Delighted that our project 'Spreading the Word(s): Engaging with eDIL' has won funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Led by Professor Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, the new project will be based at the University of Cambridge and will begin on 1st June. We'll be creating teaching resources, developing a new touring exhibition, hosting a range public events (some online), reviving Word of the Week, and doing much, much more! Opportunities to get involved will be announced very soon.

As you might know, we have a touring exhibition based on the book 'A History of Ireland in 100 Words'. Activities related to that have had to be postponed for the time being, but while you wait to see the exhibition 'in real life', you can enjoy the digital version now by following the link below. Hope to see many of you very soon!

https://www.ria.ie/history-ireland-10-words-touring-exhibition

Remember when we asked you to send in your favourite Irish word to be entered into our prize draw to win a '100 Words' goodie bag and signed books? We gathered all the words submitted on Facebook and Twitter and you can download the complete list and see your own entry at the link below. If you like, you can even read my own thoughts on the Irish words we love most! Enormous thanks again to all who contributed and made the competition such a rewarding experience ❤️

https://www.ria.ie/news/publications-focloir-stairiuil-na-gaeilge/ria100words-search-our-favourite-irish-words

All at eDIL are deeply saddened to hear of the untimely passing of Prof. Richard Sharpe who launched eDIL 2019 on 30th August 2019. He was a dear friend and great supporter and we extend our sympathy to all those close to him and to his many friends.

Photo: Dr Elizabeth Boyle

Huge congratulations to Úna Cregan whose name was pulled from the hat this morning as one of the runners-up in our draw 🥳🤩 Úna wins a signed copy of the 'History of Ireland in 100 Words' book. Please contact Valeria at publications@ria.ie to make arrangements.

Úna suggested UILECHUMHACHTACH ‘omnipotent, almighty’. Our outright winner was @TeresaBreathna2 who gave us SEIFT ‘expedient, resource’. Other runners-up and their favourite words:

@Cearbhailleach CODARSNACHT ‘contrariety, contrast’
@punchedmonet_BRIONGLÓID ‘dream’
@mariatjohnston GLIONDAR ‘gladness, joyfulness’

Thank you so much to everyone who entered. We will be commemorating all of you and your favourite words. Watch this space! Congrats again Úna; hope you enjoy it!

What’s a wicker boat got to do with hair-styles?

Cén bhaint atá ag curach le stíl ghruaige?

Some insights into the history of Irish hair to pass the time and maybe raise a smile:

https://www.ria.ie/news/publications-focloir-stairiuil-na-gaeilge/inside-history-ireland-100-words-gruaig

Sincere thanks to everyone who shared their favourite Irish word or made use of some Irish words on social media to mark Seachtain na Gaeilge and enter our draw for a '100 Words' goodie bag and signed books. We’re filling the hat with your names and we will announce the winners on Friday. It was an absolute pleasure to read your responses and see so much interest in the language at home and abroad. More soon...

To mark St Patrick's Day, a brief history of harps in the real world and in the Otherworld:

https://www.ria.ie/news/publications-focloir-stairiuil-na-gaeilge/inside-history-ireland-100-words-clairseach

More reading-material for those at home. One of the entries from our book 'A History of Ireland in 100 Words' made freely available online to celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge. This one looks at supernatural bird-women:

https://www.ria.ie/news/publications-focloir-stairiuil-na-gaeilge/inside-history-ireland-100-words-badhbh

Remember the prize draw for a '100 Words' goodie bag? Well, now there are more prizes! In addition to the goodie bag (containing a SIGNED book, framed prints, eDIL pens, and more), we have FOUR runner-up prizes of signed books & pens. To enter, send us your favourite Irish word before the draw closes on the 17th. We've had such a overwhelming response, by the way, that we are looking at ways to commemorate, in digital format, all those who contributed, so post your words below and be part of the experience!

Installment no.2! Exile, St Columba, the Pogues, Aer lingus and whatever else we could squeeze in... Enjoy!

https://www.ria.ie/news/publications-focloir-stairiuil-na-gaeilge/inside-history-ireland-100-words-loingeas

To coincide with the fantastic '100 Words' banners that have been flying in Dublin to celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge, we have released some of the entries from the book free online. They might help to pass the time, if you're staying at home. Updates throughout the day, but here's the first installment:

What have the French got to do with Irish castles?

Cén bhaint atá ag na Francaigh le caisleáin na hÉireann?

https://www.ria.ie/news/publications-focloir-stairiuil-na-gaeilge/inside-history-ireland-100-words-caistel?fbclid=IwAR3MEKSfOGyvqBpRr82tXkIF6K4PEzZFIj-58b-OAYux8y_oGma0bSAHN9g

In association with the book ‘A History of Ireland in 100 Words’, we have an exhibition! It is currently on view at the Civic Offices of Dublin City Council (Fishamble Street, Dublin 8), but we are offering it free of charge to libraries, museums, cultural heritage bodies, arts centres and so on, in Ireland, the UK and internationally. We can work with curators or festival directors to create events to accompany the exhibition. Those interested in hosting should contact Valeria Cavalli at v.cavalli@ria.ie. Further information available through the following link: https://www.ria.ie/history-ireland-100-words-touring-exhibition

CAMBRIDGE! Next Tuesday (10 March) we’re at the Cambridge Science Festival, teaming up with experts in Experimental Archaeology to discuss baking bread, building houses & taking baths in medieval Ireland

Everyone welcome. Tickets are free. Sampling the bread is optional!

https://www.sciencefestival.cam.ac.uk/events/everyday-life-medieval-ireland-craft-archaeology-and-power-words

It’s Seachtain na Gaeilge (Irish Week) and banners celebrating our book ‘A History of Ireland in 100 Words’ are lining O’Connell Street in Dublin. We’re extremely grateful to the fantastic people at the Royal Irish Academy and Dublin City Libraries who made this happen. To mark the event, we’re encouraging everyone to think about and share their favourite Irish word on social media. So, please comment below or help spread the #RIA100Words hashtag on Twitter to be entered into our draw for a ‘100 Words’ goodie bag!

If you’re in Edinburgh and curious about why eDIL now has a section for words beginning with Q or why you can no longer find 'lurapóg' (leprechaun), it would be lovely to see you at tomorrow's Celtic and Scottish Studies Seminar. The event starts at 1.10pm and takes place in 50 George Square!

https://www.ed.ac.uk/literatures-languages-cultures/celtic-scottish-studies/events/seminar-series-spring-2020/css-seminar-series-spring-2020-sharon-arb

If you are coming along to the 'Bogland and Blackberries' event, which we are participating in, next week as part of the Northern Ireland Science Festival, you might want to think about questions for the panel. We'll have half-an-hour of open discussion, covering local placenames and words regularly used in Northern Ireland which come ultimately from Irish, Scots and other languages.

https://nisciencefestival.com/event.php?e=63

Queen’s University, Belfast, will be hosting the 34th Irish Conference of Medievalists on 25-27 June 2020. The Call for Papers is now open (closing date 22 March). Proposals on any aspect of medieval studies are invited and presentations should last 20 minutes (+ 10 minutes for discussion). More information via the link...

http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/ael/Discover/Conferences/34thIrishConferenceofMedievalists/

If you’re within travelling-distance of Bellaghy, it would be great to see you at Seamus Heaney HomePlace on Wednesday, 19 February, where eDIL will be joining members of the Northern Ireland Place-Name Project and others for 'Bogland & Blackberries - Place-names, Languages & Landscapes'. The event will be hosted by UTV’s Joe Mahon. Time is 7-8.30pm. Tickets are here:

https://nisciencefestival.com/event.php?e=63

Trees and branches, genealogies, broadcasting and a pseudonym for the first President of Ireland... Our blog on CRAOBH spreads far and wide!

https://www.ria.ie/news/publications-focloir-stairiuil-na-gaeilge/cutting-room-floor-history-ireland-104-words

The second instalment in our series ‘From the Cutting-Room Floor’ looks at how AMADÁN ‘a fool’ developed from AMMAIT ‘a supernatural woman’ …

https://www.ria.ie/news/publications-focloir-stairiuil-na-gaeilge/cutting-room-floor-history-ireland-102-words

To celebrate the reprint of 'A History of Ireland in 100 Words' we're releasing a few bonus entries - material that was written for the book but never used. The series is called 'From the Cutting-Room Floor' and No. 101 is 'cró':

http://bit.ly/2YDN8nh

Very pleased to see 'A History of Ireland in 100 Words' BACK IN STOCK! Sincere apologies if you have had to wait to receive your copy. Anyone still wishing to get their hands on the book can order now and receive it in time for Christmas: https://www.ria.ie/history-ireland-100-words

Inordinately pleased to be contributing to 'Bogland & Blackberries - Place-names, Languages & Landscapes' as part of the Northern Ireland Science Festival 2020. Hosted by Joe Mahon and taking place at Seamus Heaney HomePlace, Bellaghy, Co. Derry on Wednesday 19 February, this event will will explore the local names and the places that inspired works like Heaney’s 'Bogland'. We would love to see you there. Booking is now live!

https://nisciencefestival.com/event.php?e=63