Go mbeannaí Dia daoibh agus bhur gcéad míle fáilte isteach chuig the Bluffer’s Guide to Irish.
Well, as you read this, hopefully that big yellow thing in the sky we Gaeil call an ghrian - the sun is caressing your pale faces and filling you full of good cheer.
Sitting out in the sun trying to get the Dale Winton look can be boring so what better than to pamper your brain as well as your body with a nice book.
Leabhar is a book of course and in Ulster Irish we say leabharthaí for books (the standardised word is leabhair) and of course there is something that will float everyone’s boat.
Cad é tá tú á léamh ar an aimsir seo? What are you reading this weather? is a question you could ask one of your more literate mates.
It could be ficsean or neamhfhicsean - fiction or non-fiction.
Perhaps your friend likes a good úrscéal - a novel or a form the Irish are very good at, an gearrscéal - the short story.
Is breá liom gearrscéalta - I love short stories or you could put the name of your favourite author after is breá liom to tell people who you enjoy reading, be it Alex Hijmans, Colm Toibin or Catherine Cookson.
Many novels these days are made into films and usually tá an leabhar i bhfad níos fearr ná an scannán - the book is much better than the film.
There is nothing the Bluffer likes better than getting his bi-monthly copy of Books Ireland magazine.
Being Irish, we like our leabharthaí staire - history books and just published are books on na Trioblóídí - the Troubles, the Irish in the Confederate States of America and Michael Collins.
(The Bluffer has just got a copy of The Popular Mind in Eighteenth Century Ireland which he will review for you at a later date. He’s sure you can’t wait!)
As well as history books the Bluffer likes beathaisnéisí - biographies. He’s looking forward to reading Something in the Blood, a biog of Dubliner Bram Stoker, creator of Dracula.
There are trillions of books on cócaireacht - cooking and what is called slí bheatha - lifestyle which could mean how to look after your ferret or 80 things to do with a cucumber and so on.
Books can teach you how to make friends and influence people, understand an Bíobla - the Bible, identify birds or make you laugh or cry or empathise with people on the other side of the world.
There is probably no need for certain books available on Amazon, such as Pets With Tourettes, but the Bluffer has a copy of Anybody Can Be Cool ... But Awesome Takes Practice on his bedside table.
There is nothing in the universe that a book hasn’t been written about it but one of the great pleasures of having children is being able to read to them at night and there are some great books for children.
A couple of new titles in Irish include An Billiúnaí Beag - The Little Billionaire, An Capall Rása Tuirseach - The Tired Racehorse and Greim na Vaimpíre - The Vampire’s Bite.
So time to visit your local library - while it's still there!
CÚPLA FOCAL
an ghrian(un yreean) - the sun
leabhar(lyore) - a book
leabharthaí(lyorehee) - books
Cad é tá tú á léamh ar an aimsir seo? (cadge ay taa too aa layoo er un iymshir shaw) - What are you reading this weather?
ficsean (fiction) - fiction
neamhfhicsean(nyaow-iction) - fiction
úrscéal(oorshkeeal) - a novel
an gearrscéal(un gyaar-shkeeal) - the short story
Is breá liom gearrscéalta (iss braa lumgyaar-shkeealta) - I love short stories
tá an leabhar i bhfad níos fearr ná an scannán(taa un lyore i waad nees farr naa un scannaan) - the book is much better than the film
leabharthaí staire(lyorehee stara) - history books
na Trioblóídí(na chrobloidgee) - the Troubles
beathaisnéisí(bahashnayshee) - biographies
cócaireacht(cawkerakht) - cooking
slí bheatha (shlee vaha) - lifestyle
An Bíobla (un beebla) - the Bible
An Billiúnaí Beag(un bilyoonee big) - the Little Billionaire
An Capall Rása Tuirseach(un caple raasa tirshaak) - the Tired Racehors
Greim na Vaimpíre(graym na vampeera) - the Vampire’s Bite