Derek Hollingsworth
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derekholly7.bsky.social
Derek Hollingsworth
@derekholly7.bsky.social
| Psychology | Reclaiming my language | Co-founder 7 Cathaoirleach Pobal Gaeilge 15 | #GaeilgeGachLá #100DaysofGaeilge
Irishlanguagematters.com (blog)
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The Origins of St. Brigid's Day & Imbolg.
I look at the origins of what is now a Public Holiday in Ireland. Imbolg is one of the four Gaelic festivals; Brigid, a Saint & Goddess.

I'd be very grateful for RTs!
#StBrigidsDay #Brigid #Imbolg #LáFhéileBríde

irishlanguagematters.com/2026/02/01/b...
The Ancient Origins of St. Brigid’s Day and Imbolg
Imbolc is one of the four seasonal Gaelic festivals: Imbloc, Bealtaine, Lúnasa, Samhain. In Ireland, we now have Public Holidays marking each of these with Imbolc being the most recently created, i…
irishlanguagematters.com
Reposted by Derek Hollingsworth
"Good Health" in all the Gaelic languages:

Sláinte Mhaith! 🇮🇪 Gaeilge/Gàidhlig na h-Eireann/Yernish

Slàinte Mhath!🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Gaeilge na hAlban/Gàidhlig/Albinish

Slaynt Vie! 🇮🇲 Gaeilge Mhanainn/Gàidhlig Eilean Mhanainn/Gaelg

#100DaysOfGaeilge #CelticLanguages #GaelicLanguages #Irish
February 16, 2026 at 6:18 PM
"Good Health" in all the Gaelic languages:

Sláinte Mhaith! 🇮🇪 Gaeilge/Gàidhlig na h-Eireann/Yernish

Slàinte Mhath!🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Gaeilge na hAlban/Gàidhlig/Albinish

Slaynt Vie! 🇮🇲 Gaeilge Mhanainn/Gàidhlig Eilean Mhanainn/Gaelg

#100DaysOfGaeilge #CelticLanguages #GaelicLanguages #Irish
February 16, 2026 at 6:18 PM
Reposted by Derek Hollingsworth
Here's a traditional pub in Cardiff. Irish speakers will easily recognise the similarity between Welsh & Irish here.

'Y Mochyn Du' 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
'An Mhuc Dhubh' 🇮🇪
'The Black Pig' 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Cosúlachtaí idir Gaeilge ⁊ Breatnais.
Cyffelybrwydd rhwng Gwyddeleg a Chymraeg (Sorry if that's wrong!).
February 13, 2026 at 6:51 PM
Here's a traditional pub in Cardiff. Irish speakers will easily recognise the similarity between Welsh & Irish here.

'Y Mochyn Du' 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
'An Mhuc Dhubh' 🇮🇪
'The Black Pig' 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Cosúlachtaí idir Gaeilge ⁊ Breatnais.
Cyffelybrwydd rhwng Gwyddeleg a Chymraeg (Sorry if that's wrong!).
February 13, 2026 at 6:51 PM
Reposted by Derek Hollingsworth
Irish & Welsh aren't mutually intelligible but are closely linked 🇮🇪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
The Irish word for hound or dog is 'Cú', Welsh is 'Ci'. Both are thought to originate in Proto-Celtic, '*kū'.
There are similar histories and we should support each other's languages.
irishlanguagematters.com/language-can...
February 12, 2026 at 7:01 PM
Irish & Welsh aren't mutually intelligible but are closely linked 🇮🇪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
The Irish word for hound or dog is 'Cú', Welsh is 'Ci'. Both are thought to originate in Proto-Celtic, '*kū'.
There are similar histories and we should support each other's languages.
irishlanguagematters.com/language-can...
February 12, 2026 at 7:01 PM
Reposted by Derek Hollingsworth
Focail Gaelach as Sean-Fhraincise ó dhúchas: Seomra.
Irish words originally from Old French: 'Seomra'.
Say 'seomra' in a thick French accent!

Seomra 🇮🇪
Chambre 🇫🇷
Camera 🇮🇹
They go back to the Latin, 'Cambra', & Ancient Greek 🇬🇷 'καμάρα'.

❤️ #Gaeilge #Irishlanguage
February 11, 2026 at 7:57 PM
Billionaire Jim Ratcliffe (pays tax in Monaco) reckons Britain (remember colonialism, Empire etc?) is being colonised.
When a foreign army is murdering their citizens at Civil Rights marches, then he might understand the word 'colonised'.
February 11, 2026 at 10:15 PM
Focail Gaelach as Sean-Fhraincise ó dhúchas: Seomra.
Irish words originally from Old French: 'Seomra'.
Say 'seomra' in a thick French accent!

Seomra 🇮🇪
Chambre 🇫🇷
Camera 🇮🇹
They go back to the Latin, 'Cambra', & Ancient Greek 🇬🇷 'καμάρα'.

❤️ #Gaeilge #Irishlanguage
February 11, 2026 at 7:57 PM
Reposted by Derek Hollingsworth
Ag obair i Muineachán inniu agus bhuail mé le fear an-dheas! Bhí comhrá álainn againn.

I'm working in Monaghan today. I saw a man with a fáinne and we had a chat. His name is Brian Mac a' Bhaird and he gave me his CD 'Aisling Fánacha'. Isn't that so nice?!
#100DaysofGaeilge
February 10, 2026 at 5:23 PM
Ag obair i Muineachán inniu agus bhuail mé le fear an-dheas! Bhí comhrá álainn againn.

I'm working in Monaghan today. I saw a man with a fáinne and we had a chat. His name is Brian Mac a' Bhaird and he gave me his CD 'Aisling Fánacha'. Isn't that so nice?!
#100DaysofGaeilge
February 10, 2026 at 5:23 PM
#100DaysOfGaeilge
D'fhoghlaim mé focal nua le déanaí - sanasaíocht (etymology). Céard é an sanasaíocht de 'sanasaíocht'?! 'Sanas' - gluais, sanasán, foclóir.
I learned 'sanasaíocht' (etymology) recently, so what's its root? 'Sanas' is like gloss/glossary.
Suimiúil! Interesting!
February 9, 2026 at 9:33 PM
A chairde,
One of my kids (16 yo) is looking for work experience next week after being let-down.
Their preferences are any general work in movies, TV, radio, or the media.
CV available.
Grateful for any help 🙏
#spéiríní #Ireland #workexperience
February 3, 2026 at 8:55 PM
#100daysofGaeilge
Chuaigh mé go dtí an podchraoladh 'How To Gael' ag Spiorad Chill Dara inné i Nás na Rí.

I went to the 'How To Gael' podcast yesterday at Spirit of Kildare in Naas.

#Gaeilge
February 3, 2026 at 7:32 PM
Reposted by Derek Hollingsworth
Tá 33 duine agam faoi láthair atá ag foghlaim na Gaeilge i dtrí rang gach seachtain. Dochreidte.
February 3, 2026 at 9:28 AM
Tá súil agam go bhfuil gach duine ag baint taitneamh as an deireadh seachtaine fada in Éireann!

Hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend in Ireland!
February 2, 2026 at 10:57 AM
The Origins of St. Brigid's Day & Imbolg.
I look at the origins of what is now a Public Holiday in Ireland. Imbolg is one of the four Gaelic festivals; Brigid, a Saint & Goddess.

I'd be very grateful for RTs!
#StBrigidsDay #Brigid #Imbolg #LáFhéileBríde

irishlanguagematters.com/2026/02/01/b...
The Ancient Origins of St. Brigid’s Day and Imbolg
Imbolc is one of the four seasonal Gaelic festivals: Imbloc, Bealtaine, Lúnasa, Samhain. In Ireland, we now have Public Holidays marking each of these with Imbolc being the most recently created, i…
irishlanguagematters.com
February 1, 2026 at 8:41 PM
Tá Lá Fhéile Bríde beagnach linne.
New beginnings for 2 Irish language schools in Arklow.

The exact location? The report says it's Kilbride - Cill Bríde - the Church of Brigid.

#LáFhéileBríde #Imbolg #Gaeilge
#100daysofGaeilge

m.independent.ie/regionals/wi...
Major boost for Irish language in Wicklow as campus for two schools breaks ground
A sod-turning ceremony this week marked a proud moment for the Irish language in Wicklow, as work officially began on a shared campus for two Arklow schools — a long-awaited development their principa...
m.independent.ie
January 31, 2026 at 11:20 AM
#100DaysofGaeilge #spéirghoirm

"Guimhaise"

Ceist do na daoine atá líofa b'fhéidir. Chonaic mé an focal "guimhaise". Cad is brí don focal seo? Níl sé i bhFoclóir Dineen. Ceapaim go bhfuil baint aige leis an bportach nó le móin.
January 30, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Reporting today:
The US may opt for 'military action' against Iran.
When Russia was amassing forces on the Ukrainian border, the reporting was concern over an 'attack' or 'invasion'.
Every coloniser is a thief, and this colonial mentality sacrifices truth.
#decolonise
January 29, 2026 at 9:11 AM
Reposted by Derek Hollingsworth
Neurodivergence, the Hard Shoulder, & an Irish Oral Exam. How was your 2025?

If you're bored & taking shelter from the weather, here's my latest blog post on Irish in 2025, with some national & personal milestones.
#Gaeilge #100DaysOfGaeilge

irishlanguagematters.com/2026/01/26/i...
Neurodivergence, The Hard Shoulder & an Irish Oral. How was your 2025?
Publication 3 of 2026 Introduction 2025 was the year we lost Manchán Magan. It was also the year the North got a Language Commissioner, Kneecap’s star continued to rise, and the Irish languag…
irishlanguagematters.com
January 26, 2026 at 6:24 PM
#100DaysofGaeilge

Fuair mé mo toradh ó mo scrúdú TEG B2. Fuair mé 68% ⁊ táim sásta go leor leis sin!

Rinne mé an measúnú le Gaelchultúr arís, ⁊ dúirt sé go mbeadh B2 oiriúnach dom - an leibhéál céanna agus mar sin de, nílim ag déanamh C1 fós gan tuilleadh oibre!

❤️ #Gaeilge
January 27, 2026 at 1:41 PM
Neurodivergence, the Hard Shoulder, & an Irish Oral Exam. How was your 2025?

If you're bored & taking shelter from the weather, here's my latest blog post on Irish in 2025, with some national & personal milestones.
#Gaeilge #100DaysOfGaeilge

irishlanguagematters.com/2026/01/26/i...
Neurodivergence, The Hard Shoulder & an Irish Oral. How was your 2025?
Publication 3 of 2026 Introduction 2025 was the year we lost Manchán Magan. It was also the year the North got a Language Commissioner, Kneecap’s star continued to rise, and the Irish languag…
irishlanguagematters.com
January 26, 2026 at 6:24 PM
Reposted by Derek Hollingsworth
Focail i nGaeilge as Lochlainnise ó dhúcas.
Irish words of Norse origin.

Cnaipe ó Knappr-agus bhí iontas an domhain orm mar d'fhoghlaim mé go bhfuil an focal 'knapp' in úsáid san Iorua fós.

Cnaipe 'button' from 'knappr'- 'knapp' is still used in Norway.

#gaeilge #100daysofgaeilge #spéirghoirm
January 24, 2026 at 9:35 AM
Focail i nGaeilge as Lochlainnise ó dhúcas.
Irish words of Norse origin.

Cnaipe ó Knappr-agus bhí iontas an domhain orm mar d'fhoghlaim mé go bhfuil an focal 'knapp' in úsáid san Iorua fós.

Cnaipe 'button' from 'knappr'- 'knapp' is still used in Norway.

#gaeilge #100daysofgaeilge #spéirghoirm
January 24, 2026 at 9:35 AM