Quotations: Greetings & Farewell
 

Ad-rae búaid ocus bennachtain!

("take" * profit / victory * and * blessing)

Benefits and blessings to you!

This phrase is used repeatedly by St. Patrick and others, in "Acallam na Senórach" and other texts, as a blessing given in thanks or in greeting. In Modern Irish it takes the form "Beir bua agus beannacht" and is commonly used as a complimentary close in letters.

Bid inund techt nó anad dún céin no·mbeo-sa.

(will-be * equal * going * or * staying * for us * as long as * I may live)

You may come and go as you wish, as long as I live.

In the tale "Orgain Denna Ríg", Scoriath welcomes Labraid Móen and his retinue with the traditional words "Fo chen dúib!" He then expands his welcome by making it entirely open-ended: they should feel free to come and go whenever they wish. Compare "Is ferr for tormach oldás for ndígbál!"

Celebrad duit!
(adieu * to you)

Farewell!

This is a standard formula of leave taking, spoken by Fand to Cú Chulainn in "Serglige Con Culainn", for example. The word "celebrad" is originally derived from Latin "celebrare" (to honor, glorify).

Dess imm·ríadam dúib!
(rightward * we ride * to you-all)

Auspicious greetings to you!

Spoken by Emer to Cú Chulainn in the tale "Tochmarc Emire". Altough she is in fact seated quietly at the time, she uses a formula that invokes the image of a chariot rider and driver approaching another chariot courteously displaying their righthand side, moving sunwise or clockwise. The opposite direction of approach was ritually hostile and insulting. Cú Chulainn's reply is equally courteous and formulaic: "Slán imraisc dúib-se!" = May you be free of all harm.

Día do bethu!
(God * your * life)

Hail! Greetings!

A formula of greeting, the grammar of which is not entirely transparent, spoken by Cú Chulainn in "Táin BÓ Cúailnge" and by others elsewhere.

Dia tí íasc i n-inbera
rot-bia éo co lleith araile;
Dia tí íall i mmag
rot-bia cauth co lleith araile.

(if * come * fish * into * estuaries / you will have * salmon * with * half * other / if * come * flock * into * plain / you will have * goose * with * half * other)

If fish come to the rivermouths
you will have a salmon, and more.
If a flock comes to the plain
you will have a goose, and more.

An elaborate friendly greeting, spoken by Cú Chulainn to Fergus in the LU version of "Táin Bó Cúailnge".

Do maith ocus líth dúib!

(for * good * and * luck * to you all)

Prosperity and luck to you!

This formula of greeting is found in the tale "Inghen Ríg Ghréc" in LL, edited in "Silva Gadelica" (p. 414). Compare the structure of "Do shoínmigi sin!" in this collection.

Fo-chen!

Greetings!

This, and its variant "mo-chen", is the most common salutation in Early Irish literature. It defies linguistic analysis.

Imb i céin fa in accus beo-sa, nicon·chloor acht far caínscél.

(be it * in * distance * or * in * nearness * that I be * may I not hear * but * your (pl.) * good tidings)

Whether I be far or near, may I hear only good news of you all.

This lovely formula, both courtly and affectionate, is found in the Würzburg Glosses (23b41). I can imagine using as a complimentary close in a letter. Addressed to a single person, it would end with "... acht do chaínscél."

Is ferr for tormach oldás for ndígbál!

(is * better * your (plural) * increasing * than * your (pl.) * lessening)

Better more of you than less!

This greeting to guests, telling them that the longer their visit the better, is spoken by Ailill in "Táin Bó Fraích".