Irish pronunciation request

Desert Orchid

Desert Orchid

Senior Jockey
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Aug 2, 2005
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(It only occurred to me as I typed the title that some people might think there's a joke coming. Not at all.)

Can any of you Irish-speaking forumites help me out with the pronunciation of the surname Macgiollabhain / Mac Giolla Bhain ?

I believe there's an accent on the final a.

Thanks in advance.
 
I'd have gone 'Mc Gwyilla Vawn' - but there are three distinct dialects and knowing Grey, his is the poshest of them.
 
Grey said:
Mac Gyulla Voyne

The c is soft
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What do you mean by 'soft', Grey?

I've been pronouncing it 'M'Gillivan' ('g' as in 'got') purely as a guess (educated, to a degree, given an extremely slight knowledge of Scottish Gaelic) but find myself immediately following it up with "or however it should be pronounced".

Good to be able to say it without qualifying it :)
 
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