Tomhas na Teanga

July/August 2009

Ar dtús, an nuacht: tá irisleabhar lán-Ghaeilge á fhoilsiú againn sna Stáit Aontaithe. First the news: there is an all Irish language magazine being published in the USA. Tá An Gael ar fáil anois, ag angael.magcloud.com. An Gael is available now, at… Is mise an t-eagarthóir. I am the editor. Seoladh an t-irisleabhar ag Ardchonsalacht na hÉireann in Nua-Eabhrac, Mí an Mheitheamh. The magazine was launched at the Irish consulate in NY, in June. Is fear mór na Gaeilge agus cara dúinn an Leas-ardchonsal, Breandán Ó Caollaí, agus tá Cumann Carad na Gaeilge buíoch de as a fhlaithiúlacht is a thacaíocht. BÓC, the vice consul, is a great friend to the language and to us, and the Philo-Celtic Society is very grateful to him for his generosity and support. Is iomaí ócáid na Gaeilge a eagraíonn Breandán is a bhean chéile Carmel Callan in Nua-Eabhraic. Breandán and his wife Carmel arrange quite a few Irish language events in NY.

An rud is annamh is iontach, deirtear. The rare thing is the wonderful thing. Gaeilge i Nua-Eabhrac? Cinnte! Irish language in NY? Sure! Ar fud an domhain, mar a tharlaíonn. All over the world, as it happens. Fuair mé glaoch ó dhuine in Vancouver tamall ó shin, ag lorg comhrá, agus ina dhiaidh sin bhí glaoch comhdhála againn le duine in Luxembourg, duine in Maryland, agus beirt i Nua-Eabhrac, ag an am céanna. I received a call from a person in V. a while ago, seeking conversation, and afterwards we had a conference call with someone from L, from M. and 2 in NY at the same time. Tá an saol ag laghdú dúinn, a chairde. The world is getting smaller for us, friends. Ní bhacann sléibhte is mara cairdeas na nGael. Mountains and oceans can’t get in the way of the friendship of the Gael.

Is iomaí rud iontach atá ann sa saol seo, le fírinne, agus ó am go chéile faightear ceann de thaisme. It’s many the wonderful thing there is in this world, truly, and once in a while people find one by accident. Tarlaíonn a leithéid minic go leor ar ár laethanta saoire. Such a thing happens pretty often on our vacations. Tamall ó shin, bhí mé ag smaoineamh ar bhláthanna silíní, agus fuair mé ar an idirlíon go bhfuil páirc an-deas (Branch Brook Park) in Newark, New Jersey, atá níos cóngaraí dom ná Washington. A while ago, I was thinking about cherry blossoms, and I found on the internet that there is a very nice park…in…, which is closer to me than W. Tá sin-seantuismitheoirí m’athar curtha in New York Bay Cemetery in Jersey City, atá ar an slí. My father’s great-grandparents are buried in…,which is on the way. Mar sin, chuaigh mé, i dteannta le mo bhean Irene, go JC agus ansin go Newark. So, I went, together with my wife Irene, to JC and then to N.

Chaitheamar tamall sa reilig. We spent a while in the cemetery. Theip orainn an uaigh a fháil arís go bhfuaireamar cabhair ó oibrí deas. We couldn’t find the grave again until we got help from a nice workman. Tá an reilig an-sean, agus ní minic a thugainn éinne cuairt ar an chuid is mó de na huaigheanna. The cemetery is very old, and it isn’t often that anyone visits most of the graves. Is iomaí leac uaighe atá leagtha, agus is iomaí uaigh atá suncáilte ann. There are many knocked over gravestones, and many sunken graves. Cuireadh líon mór saighdiúirí ón gcogadh cathartha ann, Albert S. Norton ina measc. Many Civil War soldiers are buried there, including ASN. Táim beagáinín ait, is dócha, ach is breá liom reiligí, go háirithe na sean-chinn. I’m a little odd, I guess, but I love cemeteries, especially the old ones.

Ansin chuamar go dtí an pháirc in Newark, agus Lá Bhláthanna na Silíní a bhí ann. Then we went to the park in N, and it was Cherry Blossom Day. Bhí go leor daoine ag siúl timpeall an locha bhig, ag baint taitnimh as an lá breá agus na bláthanna áille. Lots of people were walking around the small lake, enjoying the fine day and the beautiful flowers. Ach bhí iontas eile ann. But there was another wonder there. Ní raibh a fhios agam roimh ré, ach tá Ardeaglais / Baisleac an Chroí Naofa taobh leis an bpáirc seo. I didn’t know it ahead of time, but the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart is next to this park. (Is féidir turas fíorúil a dhéanamh uirthi ag www.cathedralbasilica.org). (It’s possible to take a virtual tour of it at…). Foirgneamh iontach is ea é. It’s a wonderful building. Tá sé níos áille istigh ná amuigh, fiú! It’s even more beautiful inside than outside! Má bhíonn deis agat cuairt a thabhairt air, molaim go hard é. If you ever get a chance to visit it, I highly recommend it. Nuair a bhí mé óg, bhí droch-chlú ar Newark. When I was young, N had a bad reputation. Ach is cathair dheas í sa lá atá inniu ann. But it is a nice city these days. Tá a cuid fadhbanna aici, ach an bhfuil cathair ann gan iad? It has its share of problems, but what city doesn’t?

Maraon le beagnach gach aon rud maith J, tá baint ag sliocht na hÉireann leis an ardeaglais seo. Just like almost every good thing, the Irish have something to do with this cathedral. Ba é Jeremiah O'Rourke an chéad ailtire a d’oibrigh uirthi. The first architect to work on it was… Rinneadh mórán oibre uirthi faoi stiúir an Easpaig O'Connor, atá curtha inti, agus is iomaí sloinne Éireannach eile atá ann i measc na cléire a bhfuil baint acu léi, mar is iondúil. A lot of work was done on it under the direction of Bishop…who is interred in it, and there are many other Irish surnames amongst the clergy who are connected to it, as is usual.

Dar ndóigh, nuair a thángamar abhaile, thosaigh mé chun na crainn shilíní i mo chomharsanacht féin a thógáil faoi deara…tá a lán acu ann! Of course, when we came home, I started to notice the cherry trees in my own neighborhood…there are a lot of them!