SOUNDTRACK: THE REDNECK MANIFESTO-The How (2018).
Despite a terrible name that would keep me away from wanting to see them, The Redneck Manifesto are a very interesting and complicated band. I discovered them through the book of Irish drummers. TRM drummer Mervyn Craig is in the book.
The How is the band’s fifth album (and first in eight years). The album is chock full of instrumentals that touch all genres of music.
There are jazzy elements, dancey elements and rock elements. There are solos (but never long solos) and jamming sections. Most of the songs are around 4 minutes long with a couple running a little longer.
“Djin Chin” has jangly chords and quiet riffs that switch to a muted melody. All the while the bass is loping around. It shifts tempos three times in the first two minutes. Around three minutes the bass takes over the lead instrument pushing the song along with deep notes.
“The Rainbow Men” has a circular kind of riff with swirling effects that launch the song during the musical pauses. After a minute and a half it drastically shifts direction and the adds in a cool solo.
“Sip Don’t Gulp” starts with a catchy bouncy guitar riff and bass lines. At two minutes it too shifts gears to a staggered riff that sounds great.
“Kobo” is the shortest song and seems to tell a melodic story. The two guitars play short, fast rhythms as call and response while the bass rumbles along.
“Head Full of Gold” is over 6 minutes with a thumping bass, rumbling drums and soft synths. “No One” is nearly 7 minutes and feels conventionally catchy until you try to keep up with the beats. After a middle series of washes from various instruments, the back half is a synthy almost dancey rhythm.
“Sweep” is a pretty song until the half-way mark when it just takes off in a fury of fast drumming and complex chords. The end builds in upward riding notes until it hits a calming ending
“We Pigment” is a poppy staccato dancey number. The second half turns martial with a series of four beat drum patterns and a soaring guitar solo. More staccato runs through to the end. “The Underneath Sun” also has a lot of staccato–fast guitar notes interspersed with bigger chords. The end of the song is just littered with sweeping guitar slides until the thumping conclusion.
This album is great and I’m looking forward to exploring their other releases.
[READ: January 10, 2021] A History of Ireland in 100 Words
This book looks at old Irish words–how they’ve evolved and how they show the way Irish history came about. The authors say:
our store of words says something fundamental about us and how we think. This book is meant to provide insights into moments of life that may be otherwise absent from history books. The focus is on Gaelic Ireland throughout as Gaelic was the native language of the majority of the inhabitants of the island for the last 2000 years. It yielded its primacy to English only in the last 150 years.
We selected words with the aim of illustrating each of our themes as broadly as possible. We wanted the words in all their richness to tell their story … like how the word that originally meant noble came to mean cheaper (saor).
Almost all of the entries reference The cattle raid of Cooley (The Ulster Cycle) which features the hero Cú Chulainn. This story is at the heart of most of historical Ireland and it’s pretty fascinating how many of these Gaelic words either originate with that story or get their foundation from the story.
There’s a general pronunciation guide although I wish each word had a phonetic guide because anyone who speaks English will look at Irish a if it is just a jumble of nonsensical consonants.
The book is broken down into sections, although the authors insist that there is no correct way to read the book.
- Writing and Literature
- Technology and Science
- Food and Feasting
- The Body
- Social Circles
- Other Worlds
- War and Politics
- A Sense of Place
- Coming and Going
- Health and Happiness
- Trade and Status
- Entertainment and Sport
- The Last Word
There are also delightfully weird wood carving-like drawings from by Joe McLaren scattered throughout the book.
The words are listed below with either a definition or an interesting anecdote included.
Abhainn [river] waterways are obvious borders
Amach means “out” when motion is involved (going out) amuigh is used when static (being out)
Aoir [satire] the origins of this word come from cutting tracks through the land. It ties to a belief that satire could cause physical injury. Public humiliation was a terrible thing in a society that prized honor.
Aonach a fair or assembly serving political and commercial ends.
Aos [people but usually as in a group doing something–the people of order, the people of captivity]. In modern terms it is used in phrases like “the young generation.”
Arán [bread] has morphed into bairín which means something more akin to loaf.
Badhbh The name Badbh comes from a war goddess attested in early Irish literature as an announcer of death who took the form of a scald crow. While there is no tradition in living memory of the banshee appearing as a scald crow, the tradition remained that the scald crow is seen an omen of death.
Baile is one of the most common place names, often translated as bally (Ballyhooly, Ballybracken, Ballycastle). In modern Irish baile has positive associations like home or town although originally it meant place–maybe a part of the body, or a passage in a book, maybe even a small fort
Bainne (milk) bonnyclabber or clabbered milk is thickened and soured.
Bás (death) a popular toast is long life, a wet mouth, and death in Ireland (Bás in Éirinn). No one wanted to die away from home.
Béal used as mouth but was originally just one lip, singular.
Béarla in modern Irish is the name for the English language often in opposition to Gaeilge (Irish). Broken Irish is better than fluent English. Initially it just meant speech or language
Bó [cow] derived from the sound it makes bu, buo or boo. Cows and cattle were very highly valued in Irish society.
Bolg [belly, bag, bulge]. This is likely where JRR Tolkien came up with the character of Bolg. Cú Chulainn had a weapon, the bolga, which was a spear of mortal pain intended to embed in the belly.
Brat [cloak] designed to cover what was underneath it. Brat urláir is the modern Irish for carpet.
Bráthair [brother] often in a religious community, but also sibling and even relative.
Breitheamh [judge] literally judgement maker, usually between warring families. He would receive 1/12 of the total sum.
Bróg [shoes] from which we get the English brogue–a shoe with decorative perforations which derived from an Irish shoe that had small holes to allow water to drain through when crossing a boggy land.
Cac [excretion] probably came from the Greek word for bad it is used frequently in metaphor and descriptions: the phrase “shit on buttocks.” Cú Chulainn literally squeezes the shit out of a young vain warrior.
Cailleach [old age] also refers to crags in the land that look like wrinkles.
Cáin it originally meant laws but has come to mean taxes. When laws were broken a fine was levied–and slowly the word morphed from law to tax.
Caistél originally meant something like “fort.” It has become Cahel which appears in many place names. A variant was Cailén which appears in names like Castlemaine.
Caoch means “blind” in modern Irish although it initially meant being blind in one eye. It references an Ulster king Congal who was stung by a bee in one eye: A blemished king was not tolerated so he was banished.
Cara: the word anamchar is presently being inscribed on wedding rings as a trend. People believe it translates into “soulmate” since anam means soul and acar is friend. Although originally the word meant a spiritual director or confessor.
Carn: in English a cairn is a pile of stones. Carn is used in place names in Ireland. And in the Cú Chulainn story he killed many warriors and made a pile (carn) of their heads and spoils.
Cath [battle] similarly, catach was a holy relic brought into battle.
Céadaoin referred to a fasting day, literally the first fast which was always on a Wednesday.
Céili a celebration where neighbors gather by a the hearth–it initially meant chatting, singing, story telling and playing music–not necessarily dancing. It was in the early 20th century that the Gaelic League began to promote group dancing–classes and festivals and Céili has become more associated with dancing.
Ceo [mist] but also the intangible nature of things.
Ceol [music]. Early musicians played the crott (harp), timpan (a different stringed instrument but also a drum) and corn (trumpet) cuisle (flute) and other instruments. The crott player was the leader.
Cill [church like a monastic cell] translated into places like Kilkenny
Cláirseach means “harp” but a more modern (15th century) version which may have indicated new developments in the instrument. Clár means board.
Cló was originally a spike or nail and then became the imprint left by a nail hitting metal and eventually became print oy type
Clog [bell]. Bells were struck to keep time and cloh has become the modern Irish for clock.
Cluas [ear] initially “hearing” although in modern Irish it can be the handle of a cup.
Coire [kettle] the Irish word is citeal. Coire is Scots Gaelic.
Comharba. Early Irish society was hierarchical and class-based. It was important to leave behind an heir.
Creach [loss, woe] also makes even decorative branding.
Cróga now means “brave” but it originally meant “bloody.”
Cupán [cups] In contemporary language cup is corn, as in a cup won in competition, but in the medieval period it referred to a drinking vessel made from animal horn.
Cuardhmhír. caur means warrior and mír means portion, so it’s the portion of food chosen by the warrior who won the right to eat first.
Cúige. The Irish word for province. But it means “fifth.” There were once five provinces in Ireland although now there are only four: Ulster, Munster, Leinster and Connacht. In the twentieth century the fifth province has biome a metaphor for an alterative space -a place within each one of us.
Dalta. Typically means pupil and gets used in many different ways like “student of the week,” or a “cadet in training.”
Damhsa [dance] and is taken from English or French it came about in the 16th century.
Dán [a poem] although initially it also referred to a gift–a professional poet expected to get paid.
Dearg [blood] various shades of red are used to refer to different shades of blood: Flann was freshly shed blood, old dried blood was rúad. Derg was between the two and was usually referring to bleeding or bloody.
Dia [god]. The Irish greeting dia duit means “god to you.” Dia is used for most supernatural beings. So the devil is diabuk.
Eineach means face as is saving face. This concept was fairly new to English (19th century) but has been around in Ireland since earliest written sources. Enech was originally a cheek–which would redden with shame.
Fadhb is a problem–something difficult to solve–it originated from odb, a knot in wood.
Feis is usually a celebration of dancing, music and culture it initially may have meant feasting and hunting.
Fia After the arrival of the Anglo-Normans in 1170s, the animal species were suddenly seen in record keeping. Fallow deer (fia) are one such species. Red deer are native to Ireland (fia rua). Fallow deer is fia buí.
Fianna. Fianna Fáil is translated as “soldiers of destiny” but fian (fianna is plural) meant a warrior band who lived in the wild and often raided the cities. The church took a very dim view of their activities Fál incidentally has no basis in the meaning destiny. It was misused in the Lia Fáil a stone that would cry out when a legitimate king stood on it the stone of destiny.
File a highly skilled man of leering.
Fine is more or less a group of people who belong to the same race or family. Used in Irish political parties like Fine Gael.
Fíor means true as contrasted with bréag a lie (false). But fír has a rich range of meanings. Initially it was given to a king to indicate harmony with this world and the other world. Warriors also had a code of conduct called fir.
Fliuch is the Irish word for wet and is used for rain. There are some fun Irish expressions like “rain that would go through a board of oak” and “raining forks and knives.”
Forc [fork] comes from the word for feasting although a fork in the road was also a possibility.
Francach [rat] Although Francach technically means French, before a turkey was called a turcai it was known as a cearc fhrabcach (turkey hen) which technically means “French bird.” Franach also meant large so a turkey would have been a large hen. A rat is a large mouse. It also means French when capitalized.
Fuinneog [window] comes from Old Norse but was originally a hole in the roof through which smoke left.
Gáire can refer to both laughter and smiling although another word for smile gen can refer to a menacing or deceitful smile.
Galar sickness or disease.
Gall Gauls were Celtic speakers who inhabited modern day France. Gall gnarly meant a foreigner. Finngaill meant fair foreigner and dubgaill meant dark foreigner.
Gealt Gleann na nGealt in West Kerry has a well which is traditionally thought to cure insanity. Gealt did once refer to insanity but in a more complicated way–more like a frenzy of behavior.
Geis. The word “geas” is an obligation or prohibition; in Irish it is a supernatural prohibition. Cú Chulainn is given contradictory geis he must not eat dog meat but he must accept any food offered by a woman. What happens when a woman offers him dog meat?
Gloine [glass] both natural and manufactured.
Grá [love] originally meant falling in love with someone based on what you’ve heard about them.
Gruaig [hair] still used today: síntí gruaig hair extensions gruaig spiceach is spiked hair.
Iománaíocht Hurling an ancient sport with a long pedigree. Codified 1885 one year after the founding of the GAA Gaelic Anthemic Association. Cú Chulainn was also a player. In one instance he went to feast that was guarded by a dog. He had his hurley and struck the ball so hard it went in the hound’s mouth and out its rear rend. The game is literally: Iomáin (around) and áin (driving).
Ionraic honest literally “fit for sale”–meeting legally defined measurements for sale.
Lár [town centre] lár téarma means midterm break. Although it originally meant floor–it shifted because of shape of early houses in Ireland was round–the middle of the room.
Leabhar [book] still in use today update for e-books as ríomhleabhar.
Leas originally meant relief or remedy now it means acting on someone’s behalf.
Leipreachán [leprechaun] Mediaeval Irish scholars assigned leprechauns along with other monstrous creatures born from incestuous relations in the Bible.
Lios there are 45,000 large circular earthen and stone banks knows as ringforts or raths dotting Ireland. The word also applies to other settlements. Ráth meant rampart.
Litir [Letter] Irish technically has no letters j, k, v, x, y or z although they can be used in borrowed words. It also means a missive.
Loingeas [exile] this word derived from long ship. It also refers to shipping and is why the airplane company is Aer Lingus.
Long a substantial ship or vessel many words for boat and sailing vessels come form Norse words
Mac tíre means son of the land but referred to a wolf. The last wild wolf was killed in 1786. Cromwell had anti-wolf campaign with the intent on killing them all. The locals used this expression as a way of avoiding the word wolf, because they feared speaking a name might call it into existence.
Meá [honey] Honey was so important to in ancient Ireland there were bee laws designed to make sure that bees were properly taken care of. This is, of course, where we get the word mead.
Meisce [drunk] in modern Irish ais ar mesice, although it literally means mixes or confuses.
Neimheadh. Neimed was the leader of the third race to occupy Ireland. The name means sanctuary, status or venerated object it was used to describe sacred place.
Nigh [washes] People often washed their feet before entering a house (their own or a stranger’s) because of the mud. Irish also had specific word for washing different body parts inlaid (feet) folcaid (head) and nigid (hands).
Oileán [island] The otherworld is often located on an island, and this word originally referred to things apart from this world.
Orda. In many European language the word for “inch” is the same as for “thumb.” Orda is thumb in Irish. It also means “finger” and really only clarifies with context. The space between the fingers and/or toes is ladhar. English has no equivalent.
Punt was the main unit of currency in Ireland until the Euro. although initially it was used as a unit of weight
Réalt [star] could be for both in the sky and spectacular person.
Ríomhaire [computer]. In old Irish it referred to a human who performed calculations.
Saol is part of the current expression Saol Gáire Grá which is meant to evoke Live Laugh Love but is literally Life Laughter Love. Although originally it referred to something more like lifetime or years lived.
Saor means free or cheap, the opposite of daor (expensive). Saor initially meant free which was the same as noble, daor meant unfree or those in servitude. Now soar means free from the responsibility of work daor mean a slave or unfree
Scéal [story] also meant news.
Seanchas is often translated as storytelling but is more specifically an older person who bore witness to events of the past.
Síodh fairy mound. fairies were a huge part of Irish culture as seen in the oft repeated attitude, “I don’t believe in them but they’re there anyway.”
Sníomh [spinning and weaving]
Súil [eye] but also the central whorl of the finger tip as in the phrase
under the eye of the fingers.
Taoiseach is one of the few words that many non-Irish people know, it is in use today as Ireland’s highest government post. It’s original meaning was first from which it came to signify leader. Women have appeared as taoiseach as far back as the eight century.
Tó Irish does not have a specific word for “yes” or “no.” Usually you would answer yes/no questions by stating what the question asked: Will you come? I will come. So what do they do in modern times when there is say a computer program with a yes or no check box? So now Tá means “it is” there’s also gan amhras “Without doubt.” In early Irish Tó was used as a positive response to questions and a negative response would have been náthó although it was usually used to express dissent or refusal.
Todhchaí [future] writers in the middle ages were focused on the past, but they did consider the future. This word comes from the root for “probable” and “to be.”
Tuaidh means north anair means from front/east; aniar from the back/west; andess from the right/south; antuaid from the left /north.
Tuath in early Ireland tuath was the center of economic and political life. But now it is mostly used as faoin tuath: the countryside.
Úll [apple] but also small inedible spherical objects like the ball and socket joint.
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