Irish pronunciation/learning Irish

Callaina

Feles Curiosissima

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Location:
Canada
Tagging @Terry S. in particular here.

I've recently begun learning Irish (Celtic lever) harp. I would like to be able to sing the lyrics as well as play the music, but whenever I've tried looking up pronunciation guides, I've only come away more confused than ever. Can someone help?

I would also (eventually) love to understand the lyrics as well, so resources for learning Irish are also much appreciated.

Thanks! :)

If anyone knows Irish and has a moment to help me out a bit with pronunciation and/or translation (Google Translate generates rather incomprehensible nonsense), here's the song I was working on tonight:


Bhíos-sa maidin shamhraidh ag góilt síos trí Chontae an Chláir
Agus éanlaith coille ag labhairt liom ar an gcrann is iad ag siúinseáil,
Sea do chasadh liomsa an ansacht ba bhreátha is ba dheise snua,
’Gus thugas searc is greann di, i dtaobh m’amhrais sí bláth na n-úll.

Maidin aoibhinn uaibhreach ar bhruach na coille glaise breá,
Is mo ghadhair le m’ais ag gluaiseacht go huasal is mo ghunna im láimh,
Sea do dhearcas chughamsa stuairín na gruaige finne is an bhrollaigh bháin,
Agus ábhar an bhinse buainte aici den luachair ba ghlaise fás.

’S do dh’fhéachas ar na cuanta agus bhí ann uaigneas agam dar nóin,
Is do dhruideas suas lem stuairín agus fuaireas uaithi cúpla póg,
Ach sé dúirt sí liom go huaibhreach, ‘Fan suanmhar is ná cuir orm stró,
’Gus ná scaip mo bhinse luachra tréis a bhfuaireas dá thrioblóid.’

‘Is, a chailín bhig na luachra, dá leagfása do bheart ar lár,
Ar bhruach na coille craobhaí nó ag éisteacht le fuaim na trá,
Mar na sagairt ní bhfaighidh scéala air ná éinne eile dá bhfuil san áit,
Nó go dtiocfaidh an chaint don chéirseach ’s go n-iompóidh an lon dubh bán.

‘Ó, cailín deas ab fhearr liom a bheith ar láimh liom thar a bhfeacaíos riamh,
’Gus dá bpósfainn cailleach ghránna, mo lánchreach ná mairfinn bliain,
Ach phósfainn thusa, a ghrá ghil, a chúil fáinneach na dtrioplaí siar,
Is do bhainfinnse binse breá duit chún álainn is a chonaic tú ariamh.

‘Is, a chailín bhig na luachra, glac suaimhneas agus fan go réidh,
Mar ní cás duit a bheith chún buartha in uaigneas is tú leat féin,
Mar má scaip mé do chuid luachra, nach dual go bhfuil mórchuid tar éis,
Agus bainfeadsa binse mór dhuit agus ualach mar thuilleadh léi.’

Is ba dheas an cailín seomra í um thráthnóna is a bruis ’na láimh,
Is cár dheise ná crú na mbó í, sí smóilín í an bhrollaigh bháin,
Do thairringeodh samplaí coróinneach go róbhreá ar éadach cláir,
Sí searc mo chroí is mo rún í, sí mo stuairín í go bhfaighidh mé bás.
 

Clemens

Aedilis

  • Aedilis

Location:
Maine, United States.
You'll need to hear a native speaker demonstrate the pronunciation, because, among other things, like hard/soft consonants in Russian, or emphatic consonants in Arabic, the broad/slender distinction needs to be heard to be imitated properly (in my opinion).
 
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