National Forum

Our Accents And Our Culture

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With the dust settled on the All Ireland and having finally started to cope with the disappointment of the All Ireland final loss , I can now reflect on a very enjoyable year. What an occasion the All Ireland final was. I know the quality of football wasnt the best , but there was some good scores, tense moments and congratulations to Armagh. They deserved it and probable needed it more than Galway, even though I think Connacht needed a Galway win more than Ulster needed an Armagh win. But what an occasion our All Irelands are. The huge amount of orange and maroon, the sporting comraderie, not a hint of violence.
One thing that fascinates me when i go to these big games is that while the supporters can be easily identified by the colour jerseys, even if everyone wore the same jersey you would know where people were from by their accents. I think its brilliant that for a small country we have such a range of accents and I hope we never lose that as part of our culture.
Even in Galway , and I'm sure other counties are the same , there are a range of accents from Connemara, Galway city, North Galway ( quite similar to Mayo, although Mayo has some nuances) , South Galway ( a tiny hint of a Munster accent) , East Galway ( a small hint of a Midlands). Even towns like Ballinasloe and Tuam have subtleties that differentiate them
As I say I think all this is fascinating and brilliant,
But I do fear that the trend is changing . I would say that less than 10% of Galway city residents now have the authentic city/Claddagh accent that is so beautiful and so distinctive (I'm not from the city but i love hearing the accent)
There is a definite convergence of accents. One phenomenon that is getting really common now is Irish people rolling their t's into d's like they do in the USA....ciDy, faciliDy, utiliDy , abiliDy, waDer
There is nothing wrong with North American accents , but lets retain our own.
I even heard a west of Ireland radio presenter recently referring to a holiday in LanzaroDe!

anotheralias (Galway) - Posts: 930 - 26/08/2024 17:00:12    2566995

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Replying To anotheralias:  "With the dust settled on the All Ireland and having finally started to cope with the disappointment of the All Ireland final loss , I can now reflect on a very enjoyable year. What an occasion the All Ireland final was. I know the quality of football wasnt the best , but there was some good scores, tense moments and congratulations to Armagh. They deserved it and probable needed it more than Galway, even though I think Connacht needed a Galway win more than Ulster needed an Armagh win. But what an occasion our All Irelands are. The huge amount of orange and maroon, the sporting comraderie, not a hint of violence.
One thing that fascinates me when i go to these big games is that while the supporters can be easily identified by the colour jerseys, even if everyone wore the same jersey you would know where people were from by their accents. I think its brilliant that for a small country we have such a range of accents and I hope we never lose that as part of our culture.
Even in Galway , and I'm sure other counties are the same , there are a range of accents from Connemara, Galway city, North Galway ( quite similar to Mayo, although Mayo has some nuances) , South Galway ( a tiny hint of a Munster accent) , East Galway ( a small hint of a Midlands). Even towns like Ballinasloe and Tuam have subtleties that differentiate them
As I say I think all this is fascinating and brilliant,
But I do fear that the trend is changing . I would say that less than 10% of Galway city residents now have the authentic city/Claddagh accent that is so beautiful and so distinctive (I'm not from the city but i love hearing the accent)
There is a definite convergence of accents. One phenomenon that is getting really common now is Irish people rolling their t's into d's like they do in the USA....ciDy, faciliDy, utiliDy , abiliDy, waDer
There is nothing wrong with North American accents , but lets retain our own.
I even heard a west of Ireland radio presenter recently referring to a holiday in LanzaroDe!"
It's a fun game to play at the likes of Electric picnic. I'd be decent at guessing the accent from Ulster Towns and counties, even some obscure ones, but outside that I'd do well to narrow an accent down to your province. I think I can spot Cork or Limerick city or Kerry accents too.

Suas Sios (None) - Posts: 1558 - 26/08/2024 17:20:31    2567004

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Replying To anotheralias:  "With the dust settled on the All Ireland and having finally started to cope with the disappointment of the All Ireland final loss , I can now reflect on a very enjoyable year. What an occasion the All Ireland final was. I know the quality of football wasnt the best , but there was some good scores, tense moments and congratulations to Armagh. They deserved it and probable needed it more than Galway, even though I think Connacht needed a Galway win more than Ulster needed an Armagh win. But what an occasion our All Irelands are. The huge amount of orange and maroon, the sporting comraderie, not a hint of violence.
One thing that fascinates me when i go to these big games is that while the supporters can be easily identified by the colour jerseys, even if everyone wore the same jersey you would know where people were from by their accents. I think its brilliant that for a small country we have such a range of accents and I hope we never lose that as part of our culture.
Even in Galway , and I'm sure other counties are the same , there are a range of accents from Connemara, Galway city, North Galway ( quite similar to Mayo, although Mayo has some nuances) , South Galway ( a tiny hint of a Munster accent) , East Galway ( a small hint of a Midlands). Even towns like Ballinasloe and Tuam have subtleties that differentiate them
As I say I think all this is fascinating and brilliant,
But I do fear that the trend is changing . I would say that less than 10% of Galway city residents now have the authentic city/Claddagh accent that is so beautiful and so distinctive (I'm not from the city but i love hearing the accent)
There is a definite convergence of accents. One phenomenon that is getting really common now is Irish people rolling their t's into d's like they do in the USA....ciDy, faciliDy, utiliDy , abiliDy, waDer
There is nothing wrong with North American accents , but lets retain our own.
I even heard a west of Ireland radio presenter recently referring to a holiday in LanzaroDe!"
is this satire?

eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 70 - 26/08/2024 17:25:31    2567005

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Most young people especially females speak a type of mid Atlantic "Younglish" and sound the same no natter what part of the Country they're from.
And the word "like".....I was like going to the like shop and I like bumped into like Trevor at the like corner.....

Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 1815 - 26/08/2024 19:21:18    2567029

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For the smallest county in Ireland, Louth has some amount of different accents. From Cooley in the North, to Dundalk, Ardee in middle to Drogheda in the South.

Ollie2 (Louth) - Posts: 867 - 26/08/2024 20:54:39    2567039

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I hear a lot of young ones especially chatting now and they sound more American than Irish, is it the mid Atlantic accent they call it?
Nearly every town in Donegal has a different accent, it's very strange, I often wondered the reason for it. The difference for example between the likes of Ballyshannon and Letterkenny is vast.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 2946 - 26/08/2024 21:13:26    2567042

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Accents are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Not alone within Ireland but world wide among the english speaking. Television and other social media the reason I would think. Yes you could identify people every 20 miles you travelled from Ballybricken Waterford who roll their r to west Waterford that is like a Cork accent and everywhere in between.

Canuck (Waterford) - Posts: 2849 - 26/08/2024 22:56:11    2567050

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "I hear a lot of young ones especially chatting now and they sound more American than Irish, is it the mid Atlantic accent they call it?
Nearly every town in Donegal has a different accent, it's very strange, I often wondered the reason for it. The difference for example between the likes of Ballyshannon and Letterkenny is vast."
In fairness I don't hear too many Mid Atlantic accents in Donegal or in any part of Ulster for that matter,It seems to be a pretentiousness that affects other parts of the country,Among the most annoying things are:-
eg. Down and out becomes Dine and ite
Out and about Ite and a bite that sort of thing

gunman (Donegal) - Posts: 1106 - 27/08/2024 14:50:48    2567162

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Replying To gunman:  "In fairness I don't hear too many Mid Atlantic accents in Donegal or in any part of Ulster for that matter,It seems to be a pretentiousness that affects other parts of the country,Among the most annoying things are:-
eg. Down and out becomes Dine and ite
Out and about Ite and a bite that sort of thing"
What about OMG, usually uttered by excited young females. ?

thelongridge (Offaly) - Posts: 1879 - 27/08/2024 16:38:24    2567179

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Replying To Canuck:  "Accents are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Not alone within Ireland but world wide among the english speaking. Television and other social media the reason I would think. Yes you could identify people every 20 miles you travelled from Ballybricken Waterford who roll their r to west Waterford that is like a Cork accent and everywhere in between."
Jesus, I don't know, in parts of Tyrone there is a different accent from parish to parish. Ardboe, Moortown, Cookstown, Dungannon, the Island, all different and that's only East Tyrone.

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2131 - 27/08/2024 18:05:10    2567194

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Replying To Canuck:  "Accents are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Not alone within Ireland but world wide among the english speaking. Television and other social media the reason I would think. Yes you could identify people every 20 miles you travelled from Ballybricken Waterford who roll their r to west Waterford that is like a Cork accent and everywhere in between."
No they are not...
and even if they were...who cares?

eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 70 - 27/08/2024 19:10:12    2567204

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I'm not so sure. I certainly here some of Gen Z adopting the mid atlantian thing but thousands of kids in my club are unmistakeably Wexford town.

Rural, Wexford, enniscorthy, Ross, are all unique in themselves. Gorey accent is in trouble though. That's part of Dublin now.

Having taken part in the fleadh this year, and weekly training in pairc garman I feel our culture is alive and well here.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3043 - 28/08/2024 08:14:31    2567262

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Replying To Tirchonaill1:  "I hear a lot of young ones especially chatting now and they sound more American than Irish, is it the mid Atlantic accent they call it?
Nearly every town in Donegal has a different accent, it's very strange, I often wondered the reason for it. The difference for example between the likes of Ballyshannon and Letterkenny is vast."
I agree. I've always been fascinated by it. Being from Wexford town people often ask me if I'm from the north which is totally bizarre.

Outside the n25 then there's a completely different accent after travelling about 200 yards.

I always assumed the Wexford accent is heavily influenced by Welsh given the short crossing distance over the centuries.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3043 - 28/08/2024 08:18:30    2567263

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Replying To eddieSize5Balls:  "No they are not...
and even if they were...who cares?"
I think lots of people care. Some people may not care . It's a personal preference. Just like some people wouldnt care if the Irish language died, some wouldn't care if we stopped playing our national sports . I for one , and I'd be fairly certain that many others feel the same, think that our unique language, sports and accents are integral parts of our culture and would hate to see their deterioration.

anotheralias (Galway) - Posts: 930 - 28/08/2024 09:58:17    2567289

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Replying To eddieSize5Balls:  "No they are not...
and even if they were...who cares?"
I'd say a lot of people care. It's an important part of what makes us unique.

Never heard any of the Irish lads I know in Boston or New York complaining about it when chatting to American ladies, especially those from Donegal.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3043 - 28/08/2024 09:59:19    2567290

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I think the Longford town accent is the most beautiful in the land

eslinchickenmaryland (Leitrim) - Posts: 235 - 28/08/2024 10:36:31    2567297

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Replying To anotheralias:  "I think lots of people care. Some people may not care . It's a personal preference. Just like some people wouldnt care if the Irish language died, some wouldn't care if we stopped playing our national sports . I for one , and I'd be fairly certain that many others feel the same, think that our unique language, sports and accents are integral parts of our culture and would hate to see their deterioration."
Most people probably don't care. Gaeltachts themselves will not survive the current external pressures. They are even being forced to spend time teaching English as a first language. Absolute joke.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 2964 - 28/08/2024 11:05:09    2567307

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "I agree. I've always been fascinated by it. Being from Wexford town people often ask me if I'm from the north which is totally bizarre.

Outside the n25 then there's a completely different accent after travelling about 200 yards.

I always assumed the Wexford accent is heavily influenced by Welsh given the short crossing distance over the centuries."
That could be very true, as Strongbow, was I think from Pembroke in Wales, just across the sea. I always found the Wexford accent a bit lyrical, withslightly broad vowels. A unique accent in a county with a distinctive culture, influenced by the Normans.

thelongridge (Offaly) - Posts: 1879 - 28/08/2024 11:12:33    2567311

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The Offaly accent is flat like the county. We do not pronounce T,s. Waher, Buhher, Tomahoes, etc.
North Offaly is manly flat, but in South Offaly, Coolderry, Clareen, Shinrone, there is Tipperary tinge.
Tullamore has it's own accent in parts of the town.

thelongridge (Offaly) - Posts: 1879 - 28/08/2024 11:17:33    2567315

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "I'm not so sure. I certainly here some of Gen Z adopting the mid atlantian thing but thousands of kids in my club are unmistakeably Wexford town.

Rural, Wexford, enniscorthy, Ross, are all unique in themselves. Gorey accent is in trouble though. That's part of Dublin now.

Having taken part in the fleadh this year, and weekly training in pairc garman I feel our culture is alive and well here."
Ah not sure about that Doyler. Plenty of lads I meet from the North of the county have that unmistakable North Wexford/South Wicklow accent still!

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 13331 - 28/08/2024 11:35:05    2567333

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