Slán_Abhaile

<span title="Irish-language text"><i lang="ga">Slán abhaile</i></span>

Slán abhaile

Irish expression, bidding someone farewell

Slán abhaile (Irish: [ˌsˠl̪ˠaːnˠ əˈwalʲə]) is an Irish language phrase used to bid goodbye to someone who is travelling home. A literal translation of the phrase is "safe home", which is used in the same way in Hiberno-English.[1] Slán ('safe') is used in many Irish-language farewell formulas; abhaile means 'homeward'.

A mural in Belfast celebrating the impending end of Operation Banner as a result of the Northern Ireland peace process, 1995. The mural references The Yomper, an iconic photograph of the Falklands War.

In the Republic of Ireland, "slán abhaile" frequently appears on road signs placed alongside roads which are leaving a town or village.[2] The phrase has also been placed on official signs encouraging drivers to drive safely while leaving and entering municipalities.[citation needed]

In Northern Ireland, the phrase was also used on murals drawn by Irish republicans which celebrated the end of Operation Banner, the deployment of the British Armed Forces to the region during the Troubles, as a result of the Northern Ireland peace process that culminated in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.[3]

References

  1. [1]
    Terence Patrick Dolan (2006). A Dictionary of Hiberno-English: The Irish Use of English. Terence Patrick Dolan. pp. 1–. ISBN 978-0-7171-4039-8. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  2. [2]
    B. Gerad O'Brien (1 September 2003). Dreamin' Dreams: A Collection of Short Irish Stories. iUniverse. pp. 104–. ISBN 978-0-595-29057-4. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  3. [3]
    Neil Jarman (1 May 1997). Material Conflicts: Parades and Visual Displays in Northern Ireland. Berg. pp. 246–. ISBN 978-1-85973-129-1. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
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