Would anyone be able to tell me what sort of dialect was spoken in Clare? Was it more similar to the extant Munster or Connacht dialects or to both?

It was similar to the Irish spoken on the Aran Islands, does anyone know when the Clare dialect died out, last speaker?

http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/people/cusack.htm
http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/literature/scribhneoiri.htm

There is one book available that teaches the dialect of Clare, but I can't remember the name.

Tá Gaeilge an Chláir idir eatarthu, i ndáiríre. Airítear mar chanúint de chuid na Mumhan í más buan mo chuimhne, ach tá cosúlachtaí láidre aici le Gaeilge na Gaillimhe.

Seans go gcuirfeá spéis sa gcur síos seo (an réamhrá go háirithe):
http://www.archive.org/stream/toddlectureserie191royauoft/toddlectureserie191roy auoft_djvu.txt


There is one book available that teaches the dialect of Clare, but I can't remember the name.
"Cúirt an Mheán Oíche"?

After looking on that list on the second link I gave it seems there was a native speaker alive from Clare untill 1987.

quote:

There is one book available that teaches the dialect of Clare, but I can't remember the name.

Here is a picture of the Clare book:
http://www.uni-due.de/DI/Dialects_Literature.htm

Scoll down you will see it.

Off the top of my head the last "native speaker" of Clare Irish was Anraí 'a Blác (de Bláca?) of Cill Bheathach, Carraig a' Chobhaltaigh who died back in the '50s. That is not to say that numerous people in that locality do not still know the language. Some do and well. Indeed throughout the county I have the impression that more people know Irish there than in more inland counties.

Regarding books on the dialect: a priest, An tAthair Seoirse Mac Clúin, published "Caint an Chláir" in two volumes in the year 19??. Peig mentions that he used come to the Blaskets and visit her in her latter years there.

These leads are from memory and may be less than accurate.

Go soirbhí Dia sibh. [ May God make you (pl) happy! Cheer you up! :-)]

An chéad imleabhar den saothar céanna ar thug mé nasc dó thuas, a Trigger. Ní féidir an Ghaeilge agus na siombalacha foghraíochta (nó foineolaíochta nó cibé ar domhan iad féin) a aithint i gcónaí, ach ní deacair an Béarla ann a léamh.

(Message edited by Abigail on February 04, 2009)

Bhí John O'Donoghue file 56 a fuair bás i 2008 ina chainteoir dúchais ó Fáinn óir agus tá leachtóir i gColáiste na nGardaí sa Teampall Mhór ina chainteoir dúchais agus is as Cill Róis é. Is dóigh liom go bhfuil neart cainteoirí dúchais fágtha thart faoi Fáinn óir, Dubhlinn agus Bhaile Uí Bhéocháin agus iad sna caogaidí agus seascaidí anois.

quote:

Off the top of my head the last "native speaker" of Clare Irish was Anraí 'a Blác (de Bláca?) of Cill Bheathach, Carraig a' Chobhaltaigh who died back in the '50s.

I've heard the name from someone who remembered meeting him and speaking with him in the '60s. Whether this particular reminiscence is accurate or not I would find it plausible that the last speaker(s) was/were still around in the sixties. After all, the last native speaker in Tyrone died in 1966, as probably did the last speaker in Louth and Tipperary.

quote:

Was it more similar to the extant Munster or Connacht dialects or to both?

From the recordings I have heard I would say it was more similar to East Munster, Déise.

Tá corrchainteoir dúchais Gaeilge beo san áit i gcónaí ach b'fhearr leo gan aird an domhain ná aird duine ar bith a tharraingt orthu féin. (Mac dearthár le duine acu a d'inis dom tuairim is deich mbliain ó shoin.)

Tuigimis dóibh.

Bhí meon traidisiúin riamh ag muintir an Chláir. Níor thuig mé riamh cé chomh sciobtha is a mheath an Ghaelainn sa chontae sin d'ainneoin a treise fós sa chéad leath den fhichiú aois.

Tuigim dóibh freisin nach bhfuil fonn orthu iad féin a nochtadh trína meáin chumarsáide ach b'fhéidir go mbeafá, déarfaimis, in ann taifead nó dhó den lucht cainte sin a eagrú dúinn?

Mac deatháir an chainteora féin a d'inis dom é. Fuair an mac deartháir sin bás ag aois an-óg tuairim is dhá bhliain i ndiaidh dó insint dom faoin a uncail. Ní rachadh an t-uncail ar téip dó, mhínigh sé dom, agus bhí sé tar éis glacadh leis é féin, nach gcuirfeadh sé tuilleadh brú air ina thaobh. Ní raibh se ceart a dhéanamh, dúirt sé. Ar aon nós, chuala mé cainteoir dúchais Gaeilge as an taobh céanna ar RnaG agus tá blúirín de chaint an taoibh chéanna agam féin agus b'fhéidir ag daoine go leor eile. Creidim go bhfuil.

Ar an láimh eile, tá na céadta uaireanta an chloig de chaint an Chláir taifeadta as gach cearn den chontae nuair a bhí cainteoirí dúchais fós thart sna 50-60aidí. Tá tuairim is 200 uair an chloig a mbeinn buartha faoin a gcóípeáil is gcaomhnú, ach ní mé féin amháin atá buartha. Ní féidir le héinne tada a dhéanamh ina dtaobh go fóill, tharla gur i lámha duine príobháideach atá siad agus níl an duine sin sásta iad a ligean chun cóipeála. Tá an-bhailiúchán eolais faoi na cainteoirí go léir i leabhair nótaí agus innéacsanna atá leis an mbailiúchán. Chonaic mé leath na dtéipeanna agus cuid mhaith de na leabhair agus labhraíos leis an duine a bhailigh iad. Ní féidir liom aon eolas eile a roinnt nó is binn béal ina thost, ach le cúnamh Dé agus eile, tiocfaidh an t-am thart a mbeidh cóip díobh in áit ar fónamh sa gcaoi nach gcaillfear an saibhreas ata iontu.

An-suimiúil! Go raibh maith agaibh as an eolas go léir!