Corpas

On do fhobair (hobair) OR d'fhobair
(d'obair).

(1) fhobair (hobair), both spellings found; fh = th or h,
o short (Ulster and Mayo).
(2)  fhóbair (hóbair), as above (1), but o long (Galway).
(3) óbair, used after as or budh (Galway).
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(4) d'fhóbair (d'óbair), both spellings used (Munster).
(5) dh'fhóbair (dh'óbair), used after budh (Munster).

O'Reilly gives "fobar or do fhobar," but the final r
is always pronounced slender.  O'Begley's spelling is
dobair and obair (after is).

Two constructions are used:

1.  Followed by infinitive or verbal noun.

fhobair damh tuitim, I had like to fall (Ulster 
and Meath).

fhobair liom tuitim, "I had a'most to fall"
(Donegal and Meath).

fhobair dó mo mharbhadh, he had like to kill me
(Armagh).

fhobair duit a bhualadh, you had like to strike
him (Armagh).

fhobair dó muc a cheannach, he had like to buy a
pig (Tyrone)

fhobair do Shéaghan do leagadh, John had like to
knock you down (Armagh).

Dobair dhó bás d'fhághail, he was like to die
(O'Begley).

[Budh dh'óbair dam é dhearmhad (Cork).  G.J.,
Nov., p. 118)

fhóbair dam tuitim (Galway).

In Galway and Mayo the personal is often substi-
tuted for the prepositional pronoun, when verb is intrans.

Fhobair mé thuitim.
[Cf. Is feasach mé (Galway) = is fiosach dam].

C.  When the infinitive alone is used, the sense is 
passive.

Ex. Fhobair mo mharbhadh, I had like to be killed
(Armagh).

Ex. Fhobair a bhualadh, he had like to be beaten
(Armagh).

[Cf. Is coir dam a dhéanamh, I ought to do it; but Is
cóir a dhéanamh = it ought to be done].

D.  Very, often, especially in Munster, the infinitve is
omitted, the phrase thus contracted being then
generally applicable to something that had almost
taken place.

Ex. d'fhóbair duit, you had a narrow escape (Munster).
Ex. fhóbair leat, "you had a'most"  (Donegal).
Ex. Fhóbair duit, you had like (Armagh).

II.  Followed by conditional, or, in some districts,
though incorrectly, by past tense, preceded by go.

A.  Conditional without assertive verb.

Fhobair go dtuitfinn, I had like to fall (Armagh).
D'fhóbair go dtuitfinn, in Munster.
D'fhóbair go mbuailfeá é, you had like to strike him
(Kerry).
fhobhair go mbuailfidhe é, he had like to be struck
(Armagh).
Dobair go ndearmud(f)ainn é,  I had like to have
forgot it (O'Begley)
Dobair go gcurthaoi an ruaig ar an rann clí do'n 
tsluagh, the left wing had like to have been routed
(O'Begley).
gur h-obuir go léigfeadh a inchinn amach, so that he
had like to dash (let) his brains out, Seaghán O
Neachtain (v. G.J., vol. iii., No. 29, p. 68)
A's gur fhóbair go mbrisfeadh mo chroidhe, so that my
heart had like to break, Siamsa an Gheimhridh, p. 59.

B. Past tense.  

fhobair gur thuit mé (Mayo and Galway).
fhobair go ndeachaidh sé ar báinidh (Meath).

III.  
A.  Present time.

Is obair dhó a chlú do chailleamhain, he is like to lose
his credit (O'Begley), I. 
Is óbair go dtuitfinn, I am like to fall (Galway), II.

B.  Past time - 

Budh dh'óbair dam é dhearmhad, I was near forgetting
it (Cork; G.J., Nov. Number, p. 118), I.
Budh óbair go dtuitfinn, I was or had like to fall
(Galway), II.
Budh dh'óbair go leagfá é (Munster), II.
Historical Irish Corpus
1600 - 1926

On do fhobair (hobair) or d'fhobair (d'obair).

Search Texts

Historical Irish Corpus1600 - 1926

On do fhobair (hobair) or d'fhobair (d'obair).

Search Texts

Historical Irish Corpus
1600 - 1926
