I am wondering about ná go bhfuil vs. ná fuil in a subordinate clause.

ná go - is listed in a dictionary as "but that". Look at this sentence:

quote:

Ní deirim ná go bhfuil foth chárta acu le fághail fós i gcuid des na tighthib ar fuid na paróiste sin.

Does this mean anything different to "ní deirim ná fuil..."?

The sentence seems to mean: I don't say anything other than that there is the odd card to be found in some of the houses throughout that parish (in more fluent English: "I dare say there is the odd one of the cards still be to found").

If you said: ní deirim ná fuil... would it have a different meaning? (ie: "I am not saying that there are any of the cards left") - almost the opposite meaning?

I think it means "Ní deirim go bhfuil". I think it's the same ná as in, say "is é an rud a dúrt ná...."

A Lughaidh, the two ná's were spelled differently, an ea? Ná and Ioná ('ná) - it doesn't mean "ní deirim go bhfuil" ("I am not saying there are") but rather "I expect there are".It's a little confusing.

ná fuil is used when the main clause is positive.
ná go bhfuil is used when the main clause is negative.

So in the Munster usage:

Deirim ná fuil ...
Ní deirim ná go bhfuil ...

Seán W, your explanation has the ring of truth, but you didn't say what you think they mean. Do you mean:

deirim ná fuil: I say there aren't
ní deirim ná go bhfuil: I don't say there aren't

Ni deirim ná go bhfuil.

"I'd say there are".

It's a double negative, non?

Literally:

Deirim ná fuil ... I say that [so-and-so] isn't ...
Ní deirim ná go bhfuil ... I don't say that [so-and-so] isn't

They both equal "nach bhfuil" in other usages.

Another example:

Cá bh' fhios ná go ndéanfadh Dia sagart díot - who knows? maybe God will make a priest of you yet.

ná [cónasc]
ach (cad a bheadh romham ná asal, cé a bheadh ann ná Seán).

Is mó "ná" ná "ná" ann!