Transcript

An bhliain sulmar[1] thoisigh an cogadh mór bhí beirt Shasanaigh thall anseo in áit a dtugann siad Ard na Mónadh air. Bhí dúil mhór acu i seilg. Agus maidin amháin ins an fhómhar fuaigh siad 'un toigh s'againne agus d'fhiafraigh siad domh féin an rachainn leofa amach 'un an tsléibhe. Dúirt mé féin go rachadh agus fáilte. Agus shiúil muid linn agus ní theachaigh[2] muid i bhfad go dtí go bhfuair siad cupla cearc fhraoigh agus gearria. Ach nuair a bhí muid amuigh ar an áit a dtugann siad An Leachta Bán air tháinig ceo orainn agus ní fheicfeá do mhéar uaid. Bhí a fhios agam féin nach rabh maith dúinn tarraingt 'un an bhaile ná nach ndéanfadh sinn an bealach amach. Ach bhí aithne agam ar... ar mhuirín do Chloinn 'ic Giolla Eoin a bhí ina gcónaí thíos i mbun an chnoic. Agus bhí a fhios agam dá bhfaghadh sinn a fhad leis an teach sin go mbeadh sinn ceart go leor fá choinne lóistín oíche.

Shiúil muid linn agus fuair muid amach an teach nuair a bhí tráthnóna mall ann. Chuaigh muid isteach agus chuir siad fáilte romhainn. Agus ní rabh Béarla ar bith ag lucht an toighe ná ní rabh Gaeilic ar bith ag na Sasanaigh, agus bhí oíche ghnoitheach agamsa ag déanamh teangtha eatarthu. Nuair a bhí muid tamall 'na suí[3] rinn siad tae dúinn agus fuair muid ár sáith aráin déanamh baile agus im maith déanamh baile agus shuigh muid go dtear'[4] muid airneál fada.

Tuairim ag an deich a chlog rinneadh suipéara dúinn. Brachán min choirce agus bainne milis. Agus thug siad síos 'un ár seomra sinn le ghoil a luí[5]. Agus bhí an seomra sin aoilnite agus bhí sé comh geal agus go bhfeicfeá do scáil ann. Fuair muid leabaidh mhaith le luí uirthi agus chodlaigh muid go maith mar... mar bhí muid tuirseach.

Maidin lá harna mhárach bhí lá breá ann agus an ghrian ag soilsiú. Agus dhíol na Sasanaigh go maith ar son an oíche lóistín agus thiontaigh muid ár n-aghaidh 'un an bhaile. Ag teacht abhaile dúinn fuair muid dhá chearc fhraoigh agus gearria. Leoga, shíl mise go bhfuair siad go leor for a bhí agam le iad a iompar. (Ach) chuala mé na Sasanaigh a rá ina dhéidh sin gur 's iomaí teach ósta a rabh siad ann agus nach bhfaca siad (a') dadaí ariamh a thiocfadh leofa a chur i gcomórtas leis an lóistín oíche a fuair siad i dteach sin i mbun an chnoic, an áit nach rabh a'n[6] fhocal Béarla. Ná níl a'n fhocal á labhairt ann go fóill.

Translation

The year before the great war started there were two Englishmen over here in a place called Ardnamona. They loved hunting. And one morning in autumn they came to our house and the asked me if I would go out on the mountain with them. I said that I would happily go. And we went off and we didn't go long until they had got a few grouse and a hare. But when we were out on the place they call The White Mound mist fell on us and you would not see your finger in front of you. I knew that point in heading for home because we wouldn't find our way. But I knew a family of McAloons who were living at the foot of the mountain. And I knew that if we could go down as far as that house that we would be ok for the night's lodgings.

We walked on and we found the house when it was late evening. We went in and they welcomed us. And the people of the house had no English and the Englishmen had no Irish, and I had a busy night translating between them. When we had been sitting for a while they made tea for us and we got our fill of homemade bread and good homemade butter and we sat until we had a long evening's visit.

Around ten o' clock supper was made for us. Oatmeal porridge and sweet milk. And they brought us down to our room to go to sleep. And that room was whitewashed and it was so bright that you would see your shadow there. We got a good bed to lie on and we slept well, because we were tired.

The following morning it was a fine day and the sun was shining. And the Englishmen paid well for their night's lodgings and we turned to face home. As we were coming home we got two grouse and a hare. Indeed, I thought that they got a lot for I had to carry them. But I heard the Englishmen saying afterwards that they had been in many a lodging house and that they had never seen anything that they could compare to the night's lodging they got in that house at the foot of the mountain, where there was no word of English. Nor is there a word of it being spoken there still.

Footnotes

Commentary

This story is presented as a personal anecdote, or chronicate, and does not appear to be of any particular folkloric significance.