Transcript

Seo scéal agus (ba mhian) liomsa a chur i meabhair... meabhair dhon tslua, (a) réir seanchas (léinn), níl focal ann ach bun agus piléar na fírinne.

Bhí fear uasal insa gcomharsanacht againn féin agus ba é a ainm Risteard Ó Ciardhubháin. Ní rabh fear ar bith in Éirinn a bhí in ann Risteard a throid le claimhe[1]. Agus ins an am sin chuaigh sé go Bleá Claith lena (aiteas féin) agus chuir sé suas in ceann de na tighthibh ab airde cáil a bhí insa gcathair. Bhí fearaibh eilí uasal 'na gcónaí insa teach ins an am céanna.

An lá seo bhuail ocras Risteard agus thoisigh sé ag ceasacht lena dhinnéar. Thoisigh na fearaibh uasal eilí ag déanamh fonóid faoi. Agus dúirt fear acu, "B'fhéidir nach bhfuil aon uaireadóir ag Risteard."

Agus dúirt fear eilí acu, "B'fhéidir dhá mbeadh féin nach mbeadh sé in ann é a léamh."

Dúirt an tríú fear, "Cuirfidh muid uaireadóir isteach faoina dhéin nó go bhfeicfidh muid céard a déarfas sé."

Ghlaoigh siad acu ar an searbhóntaí. Agus tháinig sí sin go lúcháireach mar níor thuig sí go rabh aon imreas insa gcúis agus thug sí an t-uaireadóir isteach faoi dhéin Risteard.

Ghoin a aire Risteard mar d'aithin sé go rabh an fonóid ar bun. D'éirigh sé ina sheasamh agus bhain sé dhó a sheanchóta bréidín. Tharraing sé a chlaimhe aníos as póca a bhríste agus chuir sé an t-uaireadóir ar bharr an chlaimhe. Amach leis i measc na móruaisle agus dúirt sé, "An leatsa í seo? An leatsa í seo?"

Ach níl aon fhear amháin acu nár shéan an t-uaireadóir mar bhí a bhfios acu dhá n-abraíodh aon nduine acu go mba leofa féin í gur gearr go mbíodh comórtas troda caití acu agus go mba gearr é a saol.

"Ó", a dúirt Risteard, "tá... measaim gur le mo ghiománach féin an t-uaireadóir seo."

Thar éis sin, mhair Risteard Ó Ciardhubháin saol fada le séan. Agus nuair a d'éag sé bhí a dhil-chuimhní scríofaí i dteanga na Gael ar a chloch tumba, agus is seo....

Translation

This is a story and I would like to make people aware of it, as it is in learned lore, there is not a word in it that is not the very essence of truth.

There was gentleman in our own neighbourhood and his name was Richard Kirwan. No man in Ireland was able to draw his sword against Richard. And in that time he went to Dublin on a whim (?) and he stayed in one of the most famous houses in the city. Other gentlemen were staying in the house at the same time.

This one day Richard felt hungry and he began to grumble about his dinner. The other gentlemen started to scoff at him. And one of them said, "Maybe Richard has no watch."

And another man of them said, "And even if he had he mightn't be able to read it."

A third man said, "We'll send a watch into him to see what he'll say."

They called the serving girl. And she came cheerfully because she didn't know that they were making mischief and she brought the watch into Richard.

Richard was on his guard because he realized that he was being scoffed at. He stood up and took off his old tweed coat. He drew his sword out of his trouser pocket and he put the watch on top of the sword. Out he went to the gentlemen and he said, "Is this yours? Is this yours?"

There wasn't a single man among them who didn't deny that the watch was his because they knew that if one of them said it was his he would soon have to fight and that his life would be cut short.

"Oh", said Richard, "there is... I believe this watch belongs to my own servant."

After that, Richard Kirwan lived a long and happy life. And when he died his remembrances were written in the language of the Gaels on his tombstone, and this is....

Footnotes

Commentary

This is a historical legend about a local figure of note, Risteard Ó Ciardhubháin (1708-79), also known as Risteard Buidhe a' Claidhimh. It mentions his skill with a blade, and the historical figure was well known for his fighting abilities. He came from landed gentry in county Galway, and was a professional soldier who fought in the Irish Brigade. See John O'Hart, Irish pedigrees (Dublin, 1892), 512. The story is based around the motif of a watch, and is likely based on the apparent historical reality that Risteard was presented with a jewelled watch by Louis XV while on service in France. It is also likely based on the fact that Risteard was notorious for entering duels with other gentlemen, which was ultimately the reason for his leaving France. See Richard Hayes, 'Biographical dictionary of Irishmen in France', Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review 33:129 (1944), 68-80: 70.