Months in Irish and Scottish Gaelic
Itâs hard to exclude Scottish Gaelic when learning Irish, as there is a whole lot of overlap. Comparing what each calls the months of the year is a fun one as it highlights certain historical and cultural differences.
Gaeilge
EanĂĄir
Feabhra
MĂĄrta
AibreĂĄn
Bealtaine
Meitheamh
Iuil
LĂșnasa
MeĂĄn FĂłmhair
Deireadh FĂłmhair
Samhain
Nollaig
Etymology
Latin IÄnuÄrius
Latin FebruÄrius
Latin Martius
Latin Aprīlis
Old Irish Beltane
Old Irish Mithem
Latin Iƫlius
Old Irish Lugnasad
Mid-harvest
End-of-harvest
Old Irish Samhain
Latin nÄtÄlÄ«cia
GĂ idhlig
Am Faoilleach
An Gearran
Am MĂ rt
An Giblean
An CĂšitean
An t-Ăgmhios
An t-Iuchar
An LĂčnastal
An t-Sultain
An DĂ mhair
An t-Samhain
An DĂčbhlachd
Etymology
Wolf Month
The Cutting
Latin Martius
Pudding Month
from CĂštshamain
Month of the Young
Warm month
Old Irish Lugnasad
Month of fatness
The Rutting
Old Irish Samhain
The Darkness
Historically, these terms have never strictly adhered to the modern day Gregorian calendar. Terms like DĂ©ireadh FĂłmhairâmarked by the end of the harvestâcould be from as early as September to mid-November depending on the weather.
The Irish Bealtaine and Gaelic An CĂšitean are synonyms. The Scottish Gaelic CĂ©itean refers to cĂ©ad shamhain, which I covered in a previous post. Additionally, it is stated in Ă DuinnĂn's FoclĂłir Gaedhilge agus BĂ©arla (1927) that MĂ CĂ©adamhan is the month of May, which means that both forms were used in Irish.
Some Ulster writers also use MĂ na bhFaoillĂ or MĂ na bhFaoilleach for January.
Another one that they actually do have in common as well is Deireadh FĂłmhair, as Scottish Gaelic also uses mĂŹos deireannach an fhoghair. However, Gaelic tends to use the term for September, sometimes October and up to mid-November. MĂŹos Deireannach an t-Samhraidh is the archaic Scottish Gaelic term for July.
Latin influence on the Language
Christianity and the Calendar