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