How’s she cuttin’, Glensfolk and city slickers? No matter, you’re all welcome to the Bluffer’s Guide to Irish.
Starting tonight on BBC 1 NI at 7.30pm is Chronicles of the Glens, a four-part documentary series which spent a year getting to know Glinntí Aontroma - the Glens of Antrim.
Each glen is a gleann oighreach - a glacial valley created millions of years ago.
In the 6th and 7th centuries, it was part of Dál Riata - the Gaelic kingdom which encompassed the western seaboard of Scotland and the north-eastern corner of Ireland - a thousand years before Ulster Scots became a thing.
Each programme looks at a particular séasúr - season and the series starts in an Fómhar - the autumn. It’s a time when Sean McBride and his son Gerard farm eallach mairteola - beef cattle and caoirigh - sheep.
When na gamhna earraigh - the spring calves get to a certain stage, they are moved to different farms where they are raised and brought through to beef.
It’s enough to turn you vegetarian!
Glenwhirry Hill is home to móinteach - moorland where cearca fraoigh - grouse are being conserved with the help of Ireland’s only grouse-keeper, an English guy called Alex Rodgers.
Iascaireacht - fishing of course is very popular in the Glens and “foreigner” Sean McElhatton from over the mountain in Loughguile, fishes in the Glens but the number of fish in the rivers, including bradán - salmon and breac - trout has been steadily falling.
The character of the people shine through the programme.
It takes incredible dochloíteacht - indomitability as well as acmhainn grinn - a sense of humour to work these steep valleys.
There is tragóid - tragedy too as in the story of John McAuley and his son, Ronan. John and Ronan were building a cosán poibí - a public footpath on their land but Ronan tragically died from siondróm bás tobann - sudden death syndrome at the age of 38 before the path was completed His father John, however, is carrying on the work in Ronan’s memory.
Another aspect of Glen’s life is the caisleán - the castle at Gleann Arma - Glenarm with its gairdíní áille - beautiful gardens.
Chronicles of the Glens takes us through the cycle of saol na tuaithe - country life with everything from margaidh - markets to dífhoaraisiú - deforestation.
As the series and the seasons unfold, other inhabitants of the Glens also share their stories.
In Cushendall, the year is proving tumultuous for the Ruairí Óg camogie team as training for the new season stops almost as soon as it started due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Team captain Orlagh O’Hara and player Aimee McDonnell try to keep team morale high but it is proving to be a challenging time for everyone across the Glens community, people like sheep farmer Eoin Devlin.
Even when battling blizzards, Eoin is passionate about farming and caring for the rugged beauty of this Northern Glen.
CÚPLA FOCAL
Glinntí Aontroma (glintchee ayntroma) - the Glens of Antrim
gleann oighreach(glyann eeyrakh) - a glacial valley
Dál Riata (daal reeata) - the land of Riata (a personal name
séasúr(shaysoor) - season
an Fómhar (un fower) - the autumn
eallach mairteola(allakh martchawla) - beef cattle
caoirigh(keeree) - sheep
na gamhna earraigh(ne gaowna aree) - the spring calves
móinteach(monechakh) - moorland
cearca fraoigh (kyarka free) - grouse
iascaireacht(eeaskerakht) - fishing
bradán(bradaan) - salmon
breac(brak) - trout
dochloíteacht(daw-khleetchakht) - indomitability
acmhainn grinn(acwin grin) - a sense of humour
cosán poibí (casaan piblee) - a public footpath
siondróm bás tobann (shindrome baas tuban) - sudden death syndrome
caisleán(caashlaan) - the castle
Gleann Arma(glyan arma) - Glenarm
saol na tuaithe(seel na tooeeha) - country life
margaidh(maragee) - markets
dífhoraisiú (jee-oreeshoo) - deforestation