

A website dedicated to the Irish language in County Mayo
TURAS SIAR - A DOCUMENTARY
Pap and Kath Murphy discuss their journey to establish a centre that celebrates the local dialect, history and genealogy of the people of Belmullet. They discuss the state of Mayo-Irish dialect and their efforts to revive it.
Dé Máirt
8ú Meán Fómhair 2025
Seashore wildlife.
Seashore animals
Breac (general use) – fish Bric - fish (plural)
Ach breac nárbh fhéidir breith air - he was a fish that was difficult to catch
Iasc (formal) – fish
Eochair - fish eggs
Iascáin – small fish
Cat mara – catfish
Fíogach - dogfish
Ceannruán – blenny Ceannruáin - blennies
Bolgán - a small fish that lives near the shoals
Sin é an cleas a bhí aige le éalú ar rud ar bith a d'éireódh amach ina dhéidh - that was the trick it had to get away from anything that might come after it
Ronnach – mackerel Ronnaigh – mackerels
Scadán - herring Scadáin - herrings
Codall – common cuttlefish
Gréasaí - scorpion fish
Bhí sé faoi dheilg uilig - it was covered in spines
Roc – skate
Bradán – salmon
Sciata - skate Sciataí - skates
Leithliú – fluke, flounder Leitheógaí - flukes, flounders
Péist a’dá shiúil déag – small lamprey
Mangach - pollack
Parts of a fish
Eiteadh - fin or eite - fin
Anguilliformes
Eascann - eel Eascainí - eels
Crustaceans
Gliomach – lobster Gliomaigh – lobsters
Gabhal mara – crayfish Gabhal mhara - crayfishes
Portán - crab
Portán iarainn – green crab
Crúbóg – spider crab Crúbógaí - spider crabs
Portán dearg - edible crab
Cruasach – generic name for a shellfish
Sceana mara - razor clams
Gastropods
Bairneach – limpet Báirnigh - limpets
Sliogán - shell sliogáin - shells
Faochan - periwinkle Faochain - periwinkles
(also) Faochóg – periwinkle Faochógaí - periwinkles
Faochain chorainn – periwinkles
Faochain mhadaigh – dog winkles
'Faochain' a deireanns muidí is 'faochógaí' ag corrdhuine - we call them 'faochain' through the odd person calls them 'faochógaí'
Diúilicín – mussel Dúlilcíní - mussels
Ruachain - cockles
Macroalgae
Feamainne - seaweed Feamainneachaí - seaweeds
Feamainn bhoilgneach – bladderwrack
Feamainn bhuí – knotted wrack
Feamainn cholúnach – broad seaweed
Cáiltheán – light minced seaweed
Sleabhac – laver Sleabhcáin - laver (plural)
Sleamóg - belt wrack Sleámógaí - belt wrack
Lóch - light seaweed
Duileasc – dulse
Carraigín – carrageen moss
Nuair a bhí sinní ag carraigín fadó - when we used to be collecting carrageen in the old days
Cnidaria
Smugairle rón - jellyfish