Mhuire

Mhuire is the lenited form of Muire, the Irish word for Mary, specifically referring to Mary, the Virgin Mary in Catholic tradition. In Irish orthography, lenition is a phonological process that changes the initial consonant after certain prepositions or in the vocative, producing forms such as Mhuire from Muire.

In religious writing and prayer, Mhuire is a common variant used when grammar requires the lenited form. It is not a separate name; rather, it is the grammatical form of Muire used in context within Irish-language sentences, hymns, and liturgical phrases. The standard form Muire is typically used in most dictionary entries and straightforward references, while Mhuire appears where the surrounding grammar dictates lenition.

The form Mhuire also appears in Irish-language placenames and church or devotional titles, reflecting the prominence of Marian devotion in Ireland’s Irish-speaking communities. Examples in practice include phrases and titles that employ the lenited form as part of grammatical constructions or vocatives, underscoring the integration of Marian reverence with the rules of the Irish language.

Overall, Mhuire serves as a language-specific variant of Muire used in religious and formal Irish, illustrating how grammar and devotion intersect in Irish orthography. See also Muire, Mary (Virgin), Irish language, Marian devotion.