Actually, I'm way beyond this. But I'm still not sure what it means. "Níor tógadh tinteán Cháit Anna ar an lá cairde. Dá dtógtaí ní bheadh síoraíocht eile peiríocha ar Cholm ag biorú a stóir bhearnaithe."

Neither am I!
However, I strongly suspect that:
Níor tógadh tinteán Cháit Anna ar an lá cairde.}

means
Cáit Annas fireplace was not lifted on the day the loan became due
i.e. Cáit Anna did not lose her house.

I'm not sure of the meaning of "peiríocha", but my guess at what the second part means is
"If it had been, there would not be an endless set of demands on Colm, boring into his already reduced store (savings)".

I've found the book again, so I might have another go at reading the story and correct my reading of these lines then.

According to my dictionary, "peiríocha" means "ferries". "Ag cur a pheiríocha de" means "passing through purgatory, enduring torments". I believe the second sentence means "If (the home) was taken, Colm would never recover.", but I'm not sure why it means what it means.

"ag biorú a stóir" - recovering (from illness, weakness)

I glanced at the story last night, and I stand by my reading - i.

Had the house been taken, Colm would have been spared all the demands which followed, which were a continual drain on his already breached savings.

Remember that up to that point he has been saving every penny, and afterwards he has to keep fulfilling demands, and going through torments to do so.

Ooops! I read my dictioary wrong. "Tá sé ag biorú" - He is recovering. Ag biorú a stóir. - replenishing his store." I think you're right about the meaning of the first part, but what you said about the second part seems to be at odds with my dictionary. How about, "Had the house been taken, Colm would have been spared all the demands which followed, and wouldn't have needed to replenesh what they took from his savings." (a far cry from a literal translation, but I think that's the jist.)?

That's pretty much what I wrote, isn't it? Although yours is better english!

I guess so. Just from the opposite end (continual drain vs. continual replenishing). Go raibh maith agat arís, a Aonghuis.

Fáilte is fiche romhat!

An bfhúil aithne ag aon daoine ar na bfhocáil "fúthu" agus "mhórthréith"

Is foirm de "faoi" fúthu
fúthu [réamhfhocal, an tríú pearsa iolra]

mhórthréith:
mór ; large, major,
tréith; characteristic, trait

Dála an scéil, ní usaidinnse "aithne" do cheist mar sin. B'fhearr liom "eolas"

Nó

An bhfuil brí na bhfocáil "fúthú" agus "mhórthreith" ag aoinne.