"...shíl sé nach raibh sé in arraíocht a dhéanta le a raibh ar bord aige-sláinte 'ár n-aíonna'."

I'm confused about "a dhéanta". Why is there a verbal partical before a verbal adjective? Am I missing something?

Well I can't explain "le a raibh", that should be all counts be "lena raibh".

As for "arraíocht a dhéanta", perhaps that's an alternate form of "arraíocht a dhéanaimh"?

He believed he was not able to do it given how much he had on board (i.e. he had drunk too much).

The phrase is "in arraíocht a dhéanta"

I can't deconstruct the grammar for you; but hopefully the translation will help.

I don't think that's correct, a Aonghuis. Here's more of the sentence: "...ghair an t-sagart an tsláinte ba chóir dó a fhágáil faoi fhear an tí, murach gur shíl sé nach raibh sé in arraíocht a dhéanta le a raibh ar bord aige-sláinte 'ár n-aíonna'."

The priest proposed the toast that was proper for him as man of the house, because it didn't appear to have been done by any of those that he had at the table - a toast to the guests.

Is that correct?

No. Albert (or was it Alfred) is proposing the toast his father should be proposing, becuase he thinks he is drunk.

The priest proposed the toast, which he ought to have left to the householder, were it not that he (the priest) thought that he (the householder) would not be able to with the amount of drink he (the householder) had taken - the health of "our guests"

Basically the prospect of finally going home has driven our hero somewhat wild, and he has reverted to his wild Irish ways, to the scandal of his Americanised children, who try to hush him into a corner!

Go raibh maith agat, a Aonghuis.

déanta - genitive singular form of "déanamh" (as verbal noun).

"in arraíocht a dhéanta" - in fitness, strength of his doing (able to do it).

Celtoid, where did you get that from?

I suggested it as a guess, but could not find anything to back it up!

The only genetive singular form of "déanamh" of which I'm aware is "déanaimh".

I don't think "a" in this case means his.
I think "in arraíocht a dhéanta" means
"in power of doing" (Which looks crazy in English, but OK in Irish).

What we have, I belive is:
a [mír choibhneasta dhíreach]
mír choibhneasta dhíreach (an té a chuireann an síol; an cat a d'ól an bainne; an síol a cuireadh san earrach).

FnaB, Aonghus

Seo dhuit cupla focal faoi Tuiseal Ginideach Ainm Bhriathartha ón Gramaiméar Gaeilge na mBráithe Críostaí:

Deilbhíocht an Ainm Bhriathartha

...
An Ginideach
17.8 Má tá cuspóir (ainmfhocal nó aidiacht shealbhach) ag gabháil leis an ainm briathartha san abairt (i.e. más le briathar aistreach a bhaineann sé), is ionann foirm an ghinidigh agus foirm na haidiachta briathartha go hiondúil: lucht ceannaithe na mbeithíoch; fear inste scéil; lá íoctha na rátaí; modh a húsáidte; in ann a dhéanta; chun a gcrochta; ar tí mo mharaithe.

Ach ní rómhinic a úsáidtear leaganacha den sórt thuas. Mar shampla, is túisce a déarfaí ceannaí muc, tógálaithe tithe ná fear ceannaithe muc, lucht tógála (tógtha) tithe.

An Gúm, ISBN 1-857791-327-2, 1999, lch. 195, 196.

Féach ar an shampla ainm briathartha thios, in ann a dhéanta.
(Message edited by lúcas on October 23, 2004)

(Message edited by lúcas on October 23, 2004)

(Message edited by lúcas on October 23, 2004)

A Fhear na mBróg, fuair mé é sin as m'fhoclóir (Ó Dónaill).

GRMA, a Lúcais. Bhí fhios agam go raibh cúis maith leis.

Níl a bhuíochas ort, a Aonghuis. Ní raibh a fhios agam an riail sin roimh an ceist Cheltoide. Mar a deirtear, is namhaid an cheard gan a foghlaim.

Is iontach Celtoid agus an Cadhnach chun mion phointí a leiriú!