Tomhas na Teanga

March/April 2007

Scríobh Naomh Pádraig as Laidin, ach bhí Gaeilge aige, dar ndóigh. St. Patrick wrote in Latin, but he knew Irish, of course. Tá dhá litir a scríobh sé ann fós. Two letters he wrote still exist. Seo sliocht as an gceann ar a dtugtar, de ghnáth, “An Fhaoistin.” Here’s a passage from the one which is usually called “The Confession.” Chuir Pádraig Ó Fiannachta an Ghaeilge air, agus tá sé foilsithe i dteannta leis an mBíobla Naofa. P.Ó.F. translated it into Irish, and it is published together with the Holy Bible.

“Agus arís faoi cheann beagán blian[ta] bhí mé sa Bhreatain le mo thuismitheoirí;

ghlac siadsan liom mar mhac, agus d’impigh siad ó chroí orm, ar a laghad anois tar éis dom an oiread sin cruatan a fhulaingt, gan imeacht uathu choíche. And again after a few years I was back in Britain with my parents; they accepted my as a son, and implored me from their hearts, atleast now after my having endured so much hardship, that I should not ever leave them. Agus ansin chonaic mé i bhfís oíche fear, agus é mar a bheadh ag teacht ó Éirinn, agus Victoricus mar ainm air; bhí dlús gan áireamh litreacha aige agus thug sé ceann acu dom agus léas tosach na litreach a ghabh: “Glór na nGael”. And then I saw in a vision of the night a man, and was as if coming from Ireland, and Victoricus as his name; he had an innumerable bunch of letter and he gave one of them to me and I read the beginning of the letter which said: “The Voice of the Gaels”. Agus fad a bhí tús na litreach á léamh os ard agam, shíleas gur chuala ar an nóiméad sin glór na ndaoine úd a raibh cónaí orthu taobh le Coill Fhochlaid (Vocluti) atá le hais na mara thiar; agus mar seo a ghlaoigh siad amhail is dá mba d’aon ghuth: “Impímid ort a ógánaigh (naofa), teacht agus siúl arís inár measc.” And while I was reading the beginning of the letter out loud, I thought that I heard at that moment the voice of those people yonder who lived next to Fochlads Wood which is beside the sea in the West; and it was like this that they called to me as if they were of one voice: “We implore you O (holy) young man to come and walk again amongst us.” Bhíos croíbhrúite go mór agus níor fhéadas a thuilleadh a léamh agus ansin dhúisíos. I was quite broken hearted and I couldn’t read any more and then I awoke. A bhuí le Dia gur dheonaigh an Tiarna dóibh tar éis a lán blian[ta] de réir mar a ghlaoigh siad.” Thanks to God that the Lord granted to them after many years just as they had asked for.

Tá eagras tábhachtach in Éirinn a thacaíonn leis an nGaeilge, ar a dtugtar Glór na nGael (teo.) (www.glornangael.ie). There is an important organization in Ireland which supports the language, called… Seo sliocht as a suíomh idirlín Here is a passage from their web site:

“…ba léir do Chumann na Sagart (a bunaíodh sa bhliain 1916) go raibh gá le gléas misnithe éigin do phobal na tíre. …it was clear to the Society of Priests (which was founded in 1916) that there was a need for a means to encourage the people of the country. Thángthas ar choincheap comórtais, idir phobail, i gcur chun cinn na Gaeilge agus bunaíodh an comórtas Glór na nGael. The concept of a competition was come up with, between communities, in the advancement of the Irish language and the GnanG competition was founded. Bunaíodh Glór na nGael faoi chomhéarlamhacht Uachtarán na hÉireann, Éamon de Valera, agus an Chairdinéil John Dalton, i gcuimhne ar ghlór na ndaoine a chuala Naomh Pádraig agus iad ag glaoch air chun filleadh ar Éirinn. GnanG was founded under the co-patronage of the president of Ireland…and the Cardinal…, in remembrance of the voice of the people which St. Patrick heard when they were calling to him to return to Ireland.  Reáchtáileadh an chéad chomórtas i mbliain chomórtha fhilleadh Phádraig ar Éirinn, 1961. The first contest was run in the year commemorating the return of Patrick to Ireland, 1961. Ó shin i leith, tá Glór na nGael méadaithe as cuimse… Ever since then, GnanG has grown exceedingly… ”

“Is í aidhm an chomórtais ná aitheantas a thabhairt don choiste a dhéanann an dul chun cinn is fearr i rith na bliana ar son na teanga agus ar son an chultúir,” deir siad. “It is the aim of the competition to give recognition to the committee which makes the best progress during the year on behalf of the language and the culture,” they say. Le dhá bhliain anuas, tá comórtas domhanda acu, freisin. For the last two years, they have had a worldwide competition, too. Seo mar a deir siad ina leith This is what they say about it: “Tabharfaidh sé spreagadh agus moladh do na grúpaí thar lear atá ag tabhairt faoi obair fhorbartha na Gaeilge cheana féin. It will give incentive and praise to groups overseas that are engaged in work already developed for the language . Sínfidh sé lámh an mhuintearais i dtreo na nGael thar lear agus dearbhóidh sé tábhacht na nGael sin i bpobal na Gaeilge. It will extend a friendly hand to the Gaels overseas and assert the importance of the Gaels in the Irish language community. Déanfar an Ghaeilge a cheiliúradh ar stáitse domhanda ar bhealach nua. The language will be celebrated on a worldwide stage in a new way. Meallfaidh sé grúpaí Éireannacha atá ag plé leis an gcultúr Gaelach, ar nós an cheoil agus an damhsa, díriú go sainiúil ar labhairt na Gaeilge. It will attract groups of Irish people which have to do with the Gaelic culture, such as music and dance, to focus specifically on speaking the language. Spreagfaidh sé daoine agus grúpaí chun tréimhsí saoire cultúrtha a chaitheamh in Éirinn ar bhonn rialta, go háirithe i gceantair Ghaeltachta. It will encourage people and groups to spend cultural vacation times in Ireland on a regular basis, especially in the Irish speaking areas. ”

Anuraidh, fuair cumann sa Ghearmáin an príomhdhuais. Last year, a society in Germany won the first prize. Fuair Daltaí na Gaeilge, eagraíocht Mheiriceánach, an dara duais. DnaG, an American organization, got the second prize. Fuair cumann san Astráil an tríú ceann. A society in Australia won got the third one. I mbliana, tá áthas orm a rá, go bhfuair Cumann Carad na Gaeilge an phríomhdhuais! This year, I am pleased to say, The Philo-Celtic Society won the first prize! Táim i mo oifigeach sa chumann seo, agus déanaimse na podchraoltaí agus físchraoltaí in ainm an chumainn. I am an officer in this society, and I make the podcasts and video podcasts on behalf of the society. Dála an scéil, tá na scannáiníní seo ar fáil ag www.youtube.com anois – lorgaítear ‘Gaeilge’ ansin, agus faightear a lán eile, freisin. By the way, these little movies are available on youtube now – if you search on ‘Gaeilge’ you will find lots of other stuff, too.

Tá breis eolais faoin gcumann Meiriceánach seo ar fáil ag www.philo-celtic.com. More information about this American society can be found at…Fuair grúpa in Albain an dara duais, agus grúpa san Astráil an tríú ceann i mbliana. A group in Scotland won the second prize, and a group in Australia the third one this year.