Eireann

See also: Éireann and Èireann

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Irish Éireann "Ireland's; of Ireland", genitive case of Éire, "Ireland".

Adjective

Eireann (not comparable)

1. (British, politics, obsolete, deprecated) Alternative spelling of Eirean
   • 1940 May, “The Irish Railways Today”, in Railway Magazine, page 295:

     The neutrality, however, causes some peculiar situations, such as that arising from the prohibition of uniforms other than those of the Eireann Defence Forces and the Diplomatic Corps. This would be simple if no one from Eire were a sailor, soldier, or airman in the British Forces, but thousands of them are, and as such they may not wear mufti unless on leave from the B.E.F.

   • 1945 December 10, Sir William Jowett, "IRISH VOLUNTEERS AND UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT" Hansard HL Deb vol 138 c540

     An Eireann member of the Forces can, however, elect to take his discharge here and stay here for good or proceed to Eire and return within the period of demobilization leave, that is eight weeks, and then remain.

   • 1971 November 30, "EIREANN CITIZENS IN GREAT BRITAIN" Hansard HL Deb vol 326 cc140-2
   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:Eirean.

Usage notes

The use in English of Eire, and even more so Eirean or Eireann, was deprecated in the state of Ireland. See w:names of the Irish state.