Turas Siar

History

Local History

 

CAPT. BRUNN’S WIFE AND FAMILY AT THE ERRIS HOTEL ON A VISIT TO BELMULLET FROM NORWAY C. 1910

TOM CAREY, WIFE CHARLENE, SON AND DAUGHTER. TOM’S ANCESTORS WERE THE ROBERT CAREY’S FROM BELMULLET. TOM CAREY’S OWNED THE ERRIS HOTEL LATE 1800S-EARLY 1900S

Stories

HENRAÍ AGUS AN BÁD SÍGHE

Siar san am fadó bhí fear íontach farraige inachónaí ar bhaile an Chartúir darbh ainm Henrí ó Catháin; Henrí Mháire.

Ar Thaobh Chnoc an Tearmain a tóigadh Henrí, nuair a phós sé tháinig sé a chónaí go baile an Chartúir áit ar chuir sé suas siopa agus stór.

Bhí bád mór aige agus chaitheadh sé chupla fear de chuid an bhaile a thabhairt leis air an astir fada farraige go Cathair na Mart chun locht an bháid de earraí siopa a fháil le tabhairt abhaile le díol ina shiopa fhéin.

Thóigadh an cúrsa farraige seo lá fada, ní nach íonadh báid seóil uilig a bhí ag tráchtáil air na cúanta ag an am agus is minic a fuair siad droch chóir le gáladh agus farraige árd. Ansin nuair a thagadh bád Henrí isteach go Cúan an Chartúir mara mbeadh snámh aicí go dtí an chéibhín a bhí déantaí ag Henrí amach díreach óna theach, chaitheadh muintir an bhaile crionadh lena gcuid asail agus cléibh leis an locht a chartadh nuair a bheadh an bád tráita.

Bhíodh fir agus mná chomh maith le páistí an bhaile amuigh ar tráigh agus iad ag baint spórt breá amach, go mór mhór oícheanta spéir ghealaí.

Bhí cearthar mac agus seisear iníon go mhuirín air fhéin agus a bhean Peigí. Nuair d’fhás an chlann mhac suas fuair Henrí bád ocht dtonna déanta ó shaor bád dharbh ainm Maitias ó Guairm as Connemara, fear a chaith chupla bliain thart anseo ag tógáil báid agus ag múnadh na ceirde ag an am céanna.

Amach óna dhoras fhéin ar Shráid an Chartúir a rinne Guairm an bád mór seo. An lá ar cuireadh amach an tsnamh í bhí an méid fir thart sna seacht mbailte cruinn dhá sáthú.

Thainig méid agus reath air ghraithe mhuintir Henrí Mháire as sin amach, thoisaigh siad ag ceannacht slata mara, ceilp agus carraigín ó mhuintir na háite agus dhá stóráil sa bhfoirrigneamh mór dhá stór ar airde a bhí acu ar an mbaile.
An mhaidin seo déirí Henrí agus a chlann amach deirbeadh oíche agus thug a naighaidh chun farraige mar bhí fhios acu go raibh sé ag tarraingt athruith.

Nuair sheól siad amach Cúan an Chartúir bhí sé glas as gaoth anear-aneasagus béigan dhóibh cúpla leathbhord a chaitheadh trasna chuan an Fhód Duibh nó go ndeacha siad chomh fada le Ceann hIomalt, bhí Henrí air an stiúir agus b’fhacas dhó sa dorchadas nuair thug sé thart a shúil go raibh bád eile ag seóladh bord air bhord leo.

Faoin am seo bhí sé garbh agus crapach go maith, bhéic fear an bháid eile air Henrí “c’én sórt bád atá leat”.

Bád iarainn agus adhmaid

CLÁR POTA ÓN SPÉIR

Tráthnóna bhreá shamhraidh siar í lár na naoi déag ochtóidí bhí mo bheirt uncail agus mo dhreatháir ag tíocht isteach Pol an Chartúir in éis an lá a chaitheamh amuigh ag iascaireacht.

Tuairim is leath bealaí idir an cladach agus Bár an Phonta, sin é an pointe is faide amach ó Dheas de Ghob mhuigh Rathain, nuair thug an fear a bhí ina shuíghe ag iomrú ar an seas deirí rud mar bheadh clár pota ag titim ón spéir le luas mór.

Choinic an triúr acu é nuair a bhí sé go díreach ós cionn dheireadh an churraí, bhuail sé an fharraige faoi thuairt agus chuaigh go tóin poil.

Bhí an t-ádh dearg leó nach raibh fad an churraí de mhoill orthú, dhá mbeadh is cinnte go dtiteadh sé sa gcurrach.

An lá ina dhiaidh chuairte siad an tráigh nuair a bhí an lán mara imithe amach agus riamh ó shin ní bhfuairas tada san áit ar thit an rud seo.

EASCANN GAN CHEANN

Lá fadó thimpeall 1930 bhí mo athair mór agus a bheirt dhreatháir amuigh ag iarraí gliomach tháll ag taobh Aclla nuair tharraing an fear a bhí ar na potaí aníos an ceann seo céard a bheadh istigh ann ach a eascann mhór dhubh.

Ní mór dhuit fios do ghraithe a bheith agat le eascann a bhaint as pota gliomach.
Sháith sé scían na mboití isteach idir dhá sháitán í dtaobh an phota agus déirí bár na scinne a sháthú í gcúl cinn na h-eascainne, bhain sin as a meabhair í nó gur tharraing sé aníos as an bpota í.

Bhí sí thart ar 6 thoigh agus lán a dhá láimh raibhe, ghearr sé an cloigeann dhuith agus chait í bhfarraige é. Thoisaigh an eascann dá casadh fhéin agus siúd aniar lei faoi chosa na beirte a bhí ar na céaslaí nó go ndeacha sí amach í dtoiseach an churraí, scaitheamh beag ina dhiaidh daire siad rud éigin ag titim san uisce, nuair dhearc fear acu chun tosaigh ní fhaca sé an eascann abhus nó tháll, rinne a bealach amach go gob an churraí agus chuaigh sí í bhfarraige arís.

AN RÓN GLAS

Rinne fear darbh ainm Brian Rua ó Cearrabháin as Iorras tairgreacht cupla céad bliain ó shin.
Tháinig cuid mhaith isteach a thug sé síos ag an am, ceann amháin a bhfuil trácht air san gceanntar seo, dúirt sé go dtiocfadh rón glas trasna tríd Chnoc an Tearmain agus cé a mharodh é nach gcuireach sé amach an bhliain.
Tháinig fear de chuid na háite trasna air agus é ar é bheallach anuas Taobh an Tearmain, bhuail sé agus mharaídh an rón bocht.
Bhí craiceann róin ag dul a luach agus ar nóidh bhí chuile úsáid dhá den ola, dhá cuir í lampaí agus coinglíní le solas a thabhairt, bhí laigheas ar phiantaí cnámh ach an ola a chuimilt isteach sa gcraiceann.
Ba dheacair a theacht ar rón ar thalamh tirim, thonaic an fear seo a sheans ach farior mar a bhí tugtha síos ag Brian Rua sa tairgreacht na blianta fada fionna roimhe sin cailleadh é fhéin sul a raibh an bhliain amuigh.
Thárla seo uair éigin go léir an tseannachais í dtoiseach an chéad seo chaite.

HENRAÍ CROSSACH

Seo cur síos air fhear mór láidair a rugadh í mbaile Dhuibhoileán siar sa seachtú céad déag, Henrí ó Catháin an tainm baistí a bhí air, deirtar gorbh é an fathach deirneach a chónaí í nIorras.
Ba gaiscíoch íontach a bhí ann, agus is iomaí turas fada go léir a choise a chuir sé dhó.
Le linn a óige chaith sé seall gearr dhá shaol ar an gCartúr, as sin chuaigh sé go baile na hEachléime, tá scéala a dúirt gur chónaí sé thuas air Thaobh an Tearmin, ar aonós mhair Henraí an chuid eile dhá shaol in áit ar a dtugfaidh Taobh Mór na hEachléime fadó.
Tá sé ráite go ndeacha sé go Cúige Ualdh agus céad meachain air a dhroim, agus tháinig sé abhaile le céad de ábhar eile chaith sé scaite imithe ar fud na tíre ag spailpéireacht agus ag déanamh gaisce.
Tráth dá shaol chaith scatheamh eile ag obair in áit ar a dtugtar Crois Líona, thagadh sé abhaile anois ‘s aríst.
D’fhág sé an baile tráthnóna amháin agus thug a aighaidh síos an bealach mór, ag dul síos Béal Dorcha dhó thug sé faoi deara go raibh cat mór ag siúl ina dhiaidh, chuile uair a sheasamh Henraí sheasamh an cat chomh maith, nuair a théadh Henraí chun cinn théadh an cat dhá leannúint.
Bhí sé seo ag dul aighaidh nó go raibh Henraí amuigh sa nGleann, chuaigh sé isteach í dteach ina mbíodh sé ag fanacht agus ag ligean a scíghe go maidin.
Thug bean an tígh siupéar dhó agus í ndiaidh scatheamh den oíche chuaigh muintir an tígh a choladh agus tugadh an leaba céanna do Henraí ina gcolaidh sé roimhe sin, ba ghearr go dtainic suan cholat air.
Dúisiodh amach as a choladh é damhain í lár na hoíche agus céard a bheadh réidh le ionsaí a dhéanamh air ach an cat, go hábhail dé go raibh an sían a bhíodh ar iompar leis faoin bpilliúr aige, nuair a léim an cat isteach sa leaba tharraing Henraí an scían, tholl agus mhara sé an cat ar maidin bhí Henraí ina shuígh go moch agus réití bean an tígh bricfásta dhó, “shíl mé nach raibh do chat go h-olc” ar seisean, “níl mo chatse go h-olc” ar sise. Bheil, a deir Henraí, “d’ionsaí cat mór fiáin mise aréir sa rúma í lár na hoíche”.
Nuair a d’oscail sí an doras agus dhearc isteach, chonaic sí an cat marbh ar an urlár le taobh na leapa, agus ar nóigh bhí sé chomh mór le asal!
Tá go leór scéalta eile againn san ionad má tá sium agat ann.
Tá tumba Henraí Crossach le feiceál ag binn Theampal Naomh Deirrible í
seann reilic an Fháil Mhóir, tá cárnán mór cloch ós a chionn mar a d’iar sé agus é ar leaba a bháis.

Local Folklore

 

A HOUSE IN THE BAY

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It was back on the 27th October, 1988 I awoke at 4.10a.m. that morning to go to the bathroom and returning from the bathroom I decided to look out the front window of the house which I rarely ever did that time of the morning. I immediately noticed right in front of our house, on the edge of the bay no more than 50 yards from the shore what appeared to be lights shining on the windows of a house. Immediately to the right of it was a much brighter light which gave the impression that it was hanging from the sky and was shining directly down on the water. I looked at this for about five minutes. There were three windows similar to what you would have in a normal country house. I decided to open the front door, go outside and I stood there on the pavement, for about twenty minutes. What I saw and observed in that time was just amazing and is still as fresh in my memory as it was back then and will remain with me as long as I live. I remember the morning being very dark and calm, not a sound anywhere, the tide was flowing at the time and this very bright light from above was shining directly down and I could actually see the little waves flowing forward at the edge of the tide. Normally at this time of morning you would almost certainly hear the gulls and along with other seabirds scavenging around the bay, but on this particular morning Cartron Bay was so peaceful and empty that looking back, it was so uncanny. It slowly became more obvious that this was a house in the dark with three windows and a light glowing through them and that it wasn’t a figment of my imagination. At this time I felt my feet getting cold on the concrete pavement and I decided to go back indoors, but just as I turned to go back, I heard a heavy engine noise; this was coming from the direction of the house in the bay. Something seemed to lift above the house with a very light glow and headed at great speed north-east in the direction of Devlaune village which is ½ mile away. I could hear the noise until it went out into the main Blacksod Bay about a mile further away. At this stage when I glanced back at the house, the lights had gone out; there was total darkness just like everywhere else except for the light to the right of this which was no more than fifty feet off the strand at any time. This light never moved or went out whilst I was standing outside. This delayed me no more than two or three minutes and I was getting very cold at this stage, came indoors, closed the door and before heading back to bed, decided to have one more peep out the window and this bright light was still in the same position. The most unusual thing I found about this light despite its brightness and total illumination of the area on the strand was that it was soft on the eye and wouldn’t bother you looking at it. Lying in bed afterwards and thinking about all of this, and even to this day I regret not getting dressed, going down to the shore and getting a closer look at it.

THE LEGEND OF THE KILMORE GIANT

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The story goes that Hanraí Kane was born in the little village of Duvillaun near Clogher in the parish of Kilmore, Erris, sometime towards the end of the eighteenth century. As a young boy, he soon became noted for his strength and size and in his early teenage years he had outgrown nearly every man in the locality. At the end of his growing years he had reached almost eight feet in height. By this time Hanraí had grown as big and as strong as he was going to be and because of his enormous feats of strength, his reputation of a strong man had spread throughout Erris. One of his pastimes or hobbies was challenging other strong men lifting and throwing boulders or rocks and one such boulder which weighs nearly 2cwt lies near St. Deirbhile’s Church in Fallmore. Finally he settled in a place known as Taobh mór (big side) just west of Eachleim. He became known as Hanraí Crossach. He often walked to Belfast carrying loads of flax and yarn and it is believed he walked those distances with eight stone weight on his back not alone that but carried other provisions on his way back from Ulster to Kilmore. He encountered many other giants on his travels and often told of wrestling matches and stick fights. Stories are told that the stick that Hanraí carried was heavy enough and long enough to make a mast for a small sail boat. Another part of his life was spent working on farms around Crossmolina; he would go away for a few weeks return home for a few days and go back again to work. On one such occasion, he left his home in Taobh mór one autumn evening and walked the usual route through Kilmore along the ancient trail known as Gambles path. When he reached a place known as Béaldorach which lies just west of Binghamstown, he thought he heard something walking behind him and on turning round, there was a big cat following him. He walked on for many miles and each time he looked back the cat was still behind him. By nightfall he reached a place known as the Glen, he decided to rest for the night in a little house where he had often stopped and slept many nights on his travels. After supper, he went to the room which he always slept in and sometime during the night he was attacked by the cat. He took his knife out from underneath his pillow and killed it. In the morning when the woman of the house brought him his usual plate of stirabout he said to her I thought your cat wasn’t cross and she looked at him and said ‘my cat isn’t cross what makes you say that? And he said well your cat attacked me during the night and you will find him lying in the room by the bed. She went to the room door and opened it and looking in she saw a dead cat by the bed and it was as big as a donkey! Hanraí was a man who was always up and about very early in the morning and one fine summer’s morning he arose and went outside, far away over the hills to the east; the sun was rising and, on looking northwards towards the sand dunes he spied a huge man walking towards him, Hanraí stood his ground and waited until the stranger came closer. Hanraí roared at the giant and asked him who he was and what was he doing here. The stranger roared back and said he was ‘Fathach Shligí’ meaning giant of Sligo. He informed Hanraí he had fought many giants on his way to Kilmore and that he had stayed at Bingham’s castle the previous night. I see said Hanraí you haven’t bought your fighting stick, no, replied the stranger but I would rather fight and beat you using one of your own sticks, very well said Hanraí we will soon see about that. He went inside and took down a bundle of fighting sticks from the loft, took them outside and threw them on the ground. The bundle was so heavy that the ground shook all around, each stick was over eight feet long and three inches thick and when the stranger saw this he shook his head and he said I’ve seen enough, turned on his heel and ran back in the direction he came from. And that’s the legend of Hanraí Crossach. This story I heard as a young boy growing up in the early sixties by my grandfather and grand uncles on long winter nights by the fireside. None of this has ever been written or published anywhere. All this is in my own words just as I heard it being told all those years ago.

THE RED ROUTE PHANTOM TRAIN

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From the year 1835 onwards to the mid 1890’s there was a route plotted by great engineers like Bald and Knight to extend a railway line right through Erris from Ballina to Blacksod, at the time this became ‘The Red Route’ and great things were envisaged for Erris. Blacksod being one of the deepest ports in Ireland was to become the main trading port out of Erris. However, all this fell by the wayside, the railway line never materialised. It was plotted to run mostly through the sandbanks from Carne to Aughleam where you could say hugging the coast on the western side most of this is naturally flat anyway and any sandbanks could be more easily moved with no other obstacles. Where if it was planned to run along the eastern side of the mullet, it would hardly be possible because of houses and farmland etc. and any earth moving would be difficult because of its gravel and stone nature. Early in the 1900’s the rabbit trade was a lucrative pastime for the local men to snare and hunt rabbits with powerful carbide lamps and good hunting dogs on dark stormy nights, on one such occasion three men from Cartron and two from Clogher set out after midnight with lamps and dogs to hunt and catch rabbits in Aughleam and Newtown banks (rabbit warren). Deep into the night sometime between 2 – 3a.m., there were lamping the flat plains near the shore when suddenly they noticed what seemed like a train speeding towards them from the north, they all stood and watched it whilst it sped closer when they realised it was for real they had to run and jump out of the way and watch it speed past, they all gave the same description that it was 9/10 carriages long, all lit up with the noise of a normal train and the rattling of the railway tracks and sleepers as it speedily headed towards Caislean in the distance at the southern end of Aughleam banks. After it had gone passed, they were still watching it disappear into the distance; they could actually hear and sense the creaking and smell of the railway track. The dogs ran away in fear and fright of the noise, some of them lost bags of rabbits; some others dropped their lamps and couldn’t find them and one of the men who had a bad leg and who could hardly run at all, actually killed a rabbit in his hurry to run off up the bank through the long bent all but one of these men had been to Scotland several times and had travelled on and seen trains on numerous occasions. This train was actually reported travelling through Glencastle that same night. Those men often told and re-told this frightening event they witnessed on that dark and windy night. I heard my own grandfather and grand uncles who were three of those young men on that night; tell this story over and over again. Previous to this in the earlier years when the route was being plotted, Several small landowners started planning ahead and built temporary little houses or bothans in different places on their land so they might be in a position to claim for compensation if the route was to go through there because it was widely reported at the time that any houses or buildings coming in the way of the plotted route would be demolished and the owner compensated. This went on for many years and by the time this phantom train made its run through Erris, the red route was fast becoming a dream from the distant past.

THE SEAFARER’S WARNING

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Around the year 1900, Henry Kane from Cartron, a well known sea trader and merchant ran a family shop and store in the village. He had to make the treacherous journey once every few weeks from Cartron Harbour to Westport Quay to pick up a boat load of provisions and sail back home with his twelve ton sail boat laden down with flour, maize, tea and sugar and any other merchandize they sold in the shop. He had four sons, Pat, Jim, Stephen and Harry. On any of those occasions at least three of his sons would accompany him on the journey and help load the stuff at Westport Quay. In order to make the journey to Westport faster, he would be relying on going with the tide and the current would assist him, this was also very important in passing through Achill Sound and under the bridge from Blacksod Bay into Clew Bay and again to get as close as possible to the landings at Westport Quay and the same applied on the return journey he would have to be mindful of the flowing tide to get in as close as possible to his own private landing pier at Cartron. Sometimes this didn’t work out according to plan because of the changing wind and depending on how many times the boat would have to tack in order to get into the bay. Often the tide could be on the way out again when the boat landed in Cartron Bay. He would have to drop anchor and wait for the tide to go out so the boat would lie on the strand then horses and carts as well as donkeys and creels and some men and women carried bags of flour and meal on their backs for anything up to half a mile. If the boat hadn’t been completely unloaded, currachs were used on the return tide to take off the rest of the cargo. On spring tides, the boat was able to dock alongside his own pier which was situated close to his own house in a spot known to the villagers as the landing. That pier which had survived for well over one hundred years was in regular use up until the year 2000, but is no longer there. It was desecrated by council workers during repairs to the storm wall a few years ago. The orders to do this, were given by a local and on nobody’s authority but his own. Sometimes Henry and his sons sailed out of Cartron Bay as early as two or three o’clock in the morning in order to catch the tide at Achill Sound and Westport. However, on one such occasion the forecast wasn’t good they set out in the usual way, the wind was south easterly and after several tacks they were on their way into Bull’s Mouth when Henry spotted another boat sailing close up beside him. The captain of the other boat shouted across to Henry “What sort of boat have you got”? Henry shouted back to him “A boat of iron and timber”, and then Henry asked him the same question to which he replied “A boat of storm and water. Immediately Henry knew that this wasn’t a real life boat or captain. Then he angrily shouted back to Henry “For God’s sake turn back immediately”. He obeyed his command and sailed as quickly as ever he could back to Cartron Harbour and just as they were dropping the anchor, a ferocious storm struck, they hurriedly got into the currach and with a great struggle made the short distance to the shore. The morning turned out so bad that it ripped the thatch off some of the roofs of the houses in the village. Phantom boats and currachs as well as mysterious lights were often encountered with seafarers along this coast. These sightings were accepted as warning signs against imminent danger.

THE GHOST OF EAGLE ISLAND

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During the 1940’s and into the late 1950’s, a British coal ship used to come into Blacksod Bay once a year to supply coal to the three lighthouses around the Mullet Peninsula. Blacksod lighthouse on the south eastern tip of the Mullet, Eagle Island near Annach Head on the north west corner of the Mullet a few hundred yards off shore and Blackrock lighthouse about six miles west of the Inishkea Islands. A local boatman by the name of Pat Walsh, Glosh, Blacksod but a native of Inishkea took on the delivery of the coal from the ship to all three lighthouses. On one of these occasions my uncle Michael and Pat’s son stayed overnight on Eagle. During the day they were moving the coal bags from the landing up to the lighthouse and stacking the bags four or five bags high. Near the end of the day they were coming from the landing with some bags on a trolley and they were nearing this pile of stacked bags when all of a sudden one of the bags seemed to be taken from the top of the pile and thrown towards them. Now there was no way that this bag could have fallen. Both men actually saw the bag being lifted straight from the top and then thrown towards them. The other man immediately turned to my uncle and said ‘We will have a visitor tonight’ and my uncle immediately turned to the other man and said “What sort of visitor”?, to which he said to him “Come with me and I will show you something”. He brought him around the back of the lighthouse and pointed out to him where blood had been spilt on the rocks as a result of a fall of one of the previous light keepers many years before that and he said his ghost still haunts the lighthouse, I think this could be one of the nights he visits. They worked on late into the night until they had all the coal shifted from the landing and then they returned to the lighthouse to have something to eat and retired for the night. There was only one bedroom and two beds and they lay awake talking for some time after going to bed and sometime after midnight they heard slow footsteps coming up the wooden stairs towards the room and the other man said to my uncle “I think our visitor is here”. The door was open and the bedroom was in total darkness and before long the footsteps were at the door and walking into the room. Michael Walsh was the name of the man who was there that night with my uncle Michael and he shouted at the ghost to go away or he would shift him to somewhere he wouldn’t be too happy about and with that the footsteps stopped. On the third time he ordered the ghost to leave, they heard the footsteps walking back towards the door and down the stairs fading into the distance. By now my uncle Michael had broken out into a cold sweat and was very frightened but Michael Walsh had no fear whatsoever because he possessed what was known locally asCEIST AN TAIBHSE meaning ‘A QUESTION ASKED OF THE GHOST’. Now this actually contained ten personal questions that would be asked of the ghost by any one person possessing this power. After that they went back to sleep and the next day Michael Walsh said to my uncle, “Don’t be afraid anytime you stay here” he has often come here when I have been here on my own. My uncle Michael never slept on Eagle Island again.

TAIBHSE OILEAN SA TUAITHE

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Siar in sna naoi déag cearachadí agus naoi déag caogadí thagadh soigheach an ghuail isteach go Fód Dubh leis an ngual a bhí ag teastáil le haighaidh na bliana chun na trí tithe solais a rith ar feath na. Fear áitúil de thógáil Inis Céidhe darbh ainm Pádhraic Breathnach, ba aige a bhí an congradh leis an ngual a chur amach ar na carraigeacha. Bhíodh go leór fir áitúil ag saorthú chupla punta fhad agus bhíodh obair an ghuail ar siúl bád seóil a bhí ag Pádhraic Breathnach agus bhíodh an chuid ab fhearr de na fir farraige leis sa mbád í gcónaí. Ansin, bhíodh cupla cairt bheithí ag tarraingt an ghuail aníos ón gcladach go dtí an teach solais ar an Fhód Dubh. Lá amháin bhí uncail liom fhéin agus mac le fear an bháid ag obair ar Oileán sa Tuaith, bhí siad ag iompar na málaí aníos ón landáil go dtí an stór agus dhú cgur ina seasamh í mullach a chéile agus ag déanamh cárnán árd dhíobh. An uair seo bhí siad beirt ag tíocht aníos le dhá mhála agus nuair a bhí siad í ngar den chárnán choinic siad mála dhá thógáil suas san aer agus dhá chaitheamh ina dtreaó, ní nach íonadh baineadh lán a mbunna astú go bharr go raibh fhios acu nach duine saolta a rinne sin. “Gheobhfaidh tú do théadh anocht”, arsa an Breathnach le mo uncail, “tá taibhse na carraice í ngar dhuit”. An oíche sin nuair a siad tamall ina gcoladh chuala siad torann na mbróg ag tíocht aníos an staighre, “nár dhúirt mé leat go mbeadh sé anseo”. Bhí an bheirt ina gcoladh ar aon leaba agus mo uncail a bhí le balla, faoin tráth seo bhí sé ag tabhairt na gcor agus na múnógaí allais leis le teann faitéis. Ansin labhair an Breathnach go fearragach leis an taibhse, “má thagann tú níos goire cuirfidh mise san áit thú nach bhfágfidh tú go haibéil”. Chas sé air a sháil, amach an doras agus síos an staighre aríst. Ní raibh aon fhaitéas an mBreathnach mar bhí ceist an taibhse aige. Thaispáin sé de mo uncail ar maidin ar chúl na carraice an áit a neacha duine de na fir solais le fánne chupla bliain roimhe sin, bhí a chuid fola le feiceál ar an gcarraig.

A SAUCEPAN LID FROM OUT OF SPACE

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One fine evening back in the mid 1980’s, sometime during the summer my two uncles and brother were returning from an evening’s fishing trip, they were heading home into Cartron Bay in their three man curragh when they noticed something hurtling from the sky at a terrific speed and it dropped into the sea just yards behind the curragh. A few seconds earlier and this thing would have dropped right into the curragh, more than likely sinking it. Now to describe this object as something resembling a big saucepan lid, circular and very shiny. At low tide for several weeks and many times after they searched the strand exactly where it came down and found no trace of the object they saw that evening.

THE HEADLESS CONGER EEL THAT ESCAPED

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Sometime back in the 1930’s during the lobster fishing season my two grand – uncles and grandfather were out one morning checking their lobster pots when my grandfather hauled in one of the pots to discover a conger eel around 5-6ft long all coiled up inside in the pot. As well as being very awkward it is also very dangerous putting your hand into the pot trying to retrieve it because it has been known a fisherman to get his finger snapped off by an eel in a pot so the proper way to approach it is to stab it in the back of the neck that knocks it out because a nerve has been cut anyway after this had been done, he got hold of the conger and pulled it out of the pot then he cut its head clean off, threw the head back into the sea and left the body in the curragh. It was wriggling around like any other eel they had caught up to then but after a while one of the men at the front of the curragh heard some noise behind him in the bow of the curragh and on looking around he just caught glimpse of the eel disappearing into the sea at the very end of the bow. No eel has ever been reported to leave a boat or curragh after its head had been cut off. It had crawled between their feet at the bottom of the curragh and slowly wriggled its way to the bow. They found it amazing and hard to believe that it could sense where it was going because it totally depended on sense at this stage. I have never ever heard of anything that can live after the head had been severed from its body.

THE STORY OF THE GREY SEAL

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Over three hundred years ago here in the Barony of Erris, there lived a man Brian Rua Carrabine who prophesized many events and changes many of which I have witnessed in my own lifetime. One of these events he said would happen was that a grey seal would cross Termon Hill and anyone who killed it wouldn’t live to see the year out. This happened in the early 1900’s, a grey seal did come across Termon Hill from the sea near Falmore to the south, he travelled a distance between 2½ and 3 miles over land until he reached the north side of Termon Hill within a ¼ of a mile of Blacksod Bay, he was spotted by a man named Reilly, he prevented the seal in reaching the sea by killing it. In those days the oil and pelt was valuable and within a year that young man was dead. As foretold by Carrabine some 200 years previous.

GÉIBHAÍ BHRÍD MHOR

 

Má bhfaígh míse farnis ó Bhríd nó ó Phádraic Sár séidi an gáladh nó an gairafann mór Nuair fuadíodh na héanlaí bhí thiar-duaidh na hEireann O Bhaile Inis Céidhe go Tráigh an Phoirt Mhóir Mo bfhágh mise foirinn air dhá thaobh na hAirde Ná soigheagh breá láidair le dhuil air a dtóir Béidh Antoine Tommy, Pat Cheit Mhíchael Johnny I mbád William Sally, Seán Phadeí dá góil Do leag siad amach í ó Thráigh Phort’a Bhaile Agus bhí sé ina gheatach’s í faoi reacht seóil Nuair chuaigh sí cur thartsí níor chail sí sa gceasadh é Nó gur sheas sI a cuid talaimh ós cionn Dhuibh Oileán Mór Séard dúirt William Sally tá an “laid” ag Seán Phadeí O d’imi Artúr Gaimil as bád Mhartain Mhóir Nuair a chualaí Michael Phadeí an éagaoint Ná téagai sa ngeibhann tá an gairifeann mór Má tá sneachta ar na sléibhtí ni bhfaigjthar na héanlai Fá n’ionseacht dhá mhile go Bhéal an áth Mór O léachtaí lá fánach a chaith mé air a bhfárnis ‘S niorbh fhéad liom a dtársmh ó mhaidin go faoi Nuair a smaoinims air Cheathrúin sea fuair mé an oiche Mac Muire dhá shábhail air bhóithri’s ag tráchtáil Ag diol maidi lábhráin ‘gus slataí go leor Má tá Dick ó Miacháin amuigh í bhFálach Sé thug dhomsa fárnis air gheobhí Bhrid Mhór

Here below is a translation of some nursery rhymes from distant school days.

Hé Didil Didil

Hé Didil Didil an cat ‘s an fheidil
Agus an bhó chuaigh go léim thair an ngeallaí
Nuair a bhí an sprí uilig thart rinne an mada beag gáire
Abhae leis an mbabholín le spúnóg an stearraí

 

Fiche froigín / Twenty Froggies!

 

Fiche froigín ag dul ar scoil
Síos gach lá le hais an phoill

 

Ansin bhí an múinteóir Máistir Frog
Ina shuí go sáibh ar bhlocán cam

 

Daire mé an rann seo thíos chois na tine ag an tsean-dream fadó agus muid ina bpáistí, bhíodh sinn ina suí ar an urlár agus muid dhá fhólaim.

 

Cat breac broc donn crot cam, cam, cam eireaballeach
Dhá cheann déag de chataí breaca broca donna crotaí cama, cam, cam eireaballeach.

Seachtain na Gaeilge í nÍorras

 
Fadó shin ní raibh mórán caint ar sheachtain na Gaeilge, seachas aimseir na Féile Pádhraic. Nuair a thagadh mí na Márta thugtaí Márt an Earrái ar an tráth seo den bhliain. Ba í an tseachtain a mbeadh Lá Fhéile Pádhraic ag titim orthí an tseachtain ba ghaeilaigh dá raibh againn. An ócáid ba mhó uilig ná an pharáid agus an mhárseáill a bhíodh ar siúl ón nGeata Mór chómh fada siar leis an Eachléim agus cor uair soir go dtí an Fód Dubh, chasfadh thart ansin agus thabharfaidh aghaidh aríst ar an nGeata Mór. Bhí sé seo ag tárlú timpeall tús an chéad seo caite. Chuala mé na sean-daoine dhá rá gurbh iad muintir na hÁirde a chuireadh toiseach leis an lá. Bhí banna fife, flúit agus drumma thimpeall na h-áite ag an am. Is cuimhne liom mo athair mór ag inseacht dhúinn go mbíodh siad féin ag déanamh flúiteanna as píosaí de chán a bhíodh ag teacht faoi thír, thugadh cuid de na fir gléasanna abhaile leo as Alabain. Deirtar go mbíodh an bóthar tógtha le daoine leath-mhíle air fhad, bhíodh seann agus óg amuigh an lá sin, chuile dhuine ag caint í nGaeilge. Bhíodh chuile theach óil druite an lá sin fadó, séard a dhéanamh scata de na fir ná barroile pórtoir a cheannacht ón bpob. Thabharfaidh an barroile ar chairt go dtí teach éigin, chruinníodh siad uilig isteach agus chaithfá do shaighach fhéin a thabhairt leat má bhí dúil agat do sháith a ól. Go léir mar bhíodh an lá dá chaitheamh, an oíche ag druidim sea thoisíodh na h-amhráin agus an seannachas. Ar ndóigh nuair a bhí braon sa gcorraic d’aireodhfá paistí agus píosaí de amhráin greannúr agus gaisce chómh maith le amhráin ghársúil. Bhíodh ceól, damhsa agus promsáil agus pórtor ag dul meainsteid! Bhí na Cathánnaí as baile an Chartúir anseo an-gníomhach í ngraithe na Gaeilge ag tús an chéad seo caite. Heanraí ó Catháin an fear ba mhó acu a bhain cáil amach, bhí sé fhéin agus Seán ó Ruadháin as Dubhloch go mór chun cinn nuair a bunníodh Oireachtas na Gaeilge. Bhain Heanraí chupla dúis scríobh agus litríocht agus bhí sé cáirdúil leis an gCraoibhín Aoibhinn, thug an Cathánnach a shaol ag cur na gaeilge chun cinn. Béidh muid uilig ag cuimhnadh orthú ar fad le linn Sheachtain na Gaeilge d’fhág beagán den tslacht an fánn air mblas!

ANRAÍ AN FATHACH MÓR

 
Bhí fear in a chónaí anseobh fadó a dtugadh siad ‘Anraí Crosach’ air, fathach a bhí in Anraí, Anraí Ó Catháin an t-ainm baistiú a bhí air, agus ba é an fathach deiridh a chónaigh san áit seo. Bhéadh sé ráití gur thoir i nduibhoileáin gur rugadh Anraí agus gur thíos in íochtar dhuibhoileáin a tógadh é. Deir siad chomh maith gur chaith hAnraí seal gearr in a chónaí anseobh ar an gCartúr. Ansin fuaigh sé anonn a chónaí ar thaobh na hEachléim i ngar don chladach anseobh ar taobh Gob an Choirí, áit a dtugann siad ‘Mannrachaí an Ghréasaí air’. Bhog sé leis thiar ansin agus chuaigh a chónaí thiar thart ar an áit a bhfuil an nDumhach Cheallabh ann, soir ó Bhaile na hEachléime, soir ó theach John Phillip fadó. As sin, fuaigh sé siar a chónaí in áit a dtugann muidí ‘An Chaisleáin’ inniubh air, Sraith a’Chaisleáin. ‘Taobh Mór na hEachléime’ a thugthaí ar an áit seo fadó, sa t-seanam. Sin an áit deiridh ar chónaigh Anraí Crosach. Bhí cáil mhór ar hAnraí faoin a chuid oiriús agus faoin a chuid gaisce agus ní raibh fear ar bith in ann a bhual a fháil air. Agus bhí sé ráití go mba’é an fear ba láidre i gCondae Mhaigh Eo, len a linn. Chualaidh fathach eile a bhí in a chónaí thíos i Sligeach faoi hAnraí, agus, bhí mórtas idir an fathach seobh agus na Binghamí a bhí in a gcónaí i gCaisleáin Oiligh, caisleáin an Bhingamí. Agus, an lá seo a thainig an fathach in a chaisleáin agus d’fhiafraigh sé cén áit thart anseobh a raibh Anraí Crosach in a chónaí. ‘Bhail’, a deir an Binghameach, ‘speánfaidh mise amárach é agus cuirfidh mé fear leat a thabharfas chomh fada le hAnraí thú.’ ‘Maith go leor’ ar seisean, ach ar aon nós, d’araigh hAnraí an scéala seo, agus bhí sé in a shuí go moch um maidin, lá arna mhárach. Fuaigh sé in a sheasamh taobh amuigh dhen teach, agus bhí sé a faire síos an dúiche, síos an tsraith, agus cé a fheiceann sé a goil aníos ach an fathach mór seobh. Thainig sé aníos chomh fada le teach hAnraí, ‘bhail’, a deir sé, ‘caithfidh sé gur tusa an gaiscíoch mór seobh gur airigh mé caint air, Anraí Crosach’. ‘Bhail is mé go deimhin’ a deir hAnraí, ‘is mise atá anseobh agat’. ‘Bhail thainig mé’ a deir sé, ‘an oiread seo bealaí le builleadh phionsa a bheith agam leat’, seobh cath a throideadh beirt gaiscíoch eatarthu fhéin, agus bhéadh maide mór ag ‘ach aon ceann acu. Agus bhualfeadh siad agus ghreadfadh siad a chéilí leis na maidí seobh nó leis na bataí seobh ná go mbéadh fear acu chomh lag ar deireadh agus nach mbéadh sé in ann a dhul níos faide ná coinneáil air leis an gcath. Agus b’fhéidir ar deireadh go maróf (marfódh) ceann an ceann eile. ‘Maith go
leor’ a deir hAnraí, ‘má mharaíonn tusa mise ní bheidh aon grian(?) ort agus má maraíonn mise tusa ní bheidh aon grian(?) ormsa’. ‘Níl aon mhaide leat’ a deir hAnraí. ‘Á níl’ a deir an gaiscíoch, ‘níl mé ag leagan amach go mbéadh maide ná dhó le spáráil agat’. ‘Bhail bhainim go bhfuil’, agus fuaigh hAnraí isteach chun a tigh, thug sé anuas gon lota cúl mór maidí, agus thug amach anuas iad, agus chaith sé ar an talamh iad amach ón bhfathach, agus ar ndóigh, nuair a chaitheadh an raon mór maidí ar an talamh, chrith an talamh thart an fathach. ‘An ba’iad an cineáil maidí’ a deir a fathach ‘a mbíonn tusa ag troid leof’. ‘Ó sin iad ‘nois na cineáil maidí, a bhímse i gcónaí’ a deir sé ‘déanaimse catha leof’. ‘Pioc do rogha anois, an ceann is fhearr acu, agus an ceann a fhágas tú i do dhéidh, déanfaidh sé mis’.

GNH = Gaeilge na háite

1) Tá brón orm = GNH: Tá aiféala orm

2) Trioblóid = GNH: Achrann

3) Is trua (It’s a pity) = GNH: faraor géar

4) Bí ciúin = GNH: Bí i do thost

5) lig dó cibí rud is mian leis a dhéanamh (Let him do what he wants) = GNH: Tabhair cead a bhealaigh dhó

6) taréis tamaill = GNH: ar ball

7) eagla = GNH: faitíos

8) ag cur a tuairisc (inquiring about ….) = GNH: ag cur fairnéis

9) níos mó = GNH: tuilleadh

10) ag obair nó ag siúl go mall (dragging your feet when there is work to be done = GNH: ag drontánacht

11) bheith drochbhéasach (being cheeky, answering back) = GNH: ag cocaireacht

12) Ag féachaint = GNH: ag breathnú

13) Bhí deifir air = GNH: Bhí giodar air

14) Tá tú i gcónaí ag caint (Jabbering) = GNH: tá tú ag síor-rá

1) tamall = GNH: scaithimh

2) abalta (able) = GNH: in ann

3) Is deacair = Is doiligh

4) Cóta = GNH: Casóg

5) Caipín = GNH: bairéad

6) Ag gearáin faoi airgead = GNH: ag déanamh béal bocht

7) Ag gearáin (complaining) = GNH:
(a) ag clamhsán
(b) ag casaoid

8) D’éirigh sé sean = GNH: thit an aois air.

9) Tá sé ab–bhán san aighaidh = GNH: Tá cuma an bháis air.

10) Ní raibh sé ag iarraidh é a dhéanamh = GNH: Bhí drogall air dhéanamh.

11) Ná habair níos mó faoi = GNH: fág do chos air.

12) Déan dearmad ar anois = GNH: Caith do hata leis.

13) Nuair atá duine éigin ag éisteacht nuair nach ba cheart dhó = GNH: Tá poll ar an teach.

14) Níor chodladh mé ar chor ar bith aréir = GNH: Níor chodladh mé néal aréir.

15) Pleidhcíocht = GNH: ealaíon

16) Duine leiscúil = GNH: duine fálsa

17) An-tuirseach = GNH: Sáirigh amach

18) Chuaigh mé chun é a fháil = GNH: chuaigh mé faoina dhéin.

19) Is minic = GNH: is iomaí.

20) Tá mé bun ós cionn (confused, mixed-up) = GNH: Tá mé i mo bhaileabhar.

21) Cuir brú ar é a dhéanamh = GNH: Cuir iallach (Make him do it) ar é a dhéanamh.

22) Tá tú ag cuir isteach orm (You are annoying or bothering me) = GNH: Tá mé bánaithe agat.

23) Is cuma liom céard a cheapann siad (I don’t care what they think) = GNH: Níl beann agam orthú.

24) Chun bheith cinnte (to make doubly sure) = GNH: ar fhaitíos na bhfaitíos.

1) Bí cúramach! = GNH: Fainic

2) Brostaigh! = GNH: Téanam!

3) Oscail do shúile! = GNH: Bain na sramaí do do shúile

4) Tar anseo! = GNH: Go leith!

5) Imigh! (Get lost!) = GNH:
1. Bain as!
2. Croch leat!

6) Is féidir leat = GNH: Tig leat

7) Ó bhí sé óg = GNH: ó rinne slat coitín dó

8) Faoi ghlas (locked up, well secured) = GNH: Tá sé san áit nach mbainfidh an cat an clár dé.

9) Tá sé sách maith agat! (Good enough for you) = GNH: Tuilleadh diabhail agat!

10) Tá sé sean = GNH: Tá na fiacla curtha go maith aige (long in the teeth).

An aimsir Gaeilge na háite

Tá mé an-fhliuch = GNH:
1. Tá mé fliuch báite
2. Tá mé maostaigh (soaken)

Tá mé an-fhuar = GNH:
1. Tá mé préachta leis an bhfuacht nó.
2. Tá mé caillte leis an bhfuacht

Tá sé an-te = GNH: Tá an ghrian ag scoilteadh na gclocha.

Tá sé te = GNH: Tá bruithean ann.

Beidh sé ag cur báisteach i gceann tamaill = GNH: Tá múr air.

Thit go leór báisteach = GNH: Rinne sé díle (flood).

Tháinig feabhas ar an lá = GNH: Thiontaigh an lá amach go breá.

It is drizzling (nuair atá beagán báisteach ag titim) = GNH: Tá sé ag déanamh bradán.

Aimsir te, gan aon ghaoth = GNH:
1. Aimsir meirbh
2. Aimsir mharbhánta

Pisreoga faoin aimsir:-

Tagann na faoileáin i dtír ar an talamh nuair atá stoirm ag teacht. Nuair abhíonn Cnoc Acla i ngar dúinn deirtear go mbíonn stoirm agus gála ag teacht

NAOMH DEIRBHILE

Deirtear gur mhair Naomh Deirbhile sa seú aois agus go raibh sí ina conaí i gCondae na Mí. Duine uasal a bhí inti agus b’é Cormac Mac Daithí a h-athair. Ba de shliocht (descendant) Rí Daithí é. Dé réir an bhéaloideas (folklore) b’é Rí Daithí an t-Árd Rí deireanach páganach a bhí in Eirinn. D’fhág Naomh Deirbhile Condae na mí chun ealú ón prionsa a bhí i ngrá léi. Cailín álainn a bhí inti agus bhí sé ag iarraidh í a phósadh. Thug a h-athair cead dhó ach dhiúltaigh sí é. D’fhág sí Condae na Mí agus thaisteal sí go dtí an ceantar seo ag marcaíocht ar asal. Chuir sí fúithi ar an bhfálmór. Lean sé é. Nuair a chas siad le chéile arís d’iarr sí dhó céard é an rud ba mhó a bhí sé i ngrá le. Dúirt sé léi gur b’iad a cuid súile. Tharraing sí amach iad agus chaith sí chuige iad.

D’imigh sé leis agus bhí briseadh croí air. An áit inar thit a súile thosaigh uisce ag teach aníos ón talamh. Bhí sí caoch ach nuair a nígh sí a cuid súile leis an uisce fuair sí radharc na súile arais. Sin é an áit atá Tobar Deirbhile anois, ar an bhFálmór. Glaíonn muintir na h-áite “An Dabhaigh”. Sin sean ghaeilge i gcomhair tobar beannaithe.

Deirtear go bhfuil laigheas san uisce do dhaoine atá fadhbanna súile acu. Bíonn oilithreach (pilgrimage) chuig an tobar gach bliain ar an cúigú lá déag de Lúnasa. Chaith Naomh Deirbhile a saol ag déanamh obair Dé. Thug sí aire do na daoine a bhí tinn agus bocht. Bhunaigh sí Clochar ar an bhfálmór, san áit ina bhfuil teampall Deirbhile. Áit eile ar an bhFálmór atá baint aige le Naomh Deirbhile nó Glún an asail. Deirtear gur thit an t-asal nuair a bhí sí ag thaisteal go dtí an Fálmór agus gur fhág sé lorg a ghlúin sa chloch. Deirtear go bhfuil laigheas ann i gcóir faithne (warts). Tá Naomh Deirbhile curtha i nuaigh Deirbhile in aice le Teampall Deirbhile. Deirtear nach bhfásann féar ar Uaigh Naomh riamh agus níl aon fhear ag fás ar Uaigh Naomh Deirble.

BATHÚ INIS GÉ

Tharla an bathú i Inis Gé ar an 28ú lá de Dheireadh Fómhair 1927. Bathú deichniúr agus tháinig beirt slán.

D’fhág tríocha currach Inis Gé theas thart ar a sé a chlog san tráthnóna agus chuaigh siad go Inis Gé Thuaidh chun na heangacha a fháil.

Chuir siad amach na h-eangacha thart ar leath mhíle amach ó Inis Gé thuaidh.

Oíche an-chiúin a bhí ann agus ní raibh aon comhartha go raibh droch aimsir ag teacht. Ag iascaireacht i gcomhair ronnaigh a bhí siad an oíche sin. Thart ar a naoi a chlog d’ardaigh an gála.

Creidim gur sórt stoirm gaoithe (hurricane) a bhí ann. An dream a bhí gar den oileán, tháinig siad san slán. Tháinig beirt, a bhí ceaptha amuigh i lár na stoirme, slán freisin.

Cuireadh i dtír iad i bPort Ghlais “Antoine Tommy (Antoine ó Maoineacháin) agus “John a Tommy” (Seán ó Maoineacháin) an t-ainm a bhí orthú. Fuaireadh na corpanna thart ar an gCósta, i bPort Ghlais agus i bPort a Chairn. Ní bhfuair siad corp amháin riamh, corp Michaél ó Catháin. Cuireadh na corpanna sa sean teampall ar an bhfálmór. Ní raibh muintir an oileáin in ann teacht amach chuig an tsochraid mar bhí an aimsir go han-dona. Bhí a fhios acu gur tháinig duine éigin slán mar las muintir na háite tine thuas ar an gcnoc.

Ainmeacha na fir a bathú:

Seán ó Maoineacháin (fear pósta) aois 40

Seán (22) agus Michaél ó Monacháin (25)

Seán (21) agus Turlach ó Raghallaigh (14)

Liam ó Raghallaigh (21)

Seán Mac Gintí – (19)

Martán ó Maoineacháin – 21

Michaél ó Catháin 21

Michaél ó Maolabhail – 21

Taréis an bathú thosaigh na daoine ag fágáil an oileán agus chuir siad fúthú i nGhlais agus Tamhain na h-ultaigh. D’fhag an clann deireanach an oileán i 1934.

Chuala mise na scéalta seo agus mé i mo ghasúr chois na tine ag éisteacht leis na seanbhoic ag cur síos ar na gaiscí a bhí ann fadó, ag inseacht faoi thaibhsí agus eachtraí san áit lena linn féin agus a muintir rompú. Tá na scéalta seo curtha síos anseo i gcanúint na háite agus leis an litriú dhá réir.

Mé féin Padhraic S. Ó Murchú atá freagrach as na píosaí uilig, níor cuireadh tada dhó seo í gcló go dtí anois.

SEÁN AN OILEÁIN

Bhí fear ina chónaí in Inis Gluaire fadó a dtugadh siad Sean an Oileáin air, faoi cheann scathadh fuair a bheann bás agus chuaigh sé a chónaí go hEannach atá giota ó Thuaidh air thaobh na Tíre Móire. Théadh Seán go mion ‘s go minic air cuairt go Inis Gluaire air feadh na mblianta ina dhiaidh sin.

An lá áirthid seo cuireadh moill air agus bhí sé bun-mhall nuair a d’fhág sé an tIoleán, ach leis an gclop-sholas agus é leath beallaí idir dhá thalamh chonaic sé béitheach capaill ag éirí í ndiaidh an churraí aníos as an bhfarraige agus ag goil síos aríst. Nuair tháinig sí aníos an darna h-uair bhí sí níos goire dó, ach air theacht aníos duith an triú h-uair nocht sí fhéin isteach air dheireadh an churraí.

Tháinig bean rua í ndeireadh an churraí, thug guailinn gon bhéitheach agus chuir amach a bhfarraige í. Ansin labhair sí amach le Seán a bhí ina shuí air an tseas tosaigh agus bhí bean eile sa gcurrach chómh maith.

An aithnaíonn tú mé? arsa an bhean rua. Aithnaiom arsa Seán, is tú mo bhean phóstaí. Bheil, ar sise ná bí chómh mall seo choíche aríst, má thig leat é bí í dtoiseach ach ná bí ar deireadh. Ón lá sin go lá a bháis níor sheas Seán in Inis Gluaire ní ba mhó.

TAIBHSE OILEÁN SA TUAITHE

Siar in sna naoi déag cearachadí agus naoi déag caogadí thagadh soigheach an ghuail isteach go Fód Dubh leis an ngual a bhí ag teastáil le haighaidh na bliana chun na trí tithe solais a rith ar feath na. Fear áitúil de thógáil Inis Céidhe darbh ainm Pádhraic Breathnach, ba aige a bhí an congradh leis an ngual a chur amach ar na carraigeacha. Bhíodh go leór fir áitúil ag saorthú chupla punta fhad agus bhíodh obair an ghuail ar siúl bád seóil a bhí ag Pádhraic Breathnach agus bhíodh an chuid ab fhearr de na fir farraige leis sa mbád í gcónaí. Ansin, bhíodh cupla cairt bheithí ag tarraingt an ghuail aníos ón gcladach go dtí an teach solais ar an Fhód Dubh. Lá amháin bhí uncail liom fhéin agus mac le fear an bháid ag obair ar Oileán sa Tuaith, bhí siad ag iompar na málaí aníos ón landáil go dtí an stór agus dhú cgur ina seasamh í mullach a chéile agus ag déanamh cárnán árd dhíobh. An uair seo bhí siad beirt ag tíocht aníos le dhá mhála agus nuair a bhí siad í ngar den chárnán choinic siad mála dhá thógáil suas san aer agus dhá chaitheamh ina dtreaó, ní nach íonadh baineadh lán a mbunna astú go bharr go raibh fhios acu nach duine saolta a rinne sin. “Gheobhfaidh tú do théadh anocht”, arsa an Breathnach le mo uncail, “tá taibhse na carraice í ngar dhuit”. An oíche sin nuair a siad tamall ina gcoladh chuala siad torann na mbróg ag tíocht aníos an staighre, “nár dhúirt mé leat go mbeadh sé anseo”. Bhí an bheirt ina gcoladh ar aon leaba agus mo uncail a bhí le balla, faoin tráth seo bhí sé ag tabhairt na gcor agus na múnógaí allais leis le teann faitéis. Ansin labhair an Breathnach go fearragach leis an taibhse, “má thagann tú níos goire cuirfidh mise san áit thú nach bhfágfidh tú go haibéil”. Chas sé air a sháil, amach an doras agus síos an staighre aríst. Ní raibh aon fhaitéas an mBreathnach mar bhí ceist an taibhse aige. Thaispáin sé de mo uncail ar maidin ar chúl na carraice an áit a neacha duine de na fir solais le fánne chupla bliain roimhe sin, bhí a chuid fola le feiceál ar an gcarraig.

AN TAIBITIR

AIBITIR/ALPHABET

An tAibitir in aon abairt amháin

“á ach mise fhéin a bhíonnse go brónach diomadach ‘s gan thú bheith í mo thimpeall”.

Seo abairt a chuir mé le chéile sa mbliain 2004, tá an aibitir ar fad ann agus chomh maith leis na fadaí go léir.

RÉAMHFHOCAL

Seo staidéar atá ag dul ar aghaidh faoi láthair ar sean fhoclaí cainte a bhí in úsáid anseo fadó. Faraor, atá imithe le fán anois. Beidh muid ag cur leis amach anseo.

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