1: Lá Spraoi san Ardchathair (Leaving Cert Irish): Revision Notes
1: Lá Spraoi san Ardchathair
Na pictiúir (The pictures)
Pictiúr 1
I bpictiúr a haon, chuaigh Niamh agus a máthair go dtí an t-aerfort.
In the first picture, Niamh and her Mam went to the airport.
Bhí cailín ón Spáinn, Maria, ag teacht ar cuairt chucu.
A girl from Spain, Maria, was coming to visit them.
Chuir siad fáilte chroíúil roimpi.
They gave her a warm welcome.
Bhí an t-uafás daoine ag an aerfort.
There were an awful lot of people at the airport.
Bhí siad ar bís le fáilte abhaile a chur roimh a gcairde agus a ngaolta.
They were delighted to welcome their friends and relatives home.
Bhí sé i gceist acu dul go dtí an chathair an lá dar gcionn.
They intended to go to the city the next day.
Pictiúr 2
An lá ina dhiaidh sin, chuaigh siad timpeall na cathrach ar bus turasóireachta.
The next day, they went around the city on a tourist bus.
Chonaic siad Sráid Uí Chonaill.
They saw O'Connell Street.
Ina theannta sin, chonaic siad an spíce agus Ard-Oifig an Phoist.
In addition to that, they saw the spire and the General Post Office.
Bhí lúcháir ar Maria.
Maria was delighted.
Bhain sí ard-taitneamh as an turas.
She really enjoyed the trip.
Chuir Maria cúpla ceist ar Niamh faoin gcathair.
Maria asked Niamh a few questions about the city.
Pictiúr 3
Ansin, ar aghaidh leo go dtí Coláiste na Tríonóide.
Then, on they went to Trinity College.
Chonaic siad an Leabhar Cheanannais, an Leabharlann Fhada agus d’ith siad béile sa bhialann ann.
They saw the Book of Kells, the Long Library and they ate a meal in the restaurant there.
Bhí an saol is a mháthair ann.
The whole world was there.
Bhí scuaine an-fhada ann.
There was a really long queue.
Bhí Maria an-thógtha leis an áit.
Maria was really taken with the place.
Pictiúr 4
Ina dhiaidh sin, bhain siad lán a gcuid súl as na hiontais eile a bhí le feiceáil sa phríomhchathair.
After that, they feasted their eyes on the other wonders to be seen in the capital.
I dtosach, thugadar cuairt ar Pháirc an Chrócaigh agus an Staid Aviva.
To start, they visited Croke Park and the Aviva Stadium.
Bhí suim ag na cailíní sa spórt. Bhí siad ag caint agus ag comhrá faoin gCumann Lúthchleas Gael agus an rugbaí.
The girls were interested in sport. They were talking and discussing the GAA and rugby.
Ansin, thug siad cuairt ar Gairdín na nAinmhithe agus an Ardeaglais.
Then they paid a visit to the zoo and the cathedral.
Bhain siad sult as an zú – bhí a lán ainmhithe difriúla le feiceáil timpeall na háite.
They enjoyed the zoo – there were many different animals to be seen around the place.
Bhí an Ardeaglais chomh ciúin leis an reilig!
The cathedral was as quiet as a graveyard!
Pictiúr 5
Thugadar ar aghaidh ansin ar Shráid Grafton chun roinnt siopadóireachta a dhéanamh.
On they went then to Grafton Street to do some shopping.
Ceapaim nach raibh pingin rua fágtha acu.
I think they didn’t have a cent left.
Bhí siad traochta spíonta faoin am seo!
They were exhausted by now!
Freisin, bhí siad stiúgtha leis an ocras!
As well as that, they were starving!
Bhí béile ag na cailíní ar thaobh na sráide.
The girls had a meal on the side of the street.
Bhí sé thar a bheith blasta.
It was very delicious.
Bhí daoine eile ag siúl thar bráid.
Other people were walking past.
Pictiúr 6
Bhí ticéid do dhráma curtha in áirithe ag Niamh in Amharclann na Mainistreach don oíche sin.
Niamh had booked tickets for a play at the Abbey Theatre that night.
Bhí an dráma 'The Field' ar siúl ann, le John B. Keane.
The drama, 'The Field', was on there, by John B. Keane.
Bhailigh siad a dticéid ag an deasc fáilte agus d’fhág siad a gcótaí sa chófra.
They collected their tickets from the reception and left their coats in the cloakroom.
Bhí suim ag na cailíní i gcúrsaí drámaíochta.
The girls were interested in drama.
Cheap siad go raibh an dráma go hiontach!
They thought the play was fantastic!
Ba léir go raibh lá den chéad scoth acu i mBaile Átha Cliath!
It was clear they had an excellent day in Dublin!
Ní dhéanfadh Maria dearmad ar an lá sin go deo!
Maria would never forget that day!
Gramadach (Grammar)
Aimsir Chaite (Past Tense)
This story is told mainly in the past tense.
Examples from the story:
- chuaigh siad – they went
- chonaic siad – they saw
- chuir siad fáilte – they welcomed
- d’ith siad – they ate
- thug siad cuairt – they visited
- bhain siad sult – they enjoyed
Remember:
- Verbs beginning with consonants are often lenited (e.g. chuaigh, chonaic).
- Verbs beginning with vowels take d’ (e.g. d’ith).
An Tuiseal Ginideach (The Genitive Case)
The genitive appears in several place names:
- Sráid Uí Chonaill – O’Connell Street
- Ard-Oifig an Phoist – General Post Office
- Coláiste na Tríonóide – Trinity College
- Gairdín na nAinmhithe – Dublin Zoo
The noun changes form after certain nouns like:
- sráid – street
- ard-oifig – general office
- coláiste – college
- gairdín – garden
An Fhoirm Leanúnach (The Progressive Form)
Used with ag – at + verbal noun:
- ag teacht – coming
- ag caint – talking
- ag comhrá – chatting
- ag siúl – walking
Structure: Bhí siad ag + verbal noun – They were + verb-ing
Example: Bhí siad ag caint faoin spórt. – They were talking about sport.
Foclóir (Vocabulary)
Daoine (People)
- Máthair – mother
- Cairde – friends
- Gaolta – relatives
Áiteanna (Places)
- Aerfort – airport
- Sráid Uí Chonaill – O’Connell Street
- Coláiste na Tríonóide – Trinity College
- Pháirc an Chrócaigh – Croke Park
- Gairdín na nAinmhithe – Dublin Zoo
- Amharclann na Mainistreach – Abbey Theatre
Mothúcháin (Emotions)
- Ar bís – excited / thrilled
- Lúcháir – joy / delight
- An-thógtha – very impressed
- Traochta spíonta – completely exhausted
- Stiúgtha leis an ocras – starving
An Bhéaltriail (The Oral Exam)
The examiner might ask:
Ar thug tú cuairt ar Bhaile Átha Cliath riamh?
(Have you ever visited Dublin?)
Cén áit is fearr leat sa chathair?
(What is your favourite place in the city?)
Ar bhain tú taitneamh as turas scoile riamh?
(Have you ever enjoyed a school trip?)
Prepare to speak about:
- Trips to Dublin
- Tourist attractions
- Shopping
- Theatre visits
- Cultural experiences
Even if you have not experienced these things, you can speak in the conditional:
Ba mhaith liom dul ann. – I would like to go there.
Ba bhreá liom cuairt a thabhairt ar an áit sin. – I would love to visit that place.