Transcript

Bhíos oíche áirithe ag dul ag iascach agus spiléar fé m'oscaill. Agus níorbh fhada ón dtigh a bhíos nuair a chuala glór na mbróg im dheabhaidh. D'fhéachainn im dhiaidh nuair a chloisinn mór ard an glór, agus ní fheicinn éinne nó gur chuas timpeall le ceathrú mhíle ón dtigh. Agus, em, do bhí an t-eagla ag teacht orm ana-mhór.

Cad a dheineas ná an spiléar a bhualadh isteach ar an gclaí. Dúrt leis an bhfear más aicsean a bhí uaidh nó mé féin teacht os mo choinne amach is más babhta bocsála a bhí uaidh go rabhas ábaltha ar é thabhairt dó. (...) duine éicint (...) marab é sin é (...) mise (...) an bhuachalla críonna. D'imigh sé uaim (is deabhadh air) agus níor chuala glór bróg ná stoc as san amach im dheabhaidh.

Síos liom go dtí an dtráigh lem spiléar is chuireas isteach i naomhóig é chomh neamheaglach is táim ar (an neoin) anso. Ach do bhí sé ann go siúrfírinneach, bhí. Ní fheaca as san amach é.

Translation

One night I was going fishing and was carrying a longline under my arm. And I wasn't far from the house when I heard the noise of shoes following me. I kept looking behind me when I heard the noise getting louder, and I couldn't see anyone until I had gone about a quarter of a mile from the house. And I was getting very frightened.

What did I do only put the longline inside on the wall. I told the man that if it was action or myself he wanted to come before me and that if he wanted a bout of boxing I was well able to give it to him. (...) somebody (...) if it wasn't that (...) I (...) of the old boy. He left me in a hurry (?) and I didn't hear the noise of a shoe or a beast behind me after that.

Off I went down to the beach with my longline and I put it into a canoe as fearless as I am here now. But he was surely and truthfully there I tell you. I didn't see him after that.

Commentary

This is an example of a memorate, a story told from personal experience about what is perceived as a supernatural event. These stories can be formed by people experiencing a given situation, and interpreting it in accordance with certain beliefs, or with traditional narrative forms that are popular within their culture. See Juha Pentikainen, 'Belief, memorate, and legend', Folklore Forum 6 (1973), 217-41. The supernatural element involved in this story is a púca, a type of spirit, ghost or fairy. Legends describe how it usually takes animal form, and harasses travellers who are out at night. See Deasún Breathnach, Chugat an púca (Dublin, 1993).