546. The relative a meaning all that, what, may itself be genitive; as, trian a raiḃ ann, a third of what were there. “Beir beannaċt óm ċroiḋe ċum a maireann ar ḃánċnoic Éireann óiġ.” “Bear a blessing from my heart to all those who live on the fair hills of Holy Ireland.”
The relative a in this sentence is genitive case being governed by ċum (see par. 603).
CHAPTER V.
The Verb.
547. As a general rule the verb precedes its nominative: as, tá sé, he is; ḃí an fear ann, the man was there.
Exceptions. (1) When the subject is a relative or an interrogative pronoun the verb comes after its subject; as,
- An buaċaill a ḃuaileas mé. The boy who strikes me.
- Cad atá agat? What have you?
(2) In a relative sentence the nominative though not a relative pronoun may precede its verb; but as the noun is usually far separated from the verb, a
