Focal an Lae #266
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: dún (DOON) [duːn]
Meaning: dún = fortress
Usage:
- Thàinig an treibh le chéile sa dún. (HAW-nihk uh CHREHV luh HYAY-luh suh DOON) [haːn′əg′ ə t′r′ev′ lə x′eːl′ə sə duːn]
= The tribe gathered in the fortress.
- “Dún” is common element in Irish and Scottish placenames, such as Dún na nGall (Donegal, lit., fortress of the foreigners)
and Contae an Dúin (County Down).
History: Old Irish “dún”, Welsh “dinas” and Gaulish “dounon, dūnum” (high place)
come from Common Celtic *dūno- (hill, stronghold), from Indo-European *dhūno- (fortified place).
English “town” comes from Germanic *tūnaz, which was borrowed early on from Celtic.
The Irish verb “dún” (shut, close) appears to derive from the noun “dún”.
Scottish Gaelic: dùn