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...IRI--IU..
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Irish. The language of Ireland. It is now the first official language of the Irish Republic, spoken, at the last census of 1981, by 31.6 percent ( 1,018,312) of the population. It is estimated that there are a further 60,000 speakers in the Partitioned northeast of the country and maybe as many as a further 500,000 in other parts of the world. While it is an official language of the European Economic Community, it is not one of the seven working languages. It has no official standing, and is openly discouraged, in the Partitioned northeast, which remains part of the United Kingdom. There have been no census figures for the language taken there since Partition, In the Partitioned area it is recorded that an annual average of 2,000 children pass GCE (now GCSE) in "0" and "A" levels. Apart from early inscriptions, Irish literary survivals begin in the sixth century A.D. Calvert Watkins, Professor of Linguistics at Harvard University, has stated: "Irish has the oldest vernacular literature of Europe." He argues that both Greek and Latin were used as a lingua franca among diverse peoples, while Irish was a lingua materna. However, Irish is certainly, with the exception of Greek and Latin, possessed of a literature that is far older than any other European people. In spite of some attempts at destruction by conquerors, a wealth of manuscript books survive. In fact, Irish contains the world's most extensive medical manuscript literature written in anyone language prior to 1800. Historical works, poetry, mythological sagas, scientific discourses, musical manuscripts, as well as the complete codification of the native Irish law system (Brehon Laws) have survived. The first printed works in Irish occur in the sixteenth century. Ironically it was Elizabeth I of England who is credited with having the first fount of "Gaelic" type struck in order that she might have a phrase-book in Irish. A Protestant Catechism in Irish was printed in 1571. The New Testament became available in 1603, although the Old Testament (translated during the 1640s) was not printed until 1681. During this period, with the attempts to eradicate the Irish language on the part of the English administration, the Irish in exile established centres for the publication of Irish books in Antwerp, Brussels, Paris, and especially Louvain. A number of books were published abroad throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to be smuggled into Ireland. The first Irish dictionary (Focloir no Sanasan Nua) was printed in Louvain in 1643. A thriving literature continued in spite of the Penal Laws designed to destroy the language. The worst blow to the language was the artificial famine of 1844-1848. Prior to the famine it was estimated that the major part of the Irish population were bilingual, while, according to Dr. Daniel Dewar at the time, two million did not understand English. The first census following the famine, which savagely depleted the Irish-speaking population, showed only 1,524,286 Irish speakers (then 23 percent of the population), of which only 319,602 were monoglots. Throughout the nineteenth century attempts were made to restore the language and force the English administration to recognise it. Under this administration it was presumed that no such thing as an Irish language existed. Only in 1878 was it allowed to be taught as an optional subject in intermediate schools. Campaigns were fought and concessions were won, so that by 1909 Irish was accepted as a subject for matriculation in the education system. When the Irish Free State came into being, it was accepted as an official language of the state. There has been a flourishing of Irish literature during the 20th century and some of the works have been widely translated. Irish now possesses a rich and versatile modern literature as well as being the heir to one of the oldest and richest literatures in Europe, which includes mythology that ranks second to none. Irnan. [I] One of the three sorceress daughters of Conaran the De Danaan who dwelt at Dun Conaran. With her sisters she was sent to capture some members of the Fianna. This was accomplished by spinning a magic web with which to capture the warriors. But Goll Mac Moma, coming along later, saw what the three hags had done and killed two of them. When Iman begged for mercy and promised to release the warriors, he spared her. Fionn Mac Cumhail arrived when they were being released, and Iman changed into a monster and laid a geis on Fionn or his warriors to accept single combat. Oisin, Oscar, and Celta all refused to fight the monster. Fionn accepted but Goll said it was not seemly for Fionn to fight the hag even if she was in the shape of a monster. Goll then fought and killed Iman, and for this Fionn gave his daughter Cebha to him in marriage. Iron. Appears frequently in myths as a valuable and magical properry. At the start of the first millennium B.C. the Celts were possessed of great skill in metalwork, especially in the use of iron, a metal only then becominig known to craftsmen of the classical world. By the sixth century B.C. their formidable armaments of spears, swords, axes, and agricultural implements rendered the Celts militarily superior to their neighbours, and they were able to open roadways through the previously impenetrable forests of Europe. An ancient Irish word for road, still in use today, is slighe, from the word sligim, "I hew." The very word iron is derived from the Celtic iarn, spreading from that source into most European languages via Latin. Iron bars of certain weight were sometimes used in ancient Celtic society as currency. In the story of the Tain, Ailill and Medb, counting their treasures, list iarn-lestair, or "iron vessels." Sliabh an Iairinn (Mountain of Iron), east of Lough Allen, Co. Leitrim, was where Gobhniu, the smith god, worked. In the story of Matholwch's attempt to obtain the magic cauldron from Llassar Uaesgyfnewid and Cymidei Cymeinfoll, Matholwch builds a house of iron in which to destroy these two, who are obviously deities of death and battle. Irusan. [I] A monstrous cat that dwelt in a cave near Knowth on the Boyne. It is said to have seized the chief bard of Ireland, Seanchin Torpeist, in its jaws and to have run off with him. Ith. [I] Son of Bregon. He is said to have dwelt in a great tower that his father had built in Spain (the Irish synonym of the "Land of the Dead"). From this tower, Ith saw Ireland and embarked with 90 followers. They landed at Corca Duibhne (Corkaguiny, Co. Kerry). The De Danaan had just defeated the Fomorii at the second Battle of Magh Tuireadh and Nuada had been killed. Mac cecht, Mac Cuill, and Mac Greine were attempting to divide Ireland between them. Ith was asked to make a judgment on how this should be done. His panegyric was interpreted as an indication he wanted to rule Ireland himself. The De Danaan killed him. His body was taken back to Spain, where his children resolved to take vengeance by conquering Ireland; thus began the Milesian invasion.
Iubdan. [I] King of the Faylinn, a kingdom of diminutive people. His
wife was Bebo. Iubdan was a constant boaster and to quell the
boasting his poet Eisirt told him that Ulster was a land of giants. To
prove it he went there and returned with Aedh, dwarf of the Ulster
king Fergus Mac Leide. Eisirt then placed a geis on Iubdan to go to
Ulster and be the first to taste the porridge of the king on the next
morning. Iubdan and Bebo go to Ulster, but they fall in the porridge and are made prisoners. Fergus falls in love with Bebo and has an affair with her. After a year and a day, Fergus offers to free them, both if Iubdan gives up his most treasured possession, his enchanted
shoes. Whoever wore them could travel over or under water as freely
as on dry land. Iubdan gives them to Fergus, and Iubdan and Bebo
are released back to the land of the Faylinn. Iuchar. [I] The second son of Tuireann. Brian is the first son. See Brian and Tuireann. Iucharba. [I] The third son ofTuireann.
Iunsa. [I] Father of Eibhir, wife of Oisin.
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