Days, Months and Seasons in Irish
The Irish names for the days of the week, the months and the four seasons, with pronunciation notes and their links to traditional festivals.
Calendar words appear in everyday conversation, on signs and in official documents. Here are the Irish names, with a few notes on where they come from.
Days of the week
| English | Irish |
|---|---|
| Monday | Dé Luain |
| Tuesday | Dé Máirt |
| Wednesday | Dé Céadaoin |
| Thursday | Déardaoin |
| Friday | Dé hAoine |
| Saturday | Dé Sathairn |
| Sunday | Dé Domhnaigh |
The form Dé Luain literally means "on Monday". The h in Dé hAoine appears because a vowel follows.
Months
| English | Irish |
|---|---|
| January | Eanáir |
| February | Feabhra |
| March | Márta |
| April | Aibreán |
| May | Bealtaine |
| June | Meitheamh |
| July | Iúil |
| August | Lúnasa |
| September | Meán Fómhair |
| October | Deireadh Fómhair |
| November | Samhain |
| December | Nollaig |
Seasons
| English | Irish |
|---|---|
| spring | an t-earrach |
| summer | an samhradh |
| autumn | an fhómhar |
| winter | an geimhreadh |
Festivals in the names
Several month names come from ancient Irish festivals:
- Bealtaine — May, and the traditional festival that began summer.
- Lúnasa — August, linked to the ancient festival of Lughnasadh.
- Samhain — November, marking the start of winter, and the source of Halloween.
Nollaig means Christmas as well as December.
Useful sentences
- Cén lá é inniu? — What day is it today?
- Is é Dé Luain é. — It's Monday.
- Is é Dé Céadaoin é. — It's Wednesday.
Tips
- Learn the days first, then the months.
- Link months to festivals to help remember them.
- Use the dictionary for pronunciation and spelling checks.
English Irish Dictionary
Offline English–Irish (Gaeilge) dictionary with clear, accurate meanings
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