Tomhas na Teanga

Nov/Dec 2008

Tá comhartha ar an mballa agam a deir “Ní bhíonn saoi gan locht.” I have a sign on my wall that says (roughly) “Even Homer nods.” Seanfhocal Gaeilge is ea é sin. That’s an Irish proverb. Agus is fíor é, gan amhras. And it’s true, no doubt. Is iomaí uair a bhfeicim botún sa cholún seo nuair a bhím á léamh sa nuachtán, rudaí beaga nach bhfaca mé agus mé á scríobh. It’s many the time that I see a mistake in this column when I’m reading it in the newspaper, little things that I didn’t seen while I was writing it. Is dócha go dtarlaíonn a leithéid do gach éinne, eagarthóirí agus scríbhneoirí go háirithe. I suppose that sort of thing happens to everyone, editors and writers especially. Fiú i mo leabhar nua, tá cúpla rud ann nach bhfaca mé in am. Even in my new book, there are a couple of things that I didn’t see in time. Ach seachas sin, táim an-sásta leis, agus tá súil agam go mbeidh deis agaibh é a léamh. But besides that, I’m very happy with it, and I hope you will get a chance to read it. Cogadh Dearg an teidil atá air, agus is úrscéal faoin gcogadh cathartha i Meiriceá, agus an tréimhse ina dhiaidh. (Red War) is the title of it, and it is a novel about the American civil war and the period following it. Seo an t-achoimre ón gclúdach: This is the synopsis from the cover:

“Is as Éirinn iad Seán agus Willy. W & S are from Ireland. Ach anois, tá siad ina zouaves in arm na Stát Aontaithe. But now they are zouves in the US army. Tá cogadh cathartha ar siúl, agus níl sé ag éirí leo. There is a civil war under way, and it is not going well for them. Buailtear leo sa leabhar tar éis droch-fheachtais ar An Leithinis in Virginia, sa bhliain 1862. We meet up with them in the book after a tough campaign on The Penninsula…in the year… Leantar lena scéal tríd an gcogadh, agus tá siad páirteach i mórchathanna, Gettysburg san áireamh. Their story continues through the war, and they are in great battles, including… Ach tá fadhbanna eile acu, chomh maith, sa bhaile agus san arm. But they have other problems, as well, at home and in the army. Nuair a théann siad abhaile, roimh dheireadh an chogaidh, níl a saol aon phioc níos éasca dóibh. When they go home, before the end of the war, life isn’t any easier for them. Ná leis na Stáit Aontaithe. Or for the US. Ná le hÉirinn. Or for Ireland. Seo scéal a saolta, agus scéal na dtíortha sin, ó réabhlóid amháin go réabhlóid eile. This is the story of their lives, and the story of those countries, from one revolution to another. Tá an t-úrscéal stairiúil seo bunaithe ar shaol shinsir an údair, William H. Keane. This historical novel is based on the life of the author’s ancestor…”

Tá tintype de Willy féin ar an gclúdach. There’s a tintype of Willy himself on the cover. Tá eolas eile faoi, as Béarla, ar an suíomh seo There is more information about him in English here: http://www.scoilgaeilge.org/lasmuigh/CivilWar/WK.htm

Tá an leabhar ar fáil i siopaí áirithe in Éirinn, agus ar an idirlíon ag www.litriocht.com. The book is available in certain stores in Ireland and on the internet at… Gnó atá lonnaithe sa Ghaeltacht is ea litriocht.com, agus molaim i gcónaí gnó a dhéanamh sa Ghaeltacht, mar ní bheidh an teanga beo gan daoine beo, agus slí bheatha acu. This web site is a business based in the Irish speaking region, and I always recommend doing business there, as the language will not live without living people, who can make a living. Tá post níos tábhachtaí do dhuine ná teanga. A job is more important to a person than a language. Sin an fáth gur tháinig na mílte Gaeilgeoirí chuig an tír seo. That’s why thousands of Irish speakers have come to this country.

Bhí streachailt ag mo shinsir mar a bhí ag an chuid is mó, agus mar a bhíonn ag roinnt mhór againn fós. My ancestors had to struggle like most did, and like many of us still do. Ach sin an fáth go bhfuil an AOH ann, agus ní mór dúinn bheith buíoch de Dhia as a chéile, agus as an gcabhair a thugaimid dá chéile. But that’s the reason the AOH exists, and we need to thank God for each other, and for the help we give each other. Is cuma más cabhair le hairgead nó le comhairle nó cúpla focal moltacha nó fiú le deoch agus comhrá deas sa phub, tugaimid cabhair dá chéile i gcónaí. It doesn’t matter if it is help with money or with advice or a few words of praise or even with a drink and nice conversation in the pub, we always help each other. Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine, mar a deir an seanfhocal. The people live in one another’s shadow, as the proverb says. Braithimid ar a chéile, sin a rá. That is to say, we depend on each other.

Agus Lá Altaithe ann an t-am seo bliana, tá sé ceart agus cóir ár machnamh a dhéanamh ar gach a bhfuil againn. Since Thanksgiving is this time of year, it is right and proper for us to think about all that we have. Bímis buíoch de Dhia as ár gcairde, ár dteaglaigh, pé maoin atá againn, as ár n-oidhreacht, agus go háirithe as ár gcreideamh Caitliceach. Let us be grateful to God for our friends, our families, whatever wealth we have, for our heritage, and especially for our Catholic faith. Agus bímis buíoch de Dhia gur sheol sé a aonmhac chugainn. And let us thank God that he sent us his only son. Lá Altaithe sona agus Nollaig shona daoibh! Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!