Ancient Phrases

In the west of Ireland, gaeltacht, or Irish language is common in speech and on signs. There are a few words that you will find important, (such as those telling which is the men’s room and which is the ladies room) or you may just wish to try out a few Gaelic phrases to respond to those who greet you.

General  Words & Phrases

Guarda  is the short form of garda síochána, the "guardians of peace". These are the Irish police.

An Lár  Literally  means "the center" and is used on signs to denote the town center as destination.

Seirbhís/ As Seirbhís  Pronounced "service" and means the same thing. The opposite is as seirbhís or "out of service".

  

Craic  Irish nightlife, or a good night out might be referred to as 'great craic' (pronounced 'crack'). A greeting may be 'what’s the craic?' Or you may hear people ask “where’s the craic?” They are not looking for drugs, just great music.

Ní thuigim  (nee higimm)  ”I don’t understand”.    Those in the west who speak Irish certainly also speak English but this is a useful phrase in any language.

Mná   is not a misspelling of "man" but the Irish word for "women". Because it is used on toilet doors, (mainly in the West), the similarity of mná and “man” can lead to some very embarrassing situations.

Fir, is the word for ‘Men’ found on toilet doors in the West of Ireland.

Slán abhaile (slawn aWHILEyuh) is a phrase that you may here when departing a shop, meaning ‘Safe home’.

Irish Greetings

Dia Duit  (JEE-a Gwitch) = Hello

Conas atá tú? (CUNN-us a TAW too) = How are you?

Go raibh maith agat  (GURRA mah agg-utt) = Thank you

Slán (Slawn) = Goodbye

Sláinte! (Slawn-cha or Sloin-cha) = Health! (Cheers!)

Amadán = Eejit = Idiot

Glic (Glick) = Cute, Clever, Smartass

Fáilte (fall-sha)=Welcome    You may see the phrase ’Cead Mile Fáilte’=One hundred thousand welcomes or see reference to the ‘Bord Fáilte’: the National Tourism Development Authority.

Scéal The Irish word for "story" is  'scéal' (pronounced 'Shkale') so someone looking for information might ask - "What's the sceal with that?".



Give Way - an Irish Yield sign



If you are renting a car, (and driving on the LEFT side of the road) you will find road signs in both English and Irish - usually.  



Irish Wit



The Irish are well known for their sarcasm and their wit. One friend, traveling in Ireland asked a man if he had lived in that town all of his life. His response?  “Not yet...“

Of course, there are curses as well (which should be referred to with care in any language.)

Here’s a doozy: Go n-ithe an cat thú is go n-ithe an diabhal an cat  

“May the cat eat you, and may the cat be eaten by the devil.”

If you would like to hear the way many of these words are pronounced, you can listen online.

 

Reminder

If you have not yet booked your rooms at Dromoland Castle, there is still time

to get in on the reduced rates for our group.

Telephone Number: +353 61 368144    from the U.S. toll free: 1 800 346 7007

Mention our contact person, Gillian Lee and let the hotel know that you are included in the

Sullivan party, September 14th -16th, 2012.

If you are attending, but will be staying elsewhere, just let us know

so that we may release the hold on the rooms. Thank you!



Ireland’s Wild, Wild West



The Cliffs of Moher stretch for miles along the West Coast

The rugged Atlantic coast of Ireland is an area of stunning beauty.  It was along this coast that Pirate queen Grace O’Malley patrolled the waters in the 16th century for over 50 years.

You can imagine her ship today as you look out across the sea off the coast of County Kerry.

This is a ‘Gaeltacht’ (or Irish speaking) area known as much for its music, art and textiles as its scenery.

Car rental is relatively inexpensive in Ireland. Consider it in the west in particular where trains are sparse and busses unreliable. This will also give you access to the ‘off the beaten track’ towns. Know that in the Republic of Ireland driving is on the left side of the road.



Galway



Draw a line straight from Dublin to the west coast of Ireland and you will find Galway. Known as ‘Ireland's Cultural Heart’, it is renowned for its many festivals and is a major center for Traditional Irish Music. Although its population is only about 70,000 it is the fastest growing city in Europe.

Galway is a bustling town with fantastic nightlife. It's charming streets and numerous pubs, cafes and shops will keep you happily occupied as the town is short on common tourist attractions, making it a place to play vs. ‘tour’.

If you drive from Ballyvaughan, on the southern shores of Galway Bay to Carraigaholt, at the mouth of the Shannon River, you will encounter one of the most scenic routes in all of Ireland.



Pub Music



Be sure to stop in Doolin, a noted center for traditional Irish music and here you can also find a ferry to the Aran Islands, site of some of the oldest archaeological remains in Ireland.

The Cliffs of Moher can be seen along a 5 mile stretch of the Atlantic coast of Ireland. On the short list of the “New 7 Wonders of the World” it is awe inspiring and should not be missed.



Poulnabrone Dolmen



If it is The Ancients of Ireland you seek, The Burren is a beautiful barren lunar-like limestone landscape featuring many manmade stone formations such as Poulnabrone Dolmen, an ancient portal tomb that predates both the Pyramids and Stonehenge.

In the Southwest, the Ring of Kerry drive provides spectacular scenery, dramatic coastline, colorful towns and villages and ancient archaeological treasures. Beginning and ending in Killarney (drive it counter-clockwise for the best views), the Ring of Kerry provides insight into the ancient heritage of Ireland through castles, old monasteries, and charming towns.



At Skellig Michael



An hour boat ride off the west coast brings you to Skellig Michael, a remote 1000 year old monastery, which can be seen from several vantage points along the Ring of Kerry. Skellig Michael is the site of a well preserved monastic outpost of the Early Christian period and is now designated as a World Heritage Site. It is limited to 300 visitors per day even in high season.

Further south, whale watching excursions can be made from Skibbereen in West Cork. The Irish government declared Ireland a whale and dolphin sanctuary in 1991 and the best spotting areas are along the west coast.

Have fun planning your trip! Watch for more updates on Ireland including more details on our upcoming weekend at Dromoland Castle.

'A Hundred Thousand Welcomes'

céad míle fáilte

Dromoland Castle

 

We look forward to welcoming you to Dromoland Castle,

Newmarket on Fergus, County Clare, Ireland

September 14^th -16^th for a weekend in honor of both the

accomplishments of Steve Sullivan and all past entrepreneurs who

worked in spite of difficult economic times and succeeded in business.

At the event on Saturday night, we will recognize entrepreneurs who

persevered during difficult economic times and made a lasting

impression on our lives today and well into the future.

We celebrate our human nature, the curiosity that has helped many

past MBA students across the world become change agents

in the face of adversity.

HOW TO BOOK YOUR ROOM

If you have not yet booked your room, call Dromoland Castle at

Telephone Number: +353 61 368144 (from the U.S. toll free: 1800 346 7007).

Mention our contact person, Gillian Lee and let them know that you are included in the Sullivan party, September 14^th -16^th, 2012.

This will give you our group rate of a Queen Anne room at 310Euros per room per night. (Single occupancy, deduct 20Euros per night.)

If you wish to stay an additional night, the same rate will apply.

Breakfast is included in the rate. They accept all major credit cards.

Please let us know on what date you expect to arrive so that we can double check all of our preparations. Thank you!

GETTING THERE

Dromoland Castle is located just 8 miles from Shannon International Airport. 

There is no shuttle to the castle but cabs are available at the airport.

The castle is just 19 miles north of Limerick city and 48 miles south of Galway.

WEEKEND EVENTS

Friday evening an informal welcome party will take place in the Drawing Room from 5:30- 7pm. This will include hosted cocktails and appetizers and will be a great time to meet other guests. If you are interested in dinner afterward, there are good restaurants both in the castle and in the towns of Ennis and Limerick, nearby.

Saturday is a great time to explore the area. See suggestions below for activities at the castle and in the surrounding area.

Dining at the Castle

Saturday evening, Steve will host a formal 1929 costume dinner party beginning with cocktails at 5:30pm, followed by a five course dinner and dancing. Formal dinner costumes should reflect this time period from anywhere in the world. Characters of the period are encouraged. Need period costume ideas?

See the movies Midnight in Paris, The Artist, Chicago and Chaplin.

Gentlemen, If you would like to rent a tuxedo for the event, 2 companies in the area have been recommended to us:

Patrick Bourke Menswear ennis@pbourkemenswear.com

Phone: +353 65 682 2050

Website: http://www.pbourkemenswear.com/

Todd Connolly email: info@tonyconnolly.com
Phone: +353 61 410324 web: www.tonyconnolly.com

Sunday Brunch will be served in the Walled Garden (weather permitting) outside the Fig Tree Restaurant to the sound of traditional Irish music.

ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE ON THE ESTATE

The following activities are available for guests while staying at the Castle:

The Spa at Dromoland

The Spa at Dromoland This hidden gem is located within the Castle walls and has been designed to offer an ultimate spa experience.

The Spa consists of 6 treatment rooms with an outside Gazebo with Hydro therapy Pool.

Golf Green Fees Enjoy the splendor of our magnificent 18 hole, 6845 yard championship parkland course; Clubs, buggies and equipment are available at the Proshop.

Residential Green Fee € 70.00

Cart Hire € 40.00

Club Hire € 30.00

Caddy € 50.00

 

Hawk Walks

Hawk Walks You will never forget the moment when your hawk first lands on your gloved fist. During your Hawk Walk you will learn how to handle and fly one of the school’s Harris Hawks. Your instructor will introduce you to your hawk and within minutes, you will be setting off around the magnificent woodlands to fly your hawk free.

Rates: € 50.00 per person for groups for 4 and over.

Clay Shooting The estate has a dedicated shooting range.

Cost €55.00 per person based on a minimum of 3 people.

Archery The classic castle pursuit is available to guests.

€ 40.00 per person including instruction based on a minimum of 3 people

Fishing Fishing available for residents on our Lake. The Lake is well stocked with trout, perch and other coarse fish. Guests may fish from the banks of the lake, or on one of the estate boats. Expert assistance from our ghillies is available by prior arrangement.

Ghillie €100.00 per day.

Horseriding We are happy to make arrangements for guests at a nearby equestrian centre. Cost €50.00 per person per hour including equipment and instruction.

Leisure Facilities Located in our Golf & Country Club the facilities include; Indoor Swimming Pool, Sauna, Steam room, Jacuzzi and fully equipped Gymnasium.

Tennis Complimentary for residents on our two all weather outdoor tennis courts.

Racquets and tennis balls available at reception.

Walking With over 410 acres of mature woodland and feral lakes, Dromoland has plenty of walks and pathways that offer varied and interesting routes. Wildlife on the estate includes native red deer, pheasant, partridge and many of the country fauna of the area.

Cycling The castle has a number of mountain bikes available for complimentary for

guests who wish to pursue the many laneways and byways of the estate.

Additional bikes can be arranged at a cost of €35.00 per bike.