Lá Saoire i mí Mheitheamh

Today, 1st June, has been (and indeed continues to be for a few hours) the June Bank Holiday (Lá Saoire i mí Mheitheamh) in Ireland. It is the equivalent of the usual May Bank Holiday in the UK in that both have their origin in the old festival of Whitsuntide (or Pentecost) which falls on the 7th Sunday after Easter. Because the date of Easter moves around in the calendar so does Whit Sunday, but it is usually in late May or early June. Pentecost was actually on Sunday 24th May this year. Here in Ireland the Bank Holiday is always on the first Monday in June whereas on the other side of the Irish Sea it is on the last Monday in May. This year the weather was better last Monday, but you can’t have everything. Although I’m only at beginners’ level in Irish, the phrase Lá Saoire i mí Mheitheamh gives me another chance to bore you about it. It’s actually quite a straightforward phrase until you reach the last word. “Lá” means “day” and “Saoire” means “leave” or “vacation” so “Lá Saoire”…