Béar

Béar Dubh (Black Bear)

Béar Dubh (Black Bear)

Béar Liath (Grizzly Bear)

Béar Bán (Polar Bear) 

Mathúin Dubh (Black)

Mathúin Bán/Sneachta (Polar)

Ollmhathúin (Grizzly) 

The brown bear was found in Ireland in ancient times, but they disappeared by around 500CE. Surprisingly, scientific evidence suggests that these Irish brown bears might have been the ancestors of the famous polar bears. In modern Irish, the word for bear is "béar," The older term “mathghamhain” (modern “mathúin”) euphemistically means “the good calf.” Although bears are part of Irish folklore, their absence in present-day Ireland caused the word "mathghamhain" to vanish from everyday language, and "béar" became the borrowed term instead.

In Canada, where black bears, grizzly bears, and polar bears can be found, Scottish Gaelic still holds on to the word "mathghamhainn," which is used to describe another creature—the raccoon (mathúin nite, a washing bear). The term "mathúin" is also present in surnames like Mac Mathúna, McMahon, and Matheson.

Other words used for bears give us insights into how the Gaelic-speaking people perceived them. "Art," which is the origin of the name Arthur, means "destroying-one" in the Proto-Celtic language. "Beithir" could refer to both a bear and a warrior, while "béar" can also mean a tyrant, an invader, or a foreigner. Interestingly, when we gaze at the night sky, we can identify An Béar Mór and An Béar Beag—the constellations of the Big and Little Dipper.

In 1899, Micí Mac Gabhann, who was exploring the Canadian Yukon (Tír an Óir), described the grizzly bear as "beathach fíochmhar a mbíonn an-eagla ar dhaoine roimhe" in Irish, which translates to "a fierce beast that people are greatly afraid of."

Béaloideas - Folklore

ó Éamonn Uí Uinnsudúin, Co. Waterford

Bhí ferimeoir ann uair amháin agus bhí sean-capall aige, sé an nós a bhíodh ag na daoine fadó ná, nuair a bhíodh na capaill ró-aosta cun obair a dhéanamh chaithidís amach sa coill iad chun go bhfaigheadh siad bás. Do chuir an feirmeoir an seancapall amach sa coill lá áirithe agus ‘s é dúirt sé leis an capall agus é ag imeacht, dá dtabharfadh sé béar beo abhaile leis go gcoimeádfadh sé sa stábla an fhaid a mhairfeadh sé. Do chuireadh amach sa coill é agus bhí sé ag siúil timpeall na coille ar feadh trí seachtaine nó mar sin agus ar deireadh do chas sé ar an madra rua. "Tá aithne agam ortsa go maith mar is minic do rith mé romhat ar an mbóthar" arsa an madra rua.

"Tá. Tá mise curtha amach sa coill anois mar níl aon mhaith ionam mar tá mé ró-aosta chun an obair a dhéanamh agus d’fhéadainn dul abhaile arís dá dtabharfadh mé béar beó abhaile liom"

"Tá a fhios agam áit ina bhfuil seanceann agus ceann óg agus tá a lán cleasanna agam" arsa an madra rua. "Rachaidh mé go dtí an áit agus déarfaidh mé leis an gceann óg go bhfuil láir marbh sa coill, mar bíonn baint mór ag an mbéar ar fheoil an chapaill mhairbh agus chuaigh sé go dtí an áit a raibh an béar ina chónaí agus dúirt sé go raibh láir marbh sa choill timpeall míle ón bpoll. Tháinig an béar agus an madra rua i dteannta a chéile agus do lig an láir air go raibh sé marbh agus bhí sé sínte amach agus a shúile dúnta. Crom an béar ag ithe an chapaill agus ansin do ceangal an madra rua cos an chapaill agus cos an bhéir lena chéile, agus nuair a bhí siad ceangailte d'éirigh an capall agus as go brách leis abhaile. Nuair a shrois sé an stábla bhí fear an tí ina sheasamh ag an doras agus bhí sé ag gáire nuair a chonaic sé an láir agus an béar ceangailte lena gcos. Do chuir sé iad araon insan stábla agus gheibheann an láir trí béile istigh insan stábla gach lá ó shin.

Adapted from: “The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0636, Page 161-162” by Dúchas © National Folklore Collection, UCD is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

Seanfhocail - Proverbs

Chuirfeadh sé othras ar mhathúin - It would sicken a bear. (something very bad or gross)

Art an neart - The bear of strength. (a vigorous hero)

Má theitheann tú ó mhac tíre buailfidh tú le béar - If you run away from a wolf you will meet a bear (if you put off things they will get worse)

Ionsaíonn béar brobh - a bear will attach a rush (a big thing gives its attention and energy to an insignificant thing)