Naming the Day
An Domhnach (Dé Domhnaigh) – Sunday
The word ‘Domhnach’ comes from the Latin word ‘Dominus’ which means ‘Lord’, so Dé Domhnaigh’ means ‘The Lord’s Day’. The name ‘Sunday’ comes from an Old English word which means ‘the day of the sun’.
An Luan (Dé Luain) – Monday
These names mean almost the same thing ‘Luan’ means ‘light’ or ‘moon’ so that ‘Dé Luain’ means ‘the day of the moon’. The word ‘Monday’ comes from an old English word which also means ‘the day of the moon’.
An Mháirt (Dé Máirt) – Tuesday
These names come from the names of gods of war. Mars was a Roman war god and ‘Dé Máirt’ means the day of ‘Mars’. Tiw was an old German war god and so ‘Tuesday’ means ‘the day of Tiw’.
An Chéadaoin (Dé Céadaoin) – Wednesday
The Irish word ‘aoin’ means ‘fast’, so ‘Dé Céadaoin’ means ‘the day of the first fast’, this day being the first fast day of the week. The word ‘Wednesday’ comes from the name of a German god, Woden, ‘Woden’s day’.
An Déardaoin (Déardaoin) – Thursday
This is ‘dé idir dhá aoin’ or ‘the day between two fasts’. In English is ‘the day of Thor’, the German god of thunder.
An Aoine (Dé hAoine) – Friday
This is the second fast day. Dé hAoine’ means ‘day of fasting’. The English name comes from the name of a goddess, Woden’s wife, Frig.
An Satharn (Dé Sathairn) – Saturday
This is ‘Saturn’s day’. Saturn was the Roman god of agriculture.
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