Irish words and phrases noted in Massbrook Upper, Co. Mayo, in the 1960s

Abstract

During the latter part of the nineteenth century the Irish language faded out rapidly in Central Mayo between the towns of Ballina and Castlebar, and there are few records of the survival of Irish vocabulary in the English speech of this area. In this article I list and discuss Irish words and phrases noted down in the 1960s in the townland of Massbrook Upper, near Bofeenaun, Co. Mayo. Many of these refer to plants and animals, and some are rare or otherwise unattested. It is also worth recording the survival in Massbrook of lore relating to the riabhach-days ‘three days of bad weather in early April’, the pruthóg ‘outdoor cooking of eggs to celebrate Easter’, and gealach na gcoinlín ‘the harvest moon’.