Book I:
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Preface
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exercise XXXVI

§ 218. We have already pointed out (§176) that all the consonants, when slender, have a y-sound after them. This y sound is particularly noticeable after the labials f, m, p, followed by eo, eoi, iu, iui.

§ 219. This y sound is, of course, but a rapid pronunciation of the e of eo, or i of iu. In Munster, also, in words like fionn (fewN), fair-haired; beann (bae-ouN', b-youN), feall (fae-ouL', f-youL) we have an almost similar sound; and even in Connaught good speakers pronounce words like bean, woman, with a slight trace (bae-an') of the sound of e. Learners can, however, pronounced if (ban)

§ 220. Here we may introduce one of the words irregularly pronounced—beag, little. The g is, of course, broad, like g in begun., not like g in begin. In most parts of Ireland beag is pronounced (beG); in some places (b-yeG) or (b-yŭG).

§ 221 TRanslate into English

• Fuil agus feoil.
• Atá an br[?] beo fós.
• Fuair mé iasg beo ar an tír.
• Laoi, Fedir, Siuir, Sionainn, Bóinn.
• Atá an faoileán ag dul ó Éirinn g tír eile.
• Níl fuiseóg ag an doras, atá fuireóg ins an léana.
• Atá fuinnseóg ag fás ag an tobar.
• Atá an capall ag an tobar, ag ól an uisge.
• Níl Nóra mór fós, atá sí beag.

§ 222. Translate into Irish

• There is a live trout in the well.
• Dermot has not a field, he has a cow; she is old and she has not milk.
• An eagle found a little bird on the cliff.
• The seagull is not alive.
• Dermot O'Connell has a pretty little boat.
• The little boat is on the Lee.
• The Lee is in Ireland.
• Do not drink (ná d-ól) water, drink the milk.
• Niall and Dermot are drinking (ag ól) water at the well.

note that
phonetic
symbols
are not
necessarily pronounced
as in English

See § 13-16