Choices from Woodbine Books
Book of the week:
The Trip of a Lifetime is a beautiful book about the light and dark times of life, and all the wonders in between. Moving from the Clare Valley of South Australia to Ballymore Eustace, this is a delightful, emotional story about a colourful and huge-hearted family that you’ll want to call your own. Key to the author's research were Kilcullen's Sheila Peacocke and Sarah Duffy of Newbridge and Naas.
Something different:
As the title suggests, 'Motherfoclóir' takes an irreverent, pun-friendly and contemporary approach to the Irish language. The translations are expanded on and arranged into broad categories that allow interesting connections to be made, and sprinkled with anecdotes and observations about Irish and Ireland itself, as well as language in general. The author includes stories about his own relationship with Irish, and how it fits in with the most important events in his life. Some examples:
fáinne an lae - ring of the day or the first light of dawn.
Breacaimsir - patchy weather or a tartan pattern. It translates as trout weather and as we all know, the best trout fishing weather is patchy, overcast weather.
Allas is the Irish word for sweat and allas an diabhail is a little brat.
Cleiteáil means feather plucking and fuair sé a chleiteáil refers to a trouncing in sport or an election.
Ráth means a fort but also a shoal of fish which is interesting as they shoal for defensive purposes.
This is a book for all lovers of the quirks of language.
