Speak Irish: Iomáin

This coming May will mark my fifty-second year in the automotive service industry. I started as a general technician and later specialized in advanced diagnostics. Now, I’m the service manager of a very busy auto repair shop.

One of the things that always makes me slightly apprehensive, is when someone comes in with a problem and states that he’s a “car guy”. I know our service advisers are going to have their hands full.

Their job is to educate, in the simplest way possible, the reasons for the repairs needed to our clients, on increasingly complex vehicles. The average new gasoline powered vehicle produced today boasts approximately fifty microprocessors that need to communicate with one another to ensure a safe, comfortable driving experience.

Got a Guy

The truth is though, I am a car guy. That’s why I’m still in the business and look forward to many more years if possible. I’m as excited by the new technology as much as I am about our own two old sports cars.

A few years back, Mary and I stayed in the small village of Sneem, on the southwest coast of Ireland. On an early morning walk, we happened on a fellow in front of a small building changing a flat tire. He was an older gentleman, I’m thinking early eighties or so. I asked if I might help, he laughed and said this was his shop, pointing with his thumb at the building behind him.

I asked if I might look inside, explaining my own occupation. Now, our shop is filled with the latest diagnostic equipment, numerous expensive scan tools and scopes,specialized tire equipment and balancers, the latest alignment machine and so on. The shop is almost clinically clean and brightly lit.

This little shop in Sneem was not full of any of these things. It was dark and looked as it probably did a few decades ago.

But there was something about it, and I was quickly reminded of my grandfather’s garage. You could feel the history in the place and imagine the time when only an occasional car would cross the bridge in the middle of town and stop at this little shop. Even when we were there, you were as likely to see a tractor outside the pub as you were a car.

I love driving on the west coast of Ireland. The roads are beautiful, from Shannon up to Galway Bay hugging the coastline is my favorite drive. People are pleasant, I love the wave, two fingers lifted from the steering wheel and a nod of the head, as a car passes in the opposite direction.

Anyway, throw your kit in the boot and come along as we explore some words and phrases in Irish about driving and travel.

Driving in Irish

Iomáin (eh-mayn) driving

Gluaisteán (gloosh-tawn) is the word for automobile, but  carr (kahr) is also common. If you plan on taking little ones you will need a suíchán paiste (see-hawn posh-tche) or child seat. The trunk or boot is called cófra bagáiste (kowfra bagawshta). The inneall (innyall) or engine is usually covered by the boinéad (bun-yade) bonnet or hood, also called a cumhdach (koodock).

An córas leictreach (un kore-ass lyekht-ragh) the electrical system is protected by na fiúsanna (na fuse-ah-na) fuses, located in na cóifrín fiúsanna (koe-freen fuse-ah-na) fuse box. Cóifrín is also the word for casket.

It is important to have good cuimilteoirí gaothscátha  (kwimilchoree gee-skawha) winshield wipers on your car when driving in the west of Ireland. A lot of damage to the bonn (bunn) tire or roth (ruhh) wheel is common on rental cars. Rothar (ruh-her) is a bicycle by the way.

Bóthar (boe-her) is a road, while a bealach bóthar mór (bah-lach  boe-her more) is a highway. Uillin ar bhóthar (ellen ar woe-her) is a sharp turn in the road or elbow in the road. You would say “Tá alt sa bhóthar” (taw alt suh woe-her) to indicate there is a rise in the road.

Traffic Signs in Irish

Comharthaí Soilse Trácht A (cor-hee sawlsha trawkt uh) Traffic Signs or Lights

On our first drive up the coast, we had left Shannon very early in the morning. After an hour or so of driving, a cup of something warm and a bite to eat sounded like a good idea.

Mary suggested we stop at the mall up ahead, they surely would have a place to grab a cup of tea. I asked why she thought there was a mall ahead, she had seen a sign. If you see the sign, Go Mall (guh mahl) slow down, it means drive slowly. You’ll have to look elsewhere for your tea.

If you encounter a sign saying sioc (shuck) slow down as well, that means ice. Aire (arra) is beware, and dáinséar or contúirt (dawnshare / konturch) both mean danger.

Bealach aontreo (ballagh ayne-trow) is one way. Bóthar príobháideach (boe-her pree-vaw-jah) lets you know it’s a private road.

An lár (un lawre) means center and refers to the center of the city or town. You’ll likely find a  carrchlós (koor-klowss) car park or parking lot there. You may have to pay a dola (dulla) toll to park there.

Cá  háit a n-íocfaidh mé? (kaw hawtch ny-eek-ay may) is “Where do I pay?” If you can’t find a place to park, you could ask,  “Cá bhfuil an carrchlós?” (kaw will un korr-khloss) “Where is there a car park?” Or try “An bhfuil cead agam páirceáil anseo?” (un will kayd ah-gum parkawl un-sho) Can I park here?

To ask if there is a toll on the motorway, you would say, “An bhfuil dola ar an mhótarbhealach seo?” (un will dulla air un wowtar-vallagh shoh). No matter if you drive or are a passenger, I hope you too might experience a lovely drive up the coast and as hard as it is, if you’re the one driving keep your eyes on the road. In fact maybe next time I’ll let someone else drive so I don’t miss any of the scenery.