-li-huh\
Plural of Ceílí - Irish dance evenings
Cómhrá Gaeilge
  \COOR-ah GWAYL-guh\
Conversational Irish
Cúige
  \KOO-ee-ga\
Province
Ceol
  \HYEEOHL\
Music
Ceol Beirte
  \CYOLE BER-ta\
Duets
Ceol Triúir
  \CYOLE TRUE-ir\
Trio
Ceoltóirí
  \KYOHL-TOE-ree\
Musicians
Cisteoir
 
Treasurer
Cláirseach
  \CLAR-shuch\
Harp
Clár
 
Table of contents or Programme
Coiste
 
Committee
Coiste Ceoil
 
Music Committee
Coiste Rince
 
Dance committee
Comórtais
  \cum-MOR-tish\
Competitions
Comórtas
  \cuh-MOR-tas\
Competition
Comhaltas
 
Association, gathering, brotherhood
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
 
Gathering of Musicians of Ireland
Compere
  \COM-pair\
Master of Ceremonies (French)
Consairtín
 
Concertina
Cornphíopa
  \corn-FEE-oh-pa\
Hornpipe, a kind of Irish dance music with a "swinging" rhythm
Craic
 
Fun, good times
Craobh
  \KRAVE\
Branch
Cruit
 
Harp
Cultúrlann
 
Literally "place of culture", the Cultúrlann na hÉireann in Dublin is the headquarters of Comhaltas
Drumaí Ceilí
 
Céilí band drums
Feadaíl
 
Whistling
Feadóg
 
Whistle
Feadóg Mhór
 
Concert Flute
Fear a’Tí
  \FIR-a-TEE\
Leader (male)
Fidil
  \FIHD-el\
Fiddle. The same instrument as a classical violin.
Fidléir
  \fid-LAYR\
Fiddle player
Fir
 
Men
Fleadh
 
Festival (or "feast") of music.
Fleadh Cheoil
 
Festival of Music.
Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann
 
The All-Ireland Music Festival, an annual event put on by Comhaltas
Fleadhanna
 
Plural of Fleadh, meaning "festivals."
Foinn Mhalla Feadóg Mhór
 
Flute slow airs
Foinn Mhalla Feadóg Stáin
 
Whistle slow airs
Foinn Mhalla Píb Uilleann
 
Uilleann pipes slow airs
Foinn Mhalla Veidhlín
 
Fiddle slow airs
Foinn Seisiún
  \FWEEN SESH-oon\
A series of music books produced by Comhaltas.
Gaeilge
  \GWAYL-guh\
The Irish language
Geantraí
  \GYAN-tree\
Dance tunes, typical of Irish traditional music
Goltraí
  \GOHL-tree\
Sad songs, laments
Gradam
 
Honour. The name of an annual award given by Comhaltas.
Grúpaí Ceoil
 
Grúpaí Ceoil, a mixed musical ensemble.
Leaschathaoirleach
 
Vice-Chairman
Mandoílín
 
Mandolin
Meitheal
 
"Working Together." The name of a community-based outreach programme of Comhaltas.
Mileoideon
 
Melodeon
Mná
 
Ladies
Nasc
 
Links.
Orgán Béil
 
Mouth Organ
Píb Mhór
 
War Pipes
Píb Uilleann
 
Uilleann Pipes, a reed instrument typical of Irish traditional music
Plearáca
  \plair-AH-ka\
Polca
  \POHL-ka\
Polka
Portaireacht
 
Lilting
Ranganna
  \RONG-guh-na\
Classes
Rúnaí
 
Secretary.
Reactaire
  \ROCK-ter-a\
An officer in a Meitheal Regional Centre
Riarthóir
  \REE-ra-hor\
An officer in a Meitheal Regional Resource Centre
Rogha Gléas
 
Miscellaneous
Scoil Éigse
 
An annual week-long school of traditional Irish music
Scoraíocht
 
Dramatic presentation
Scrúdú Ceol Tíre (SCT)
 
A graded series of exams in traditional Irish music
Seisiún
 
An informal gathering of Irish musicians for the purpose of playing music. Also refers to a summer stage programme of Comhaltas.
Stiúrthóir
  \STEW-i-hor\
Director
Suantraí
  \SOO-an-TREE\
Lullabies, a traditional category of Irish music
Teach Ceoil
 
Literally "house of music." Refers to a Comhaltas regional or outreach centre.
Teastas Teagaisc Ceolta Tíre (TTCT)
 
An intensive teachers' course and diploma course for Irish traditional music, administered by Comhaltas
Tionól
 
A type of festival of Irish music
Tionlacan
 
Accompaniment
Treoir
  \TROHR\
Literally "index", Treoir is the in-house journal of Comhaltas
Treoraí na Gaeilge
 
The Irish officer (literally, "guide to Irish") within a Comhaltas unit
Turasanna
 
Uachtarán
 
President
Uilleann
 
(as in, "Uilleann Pipes") Literally "elbow pipes", a traditional Irish musical instrument