From Gael + -ach (adjectival suffix).
Gaelach (genitive singular masculine Gaelaigh, genitive singular feminine Gaelaí, plural Gaelacha, comparative Gaelaí)
Gaelach and Éireannach can both be translated “Irish”, but Gaelach refers specifically to traditional Irish Gaelic culture, historically associated with the Irish language. Éireannach refers to anything associated with the island or country of Ireland. Gaelach can also refer to Gaelic culture outside of Ireland, for example in Scotland, the Isle of Man, and the diaspora.
| Singular | Plural (m/f) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive | Masculine | Feminine | (strong noun) | (weak noun) |
| Nominative | Gaelach | Ghaelach | Gaelacha; Ghaelacha² | |
| Vocative | Ghaelaigh | Gaelacha | ||
| Genitive | Gaelaí | Gaelacha | Gaelach | |
| Dative | Gaelach; Ghaelach¹ |
Ghaelach; Ghaelaigh (archaic) |
Gaelacha; Ghaelacha² | |
| Comparative | níos Gaelaí | |||
| Superlative | is Gaelaí | |||
¹ When the preceding noun is lenited and governed by the definite article.
² When the preceding noun ends in a slender consonant.
| Irish mutation | ||
|---|---|---|
| Radical | Lenition | Eclipsis |
| Gaelach | Ghaelach | nGaelach |
| Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs. | ||