Description

The Irish Dialect of County Mayo

The Mayo dialect of Irish is part of the North Connaught sub-dialect of Connaught Irish and differs
substantially from the South Connaught or Galway Irish. The book gives some illustrations of the
differences. The book also describes the researches conducted in the 1930s and 1950s into Mayo Irish, and
gives whatever information there is to be had on the original researchers and their informants.
Mayo Irish has four micro-dialects: Erris; Ballycroy/Achill; Toormakeady; and East Mayo. It describes
each micro-dialect and gives a list of words and phrases unique to the micro-dialect. It has chapters on
grammar and pronunciation and has a substantial list of words which are mainly unique to Mayo Irish, or
have a unique Mayo or Connaught pronunciation.

About the author
Breandán Mac Conamhna was born and reared in Belderrig, in the Erris Gaeltacht.
He spent twenty years as a teacher and lecturer in England, before returning to Ireland as principal of the
Regional Technical College, Sligo, later the Institute of Technology, Sligo. After twenty-one years, he retired
and now lives in County Sligo.
Breandán has been busy in retirement, and has written six books, two in Irish. He has three curraghs, and
except for Covid years, he has them on display most years at maritime festivals in France.