It is the time of year when we start to talk about what we’d like to eat for Christmas dinner, so let’s take a look at how to say ‘Christmas dinner’ and some associated words and terms in irish!
First of all, the Irish for Christmas itself is an Nollaig /un Null-ig/
This changes to its genitive form when we use it in term Christmas dinner:
dinnéar na Nollag /deen-ayr nuh Null-ug/
Here’s how to ask ‘what will we have for Christmas dinner?’ in Irish:
Cad a bheidh againn le haghaidh dhinnéar na Nollag? /Kodd a vegg a-gwinn leh hye-g yeen-ayr nuh Null-ug/
Although until the 1850s goose was the bird of choice in Ireland as the centre-piece of Christmas dinner, today the answer to the question we’ve posed above is typically ‘stuffed turkey and ham, and all that goes with them’.
You’re probably wondering how to say that in Irish! Here goes:
Turcaí stuáilte agus liamhás, agus gach a dtéann leo /Tur-kee stoo-awl-theh a-guss lee-uv-awss a-gus gakh uh day-un lyow/
The trimmings will no doubt include roast potatoes:
prátaí rósta /praw-thee ro-stuh/
..and those humble Brussels sprouts (that are not to everyone’s taste!):
bachlóga Bruiséile /bok-lo-guh Brish-ay-leh/
If you are having turkey, take my father’s advice and ‘prepare the turkey the night before’:
Ullmhaigh an turcaí an oíche roimh ré /Ull-vig un turkee un eeha riv ray/
Its a big bird, as they say.
Mas veigeán thú../Mawss vay-gawn hoo/ (If you are a vegan..)
..you might prefer nut roast:
builín ilchnónna /bwill-een ill-khnoe-unnuh/
Should you be looking for a bit of diversion in the course of the meal you might like to pull a Christmas cracker. The Irish term for Christmas cracker is pléascóg Nollag/play-us-kowg Null-ug/
Fittingly, this term contains the word pléasc /play-usk/, meaning ‘burst, explode, detonate’.
Either way, make sure that you arrive at the dinner table with a good appetite. As this seanfhocal (proverb) points out, hunger is a good sauce.
Is maith an t-anlann an t-ocras /Iss mah un thown-lun un thuk-russ/
Whatever you decide to have for the dinner, bíodh Nollaig mhór mhaith agat! /Bee-ukh Null-ig voor voh a-guth!/