Éireann

Éireann is the genitive form of Éire, the Irish Gaelic name for Ireland. In Irish, the country’s name in the nominative case is Éire; Éireann is used where the noun is in the genitive, typically after prepositions or within official names, meaning “of Ireland.” The most familiar example is Poblacht na hÉireann, the Republic of Ireland, literally “Republic of Ireland.”

Etymology and form: Éire derives from Ériu, a goddess who personified the land in ancient Irish mythology. The genitive form Éireann reflects standard Irish grammar for feminine nouns ending in a vowel. When used with the definite article or prepositions, the form often appears with an initial h- due to aspiration rules, as in na hÉireann.

Usage and context: In everyday Irish, the country is usually referred to as Éire. Éireann appears mainly in formal, legal, or ceremonial contexts and in official Irish-language titles—such as Uachtarán na hÉireann (President of Ireland) or Poblacht na hÉireann (Republic of Ireland). It also occurs in longer phrases indicating possession or association with Ireland.

Notes on bilingual usage: In English-language writing about the country, Éire is commonly used as the Irish name, while Éireann appears primarily within Irish-language phrases and official titles. The distinction is mainly grammatical rather than a difference in meaning, reflecting the genitive relationship to Éire rather than a separate country name.