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A Basic Guide to the Pronunciation of Irish names
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Irish is more or less phonetic language, yet the actual spelling system is quite complex. This
is because an 18 letter 'alphabet' has to be manipulated to cover 60-plus sounds. (there is no
j, k, q, v, w, x, y, z)
When reading Irish two things will strike you:
1. an accent ´ may sometimes appear over vowels. This accent is called a fada (=
long). This fada usually lengthens a vowel, it may sometimes indicate stress, or
change the sound of a word. For example, the solitary letter 'i' is short as in the
English work 'in', but a solitary 'í’ sounds like 'ee' in 'seen'.
2. you will also see many consonants followed by an 'h'. These are called aspirated
consonants. The aspiration, the 'h', changes their sound.
Many sounds in Irish do not exist in English, therefore a native speaker of Irish, or a
recording of one, is the best guide to pronunciation. The following is, of necessity, not
completely accurate, merely enough to enable you to make a reasonable attempt at the
pronunciation.
Column one lists the Irish name e.g. de Búrca with the English equivalent in brackets
(Burke). The bracketed form does not appear when the English equivalent is sufficiently
close to the original Irish pronunciation e.g. Bríd Breige. Column two lists approximated
pronunciations in English phonetics.
Note
Mac (Mag) denotes 'son of'
Ní used before vowels and Nic used before consonants denotes 'daughter of'
Ó denotes 'descended from' (originally derives from Ua 'grandson of')
CONSONANTS
In Irish there are broad vowels, a, o, u and slender vowels, i, e,. Every consonant has two
sounds, depending on the nearest vowel: with a, o, or u a consonant is broad, and with i, or
e it is slender.
b broad
lips very slack, almost like 'bw'
de Búrca (Burke)
Ó Buachalla (Buckley)
Ó Baoill
b slender
de Boor-cah
O Booh-hala
O Bweel
similar to English 'b' but lips are tighter
Bríd
Breige
Ó Beirn (Byrne)
O Beirne
c broad
like 'k', tongue further back in mouth
Mac Cathail (Cahill)
Ó Caiside (Cassidy)
Mac Cumhaidhe
c slender
not in standard English. 'ky' sound with the tongue well forward.
Ciarán
Ó Cianáin
Ó Cinnéide (Kennedy)
d broad
Far-ee
Fweel-aan
Fway-gan
Almost like 'f' in 'feel'. lips very tight, front upper teeth outside
lower lips
Ó Fiaich
Mac Feidhlimidh (Mac Philemy)
Fearghal (Feargal)
g broad
O Fee
Fehl-im-ee
Far-ih-gull
similar to 'g' in 'got'.
Ó Gallachóir (Gallagher)
Mac Gairbheith (McGarvey)
Mac Gallóglaigh (Gallogly)
g slender
Djll-oon
Djir-midge
Breige
lips very slack, front upper teeth insider lower lip. Almost like 'fw'.
Ó Farraigh (Farry)
Ó Faoláin (Phelan)
Ó Faogáin (Fagan)
f slender
(O) Dougan
O Daah-lee
O Di-veen
like a 'j'. Like 'd' in 'due'
Diolún (Dillion)
Diarmuid (Dermot)
Bríd
f broad
Kier-ann
Kiah-nan
O Kyn-ayd-je
Like English 'd' in 'Dan', but broader. Try putting the tip of your
tongue behind your lower teeth.
Ó Dúgáin
Ó Dálaigh (Daley)
Ó Duimhín (Devine)
d slender
Mac Kaa-hil
O Kaa-id-je
McCooey
Gol-ih-her
Gaar-ih-veh
Gall-oge-lee
almost like 'gy', tongue well foward, like the Scottish 'gillie'
Ó Gillín (Gillen)
Ó Gribín
Mac Giolla (McGill)
2
O Gyl-een
O Gryb-een
Mac Gyll-ah
l broad
similar to English 'l' in 'loaf'
Ó Labhraí
Ó Lochráin (Loughran)
Ó Laithbheartaigh
l slender
'ly' sound. Like 'l' in 'value' or 'million'.
Ó Liatháin (Lyons)
Mac an Lia (Lee)
Liam
m broad
O Lyah-hayne
Mac a'Lyee-ah
Lya-im
similar to English 'm' 'more', lips slacker almost like 'mw'.
Mac Mánais (McManus)
Ó Móra (Moore)
Muiris (Maurie)
m slender
(O) Prunty
Pwa-dric
Mac Poe-leen
lips very tight, like 'p' in 'Pete'.
Ó Peatáin (Patton)
Prís (Price)
Ó Préith (O'Prey)
r broad
Mac Nia-ah
O Ney-il
Mac Nia-ill-ish
lips slack, like 'p' in 'pole'.
Ó Pronntaigh
Pádraig (Patrick)
Mac Póilin (Poland)
p slender
Mac Nee-ish
O Noo-al-ayne
Norah
like 'n' in 'new', 'senior'.
Mac Niadh (Mac Nee)
Ó Néill (O'Neill)
Mac Niallais (Nellis)
p broad
Mia-hayne
O Marr-ah
Meh-her
similar to English 'n' in 'nun'
Mac Naois (Mac Niece)
Ó Nualláin (Nolan)
Nóra
n slender
Mac Mwa-nish
O More-ah
Mwr-ish
similar to English 'm' in 'myrrh'.
Ó Miacháin (Mechan)
Ó Meara (Meara)
Ó Meachair (Maher)
n broad
O Lowry
(O) Loch-rayne
(O) Lafferty
O Pah-tayne
Pree-ish
Preh
like English 'r' in 'run' but broader.
Ó Ruanaigh (O Rooney)
Ó Raithile (O'Reilly)
3
(O) Roo-an-ee
O Raa-hill-ee
Ruairc (Rourke)
r slender
Roo-arck
like a cross between an 'r' and an 'z'.
Mag Oirc
Ó Gribín (Gribin)
Ó Direáin
s broad
McGurk
O Gryb-een
Djirr-ayne
like 's' in 'sad'.
Ó Scolaí (Scully)
Mac Somhairle (McSorley)
Mac Suibhne (Sweeney)
s slender
Like English 'sh'
Síle
Ó Searcaigh
Ó Seighin
t broad
Sheila
(O) Sharkey
Shine
Like English 't' in 'too', but broader. Put the tip of your tongue on
your lower front teeth.
Ó Tuairisc (Toorish)
Ó Tuathaill (Toal/Tohill)
Mac Toirealaigh (Torley)
t slender
O Skull-ee
Mac So-are-lih
Mac Sieve-nih
Too-ar-isk
O Too-a-hill
Mac Torr-el-ee
'tch' sound, as in 'tune'.
Ó Tiarnaigh (Tierney)
Mac Tiarnáin (Tiernan)
O Tcheer-nee
Mac Tcheer-naan
ASPIRATED CONSONANTS
Note: consonants followed by 'h'. The sound is changed.
bh, mh broad
like 'w' ['v' in Munster]
Mac an Bhaird (Ward)
Mac Gabhann
Mac Somhairle (McSorley)
bh, mh slender
like 'v'
Mac Daibhidh (Davey)
Ó Doibhlinn (Devlin)
Mac Bhiocaire (McVicar)
ch broad
Mac a-waard
McGowen
Mac So-are-lih
Mac Daav-ee
O Divh-linn
Mac Vee-kir-reh
not in English. As in 'loch' as the Scots pronounce it otherwise
used 'h', never a 'k' sound.
4
ch slender
rather like 'h' in 'hue'.
Ó Fiaich
Ó Féichín
dh, gh broad
(O) Fee
(O) Feehin
Initial: not in English. A guttural sound at the back of the throat
Mac Duibhne (McGivney)
Mac Dhuifinn
Ní Ghabhann (Mc Gowen, Fem.Form)
Ghiv-nee
McGuffin
Nee Gho-ann
In the middle of word: silent. It tends to make the vowel long
Mac Dúghaill (Mac Dole)
Mac Aodha
Ó Conghaile (Connolly)
Mac Doo-ill
Magee
O Kun-il-ih
End of word: adh is like 'oo' in 'do'.
Donnchadh (Denis)
Ó Murchadh (Murphy)
slender dh/gh
Dunn-ah-oo
O Muhr-ah-oo
Initial 'y' sound
Ní Dhiolúin (Dillion, Fem. Form)
Mac Dhíomasaigh (McGimpsey)
Ní Ghiolláin (Gillan, Fem. Form)
Nee Yih-loon
Mac Yim-us-ee
Nee-Yih-lann
In the middle of a word, it is silent and tends to make the vowel
long.
Ó hEidhneáin
Ó Droighneáin
Hinan
Drinan
At the end of a work '-aidh' sounds like 'ee' in the English word
'feel'
Mac Annaidh
Mac Ascaidh
Mac Eachaidh
fh slender
McCanny
McCaskie
McGaughey
is silent
Mac an Fhailigh
Mac Fhirléinn
Mag Fhinn
ph
McAnally
McErlean
Maginn
like 'f'
5
Mac Pháil (Mac Fall)
Mac Phearsún
Mac Pheadrais
sh, th broad
like 'h' in 'how'.
Mac Shamhráin
Ó Dubhshláine
Mac Thómais
sh, th slender
Mac Fale
McPhearson
McFettridge
MacGauran
Delaney
McComish
like 'h' in 'humid'.
Mac Shíomóin
Mac Shitric
Mac Thiarnáin
McKimmon
Mc Kitterick
McKiernan
Prefix 'h' and 't'
Sometime a 't' is placed in front of an 's'. The 's' is not pronounced.
tS
Mac an tSagairt (McEntaggart)
Mac 'n Tag-ertch
Mac an tSaoir
McAteer
Mac an tSasanaigh (Mac Atasney) Mac-a-Tass-ann-ee
an 'h' is often place before a capital vowel.
Ó hEochaidh (Haughey)
Ó hÉigeartaigh (Hegarty)
Ó hÉighnigh (Heaney)
O Hoch-ee
O Heg-are-tee
O Hay-nee
SOME VOWELS
ea
ea is pronounced like a short 'ah'.
Ó Mealláin
Ó hEara
Ó Searcaigh
é
(O) Mallon
O'Hara
(O) Sharkey
é is pronounced like 'ay' in 'say'.
Ó hÉighnigh (Heaney)
Ó hÉithir
Ó hÉalaithe (Healey)
í
í is pronounced like 'ee' in 'see'.
Síle
Ó hÍr
aoi
O Hay-nee
O'Hehir
O Hay-lih-hih
Sheila
O Heer
aoi is pronounced like 'ee'.
6
Mac Gaoithín
Mac an tSaoi
Mac an tSaoir
ua
McGeehan
MacEntee
MacAteer
ua in pronounced like 'ua' in 'nuance' (Nuala, not Noola)
Ó Ruairc
Ruanaigh (Rooney)
Ó Tuama (Toomey)
ú
ú is pronounced like 'u' in 'pure'.
Ó Dúgain
Mac Talún (Tallon)
Mac Dúbhghaill
ó
(O) Dougan
Mac Tal-oon
Dougall
ó is pronounced like 'ow' in 'blow'.
Mac Thómais
Mac Gallóglaigh
oi
McComish
(Mac) Gallogly
oi is pronounced like a short 'i'.
Ó Floinn
Ó Doinn (Dunne)
ui
(O) Flynn
(O) Dih-nn
ui is pronounced like a short 'i'.
Ó Cuilinn (Cullen)
Ó hUiginn (Higgins)
Mac Suibhne (Sweeney)
ia
O Kil-inn
O Hig-een
Mac Sive-nih
ia is a diphtong.
Ó Ciabhanaigh (Keaveney)
Mac Thiarnáin (McKiernan)
Ó Biataigh (Beatty)
io
O Rourke
O Ruan-ee
Tua-mah
O Kee-a wan-ee
Mc Ee-ar-an
O Bee-a-tee
io is usually pronounced like a short 'o'.
Mac Fhiongaile (McGinley)
Mac Inn-al-ih
Mac Giolla Fhiondáin (MacAlindon) Mac Gil-a-in-dan
Mac Giolla
Mac Giolla is usually shortened to an 'il' sound.
Mac Giolla Íosa
Mac Giolla Uidhir
Mac Giolla Earna
MacAleese
MacAleer
Mac Alarney
7
Mac an
With Mac an, the 'n' is pronounced at times and at others is not.
Mac an tSaoi
Mac an tSaoir
Mac an Ultaigh
Epenthetic vowels
MacEntee
MacAteer
MacAnulty
Epenthetic vowels occur occasionally between consonants like
between 'l' and 'm' in 'Film'.
Colm (Colm)
Liam
Mac Congail (McGonigle)
8
Kol-im
Lia-im
Mc Gon-ih-gill