I have found eleven of these, listed below. They are not the same in nuance as regular comparatives. They have the additional sense of “all the more X”, “the easier to X” – think of “all the better to eat you with” in the children’s tale, Red Riding Hood. [A sheana-mháthair, nach mór iad na fiacla atá agat! Is fearrde iad é chun t’ite?????]
1. fearrde – the better for it, all the better – gura fearrde thú é, may you be the better for it!
Ní fheadar an fearr-de iad ar thugas dóibh, I wonder if they are the better for all the help I gave them.
Bean dhiadha dheagh-shomplach, gur fearr-de an pobal ’na n-éistean sí Aifreann ann, she is a pious, exemplary woman, who is an asset to the congregation where she attends Mass.
2. móide -all the more, the more – is dócha, a Shíle, gur mar mhaithe le Séadna thug sí an rún do Shiobhán, i dtreó gur mhóide an uraim a bhéadh ag Siobhán dó, Síle, she probably told Siobhán the secret for Séadna’s sake, so that Siobhán would have all the more respect for him. Also note the negative of this phrase: ní móide go – probably not, hardly; sometimes with a sense that two alternative scenarios would be just as likely as each other – ní móide gur bh’fhearra dhó riamh é, it is hardly likely it would have worked out much better for him.
3. usaide -the easier, the more easily, all the more easily. Dá mbéadh aon chiall ag an inghín b’ fhéidir gur bh’ fhusaide é, if his daughter had had any sense, it would have been all the easier.
4. miste – the worse, for the worse, all the worse. Ní miste dhom, I may as well.
ní miste liom, I don’t mind, I think it no harm.
an miste dhúinn a fhiafraí cad as tú?, may we ask where you are from?
5. siaide – the longer for it, all the longer. Is ’mó duine n-a mbíonn dithineas air chun dul i n-inead sheasgair i n-aice an rígh agus nach sia-de a shaoghal é nuair a gheibhean sé a thoil, there is many a person in a hurry to get in a cushy position close to the king and whose life is no longer for it when they get their wish.
6. dóichíde – the more likely, all the more likely. D’á laige a mheasfaidh sí sinne bheith iseadh is dóichíghde gan an iomad nirt a bheith cruinnighthe aici i n-ár gcóir, the weaker she believes us to be, the more likely it is she will not have assembled too great an array of forces against us.
7. lúide – the less, all the less. Le h-eagla ná béadh tusach aici agus gur lúgh-de an síntiús do gheabhadh sí é, for fear that she would not get there first and that the reward she would get would be all the less for it.
8. déinide – the harder, all the harder. B’fhéidir gur déine-de a déanfar an guidhe an teachtaireacht do chur tímpal uait-se, a Árdrígh, maybe the prayer will be prayed all the harder for the message being sent round from you, High King.
9. troimide – the heavier, all the heavier. Fear láidir tréan cuthaigh iseadh é, agus má gheibhean sé thusa séimh gealgháiriteach leis is troime-de a bheidh a bhuille ar fhearaibh Éirean nuair a thiocfaidh an cath.” Fear láidir tréan cuthaigh iseadh é, agus má gheibhean sé thusa séimh gealgháiriteach leis is troime-de a bheidh a bhuille ar fhearaibh Éirean nuair a thiocfaidh an cath, he is a strong and furious man, and if he finds you gentle and cheerful towards him, he will rain his blows on the men of Ireland all the heavier when the battle comes.
10. cneastaide– the gentler, all the more gently. Bhí a saoghal gan eagla acu, agus chuiridís sgannra na dlighe ar an gcuid eile ionus go mba chneasta-de a lámhseálfidís féin na daoine i ngnó a n-oifice, they lived a life without fear, and made legal threats against the rest so that they would handle the people more mildly in the administration of their offices.
11. giorraide – the shorter, all the shorter. Isé sin gur gioraide a saoghal do Mháire Ghearra mura bpósfar leat-sa í, that is that Máire Ghearra’s life will be the shorter for it if you don’t marry her.
12. míslide – the sweeter, all the sweeter. I dtreó gur bh’fhearr de an ceól an fuaim agus gur mhísle de an fuaim an ceól – such that the music was the better for the sound and the sound was all the sweeter on account of the music.
Cork Irish 