Éire abú
/ˈeːɾʲə əˈbˠuː/word by word
The English phrase "come on ireland" is expressed in Irish as Éire abú.
Éire abú is the standard idiomatic expression used to cheer for Ireland in sports or national contexts. It is not a literal translation of the English "come on", but serves the same purpose of showing support for the Irish national team or country.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Éire (Ireland) and abú (a form of the verb a bheith or a particle meaning "victory to" or "forever").
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈeːɾʲə əˈbˠuː/
Did you know?
- The name Éire comes from the Old Irish Ériu, a mythological goddess who is said to be the eponymous ancestor of the island.
- The word abú is thought to be onomatopoeic, meaning it may have originated from a primal shout or vocal sound used to rally people rather than a formal verb.
- While Éire abú is used for national teams, fans of specific counties often swap Éire for their own county name, such as Gaillimh abú for Galway.
Example conversation
Two friends are watching a rugby match on TV.
- SaoirseAn bhfuil tú sáile go dtí ancluich?Are you excited for the game?
- OisínTá, táimid ag bein taca leo!Yes, we are supporting them!
- SaoirseÉire abú!Come on Ireland!
- OisínÉire abú, Saoirse!Come on Ireland, Saoirse!
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (Éire, abú) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries abú, Éire, CC BY-SA 4.0.
