About this phrase

Díreach is an adjective that means direct, straight ⁊rl…

Ar is a simple preposition that means on.

D'aghaidh consists of two components:

• The possessive adjective, second person, singular do, meaning your. The terminal vowel sound is lost here through coalescence with the following one and this phenomenon is indicated by an apostrophe in the official standard orthography.
• The feminine noun aghaidh, meaning face, front, aspect ⁊rl…

Thus, díreach ar d'aghaidh: straight ahead of you (literally, 'straight on your face').

Notes

• The common phrase os do chomhair amach (in front of you; before you) is similar in meaning.
• When do becomes d' before a following vowel sound, it is often pronounced t', especially in Munster:
  • T'ainm (your name)
  • T'aintín (your aunt)
  • Tá an Tiarna i t'fhochair (the Lord is with you)
  • Dein t'fhiafraithe (ask; literally, 'do your asking')
  • ⁊rl…
• The same vowel coalescence phenomenon occurs in the case of the possessive adjective, first person, singular mo (my)
  • M'ainm (my name)
  • M'aintín (my aunt)
  • ⁊rl…