thicker sound than in English; e.g. d broad has nearly the sound of th in thy, i.e. d + h; t broad has nearly the sound of th in threw, &c. When slender the Irish consonants (except s) have somewhat the same sound as in English; but when they are followed by a slender vowel, they are pronounced somewhat like the corresponding English consonant followed immediately by a y, e.g. ceol (music) is pronounced k' yōl; beo (alive) = b'yō.
It must not, however, be understood that there is a "y sound" in the Irish consonant. The peculiar sound of the Irish consonants when followed by a slender vowel is fairly well represented by the corresponding English consonant + an English "y sound." In some parts of the country this "y sound" is not heard. The y is only suggestive, and is never heard as a distinct sound.
Combination of the Consonants.
9. There are certain Irish consonants which, when they come together in the same word, do not coalesce, so that when they are uttered a very short obscure vowel sound is heard between them.
This generally occurs in the case of two liquids or a liquid and a mute. Thus balḃ (dumb) is pronounced boll-ŭv ; leanḃ (a child) is lyan-ŭv; dorċa (dark) is dhur-ŭchŭ; margaḋ (a market) is mor-ŭgu.
The following combinations do not coalesce: cn, lḃ, lg, lm, rb, rḃ, rg, rn, lṁ, nḃ, nṁ, rṁ, nċ, rċ.
