Irish name pronunciation crash course

Find the pronunciation of Irish names, based on spelling, to be confusing? Then this ~1 minute video with 6 quick rules is for you!
This isn't exhaustive (I've a more detailed video that goes into the rules in more depth here: • How to Pronounce Irish... ), but it should help you most of the time to fix the biggest problems you might face when it comes to how to say names of people from Ireland!
Please keep in mind that I had to skip a LOT to make this video as short as it is, so feel free to leave comments on my more in-depth video (already more than a half a million views!) if I don't cover it there!
I referenced some other links, so be sure to check out my page on Irish resources here: www.fluentin3m...
And here is a playlist of videos about learning Irish and videos that I've made IN Irish (with subtitles):
• Irish: Videos in and a...
Enjoyed this video? Subscribe to my KZbin channel: www.youtube.com...
Watch me speak at TEDx: • Hacking language learn...
Follow Benny on Twitter: / irishpolyglot
Join thousands of language learners around the world at the Fluent in 3 Months Facebook community: / fluentin3months

[@CameraHam]

I started learning Irish as a joke among my friends but have learned its actually a really cool language. Thanks for this video, I don't know what id do without it.

[@SaraReneFelton]

Thanks for the lesson! I'm working on a screenplay set in Ireland and this is really helpful!

[@irishpolyglot]

Glad to hear people are finding this quick video handy!

[@electrophonic]

Great video Benny! I can't believe somebody gave this a thumbs down. Positive Vibes Always!

[@irishpolyglot]

It's the Internet! People will thumb down a video with kittens and puppies :P

[@MYOB2023]

Thanks for your videos. I'm here because I can't figure out how to pronounce the Irish spelling of my last name- Barrow. It was originally "Bhearú" and I keep saying it like the English spelling. Can't verify the correct Irish pronunciation anywhere. So, can you do a video of how to say An Bhearú in Irish for this American with Belfast roots? Many thanks.

[@rezza2507]

As we kjow, both Indonesia and Ireland have same initial letter, that is, the letter I. Notwithstanding the similar initial letter, these two countries are situated in different continents, dissimilar languages and respective cultures. I'm Indonesian 🇮🇩. You're Irish 🇮🇪. I fancy watching this video. It's about Irish name pronunciation crash course.

[@keonivenleonideskennedy4389]

Love ur vids, you are super sympathetic

[@saoirsevicteoiria2759]

This is awesome!

[@MindfulofEnglish]

Benny, great videos and very informative. I was wondering what software you use to produce the text names and items on your video. Could you let me know? Thanks.

[@irishpolyglot]

I think I just made this in Adobe Premiere!

[@olimiardomago2644]

I am studying the Gaelic Irish and the hardest thing ever is pronounciation, Samhain (Sawín and not Savín) dhaobi (tírri) duti (dúirri) and more dozen words have the pronounce totally different hahaha, but I feel it will not a trouble in the future, because like in english, I will be accustomed with standarts. Tá Éirinn i mo chroí

[@pongop]

Go raibh maith agat! This is helpful!

[@RoddyBezerra]

I miss my exchange in Éire.

[@alexhill5079]

Hi Benny, this was great! By the way- and this is a total shot in the dark- you wouldn't be able to translate this into Gaelic? "... and in that land, we'll live and die, still wearing Ireland's green"- (plenty of songs have been translated "as Gaeilge" but apparently not Wearing of the Green)

[@ItsmeeSaoirse]

The Gaeilge translation is " agus sa tír sin, beimid beo agus bás, agus glas na hÉireann á caitheamh againn fós " pronounced phonetically as follows Og-us suh teer shin, beh- meed be-o og-us baw-s, og-us gloss nuh hair-un awe coh-huv ah-guinn foe-s 🙂

[@crashq8784]

Such a beautiful language, just not when I try and say it. Great video - I"m practicing but I think my cockatoo is doing better than me.

[@kagavc6278]

Still very curious about what the rule about silent vowels is.

[@en-ct803]

how do you prounounce Cináed?

[@saoirsevicteoiria2759]

I would pronounce it as "kin" (as in, kith and kin), and "aid" (help). There are different dialects of Irish, however, and I'm making my best guess. If it's someone's name, ask them how they pronounce it. My name, Saoirse, is, like Aoife, often pronounced with the "long E" sound = sear (like a steak on a pan), sha (like the Shah of Iran). However, it is also often pronounced sore-sha (sore as in, I bumped my elbow). Siobhan as "shh-ban" and shh-wan" are also both used. I've legit been asked to say my name again, but "this time, correctly". Let's all promise not to be that person.

[@jameslowrey86]

How do you pronounce Cainneach? Like St. Cainneach of Aghaboe. Would it sound like "Kahn-ak" "Kahn-uck" or "Kahn-ik"?

[@saoirsevicteoiria2759]

With Irish, it gets tricker than that! It's even possible that it might be pronounced with a 'g' sound at the end. My best guess would be "ken" (like the name) "ach" (try to imagine that as a softer "ak" sound, if that helps? its almost like the Scots Loch, but with an a swapped in for the o), so "Ken-ach".

[@talideon]

KAHN-(y)ak is close enough. That's a _very_ slight "y" though: the "[i]nn[e]" is a bit like "ñ" in Spanish, but the other subtleties don't matter here.

[@douglas3258]

Benny, eu gosto muito dos seus vídeos. Passando no Brazil venha na minha casa. Forte abraço.

[@NiamhCreates]

Go raibh maith agat, a Bhenny.

[@annabettinaaguilar7642]

How will you projounce o'ciobhain?

[@saoirsevicteoiria2759]

Oh-key-wan or Oh-key-van. Almost like Obiwan, actually.

[@Barca.S]

How do you pronounce "Seanan" or "Seanán"?

[@talideon]

SHEN-an and SHEN-awn.

[@jamie-leighgibson2338]

How do you pronounce connlaoí

[@saoirsevicteoiria2759]

Probably con-lee

[@JosalynWessel]

How do you pronounce “mcgeady”??

[@saoirsevicteoiria2759]

This looks like an Anglicanized version of a name (e.g. Kate vs Cait), but roughly it would be mac-gee-dee, I think (gee here rhymes with glee).

[@caitgrant7750]

Cáit... pronounced Caw... t or Caught..... past tense of to Catch.. Irish not American or Australian... Cáitlin....... CATHLEEN KATHLEEN NOT ..... CAT.. LYN.. CATE.. LIN. KATE.. LYN etc............ KATHLEEN.

[@talideon]

Cáit sounds like "cawch" to an anglophone, but the "ch" is much closer to a "t". It's more like the "t(y)" you here English people using at the start of "tune" and "tube", so not "toob" or "choob", but something in between and closer to the former. (It's a [t̪ʲ], if you want to be technical)