Dia duit,

I am trying to learn Irish at home with the help of the course "Buntus Cainte" and the internet. As I only know a few phrases, I am writing in English.

I know it is rather ambitious (to say the least) to try to read poetry at this stage, but I bought several books in Irish this summer and am really keen on starting to read.

The poem that I would like to ask for help with is from "Walking time agus danta eile" by Liam Muirthile. It is called "Inniu in Éirinn" (which I take it means "today in Eire"):

Dreas den teas aneas
suth den bhruth i gcéin
inniu in Éirinn

Leoithne ardú meanman áin
gliondar ar na héin féin
inniu in Éirinn

Eitilt obann ghabhlán mear
gile uile bhrollaigh le grein
inniu in Éirinn

Scuainí aonta aoibhne ar muirá
sciatháin in earr ar ár gcoiscéim
inniu in Éirinn

The dictionary gives several meanings for each word, but I am at a loss how to choose the right one? How am I to know whether the poet speaks of warmth, heat or passion (teas)? I also cannot find an explanation for "héin".

If anyone is willing to provide a rough meaning of what is said in the poem, I would really appreciate the help.

Go raibh maith agat,
Medbh

I am sure that there are others here who could help you parse this poem much better than I, but off the top of my head here are a couple of observations.

Since it is poetry be aware that an individual word is often chosen by the poet for ALL the nuances it can give. That's why poetry is so much fun.

And as for that "héin" word, i would say that you are looking at the under the wrong letter--"éin" is the Common Plural form of "éan" which means "bird". The prefix h is added after the article "na", since "na" ends in a vowel and the word "éin" begins in a vowel.

So the word means "the birds", "the birds themselves?" Stand-by for further corrective postings by those more learned than I. : )

The presence of the "na" and the "h" next to the vowel would be the clues that you should look for the word under the E's in the dictionary.

Dreas den teas aneas = Babtha den teas ón deisceart,
suth den bhruth i gcéin = toradh den aimsir bhreá i bhfad ó bhaile,
inniu in Eirinn = tá in éirinn
Is cosúil go bhfuil an file ag cur síos ar an athrú atá tagtha ar na h-éiníní ó chuaigh siad ó dheas an fómhar seo caite agus tá "clann/suth" na n-éan tagtha go h-éirinn ag tús an tsamhraidh
gabhlán mear is a swift so I assume he is referring to the visitors who go south for the Northern Hemisphere winter.
Is cosúil go bhfuil áthas ar na h-éanacha a bheith ar ais in éirinn arís .

Go raibh maith agat, Wiliam and MickRua :-)
Belated thanks as I've been ill for the past few days.
Will study what's been given me and probably come back.
Oíche mhaith!