Duinnín agus Imleacán Kali

Dineen and the navel of Kali

Nodlaig, -lag, pl. -i, f. , oft. with art … .
N. mhaith chughat, I wish you a merry Christmas…

• Seachtain roimh Nollaig. An aimsir an-mhíthaitneamhach ar
  fad. Gálaí gaoithe, ráigeanna baistí, flichshneachta. An Duinnineach
  ar a bhealach isteach go hEaglais na mBráithre Bána. Bhí
  sé thart ar a haon agus ba léir go leanfadh an lá anfach, fliuch. I
  halla mór na hEaglaise, bhí go leor pramanna, báibíní ina gcodladh iontu,
  teachtaireachtaí carntha orthu. Bhí daoine, mná don
  chuid is mó de, ag rith isteach chun faoistine nó ag lasadh
  coinnle: ullmhú i gcomhair na Nollag faoi lán tseoil.

  Week before Christmas. The weather was thoroughly unpleasant. Gales of wind,
  sudden outbreaks of rain, sleet. Dineen was on his way to the WhiteFriars’ church.
  It was about one and it was clear that the rainy, wet day would continue.
  In the great hall of the Church, there were many prams, babies sleeping in them,
  messages piled on them. There were people, mostly women, running in to confession or lighting up candles: preparation for Christmas in full swing[sail].

  míthaitneamhach	Displeasing, disagreeable; unpleasant, unattractive
  ráig	udden rush; sudden outbreak; fit, bout, attack	f pl ráigeanna
  flichshneachta	sleet	m
  anfach	Stormy, rough, tempestuous
  teachtaireacht	message	f
  carn	heap, pile	v
  faoistin	confession	f

• Ba nós leis an Duinníneach cuairt a thabhairt ar dhealbh
  Mhuire Dhubh Átha Cliath ó am go chéile. Thaitin a duibhe
  leis, agus a méid agus a haois; dealbh a raibh meas na muintire
  uirthi le fada, dealbh a bhí beannaithe ag paidreacha na
  bhfíréan; dealbh a bhí ar mhithidí na staire le fada, thuas seal,
  thíos seal, ar nós na gcréatúirí thart uirthi, gnáthmhuintir
  Bhaile Átha Cliath, fliuch le báisteach, searbh le hallas.

  It was a custom of Dineen to visit the statue of the Black Mary of
  Dublin from time to time. He liked her blackness, and its size and age,
  a statue esteemed by her people for a long time, a statue blessed by
  the prayers of the faithful; a statue long in the time[??] of history, [reflected the times in its long history]
  turn above, turn below, like the creatures around her, ordinary people
  of Dublin, wet with rain, bitter with sweat

  dealbh	statue	f
  duibhe	Blackness, swarthiness; darkness, gloom; melancholy, oppression (of spirit); malevolence	f
  Taitin
  meas	Estimation, judgment; estimate, opinion; Esteem, regard, respect	m
  mithid	Due, convenient, time
  seal	turn	m
  allas	Sweat, perspiration	m
  searbh	bitter, acid
  thuas seal, thíos seal	ups and downs

• Chonaic an Duinníneach a shéanchara, an Bráthair de Burgo,
  thall ag an mainsear a bhí tógtha aige san áit a mbíodh sé i
  gcónaí. Chuaigh sé sall chuige i ndiaidh dó cúpla focal a bheith
  aige le Muire, i bhfianaise a deilbhe. Bhí an Brathair ag tochas a
  chinn agus ag féachaint ar an mainséar.

  ‘Cá bhfuil an leanbh Íosa?’

  Dineen saw his old friend, Brother de Burgo,
  over by the manger he had built where it always was.
  He went across to him after saying a few words to Mary,
  in the presence of her statue. The Brother was scratching
  his head and looking at the manger.
  ‘Where is the baby Jesus? ‘

  thall	over, beyond
  sall	To the far side, over, across
  tochas	itch	m

• ‘Sin é é, a Phádraig. Tá sé ar bóiléagar arís … Imíonn sé ar seachrán ar uairibh [dat pl],’ arsa an Bráthair, ‘ach bhíos thall sna hárasáin, le Mrs. Moore anois díreach. ‘A hiníon siúd,
  Penny, duine le Dia, an créatúr, a thógann é de ghnáth. Le gean dó, tá’s agat. Ach tá Penny
  ar an leaba le seachtain, le plúchadh – an aimsir thais seo, a Phádraig, bíonn sé dian ar dhaoine.’

  ‘Cé eile a thógann chun siúil é?’
  

  ‘That’s it, Patrick, He is mislaid again … He goes astray at times,’ said the Brother, I was over in the apartment with Mrs Moore just now. Her daughter there, Penny, a person with God, the creature, who usually takes/raises[??] it up. With affection for him, you know. But Penny has been in bed for a week, with asthma, this damp weather, it is hard on people.’

  ‘Who else takes it out [for a walk]?’

  bóiléagar	neglected, mislaid, unguarded
  seachrán	Wandering, straying	m
  thall	over, beyond
  ar uairibh	at times, occasionally
  siúd	that, yon
  gean	love, affection	m
  plúchadh	suffocation, asthma	m
  tais	Damp, moist, humid
  dian	Intense, vehement; hard, severe

• ‘An poitigéir trasna an bhóthair uainn – fear bocht a fhulaingíonn mórán – bíonn a
  mháthair siúd, ag bailiú chuici … rud ar bith a fhágtar san eaglais, tabharfaidh sí abhaile
  é le nach ngoidfear é, mar dhia, ach chuaigh an tAthair Séan sall agus ní raibh sí i ndiaidh a
  bheith amuigh ag cnuasach.’

  ‘ ‘Bhfuil an tÍosagán ar iarraidh le fada?’

  ‘The pharmacist across the road from us – a poor man who suffers much – her mother there,
  gathering to her … nothing left in the church, she brings home so it is not stolen, as it were,
  but Fr. Sean went over, after[?] she hadn’t been out gathering.
  Has the baby Jesus been long missing?

  poitigéir	Pharmaceutical chemist
  fulaing	Bear, endure, suffer, tolerate
  siúd	that, yon
  sall	To the far side, over, across
  cnuasaigh	gather, collect, store
  mar dhia	as it were, heaven forbid, ….

• ‘Bheadh leathuair an chloig, nó thairis, ann. Ba mhaith liom é a fháil ar ais sula
  dtugtar faoi ndeara, istigh, go bhfuil sé ar iarraidh.’
  Thuig an tAthair Pádraig go maith go rabhadar ann ‘istigh’ a bheadh dian ar an
  mBráthair de Burgo a chaill an leanbh Íosa ar bhéalaibh na Nollag.
  ‘An raibh luach ar leith air mar dhealbh?’

  ‘It would be half an hour, or more or less.
  I would like to get it back before it is noticed inside, that he is missing. ‘

  Father Patrick understood well that there were some ‘insiders’ who would be hard on the
  Brother de Burgo who lost the baby Jesus on right on the cusp of Christmas.
  ‘Does the statue have any special value?’

  nó thairis	more or less
  dian	Intense, vehement; hard, severe
  béalraigh	gossip about, spread gossip
  luach	value	m

• ‘Seachas a bhfuil cruinnithe ann de dhea-mhéin ár muintire le blianta, nil. Dealbh
  bheag dheas lodálach. Tá’s agat an cineál.’

  Theastaigh on Duinníneach dul abhaile go Port
  Mearnóg agus a loirgne a ghoradh cois tine, ach bhí an Bráthair, ag féachaint air le súile
  cneasta donna agus bhí Muire Átha Cliath taobh thiar de, a choimhéad.
  ‘Féachfaidh mé an féidir liom é a fháil ar ais duit.’

  ‘Besides than having the collected goodwill of our people over the years, no. Nice little
  Italian statue. You know the kind.’

  Dineen wanted to go home to Portmarnock and warm his shins by the fire, but the Brother,
  looking at him with kind brown eyes and Mary of Dublin behind him, was watching over him.
  ‘I will see if I can get it back for you. ‘

  cruinnigh	gather, assemble
  dea-mhéin	goodwill
  goradh	Heating, warming; heat, warmth	m
  cneasta	Honest, sincere; Decent, seemly; Mild-mannered
  coimhéad	Watch over, guard

• ‘Má gheibheann tú é, a Phádraig, na habair tada leo istigh ach leag ar ais ar an sop
  tuí ansin é mura mbeidh mé féin sa impeall.’

  Thug an Duinníneach stracfhéachaint, a raibh iarracht de ghearán ann, ar dhealbh na Maighdine. Bhrostaigh sé amach agus bheannaigh sé do bhean díolta na mbonn, na scaball agus na gCorónacha Muire sa halla, ach bhí sí chomh gnóthach agus chomh gearr-radharcach san nach dtabharfadh sí faoi ndeara fiú[??]
  dá siúlfadh asal agus bó an mhainséir amach thairsti.
  

  ‘If you get it Patrick, say nothing to those inside but lay back on the straw
  if I am not in the surroundings. ‘

  Dineen gave a glance, which was a hint of a complaint, at the statue of the Virgin.
  He hurried out and he blessed the woman who sold the coins, the scapulars and the Crowns of Mary in the hall,
  she was so busy and short-sighted that she would not notice even if the manger donkey and cow walked past her.

  geibheann = faigheann	get	var pres
  sop	Wisp, small bundle (of straw, etc.)
  stracfhéachaint= sracfhéachaint	glance
  maighdean	Maiden, virgin	f
  brostaigh	hasten, urge; hurry
  beannaigh	bless; greet
  díol	sell; pay, requite
  scab	scapular
  gearr	short
  gearr	cut	v
  radharcach	Seeing, viewing
  gearr-radharcach	Short-sighted, myopic.
  fiú	worth; value

• ‘A Bheití, ar seisean leis an mbean dhall a bhíodh suite sa doras ag iarraidh déirce,
  ‘an dtabharfá faoi ndeara é dá n-imeodh duine tharat agus saothar nó imní ar leith air?’

  ‘Seans go dtabharfainn, a Athair,’

  ‘Betty,’ he said to the blind woman who was always sitting at the door asking for alms,
  ‘would you notice it if someone passed by with you particular worry or anxiety? ‘

  ‘Perhaps I would, Father’

  dall
  déirc	charity, alms	f gs déirce
  	charity, alms
  ar leith	special
  saothar	Work, labor; toil, exertion; stress, effort	m

• ‘Ar thug tú aon ní den chineal sin faoi ndeara le deireanas?’Rinne sí a machnamh
  agus a súile bána tiontaithe aici chun na spéire. Chuir an Duinníneach milseán ina glaic
  agus chuir sí ina béal é le fonn.

  ‘Ní fhéadfainn a rá go fírinneach gur thugas imní nó buairt ar leith faoi ndeara. A
  scéal féin ag gach éinne, mar is eol duit, a Athair, agus is beag duine a théann isteach
  nó amach nach mbíonn cloch éigin – bíodh sé beag nó mór – ar a phaidrín.

  ‘Rud ar bith as an ngnách?’

  ‘Did you notice anything like that recently?’
  She pondered and her white eyes were turned to the sky. Dineen put a sweet in her
  hand and she eagerly put it in her mouth.
  ‘I could not truthfully say that I noticed a particular anxiety or worry. Everyone has
  their own story, as you know, Father, few people enter or leave without a stone –
  be it small or large – on their rosary.’

  ‘Anything at all out of the ordinary?’

  machnamh	wonder; Reflection, contemplation	m
  tiontaigh	Revolve; change direction; turn
  glac	Hand; half-closed, hand; clutch, grasp	m
  fonn	Desire, wish, inclination, urge	m
  buairt	Sorrow, vexation	f
  eol = eolas = iúl	knowledge

• ‘An t-aon rud a thugas faoi ndeara ná go raibh beirt an-óg ar fad … beirt chailíní …
  déarfainn ná beidís in aois scoile ar éigean … agus pram an mhór á bhrú amach acu. Bhí
  sceitimín éigin orthu, beainín acu ag tabhairt treoracha don bheainín eile gan a bheith ag
  crochadh as an hanla, ach dul chun tosaigh agus an pram a threorú.’

  ‘Bhí leanbh sa phram?’

  ‘The only thing I noticed at was two young people … two girls …
  I would say they would hardly be of school age … and pushing out a big pram.
  They were somewhat excited, one girl of them giving directions to the other girl not to
  hang from the handle, but to go forward and direct the pram.’

  ‘Was there a baby in the pram?’

  ar éigean	barely, hardly
  sceitimíní	Rapturous excitement, raptures, ecstasies
  treoir	Guidance, direction	f treoracha
  beainín	little woman, girl
  crochadh	hanging	m
  hanla	handle	m
  Dul chun tosaigh	to go forward

Chas Beití i leataoibh. Bhain sí an ‘bullseye’ as a béal agus líon sí a srón le hear nas sráide, á glanadh. Ansin, agus í ag smúraíl go socair, chuir sí bolaithe an tráthóna os comhair a cuimhne..
‘Ní dóigh liom go raibh,’ ar sise ar deireadh. ‘Faighim sean­hholadh. Taise agus
deannach. Ní boladh linbh.’





Betty turned to one side. She removed the ‘bullseye'[candy] from her mouth and filled
her nose with the street air, cleaning it. Then, while calmly sniffiing, put the smell of
the evening in the front of her mind.
‘I don’t think so,’ she said finally, ‘I get an old smell. Moisture and dust.
Not the smell of a baby.’

leataobh	one side	m
líon	fill	v
sráid	street	f
smúraíl = smúrthacht	(Act of) nosing, sniffing; (act of) feeling about, groping, prowling.
socair	.Quiet, still; calm, unruffled; easy, steady; settled; at rest
bolaigh	smell	v
boladh	smell, scent	m
taise	dampness, moistness, humidity; Softness, smoothness, tenderness; Mildness, gentleness; kindness, compassion; Weakness, faintness; ;wraith; Shade, apparition, ghost	f
deannach	dust	m

• ‘Molaim thú, a Bheití, a chroí. Is tú an bhean is léire radharc ar m’aithne.’
  Chuir sí an milseán ar ais ina béal.
  ‘Cén treo a ndeachaigh siad?’
  ‘Ar dheis.’

  ‘I commend you, Betty, my heart. You are the woman with the clearest sight I know.’
  She put the sweet back in her mouth.
  ‘Which direction did they go? ‘
  ‘To the right.’

  léire	Clearness, distinctness; clear-headedness; accuracy	f
  radharc	sight	m

• Fuair sé a dtuairisc o fhear díolta nuachtán ag cuinne Shráid Chaoimhín. Chuaigh sé
  amú tamall ag Lána Montague. Insíodh dó gur chas pram, agus cailíní óga ina bhun,
  isteach sa lána sin. Tháinig sé orthu gan rómhoill[?], cailíní móra ag luascadh as cuaille
  solais agus an bháisteach ag stealladh anuas orthu, naíonán mór ag faire orthu ón gcóiste.

  He got his report from a man selling newspapers at the corner of Kevin Street.
  He went astray for a while at Montague Lane. He was told that a pram had turned,
  with young girls behind it, into that lane. He came upon them without too much delay, big
  girls swinging from a lamppost, the rain pouring down on them, a big infant watching them
  from the carriage.

  amú	Wasted, in vain; astray
  luascadh	swinging, swaying	m
  cuaille	Pole; stake, post	m
  stealladh	Outpouring; downpour	m
  naíonán	infant	m
  cóiste	Coach; carriage	m

• Ar ais leis go Sráid Camden. Bhí mná díolta torthaí, ar thaobh an Home and Colonial
  den tsráid, in ann a rá leis go ndeachaigh pram thartstu agus go mba náireach an mhaise é
  d’aon mháthair beirt chomh hóg leo a ligint[M vn form] amach ina bhun, lá gaoithe.
  ‘An raibh leanbh sa phram?’

  Back to Camden Street. There were women selling fruit, on the Home and Colonial side
  of the street, who able to tell him that a pram had gone by them, that it was shameful
  becoming that any mother of two as young as them would let them out … on such a windy day in charge of it.

  ‘Was there a baby in the pram?’

  náireach	shameful
  maise	Adornment, beauty; becomingness, comeliness	f
  lig	Let, allow, permit

• Ár ndóigh bhí, nó cén fáth nach mbeadh?’
  ‘Ní fhaca tú é?’
  ‘Ní fhaca. Bhí sé de chiall acu an plapa beag chun tosaigh a
  bheith tógtha chun an bháisteach a choinneáil amach.’
  ‘Síobfaidh an ghaoth amach ar an mbóthar faoin trácht iad agus iad
  ag dul thar Dhroichead Phortobello, murach grásta Dé,’ arsa bean eile.

  ‘Of course there was, why wouldn’t there be?’
  ‘Didn’t you see it?’
  ‘Did not see. They had the sense to put up the little flap built to keep the
  rain out.’

  ‘The wind will blow them out onto the road under traffic as they
  aree going across the Portobello Bridge, if not for the grace of God,’ said
  another woman.

  plapa	flap	m
  Síob	blow, drive	v
  grásta	grace	m

• ‘Cá bhfios duit go dtrasnóidh siad an Droichead, Phyllis?’ a d’fhiafraigh an Duinníneach di.
  ‘An chanúint a thaisce, Ráth Maonais, nó b’fhéidir Ráth Garbh. Dúras leo suí síos ar
  na boscaí agus sos a bheith acu, ach dúirt an bheainín ba shine go raibh deifir orthu.
  Cailíní beaga deasa béasacha agus iad gléasta go néata.’

  ‘How do you know they will cross the Bridge, Phyllis? Dineen asked her.’

  ‘The accent, my dear, Rathmines, or perhaps Rathgar. I told them them to sit
  down on the boxes and have a break, but the eldest little girl said they were in a hurry.
  Nice well-mannered little girls and neatly dressed.’

  trasnaigh	Cross; traverse, intersect; Contradict; interrupt, heckle
  canúint	Speech, expression	f
  suí	sitting, seated	m
  sos	Rest, cessation; pause, interval; respite	m
  dúras	///
  béasach	Well-mannered, lady-like, girl
  gléasta	(well-)dressed
  néata	neat

• Ghlac an Duinníneach leis an leid. Bhrostaigh sé suas Br. Risteamain. Thrasnaigh sé Droichead Phortobello. B’fhíor do Phyllis go mbeadh gála gaoithe ag síobadh sios faoin gcanáil. Theann sé a hata air agus lean sé air. Bhí fear ag bearradh tom ar aghaidh Eaglais Ráth Maonais amach[??]. Ba chuimhin leis siúd beirt óg a chuaigh thairis, pram mór a bhrú agus a tharraingt acu.
  ‘ ‘Bhfuil an mainséar tóghta go fóill agaibh, istigh?’
  ‘Ar ndóigh, tá.’

  Dineen took the hint. He hurried up Risteamain road. He crossed the Portobello bridge.
  It was true of Phyllis that a gale of wind would blow down by the canal. He took off/tightened his
  hat on him and continued on it. A man was trimming a bush in front of Rathmines Church [out??].
  He remembered two young people who went past him, pushing a large pram and being pulled by it[??].
  ‘Have you built the manger yet, inside?’
  ‘Of course, yes ‘

  leid	Hint, inkling; prompt; pointer, clue
  teann	tighten, tauten
  bearradh	cutting	m
  tom	bush, shrub	m

• Ag an bpointe seo, thuig an Duinníneach gur dócha go raibh dul amú air. Cad chuige
  go rachadh na cailíní go Sráid na mBraithre Bána chun dealbh a fhuadach agus ceann[??]
  anseo Ráth Maonais. Faoin am seo, ámh, bhraith sé cúram i leith na leanaí leis an bpram
  agus lean sé air ar bogshodar ina ndiaidh. Tháinig sé orthu ag an gcasadh i dtreo Thír an
  Iúir, agus ceann de rotha an phram sáite síos i ráille tram.
  ‘Aililiú,’ ar seisean, ‘an pram a dhein tram de féin. Seo anois
  ardóidh mise é. Brúigí sibhse é agus beidh sé amuigh as an bpoll
  againn gan an leanbh a dhúiseacht in aon chor.

  At this point, Dineen understood he was probably mistaken. Why would the girls go to
  Whitefriars Street to kidnap a statue and head here to Rathmines? By this time, however, he felt
  a responsibility for the children with the pram and followed after them at an ambling pace,
  He came upon them at the turn towards Terenure, when one of the wheels of the pram was stuck
  into a tram rail.
  ‘Alleluia/Good gracious!’ he said, ‘the pram that made a tram of itself. Here and now I
  will raise it. You push it and we will have it out of the hole without waking the baby at all.’

  dealbh	statue	f
  fuadach	abduction, kidnapping	m
  ámh	Indeed, truly; However
  ar bogshodar	at an ambling pace
  cúram	Care, responsibility	m
  sáigh	Thrust; stab; push, press; dart, lunge
  ráille	Rail; railing	m
  dúiseacht	statee of being awake, aroused
  brúigh	press, push, shove
  in aon chor	at all

• ‘Cá rachaimid anois?’ ar seisean, greim aige ar an hanla agus an pram slán.
  ‘Tá cónaí orainn ar Bhóthar Mhacsuel. Mise Eliza,’ arsa an cailín ba shine.
  D’aithin sí nach bhféadfaí an pram a athghabháil go héasca.
  ‘Ar mhaith libh suí ar an bpram?’
  ‘Tá tuirse ar Jenny.’

  ‘Where do we go now?’ he said, with a sound grip on the handle of the pram.
  ‘We live on Maxwell Road. I am Eliza,’ said the older girl.

  She knew the pram could not be easily recaptured.
  ‘Would you like to sit on the pram? ‘
  ‘Jenny is tired. ‘

  athghabháil	Recapture; recovery	f
  éasca	Swift, nimble; free, fluent, easy; ready, prompt

• Chuir sé Jenny in airde ar an bpram. Bhí sí mílíteach bánghorm san aghaidh. Sháigh
  sí a hordóg ina béal agus chodail sí agus í ina dúiseacht.
  ‘Ar iasacht a thóg sibh an tÍosagán, a Eliza?’
  .

  He put Jenny up on the pram. She was pale and blue-white in the face. She stuck her
  thumb in her mouth and dozed on and off.
  ‘Did you borrow the baby Jesus, Eliza?’
  There was no immediate answer.

  militeach	honey-eating
  mílítheach	Pale, pallid, sickly-looking.
  dúiseacht	statee of being awake, aroused
  iasacht	Lending, borrowing; loan	f
  láithreach	Present, immediate

• ‘Nior dheineamar aon dochar dó. Thugamar róbaí baiste Eddie linn chun é a fhilleadh iontu, os iad ab fheiliúnaí.’
  ‘Eddie?’
  ‘Ar ndeatháir, Eddie, atá ar Neamh.’
  Chuir sin an Duinníneach ina thost tamall.
  

  ‘We did him no harm. We brought Eddie’s baptismal robes with us to wrap it in.’
  ‘Eddie?’
  ‘Our brother, who is in heaven.’
  That silenced Dineen for a while.

  dochar	Harm; hurt, injury; loss, distress	m
  róba	robe	m
  Deartháir	brother	m
  tost	silence	m

• ‘Ach cén fáth gur thug sibh an turas mór millteach sin oraibh[seems redundant] féin.
  Bhí Íosagán beag in Eaglais Ráth Maonais.’
  ‘I ngeall ar Mhamó, ar ndóigh,’ arsa Jenny agus í ag dúiseacht fada go leor lena drochmheas ar chumas tuisceana daoine fásta, i gcoitinne, a chur in iúl.
  ‘Tá Mamó ina cónaí linn ón uair go bhfuil Daid sa phríosún agus Maim breoite.’
  ‘Mar sin é?’

  ‘But why did you take such a big destructive journey? There is a small baby Jesus in Rathmines church.’

  ‘On account of/A promise to Grandma, of course,’ said Jenny, waking up long enough to express her
  disrespect for the capablity of understanding of adults, in general,
  ‘Grandma has been living with us since the time that Dad is in prison and Mom is sick. ‘
  ‘Is it like that?’

  drochmheas	contempt	m
  cumas	Capability, power	m
  tuiscint	Understanding; wisdom, discernment; thoughtfulness, consideration	f gs tuisceana
  i gcoitinne	in general
  breoite	sick, ailing

• ‘Níor chóir do Jenny aon ní a rá i dtaobh Dhaid. Ní dóigh le Maim go bhfuil a fhios
  againn.’

  ‘B’fhéidir nach sa phríosún atá sé in aon chor,’ arsa an Duinníneach go réchúiseach.
  ‘Tarlaíonn míthuiscintí go minic.’
  Bhaineadar an teach amach. Chuir Eliza lámh i mbosca na litreach agus tharraing sí an eochair amach.

  ‘An ndéanfaidh tusa é a iompar chun na cistine dúinn? Bhí faitíos orm go ligfeadh
  Jenny dó titim agus an bheirt againn a ardú on mainséar.

  ‘Téigí romham mar sin agus abraígí le Mamó go bhfuil an tAthair Pádraig Ó Duinnin
  ag teacht ar cuairt chuici agus dealbh Íosagáin a iompar aige.’

  ‘Mar sin is fearr ar fad é,’ arsa Eliza agus miongháire ar a haghaidh don chéad uair.

  ‘An fearr an róba a fhágáil air nó a bhaint de?’

  ‘Jenny should not say anything about Dad. Maim doesn’t think we know.’
  ‘Maybe he’s not in prison at all,’ said Dineen calmly. ‘Mistakes often happen.’
  They reached the house. Eliza put her hand in the mailbox and pulled out the key.
  ‘Will you carry it to the kitchen for us? I was afraid Jenny would let it fall as the two of us
  lifted him from the manger.’
  ‘So go ahead and tell Grandma that Father Patrick Dineen is coming to visit her carrying
  a statue of Jesus. ‘
  ‘So that is best of all,’ said Eliza with a smile on her face for the first time.
  ‘Is it better to leave the robe on or take it off? ‘

  in aon chor	at all
  réchúiseach	Easy-going, placid; unconcerned, indifferent
  míthuiscint	Misunderstanding; mistake	f
  miongháire	smile	m

• ‘B’fhéidir gur fearr é a bhrú sios sa phram go fóill,’ arsa Eliza.
  Cúpla nóiméad ina dhiaidh sin, lean an Duinníneach siar go tóin an ti iad agus an dealbh
  ina bhaclainn aige.

  Bhí Mamó i ndiaidh a bheith ag cniotáil agus ní raibh tugtha faoi ndeara aici

  go raibh an bheirt óg ar fán. Anois bhí a haghaidh ar lasadh agus i trí chéile, an chniotáil
  á brú as radharc agus i ag iarraidh an chistin a néatú faoi choinne chuairt na cléire.

  ‘It may still be best to push it down into the pram,’ said Eliza.
  A few minutes later Dineen followed them to the back of the house with the
  statue in his bent arm.
  Grandma had been knitting and had not noticed that the two young ones were
  wandering. Now her face was lit up and confused, the knitting pushed out of sight while
  trying to neaten the kitchen for the visit of clergy.

  baclainn	bent arm	f
  fán	Straying, wandering, vagrancy
  coinne	Tryst, appointment; expectation (of meeting)	f
  cléir	clergy	f gs cléire

• Chuir an Duinníneach é féin in aithne agus, on uair go raibh sé dall fós ar an bhfáth gur
  tugadh an dealbh anseo, leag sé sios ar an mbord i agus lorg sé cupán tae.

  Ón uair go raibh rud éigin le deanamh aici, chiúnaigh Mamó. Ba bhean bheag fheoite í
  le canúint láidir lár na cath­rach. Ar éigean gur thóg sí a súile den dealbh. Go minic shíneadh
  sí lámh chun barraicín nó barr méire a mhuirniú.

  ‘Tá m’iníon amuigh. Tá Mr. McCausland amuigh . . .’

  Dineen introduced himself, and since he was still blind to the reason
  the statue was brought here, he laid it down at the table and looked for a
  cup of tea.
  From the moment she had something to do, Grandma was calm.
  She was a withered little woman with a strong accent of the center of the city.
  She barely lifted her eyes from the statue. She would often stretch a hand
  to rub a toe or fingertip [of the statue].
  ‘My daughter is out. Mr. McCausland is out.’

  dall	blind
  ciúnaigh	Calm; pacify
  feoigh	wither, decay
  barraicín	tip, toe	m
  méar	finger	f gs méire
  muirnigh	Fondle, caress, cherish
  sín	stretch	v

• ‘Aithníonn tú an dealbh, Mrs. McCausland?’Ó mise máthair Marie, Maggie Kane, a Athair. Tá m’iníon Marie pósta le Henry, Mr. McCausland.’Thug an Duinníneach leid don bheirt óg a bheith amuigh.
  ‘Cuir an naíchóiste agus an róba ar ais ina n-áiteacha[var pl?] féin,’ ar seisean le Eliza, i gcogar.
  

  ‘Do you recognize the statue, Mrs. McCausland?’

  ‘I am Marie’s mother, Maggie Kane, Father. My daughter Marie is married to Henry, Mr. McCausland’
  Dineen suggested the two young ones be outside.
  ‘Put the baby carriage and robe back in their places, he said to Eliza in a whisper.’

  leid	Hint, inkling; prompt; pointer, clue
  naíchóiste	Baby carriage, pram	m
  aiteacht	(Act of) returning	m
  aiteacht	Queerness, oddness	f
  cogar	whisper

• ‘Is dócha go bhfuil an tÍosagán a thabhairt thart ar na tithe agat faoi chomhair na
  Nollag, a Athair? Nach ormsa an t-ádh gurb é m’Íosagáinín féin as mainséar na mBráithre
  Bána a tháinig chugainn anseo. Inné cheana a bhíos ag rá leis na gasúir gurbh é an t-aon
  ghuí a bheadh agam don Nollaig ná cuairt na Nollag a thabhairt air i m’eaglais féin. Is
  geall le míorúilt é, a Athair, go dtabharfaí an báibín naofa anseo.’

  ‘You are likely bringing the Jesus’s around your houses for Christmas, Father. Am I
  not lucky that it was my own Jesus from the WhiteFriars’ manger that came to us here.
  Yesterday I was already telling the kids that my only wish for Christmas was to visit
  him in my own church for Christmas. It is like a miracle, Father, that you would bring the holy baby
  here.’

  faoi chomhair	for, intended for; to get
  gasúr	boy	m
  cheana	already, beforehand
  guí	prayer	f
  míorúilt	miracle	f

• ‘Is diamhrach iad seifteanna Dé,’ arsa an Duinníneach ‘Nior chuir tú tae ar bith sa phota.”Mo mhíle leithscéal, a Athair. Bhíos ag rá leis na leanaí nár dheineas riamh guí, ag an mainséar sin, nár comhlíonadh.’
  ‘Deoir bheag bhainne, led thoil.’

  ‘God’s ways are mysterious,’ said Dineen, ‘You did not put any tea in the pot.’

  ‘My apologies, Father. I would tell the children that I never prayed, at that manger, without it being fulfilled.’
  ‘A drop of milk, please.’

  diamhair	Dark, obscure, place; secluded, solitary, place; seclusion, solitude.	f or a
  seift	Shift, device, expedient, resource
  mainséar	manger	m
  comhlíonadh	Fulfilment. (a) Performance, observance; Completion; Satisfaction, requital	m
  deoir	tear(-drop), drop	f

Gearrscannán ‘Fíorghael’

Notaí Faoi Scéal