GLEANINGS FROM LOUGH RAMOR (E. O Tuathail)

In the summer of 1931 Mr. J. Hanly, of the Department of Education, informed the present writer that there were a few Irish speakers living around Lough Ramor in the barony of Castlerahan, Co. Cavan, who might have some folk-lore material worth collecting. The town of Virginia on Lough Ramor is about fifty miles from Dublin. As Mr. Hanly had some calls to make in this district on the 25th of August, 1931, he very kindly gave me a seat in his car. We visited a number of old people, perhaps eight or nine, reputed to be Irish speakers. We found that nearly all could understand Irish when spoken to, but only three could give us anything to record, viz. the two brothers, Peter and Hugh Fitzsimmons of Carrigabruse, and Owen Coyle of Clonkeiffy, all about eighty years of age in 1931. Carrigabruse is on the east side of Lough Ramor. Clonkeiffy lies to the south-west of the lake, and about two miles and a half north of Oldcastle.

Hugh Fitzsimmons gave us the little story printed below. He was able at one time, he told us, to recite a tale beginning with the words Lá do na laethe dá rabh Fionn mhac Cumhaill, which he learned from his father, but he could not remember it the day we called on him. He had some lines of the songs Mo Phíopa dubh (see below) and An Sean-duine dóighte, which he sang for us. Peter Fitzsimmons recited some thirty lines of the legend of the B. V. Mary and the Apples, of which Dr. Hyde has printed a version in his Religious Songs of Connacht, Vol. I, p. 278. The legend was recited very reverentially when being recorded by the dictaphone, but in such a low voice that only part of it can be transcribed with certainty. Peter had a few lines of the song An Cailín deas donn and a story about An Gobán Saor. When he tried to recite the latter his memory failed him. Their father was a good seanchaidhe, we were told, and had some Irish books. He taught his sons the Catechism in Irish. Owen Coyle had some Irish phrases which he had almost forgotten.

Mr. McEnroe, the Principal of Carrigabruse N.S., very kindly introduced us to the Fitzsimmons brothers and assisted us in every way he could.

I.

Bhí duine óg ionn uair amháin agus bhí sé a cônaí le n-a mhá’ir. Bhí muc acu le díol agus bhí aonach i bhfogus. Dúirt an mhá’ir le an mhac, “Gabh amach,” adeir sí, “agus ceâghail [pron. céail (an open e-vowel with slight nasalization)] rópa uirthi agus beidh sin réidh agad go dtiocfaidh an mhaidin, agus air maidin amach innsin, tóir leat ’un an aonaigh é agus díol í.”

“Gheanfa mé sin, a mhá’ir,” arsa’n mac.

Fuaidh sé amach agus cheâghail sé ’n rópa, agus n’air a bhí sí réidh aige thug sé ’steach í.

“Sin anois agad, a mhá’ir,” arsa’n mac, “agus tá sí réidh.”

“Té a cholladh anois,” adeir sí, “agus írigh suas ar maidin agus beidh mise—beidh do bhreicfeasta réidh agam duid n’air freachas tú.”

Fuaidh sé a cholladh agus cholluigh sé a sháith, agus d’írigh sé suas agus bhí an breicfeasta réidh aici dó n’air a mhúsgail sé. D’ith se an breicfeasta agus fuaidh sé amach agus chuir sé ’n rópa ar chois a mhuc. Thainic sé isteach agus thug sé an mhuc amach leis, agus n’air a bhí se ag goil a dh’imeacht as an tsráid, dúirt an mhá’ir leis: “Ná díol a’ mhuc sin,” adeir sí, “níos lú ná cúig sgillinn déag agus dhá phínn.”

“Gheanfa me sin,” arsa’n mac.

Fuaidh sé ’un aonach.

N’air a fuaidh sé ’steach chas ceannaí air. Fiafruigh sé dhó cé mhéid a bhfuil a [
“Tá cúig sgillinn déag agus dhá phínn a chás orm,” adeir se, “agus cha dhíolaim air níos lú í.”

“Bhearfa me sin duit,” arsa’n ceannaí.

Bheir sé greim air a’ rópa agus thiomain sé ’n mhuc leis agus thug sé ’n cúig sgillinn déag dó, agus n’air a bhí sé i n-éis imeacht, chas cailín air a’ duine óg.

“Ar dhíol tú an mhuc?”

“Dhíol.”

“Cé mhéid a fuair tú?”

“Cúig sgillinn déag agus dhá phínn,” adeir sé.

“Tasbain an airgead go bhfeice me cé mhéid a bhfuil agad.”

Cha rabh aige ach cúig sgillinn déag.

“Chan fhuil sé uilig innseo,” arsa’n cailín.

“Well, goidé gheanfas me anois?” arsa’n duine óg.

“Caithfe tú tionadh gan é!” ar sise.

II.

Ó grá mo chroí mo chearc bheag dhubh!
’Sí phiocfadh an gráinne agus a bheireas ubh;
Gach a’n lá bhearfad sí ubh,
’S líon sí dû-sa mo phíopa dubh.

III.

Tá céad fear i nÉirinn nár ól ariamh cróin
’Tá a’ cruinniú na déirce ’s a’ mála air a dtóin.

IV.

PHRASES

Ársuigh scéal dû, ‘Tell me a story.’
Thug mé fá near é, ‘I noticed it.’
Tá sé dóclach daor, ‘It is very dear.’

‘How are you?’ may be expressed in three ways, thus: Goidé mar tá tú? Goidé ’n cruth a bhfuil tú? Goidé ’n chuma ’tá ort?

Owen Coyle recited the following old saying: Gach aon-duine agus a bhaereadh [buaireadh] héin air, mar adúirt Peadar Andy n’air a goideadh a’ gandal air.
V.