Irish Learning Community and Resources

# Dathanna na Nollag: The Colors of Christmas in Ireland 

Welcome to our special guide about the colors of Christmas in Ireland! As beginner Irish speakers, you'll learn how to describe the festive colors that make this season so magical. We'll explore the vocabulary for colors and combine it with Christmas terminology to help you describe all the beautiful decorations and scenes of an Irish Christmas. 

## Basic Color Vocabulary 

Let's start with the traditional colors of Christmas: 

- Dearg (jar-ug) = Red 

- Glas (glas) = Green 

- Ór (ore) = Gold 

- Airgead (ar-gid) = Silver 

- Bán (bawn) = White 

- Donn (down) = Brown 

- Corcra (kor-kra) = Purple 

Practice phrase: Is iad dearg agus glas príomhdhathanna na Nollag. (Iss ee-ud jar-ug ah-gus glas preev-gah-na na null-ug) = Red and green are the main colors of Christmas. 

## Describing Christmas Decorations 

Let's learn how to describe Christmas decorations using colors: 

### The Christmas Tree 

- Crann Nollag glas (kroun null-ug glas) = Green Christmas tree 

- Maisiúcháin dhearga (mash-you-kawn yar-ga) = Red decorations 

- Réalta órga (ray-ul-ta ore-ga) = Golden star 

- Soilse geala (soil-sha gyal-a) = Bright lights 

Practice sentence: Tá maisiúcháin dhearga agus órga ar an gcrann Nollag glas. (Taw mash-you-kawn yar-ga ah-gus ore-ga er on groun null-ug glas) = There are red and gold decorations on the green Christmas tree. 

### Christmas Lights 

- Soilse dearga (soil-sha jar-ga) = Red lights 

- Soilse bána (soil-sha baw-na) = White lights 

- Coinneal bhán (kwin-yal vawn) = White candle 

- Solas órga (sul-us ore-ga) = Golden light 

Practice phrase: Tá soilse ildaite ar gach teach. (Taw soil-sha il-datch er gakh chakh) = There are multicolored lights on every house. 

## Traditional Christmas Colors in Nature 

Let's explore Christmas colors found in nature: 

1. Holly and Ivy: 

   - Cuileann glas (kwil-un glas) = Green holly 

   - Caora dhearg (kway-ra yar-ug) = Red berry 

   - Eidhneán glas (eye-nawn glas) = Green ivy 

2. Christmas Flowers: 

   - Bláth na Nollag dearg (blaw na null-ug jar-ug) = Red poinsettia 

   - Mistilín bán (mis-til-een bawn) = White mistletoe 

Practice sentence: Tá caora dhearg ar an gcuileann glas. (Taw kway-ra yar-ug er on gwil-un glas) = There are red berries on the green holly. 

## A Colorful Christmas Story 

Here's a short story using our color vocabulary: 

"Bhí Máire ag maisiú an tí don Nollaig. Chuir sí crann Nollag glas sa seomra suite. Chroch sí maisiúcháin dhearga agus órga ar na géaga. Ar bharr an chrainn, bhí réalta airgid ag lonrú go geal. 

Sa bhfuinneog, las sí coinneal bhán. Taobh amuigh, bhí an sneachta bán ag titim go bog. Ar an mballa, chroch sí fleasc le cuileann glas agus caora dhearg. 

'Is álainn na dathanna,' ar sí, ag féachaint ar na soilse ildaite ag damhsa sa dorchadas." 

Translation: 

"Máire was decorating the house for Christmas. She put a green Christmas tree in the sitting room. She hung red and gold decorations on the branches. On top of the tree, a silver star shone brightly. 

In the window, she lit a white candle. Outside, the white snow was falling softly. On the wall, she hung a wreath with green holly and red berries. 

'The colors are beautiful,' she said, watching the multicolored lights dancing in the darkness." 

## Color Combinations in Christmas Settings 

Common Christmas color combinations with their descriptions: 

1. Dearg agus bán (jar-ug ah-gus bawn) = Red and white 

   - Mar shampla: hata Dhaidí na Nollag (Mar ham-pla: ha-ta yad-ee na null-ug) = For example: Santa's hat 

2. Glas agus ór (glas ah-gus ore) = Green and gold 

   - Mar shampla: fleasc na Nollag (Mar ham-pla: flask na null-ug) = For example: Christmas wreath 

3. Airgead agus bán (ar-gid ah-gus bawn) = Silver and white 

   - Mar shampla: cloigíní geimhridh (Mar ham-pla: clig-een-ee gyiv-ree) = For example: winter bells 

Practice phrase: Is breá liom meascán na ndathanna Nollag. (Iss braw lum mas-kawn na na-han-a null-ug) = I love the mixture of Christmas colors. 

## Colors in Christmas Food 

Let's describe traditional Christmas food using colors: 

- Turcaí donn (tur-kee down) = Brown turkey 

- Prátaí órga (praw-tee ore-ga) = Golden potatoes 

- Torthaí dearga (tor-hee jar-ga) = Red fruits 

- Pudding donn (pudding down) = Brown pudding 

- Císte bán na Nollag (keesh-ta bawn na null-ug) = White Christmas cake 

Practice sentence: Bhí an tábla clúdaithe le bia ildathach na Nollag. (Vee on taw-bla kloo-di-ha le bee-a il-da-hakh na null-ug) = The table was covered with colorful Christmas food. 

Remember to practice these color words as you observe the Christmas decorations around you. They'll help you describe the festive season in Irish! Bain sult as dathanna na Nollag! (Enjoy the colors of Christmas!) 

Practice exercise: Try describing the Christmas decorations you can see around you using the colors you've learned. Start with "Feicim..." (Fek-im) = I see...