Old Irish

American  

noun

1. the Irish language before c900. OIr, OIr.

---

Old Irish British  

noun

1. the Celtic language of Ireland up to about 900 _ad , introduced to Scotland by Irish settlers about 500 _a.d

---

Etymology

Origin of Old Irish

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

The results showed that both prehistoric and medieval Irish goats are most closely related to today's Old Irish Goat.

From Science Daily • Feb. 26, 2026

Historically known as 'an Gabhar Fiáin' -- the wild goat -- the Old Irish Goat occupies a unique place in Irish folklore.

From Science Daily • Feb. 26, 2026

The team reported he was last seen at The Old Irish Pub in Barcelona.

From BBC • Nov. 6, 2022

This book retells the ninth-century Old Irish poem “Pangur Ban,” a monk’s simple reflections on his companionship with his cat and the parallels between his scholarly pursuit of knowledge and the cat’s playful hunting.

From New York Times • Nov. 3, 2016

By the beginning of the Middle Irish period a good part of the cumbrous Old Irish verb-system had become obsolete, and texts which were at all faithfully copied had to be plentifully supplied with glosses.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 5 "Cat" to "Celt" by Various