how to say the names of irish songbirds

Lets learn the names in Irish of seven different species of songbird native to Ireland!

First of all the Irish for bird is éan /ay-un/. The term for songbird is éan ceoil /ay-un kyoh-il/. As you may already know, the Irish word for music is ceol /kyohl/. Here it is in its genitive singular form.

1. Robin

First up today is the plucky robin. The Irish for robin is spideog /spid-owg/ .

2. Goldfinch

The second bird on our list today has quite a poetic name in Irish. The Irish for goldfinch is lasair choille /los-irr khwil-leh/. This translates as ‘flame of the forest‘. If you have ever seen goldfinches flying through the trees with their bright red faces and vibrant yellow wings you will understand what inspired this name!

This reminds me of the name Lasairfhíona /los-irr ee-un-a/, a woman’s given name that is found on the Aran Islands and in the Connacht region of Ireland. This name translates as ‘flame of wine’. When you have finished learning these songbird names why not listen to Lasairfhíona Ní Chonaola from Inis Oírr singing a lively version of the song bean Pháidín!

3. Thrush

The Irish for thrush is smólach /smoh-lokh/. Two types of thrush are common in Ireland: the song thrush and the mistle thrush.

The term in Irish for song thrush is smólach ceoil /smoh-lokh kyoh-ill/ .

Mistle thrush in Irish is smólach mór /smoh-lokh moor/, which tranlates as ‘large thrush’.

4. Stonechat

The most common term for stonechat in Irish is caislín cloch /kash-leen klukh/.

In the West Kerry Gaeltacht, Corca Dhuibhne, caislin cloch is also used as the name of a different bird, the wheatear.

When you’re in West Kerry I suggest that you use the local terms for the stonechat to avoid any ambuguity!

There is one name for the male of the species and another for the female. So, the male stonechat of Corca Dhuibhne is Donncha an chaipín /dun/kha un khap-een/ (‘Doncha of the cap’, owing to his dark head). The female stonechat of Corca Dhuibhne is Máirín an Triúis /maw-reen un troo-ish/ (‘Máirín of the trousers’ owing, presumably, to her fetching pale-orange dungarees!).

5. Skylark

The term fuiseog /fwish-ohg/ is used in Irish to refer to both the skylark and the lark.

The term éirí leis an bhfuiseog /eye-ree lesh un vwish-ohg/ (‘rising with the lark‘) is used to signify getting up ‘at the break of dawn’.

6. Tit

The Irish for tit is meantán /mee-ow-un-thawn/.

Great tit in Irish is meantán mór /mee-ow-un-thawn moor/, while blue tit is meantán gorm /mee-ow-un-thawn gurr-um/. If you know your colours in Irish, you’ll know that gorm is the Irish for blue!

7. Wren

Last, but not least, on our list today is the diminutive Wren. The Irish term for wren is dreoilín /droh-il-een/.

Check out this modern-classic dance anthem of the same name. Here is the song’s composer, Seán Monaghan. talking about how the wren inspired the song!

Now check out our blog on how to say the names of five species of Irish wildflowers!

Did someone say Song? See our Sing in Irish course.