Gaelic surnames

not14talk

Sorry im so bad at irish im not even going to try and speak it but I need know the Gaelic version of Boyle.

Which one is it?
Ó Baoill
Ó Bhaoill
Ó Baoighill

Also which way shoud the O be Ó'B, Ó B, ó B?

Cionnfhaolaidh

Hi not14talk,

I would have spelled it "Ó Baoighill", but it could have come from any of those spellings you posted. Ó Baoill would be an easier spelling, but it always nice to keep the gh in there.

The apostrophie (O'Boyle) was a corruption of the Gaelic fada (the accent above the vowel) during the anglisisation of Ireland. So if you're writing the name in Irish, it should always be Ó with a space after it, if you're writing it in English, it would be O' with no space. eg. Ó Baoighill / O'Boyle

Ó means 'grandson of', and should always be a capital letter (ceannlitir).

Lastly, might I ask why you need to know?

Le meas,
Cionnfhaolaidh

hullaballoo

You are not allowed post English in Tar Éis na hUaire. It is for discussion in Irish only.

Also, it's not a forum for the technical or linguistic aspects of the language. That sort of discussion belongs in this (the Gaeilge) forum.

Gael

not14talk wrote:

Ó Bhaoill

You'd never spell it that way. It's be either Ó Baoill (nominative case) or Uí Bhaoill (genetive case)

Ó Baoighill is fine too, if a little archaic. Though if you're going to use the old spelling you should at least be consistent with it and spell it as 'Ua Baoighill'

Cionnfhaolaidh

GRMA a Ghaeil.