I find that poetry is a good learning tool. I want to share one of my favorites and hope other members can share their favorite poems as well!

An Spiorad Naomh Umainn

- by the Irish medieval poet Mael Íosa Ó Brolcháin

An Spiorad Naomh umainn
ionann agus linn,
An Spiorad Naomh chugainn;
tagadh, a Chríost go tobann.

An Spiorad Naomh ag áitreabh
ár gcoirp is ár n-anama;
dár slánú go réidh
ar ghuais, ar ghalar,

ar dheamhain, ar pheacaí,
ar ifreann lena ilolc;
A Íosa! go mbeannaí
agus go saora do Spiorad sinn.

Cá bhfuair tú an dán seo, Cecilie? Féach freisin:

http://www.sengoidelc.com/node/229

Tá roinnt anseo,

http://www.fainne.org/danlann/

Alas, I am only a beginner so there are very few poems that I can understand at this point. I do, however, love poetry and am very much looking forward to being fluent in Irish and thus being able to read Irish poetry, folklore, etc., as Ghaodhluinne.

Here's one by Antoine Ó Rafteirí that I do love (and can actually understand!) - Enjoy!


Mise Raifteirí an file
Lán dóchais is grá
Le súile gan solas
Le ciúineas gan crá.

Ag dul siar ar m'aistear
Le solas mo chroí
Fann agus tuirseach
Go deireadh mo shlí.

Féach anois mé
Lem aghaidh ar Bhalla
Ag seinm cheoil
Do phócaí folamh.

Songs in Irish, I have found, are also quite helpful and easier to learn than poetry.

Yeah, I'm really jazzing to Iarla Ó Lionáird, as in Aoibhinn crónan:

http://www.realworldrecords.com/iarla/main.lasso?section=audiovideo

I learned some of my very first words in Irish by looking at printouts of Enya lyrics written in both languages and comparing the Irish and English versions to try and figure out the Irish words. I was 13 so this was a while back but some of the words I learned from that stick very much in my memory, airy words like forever and days and night and sad and journey and so forth. Not much use in regular conversation but fun to learn as a young girl none the less.

Beir bua agus beannacht.

Mo rogha fhéin (roinnt blianta ó shin)

http://homepage.eircom.net/~aonghus/duanaire.htm

Dennis Rí na Ghaeilge, I have that poem too. I bought a book about Mael Íosa's poetry a while ago written by Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin! The poem is slightly different there:

Rob soraid in sét-sa,
rob sét lessa im lámaib,
Críst credal fri demnaib,
fri harmaib, fri háraib.

Ísu ocus Athair,
Spirut Naem dar naemad;
Dia dímair nach dorcha,
Rí sorcha dar saerad.

Cros chuirp Críst is Muire
dar comét ar chonair;
dúinne nárab doinmech,
rob sóinmeach, rob soraid.

The Modern Irish version:

Bíodh An Casán Seo Suáilceach

Bíodh an casán suáilceach,
bíodh sé ina sheod leasa im lámha;
Críost beannaithe in aghaidh deamhan,
in aghaidh arm, in aghaidh ár.

Íosa agus Athair
agus Spiorad Naomh dár mbeannú;
Dia diamhair nach dorcha,
an Rí geal dár saoradh.

Cros choirp Chríost is Muire
dár gcumhdach ar an mbóthar;
dúinne ná bíodh sí maimhdeach,
bíodh sí fabhrach, bíodh sí suáilceach.

It's amazing to see the difference between the two.

Surely no greater than the difference between Old Norse and Norwegian? Or is it?

I memorized the entire "Newry Boat Song" (in Gaelic) by Meáv. Quite a nice song.

Old Norse and Norwegian are VERY differen, Aonghus.
I hardly understand any of it. Do you understand Old Irish?

No. That was my point! i.e. 9th century and 20th century irish are bound to be different - nothing amazing there.


Look at this 15 century english, for example:

http://omacl.org/GoodWomen/prologe.html

Cool language! I understand most of it though.
I think the differences between Old and Modern Irish are amazing anyway. Maybe I'm more fascinated by Irish than you are, Aonghus? :-)

But now, back on topic. More poems!!

An bhfuil "Mise Éire" agat?

It is unusual to be fascinated by something which is an integral part of oneself, so probably you are.


Milis an teanga an Ghaedhealg,
Guth gan chabhair choigcricíche,
Glór, géar-chaoin, glé, glinn, gasta
suairc, séimhidhe, sult-bhlasta.
Gide Eabhra teanga is seanda,
gide laidean is léigheanta,
uatha uirthi níor frith linn
fuaim nó focal de chomhainn.

Seathrún Céitinn.

Scríobh ainnir ceolmhar na hIorua:

quote:

I bought a book about Mael Íosa's poetry a while ago written by Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin!

Cén teideal atá air? (Agus cén chostas, gan amhras)

An bhfuil na leaganacha nua taobh ar taobh leis an mbunleagan?

Is spéisiúil ann féin gur den sloinne céanna í an t-údar agus fear sprice an leabhair.

http://www.eofeasa.ie/cuplafocal//catalog/product_info.php?cPath=41&products_id= 3826&osCsid=0ecf864b14914146749fcb9b4bb57286

>> https://listserv.heanet.ie/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0504&L=old-irish-l&T=0&P=38160
Further to the earlier message about the edition in Rí na nUile, another later edition with another translation into modern Irish is by Muireann Ní Bhrolcháin in her Maol Íosa Ó Brolcháin (An Sagart) 1986 where she includes
it in the second section titled "Dánta neamhchinnte" - poems which are not definitely Mael Ísu's.
She includes only four of these "possibles" and gives the opinion (based on verbal similarities) in the introduction that "Rob soraid" is the most probable of the possibles (sorry Neil, not talking of the All-Blacks trial).

Micheál (Ó Catháin)

Cúl an Tí - Seán Ó Ríordáin

Tá Tír na nÓg ar chúl an tí,
Tír álainn trína chéile,
Lucht cheitre chos ag súil na slí,
Gan bróga orthu ná léine,
Gan Béarla acu ná Gaeilge.

Ach fásann clócha ar gach droim
Sa tír seo trína chéile,
Is labhartar teanga ar chúl an tí
Nár thuig aon fhear ach aesop,
Is tá sé siúd sa chré anois.

Tá cearca ann is ál sicín,
Is lacha righin mhothaolach,
Is gadhar mór dubh mar namhaid sa tír
Ag drannadh le gach éinne,
Is cat ag crú na gréine.

Sa chúinne thiar tá banc dramhaíl,
Is iontaisi an tsaoil ann,
Coinnleoir, búclaí, seanhata tuí,
Is trúmpa balbh néata,
Is citeal bán mar gé ann.

Is ann a thagann tincéirí
Go naofa, trína chéile,
Tá gaol acu le chúl an tí,
Is bíd ag iarraidh déirce
Ar cúl gach tí in Éirinn.

Ba mhaith liom bheith ar chúl an tí
Sa doircheacht go déanach
Go bhfeicinn ann ar cuairt gealaí
An t-ollaimhín sin Aesop
Is é in phúca léannta.

GRMA, a Mhick!

Ceist agam oraibh: cén líne sa dán seo is fearr libh?

I have a favourite line. How about the rest of the Daltaí?

Aonghus Rí na fhéasóige(??), tá an teideal "Maol Íosa Ó Brolcháin". It was published in the 1980's(How do I say that in Irish?). Price: €3,81 at www.litriocht.com !

A little description of it: "Leabhar tábhachtach é seo ina bhfuil cur síos ar shaol agus ar shaothar an fhile seo a fuair bás 900 bliain ó shín anuraidh. Tá téacsanna na ndánta a luaitear leis tugtha maille le haistriúcháin sholéite i nGaeilge an lae inniu.

An important book dealing with the life and work of this renowned poet who died in 1086. The texts of the poems attributed to him are given as well as readable translations in modern Irish."

Aonghus, an bhfuil mé ceolmhar?

Thanks, Mick. Now I've got some more to study! :-)

quote:

Aonghus Rí na fhéasóige(??)

na Féasóige nó An Rí Féasógach

Hint: if the noun ends in -óg, it's usually feminine, with the genitive na X-óige. If it ends in -ín, it's usually masculine. (But what happened to braillín?!?)

quote:

It was published in the 1980's(How do I say that in Irish?)

Foilsíodh sna hochtóidí é.

quote:

Aonghus, an bhfuil mé ceolmhar?

Níl fhios agam, ach bhí do Naomh patrún

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03471b.htm!


Dár gruaig mo smigín smig smig, ní haon rí mise!

Aonghus Rí na Féasóige indeed! :-)
I am far from a saint like St Cecilia.

How would you translate "Bíodh an Casán Seo Suáilceach"(above)?

And this one:

A Thiarna, cosain mé,
idir chorp is anam,
idir chreideamh ghlan
go dté mé faoi thalamh.

Cosain dom mo shúile
a Íosa, a mhic Mhuire,
le nacch ndéanfadh sé santach mé
maoin dhuine eile a fheiceáil.

Cosain dom mo chluasa
le nach n-éistfidh sia le cúlghearradh,
le nach n-éistfidh siad de ghnáth
le baois ar an domhan olc.

Cosain dom mo theanga
le nach dtabharfadh sí míchlú ar dhuine,
le nach gcáinfidh mé éinne,
le nach maífidh mé le mionn.

Cosain dom mo chroí
A Chríost, trí do ghrá,
le nach gcothóidh mé go suarach
aon mhian peacúil.

Ná raibh fuath ann,
ná formad, ná daille,
ná díomas, ná dimheas,
ná corbadh, ná urhcóid.

Cosain mo bholg maith
le nach líonfar é gan mheasaracht,
le gur tapúla ar dtús
a bhreith as an teas.

Cosain dom mo lámha
le nach sínfear iad chun achrainn,
le nach gcleachtfadh siad, ina dhiaidh sin,
achainí náireach.

Cosain dom mo chosa
ar thalamh bhreá Bhanba,
le nach gcorróidh siad as a n-áit
ar ghnóthaí gan tairbhe.

Ná bím corrach, luaineach
a mhic mo Dhé dhíograsaigh,
le nach bhfágfadh mé m'ionad
go mbeidh sé ceart, cóir.

Cosain mo bhail fearga
i ngeamnaíocht ghlan;
ná cloíodh drúis mé,
ná tagadh sí im chóngar, ná tagadh sí chugam.

Ná lig dom titim i bpríomhpheaca
den ochtar ard clúitach;
a Chríost tar chugam
dá seilg, dá gceansú.

Tugaim mé féin suas go hiomlán duit,
dom dhídean gan deacracht;
ar son do ghrásta mhóir,
cosain mé a Thiarna.

That would be a lot of work...for which I regret I have no time at the moment.

Is brea liom an ceann seo:

Na Blátha Craige

Adúirt mé leis na blátha:
‘Nach suarach an áit a fuair sibh
Le bheith ag déanamh aeir,
Teannta suas anseo le bruach na haille,
Gan fúibh ach an chloch ghlas
Agus salachar na n-éan,
Áit bhradach, lán le ceo
Agus farraige cháite,
Ní scairteann grian aneo
Ó Luan go Satharn
Le gliondar a chur oraibh.'
Adúirt na blátha craige:
‘Is cuma linn, a stór,
Táimid faoi dhraíocht
Ag ceol na farraige.'

Liam Ó Flaithearta

Táim ag staidéar don Ardteist anois agus tá cúpla dán iontach ar an gcúrsa. Is é "Oíche Nollaig na mBan" an ceann is fearr liom,

Oíche Nollaig Na mBan

Bhí fuinneamh sa stoirm a éalaigh aréir.
Aréir oíce Nollaig na mBan,
As gealt-teach iargúlta 'tá laistiar den ré
Is do scréach tríd an spéir chughainn 'na gealt
Gur ghíosc geataí comharsan mar ghogallach gé,
Gur bhúir abhainn slaghdánach mar tharbh,
Gur mhúchadh mo choinneal mar bhuille ar mo bhéal
A las 'na splanc obann an fhearg

Ba mhaith liom go dtiocfadh an stoirm sin féin
An oíche go mbeadsa go lag
Ag filleadh abhaile ó rince an tsaoil
Is solas an pheaca ag dul as,
Go líonfaí gach neomat le liúirigh ón spéir,
Go ndéanfaí den domhan scuaine scread,
Is ná cloisfinn an ciúnas ag gluaiseacht fám dhéin,
Ná inneall an ghluaisteáin ag stad.

Seán Ó Riordáin