Let’s take a bitesized look at how to say a traditional Saint Brigid’s Day verse in Irish.
I grew up in the West Kerry Gaeltacht (Irish speaking region) of Corca Dhuibhne where every year we would recite this verse in late January as Saint Brigid’s Day was approaching. You may encounter slightly different versions of the verse in other Gaeltacht regions of Ireland.
It is a simple four-line reflection on the changing of the seasons and of the promise of springtime:
Ó Lá Fhéile Bríde amach, /Oh Law Ay-eh Brree-deh a-mokh/
From Saint Brigid’s day onwards.
Bíonn na héin ag déanamh nead, /Bee-un nuh hayn eg dee-un-uv nyadd/
The birds do be making nests,
Bíonn na caoire ag breith na n-uan, /Bee-un nuh kwee-rreh eg brreh nuh noo-an/
The sheep do be giving birth to the lambs,
Is an lá ag dul i bhfad. /Iss un law eg dul i vodd/
And the day getting longer.
I was a somewhat pedantic child, and the final line of the verse never made much sense to me. I knew that the days started to get longer just after the winter solstice in late December – over a month before Saint Brigid’s Day. It gave me some satisfaction to later find this alternative final line:
Is an fuacht ag dul i dteas. /Iss un foo-ukth egg dul i dass/
And the coldness warming.
Whichever version you prefer, I hope that you enjoy the verse. Maybe, as we did as children, you might like commit it to memory and recite it each year when Saint Brigid’s Day comes around!