Making your name Irish

Fast_Mover · 17-04-2008 11:42PM

I'm an O! My family are POC,MOC,DOC,POC,MOC,GOC!:D
I study Irish in college..can't say I'v ever contemplated changing my sloinne to the Irish tho, even though I like it alot..

dsmythy · 18-04-2008 12:20AM

djpbarry wrote: »

Either scenario is highly unlikely, considering that more than 96% of all under-15's in Ireland are from English speaking countries (according to the 2006 census).

That's fair enough i was exaggerating to make a point. It still stands. The less disruption in a school with regards to the speaking of English the more attractive it will be.

Steve · 18-04-2008 01:26AM

Whats Steve in Irish? Stiofan?

pronounced stiff-on...

no thanks.

/facepalm

Jigsaw · 18-04-2008 02:02AM

Can any name be converted into Irish?

I really don't think mine can.

admiralofthefleet · 18-04-2008 02:06AM

stevec wrote: »

Whats Steve in Irish? Stiofan?

pronounced stiff-on...

no thanks.

/facepalm

well its really pronounced stuff-on.

me its geariod. pronounced gar oid

Pherekydes · 18-04-2008 08:12AM

stevec wrote: »

Whats Steve in Irish? Stiofan?

pronounced stiff-on...

It's pronounced Shtiff awn. The fada makes a difference.

Pherekydes · 18-04-2008 08:19AM

djpbarry wrote: »

Yeah, because all the foreigners are Muslim :rolleyes:

I didn't say that. :rolleyes:

"Muslim schools and the like." "...and the like" covers other options.

Havermeyer · 18-04-2008 08:58AM

I recently went to see some relatives who I hardly ever see.

Rich people, both parents work in the banks, live in a nice Dublin suburb and can't speak a word of Irish.

Found out that they had all changed their names to O' and Ni whatever.

Just wondering on other people's thoughts on people playing up the name when they have about as much Irish as an egg.

I think they are all a bunch of twats, tbh. They are the type of Gaelteacht wannabe anglo Irish muppets that call their kids Fíachra and Oisín if you ask me. If you can speak the language fair enough. Also what pisses me off is the people on RTE or TG4. You have Sharon Ní Bheoláin instead of Sharon Boland. I know that's not her name because I know her cousin, and their name is Boland. Either bring back the Irish language and use it (which is what I want to happen tbh) or stop using it as a fúcking gimmic to sound posh or more Irish.

Rant over.

Reku · 18-04-2008 09:08AM

Das Kitty wrote: »

My intended has an Irish surname, I've told him I'll only take the English equivalent because the Irish one gives me the initials MUC, or MUiC, so pig or pigs. No thanks.

Plus his English surname is money.

How does the surname Airgead give you a C?

My first name is Irish but I just go with the English pronounciation, easier than having to explain all the time why the odd spelling since the English spelling of the same name with the Irish pronounciation is somewhat different. That and I don't particularly care, as long as I know it's me the person's refering to what difference what they call me.

Slow coach wrote: »

It's pronounced Shtiff awn. The fada makes a difference.

It bugs me that I was always taught St.Stephen's day is Lá Naomh Stiofán yet St. Stephen's Green is Faiche Stiabhna, what sh*tehawk screwed that up?

Das Kitty · 18-04-2008 09:15AM

farohar wrote: »

How does the surname Airgead give you a C?

Not literally money but related to it...

It's a reference from the film Swingers, where the two lads call each other "money" meaning good.

Stollaire · 18-04-2008 09:16AM

Jigsaw wrote: »

Can any name be converted into Irish?

I really don't think mine can.

What is it?

Das Kitty · 18-04-2008 09:18AM

If anyone can find a way Stollaire can!

The Irish version of my first name is horrific. Somehow managed to convince them that it was a French name so they wouldn't translate it, so just my surname was translated.

18-04-2008 09:52AM

One of my colleagues, Áine recently recieved an e-mail from the UK addressed to Onya.

Her name is correctly spelled in the email address!

Das Kitty · 18-04-2008 09:56AM

heh!

My friend Ciara has had people calling her Sierra since that R&B singer was around a few years ago. Irish people!

Defenestrate · 18-04-2008 10:29AM

I've got a mate in college who's mum filled out or helped him fill out his application form. She put his name down in Irish for some reason even though he hates it and he gets all embarassed anytime his name gets called out cos none of the lecturers can pronounce it!

Steve · 18-04-2008 10:53AM

Slow coach wrote: »

It's pronounced Shtiff awn. The fada makes a difference.

LOL that sounds like my pronounciation only with a wesht of Ireland accent. Great shtuff...:D

djpbarry · 18-04-2008 11:32AM

micmclo wrote: »

I'd like to see figures for Balbriggan, Co. Dublin where the over-subscribed Catholic schools couldn't admit non-nationals so admist the cries of racism a new school was set-up which is almost exclusivly used by non-nationals.

I'm guessing that a large number of the kids in said school are Irish-born. I'm also guessing that most of the non-Irish kids speak English.

Just over 89% of the population of Balbriggan is Irish, British or American. About 3.5% are from other EU nations; 1.3% are European but non-EU; about 4.2% are African; about 0.9% are Asian. Now, about 60% of Africans in Ireland are either Nigerian or South African, so it's reasonable to assume most are English-speaking. So, in Balbriggan, the absolute maximum number of non-English speaking inhabitants could not exceed about 7.4%, but of course, the actual figure is likely to be much lower.

micmclo wrote: »

...many parents put their children in a Gaelscoil so they won't have many non-national children though of course there are some.
And tbh if I had a child I'd do the same because the Irish language is something to be proud of and of course if a sizable percentage of your child's class can't speak English or Irish it's going to slow down everyone

You wouldn't put your kid into a school with foreign kids in case a few of the foreigners can't speak English, so you'd send them to a school where, as a matter of practice, nobody speaks English? That makes sense.

Slow coach wrote: »

"Muslim schools and the like." "...and the like" covers other options.

Such as?

To put it simply, I think the issue of non-English speaking kids in Irish schools is being blown out of all proportion. Sure, it's an issue, but it's hardly insurmountable. For me, the lack of school places for ALL kids, regardless of nationality, is of far greater concern.

So, I would be of the opinion that the rise in numbers attending Gaelscoileanna has a lot to do with middle-class fashion trends, snobbery and a perhaps a touch of racism, but that’s not to say that every parent who sends their kids to an Irish school falls into any of those categories.

ojewriej · 18-04-2008 11:36AM

Where do you get all the numbers from?

Grudaire · 18-04-2008 12:24PM

The fun part of having an Irish name is when foreigners try and pronounce it-

Was in America:
Cathal - Cat-hell
Ciarán - Carn, Karan, oh Kiereon
Neven - Nathan

I'll be getting my surname changed to Irish

ibuprofen · 18-04-2008 12:28PM

stevec wrote: »

Whats Steve in Irish? Stiofan?

pronounced stiff-on...

no thanks.

/facepalm

Youn never know Might get you some action!!:)

ibuprofen · 18-04-2008 12:35PM

Isn't it a fact that Gael Scoileanna especially the primary schools have a very high level of education. There's one near me in Dublin and it's definitely the best primary school in the area. I know that kids have come out of it and gone to Gonzaga. Heard good reports on others also...

Steve · 18-04-2008 12:36PM

ibuprofen wrote: »

Youn never know Might get you some action!!:)

Guy I used to work with had the surname O'Loibhead

Very popular with the ladies.;)

Dyr · 18-04-2008 12:38PM

My name is Oisín, in yizzer face yiz haters :cool:

dsmythy · 18-04-2008 03:08PM

djpbarry wrote: »

I'm guessing that a large number of the kids in said school are Irish-born. I'm also guessing that most of the non-Irish kids speak English.

Just over 89% of the population of Balbriggan is Irish, British or American. About 3.5% are from other EU nations; 1.3% are European but non-EU; about 4.2% are African; about 0.9% are Asian. Now, about 60% of Africans in Ireland are either Nigerian or South African, so it's reasonable to assume most are English-speaking.

I wouldn't be so certain on Nigerian english speakers. 1,000,000 spoke it in Nigeria in 1977 as a second language. Elitists speak it as a first language. Although i don't know what the number is for today.

Also not all Irish born children will be taught english by their parents. Nevertheless it would only make slight changes to your figures you have worked out.

sharkDawg · 18-04-2008 03:27PM

nummnutts wrote: »

I think they are all a bunch of twats, tbh. They are the type of Gaelteacht wannabe anglo Irish muppets that call their kids Fíachra and Oisín if you ask me. If you can speak the language fair enough. Also what pisses me off is the people on RTE or TG4. You have Sharon Ní Bheoláin instead of Sharon Boland. I know that's not her name because I know her cousin, and their name is Boland. Either bring back the Irish language and use it (which is what I want to happen tbh) or stop using it as a fúcking gimmic to sound posh or more Irish.

Rant over.

You've completely contradicted yourself there nummnutts, you say its alright for people to use there Irish name if they can speak the language, but people like Sharon Ní Bheoláin piss you off? She's a fluent Irish speaker as is anyone that presents on TG4. The whole posh argument is crazy too, there is nothing stopping anyone from changing there name if they want to, it doesn't cost anything.

dlofnep · 18-04-2008 03:39PM

rb_ie wrote: »

as not many people could give a f*ck about the Irish language these days.

I care about it. As do alot of my peers.

djpbarry · 18-04-2008 03:55PM

ojewriej wrote: »

Where do you get all the numbers from?

www.cso.ie/census

Bogger77 · 18-04-2008 04:19PM

Cliste wrote: »

The fun part of having an Irish name is when foreigners try and pronounce it-

Was in America:
Cathal - Cat-hell
Ciarán - Carn, Karan, oh Kiereon
Neven - Nathan

I'll be getting my surname changed to Irish

I get called Seer Inn for Ciarán here, usually by people from US or India

dlofnep · 18-04-2008 04:21PM

Bogger77 wrote: »

I get called Seer Inn for Ciarán here, usually by people from US or India

That's ok, when I speak to people from India on the phone in work, they call me "Charlie".

My name is John btw.

funk-you · 18-04-2008 04:27PM

nummnutts wrote: »

I think they are all a bunch of twats, tbh. They are the type of Gaelteacht wannabe anglo Irish muppets that call their kids Fíachra and Oisín if you ask me. If you can speak the language fair enough. Also what pisses me off is the people on RTE or TG4. You have Sharon Ní Bheoláin instead of Sharon Boland. I know that's not her name because I know her cousin, and their name is Boland. Either bring back the Irish language and use it (which is what I want to happen tbh) or stop using it as a fúcking gimmic to sound posh or more Irish.

Rant over.

She used to be a secondary school irish teacher. She taught me. She's obviously proud of speaking the language. Complete bitch though.

-Funk

Making your name Irish

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