Tomhas na Teanga

Nov/Dec 2006

 

Bhí deis agam bualadh lenár n-uachtarán náisiúnta Jack Meehan agus n-eagarthóir/staraí náisiúnta Mike McCormack le déanaí.  I had an opportunity to meet our national president and national editor/historian recently.  Bhíomar go léir ag ceiliúradh seasca bliain ó bunaíodh rannóg a dó, rannóg Naomh Pádraig, in Babylon, Nua-Eabhrac.  We were all celebration 60 years since the founding of division 2, the Saint Patrick division, in Babylon New York.  Nílimse san AOH ach le deich mbliana, agus mar sin, ní raibh a fhios agam go bhfuilim i mo chomharba ar ár n-uachtarán agus mé ag scríobh an colúin seo!  I’ve only been in the AOH for ten years, and so, I didn’t know that I was a successor to our president as I write this column!  Scríobh seisean colún sa nuachtán seo le deich mbliana.  He wrote a column for this newspaper for ten years.  Bhíodh ceachtanna faoin nGaeilge ann.  There used to be lessons about Irish in it.  Bhí comhráite agam leis, agus lena bhean chéile (is as an nGaeltacht í) as Gaeilge ag an gcóisir, agus nuair a thug sé óráid ghearr ann, labhair sé as Gaeilge ar dtús.  I had conversations with him, and with his wife (she is from the Gaeltacht) in Irish at the party, and when he gave a short speech there, he spoke in Irish at first.  Nach breá sin!  Isn’t that fine!

            Is minic go mbíonn a leithéid d’ócáid againn, buíochas le Dia.  We often have this sort of occasion, thanks to God.  Cad iad na frásaí is úsáidí ina dtaobh?  What are the most useful phrases regarding them?  Déantar ceiliúradh ar rud.  A celebration is made/done on a thing.  Cothrom an lae = Anniversary day.  Seo samplaí ar an ábhar seo.  Here are examples on this subject.

Rinneadh ceiliúradh fiche bliain is cúig ar Údarás na Gaeltachta anuraidh.  The 25th anniversary of the Gaeltacht Authority was celebrated last year.  “Tá ábhar ceiliúrtha ann gan amhras, mar tá muid i measc chairde [sic] sean agus nua, ag comóradh ceathrú céid de stair an Údaráis agus na Gaeltachta araon,” dúirt Éamon Ó Cuív ag an am.  “There is stuff/material/substance/subject of celebration (cause for celebration) without a doubt, as we are among friends old and new, celebrating a quarter of a century of  the history of both the Authority and the Gaeltacht (designated Irish speaking districts). 

I Mí Feabhra na bliana seo, bhí cothrom an lae ann do chlár raidió ar RTÉ.  In February of this year, there was an anniversary day for a radio program on RTÉ.  “Ar fhoireann an chláir nuachta agus chúrsaí reatha Adhmhaidin a bronnadh an gradam Clár Raidió na Bliana.  Tá Adhmhaidin ag ceiliúradh fiche bliain ar an aer i mbliana agus tá ardchaigdeán iriseoireachta agus tuairisceoireachta le sonrú ar an gclár ó bunaíodh i dtús ama é,” deir fógra ó RTÉ.  “To the team/staff of the news and current events program Early Morning was awarded the prize Radio Show of the Year.  Early Morning is celebrating twenty years on the air this year and  a high standard of journalism and reporting are to be noted on the show since it was founded in the beginning of (its) time,” says an announcement from RTÉ.

Ó Chumann Merriman:  “Seoladh dhá dhlúthcheirnín faoi leith ag Scoil Samhraidh 2005 le ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar dhá chéad bliain ó bhás Bhrian Merriman.”

From the Merriman Society:  “2 special CDs were released/launched at Summer School 2005 to celebrate (make a celebration on) 200 years since the death of Brian Merriman.”

Rinneadh ceiliúradh ar Éirí Amach na Cásca i mbliana.  The Easter Rising was commemorated this year.  “Tá an Rialtas ag comóradh cothrom an ama 90 bliain ó shin ó bhí Éirí Amach 1916 i mBaile Átha Cliath faoi Cháisc agus cothrom bliana Chath an Somme le searmanas ag cuimhneachán an chogaidh i nDroichead na hInse an 1ú Iúil,” deir doiciméad ó Roinn an Taoisigh.  The government is commemorating the anniversary of the time 90 years ago of when the Rising of 1916 in Dublin at Easter time and the anniversary of the year of the battle of the Somme with a formal ceremony at the war memorial in Islandbridge on July 1st” says a document from the department of the Taoiseach.  Níos déanaí, deir sé “Déanaimid comóradh ar na himeachtaí sin cothrom an lae seo nócha bliain ó shin agus cásaímid na daoine sin go léir a bhásaigh.”  Later it says “We commemorate those events  which occurred on this day ninety years ago and lament all those who died.”

Cothrom an lae sin = the anniversary of that day.  Le deich mbliana anuas = for the past ten years.  I gcomóradh c[h]éad lá bunaithe na Comhairle = in commemoration of the first day of the founding of the Council.  Agus anois, i gcomhthéacs, ó Thuarascáil Bhliantúil 2001 leis An Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gaeltachta, agus Oileán:  And now in context, from the 2001 annual report of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and Islands:

“I measc na n-imeachtaí a heagraíodh bhí…agus foilsiú leabhair ag Áras Nua-Ealaíne na hÉireann mar cheiliúradh ar a bhfuil bainte amach aige le deich mbliana anuas.  Bhí fáiltiú ag an Aire i gCaisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath an 4 Nollaig i gcomóradh céad [sic] lá bunaithe na Comhairle Ealaíon cothrom an lae sin sa bhliain 1951.”

“Among the events  which were organized were…and a book be published at the New Arts Center of Ireland as a celebration of all that has been accomplished by it for the last ten years.   The Commissioner was welcomed at Dublin Castle on  December 4th in commemoration of of the first day of the founding of the Arts Council this day (anniversary day then) in the year 1951.

Mar sin, má tá 50 bliain i gceist, seo cúpla rogha.  So, if 50 years are what we are talking about, here are a couple of choices.  I gcomóradh caoga bliain (de, nó rud eile sa ghinideach).  In commemoration of 50 years (of, or something else in the genitive).  Ag ceiliúradh 50 bliain.  Celebrating 50 years.  Ag déanamh ceiliúradh ar 50 bliain.  Celebrating 50 years.  Cothrom an lae sin caoga bliain ó shin.  The anniversary of that day 50 years ago.  Ag ceiliúradh 50 bliain ar an bhfód – celebrating 50 years in existence (on the ground/spot).

Táimse féin ag ceiliúradh ocht mbliana déag ó lá mo phósta, 19 Samhain.  I myself and celebrating 18 years from the day I married, November 19th .  Sin cothrom lá ár bpósta, 18 bliain ó shin.    That’s the anniversary of our marrying, 18 years ago.

Beimid ag ceiliúradh cothrom breithlá Chríost timpeall 2006 bliain ó shin um Nollaig, freisin, dár ndóigh!  We will be celebrating the birthday of Christ around 2006 years ago at Christmastime, too, of course!  Nollaig shona daoibh go léir, mar sin!  Merry Christmas to you all, therefore!