Thirty-Two Words for Field: Lost Words of the Irish Landscape

The Irish language has thirty-two words for field. Among them are:

• Geamhar – a field of corn-grass

• Tuar – a field for cattle at night

• Réidhleán – a field for games or dancing

• Cathairín – a field with a fairy-dwelling in it

The richness of a language closely tied to the natural landscape offered our ancestors a more magical way of seeing the world. Before we cast old words aside, let us consider the sublime beauty and profound oddness of the ancient tongue that has been spoken on this island for almost 3,000 years.

In Thirty-Two Words for Field, Manchán Magan meditates on these words – and the nuances of a way of life that is disappearing with them.