Duinnín in Áth na Lachan (tuilleadh)

Dineen in Duckford (continued)

• D’úsáid sí a lán gallúnaí.’
  ‘Bhuel, bhiodh jorum beag de dhith ar an mbean bhocht agus gan slí eile aici chun é a fháil. Chuirinn an jorum síos as leabhar ina ghallúnach,’ ar sise, gan náire.
  ‘Go maithe Dia dhuit é,’ arsa an Duinníneach agus thug sé drochfhéachaint uirthi
  .
  ‘Istigh ansin, sa snug a d’óladh sí é?’ ar seisean, agus lámh aige ar an mbosca faoistine.
  ‘Ó, ná téigh isteach ansin, a Athair,’ arsa Mrs. Byrne.
  

  She used a lot of soap.
  ‘Well, jorum would be needed by the poor woman and she would have no other way to get it. I used to put jorum from the book as her soap,’ she said without shame.
  ‘God Bless you,’ said Dineen and he gave her a wicked look.
  ‘In there, in the snug she drank it?’ he said, with his hand on the confession box.
  ‘O, Don’t go in there, Father,’ said Mrs. Byrne.

  díth	Loss; deprivation, destruction; Want, lack; need, requirement	f

• Bhí an doras oscailte aige cheana agus é ag beannú go béasach
  ach do thriúr ban a bhí istigh, gloiní rompu, a gcluasa ar bior.
  ‘Níor ól na mná puinn, ach d’imigh an deoch lena linn,’ ar seisean agus é ag gáirí. ‘Beidh gloine pórtair an duine agam féin agus ag an gConstabla, i gcomhluadar na mban uasal seo,’ arsa an Duinníneach.

  Shuigh sé isteach agus bhrúigh sé roimhe go raibh cupla orlach, ar an taobh eile de, don Chonstabla.

  Rinne na mna chun imeachta.

  ‘Súigí! Súigí!’ ar seisean. ‘Táim ag súil le cúnamh uaibh. Bhí aithne agaibh ar Bhella Prunty?”
  

  He had already opened the door and greeted politely three women who were inside, glasses before them, their ears pricked up.
  ‘The women do not drink much, but the drink went away during it,’ he said laughing. ‘The Constable and I will each have a glass of the people’s porter, in the company of these ladies,’ said Dineen.
  He sat in and pushed forward so that there was a couple of inches on the other side for the Constable.
  The women started to leave.
  ‘Sit! Sit!’ he said. ‘I am looking for help from you. Did you know Bella Prunty?’

  beannú	blessing, greeting	m
  béasach	Well-behaved; mannerly, polite
  bior	Pointed rod or shaft; spit, spike; point
  [negative] puinn	not much
  comhluadar	[social] company	m
  orlach	inch; bit, fragment	m

• ,’ ‘‘Bhi, a Athair,’ arsa an bhean ba lú agus ba sheirgthe den triúr agus loinnir dhána ina súile. ‘Mise Nell Willis, Ba chara liomsa Bella. Is minic gur fhógair mé uirthi an teach sin a fhágáil agus post a fháil i dteach sagairt, nó dul ar aimsir sa teach mór. Trí bliana dá saol caite aici ar an gcnoc ag tabhairt aire don chlann sin. D’inis sí dom, faoi bhrí na mionn, go raibh Toole len í a phósadh. Dúras-sa léi a ceart a lorg. Í a mharú leis an speilín agus a corp a shá síos sa tobar caoch, an freagra a thug sé uirthi. Tá súil agam go gcrochfar go hard é agus go bhfeicfidh sé an Diabhal ag feitheamh air ag bun na croiche.’
  

  ‘Yes, Father,’ said the smallest and most withered of the three with a bold gleam in her eyes. I am Nell Willis. Bella was my friend. I often told her to leave that house and get a job in a priest’s house or go into service in the big house. She spent three years of her life on the hill taking care of that family. She told me, under oath, that Toole was going to marry her. I said to seek justice for her. She was killed with a scythe-blade and her body pushed down a dark[dry] well, was the answer he gave her. I hope he will be hung high and that he will see the Devil waiting for him at the bottom of the gallows.

  loinnir	Light, brightness; brilliance, radiance	f
  fógair	Call out, proclaim; declare, announce; call for
  brí	Strength, vigor	f
  mionn	crown, diadem; oath	m
  speilín	scythe-blade
  sá	Thrust, stab; push, press; dart, lunge	m
  caoch	blind
  feitheamh	Watch, look-out, guard; Wait, expectation	m

• Chrom sí ar ghol ansin agus rinne an bheirt bhan eile [d.l. 158]
  peataireacht uirthi.
  ‘Ar dhein sí tagairt do ghaolta nó do chairde nár den áit seo iad?’ arsa an Duinníneach go cneasta léi.

  ‘Ba bhaintreach í. Labhair sí uaireanta ar Mr. Prunty. Thaispeáin sia ghrianghraf dom lé. Duine uasal . . . ‘

  ‘Ar tháinig éinne riamh ar cuairt chuici?’
  ‘Cé thiocfadh ar cuairt chuici?”
  ‘Caithfidh gur luaigh sí daoine eile agus sibh ag caint. A leanbh a cailleadh le fiabhras, cara éigin a bhí aici nuair a bhí cónai uirthi i gCill Iníon Léinin?’

  She bent over crying and the other two women comforted her.
  ‘Did she mention relatives or friends who are not from this place?’ said Dineen kindly.
  ‘She was a widow. She sometimes spoke of Mr. Prunty. She showed me a photo of him. Gentleman. . .’
  ‘Has anyone ever come to visit her?’
  ‘Who would come to visit her?’
  ‘She must have mentioned other people while you were talking. A child who died of a fever, some friend she had when she lived in Killiney?’

  crom	bend, stoop	v
  gol	Weeping, crying	m
  peataireacht	petting	f
  gaol	Relationship, kinship; relative	m pl gaolta
  cneasta

• ‘Bíonn an croí briste balbh. Luaigh sí an siopa haberdashery na cúntóirí a bhiodh ann. Margie, bhí sise go deas, duirt Bella. D’fhulaing Margie falsacht fir. Luaigh Bella, Pete, an buachaill aimsire, le déistin. Bhí an ghráin aici air siúd.
  ‘Cad chuige san, a chroí?’
  ‘Níl a fhios agam, ach caithfidh gur dhein sé drochrud éigin. Duirt sí go maródh sí é, mar a mharódh sí damhan alla, da bhfaigheadh sí deis.’

  
  

  ‘A broken heart is mute. ‘
  ‘She mentioned the assistants who were there at the haberdashery shop. Margie, she was nice, said Bella. Margie endured a man’s falseness. Pete, the servant-boy, with loathing. She hated them/him.’
  ‘What for, my dear?’
  ‘I don’t know, but he must have done something bad. She said she would kill him, like she would kill a spider, if she got the chance.’

  balbh	Dumb, mute; Inarticulate
  fulaing	Bear, endure, suffer, tolerate
  falsacht	Falseness; Laziness	f
  déistin	Distaste, nausea; disgust, loathing	f
  gráin	Hatred, abhorrence	f

• ‘An raibh aon rud luachmhar ag Bella Prunty, aon rud a mheallfadh gadai?’
  ‘Theip ar ghnó a fir. Nuair a díoladh na fiacha ní raibh tada fágtha. B’shin an fáth go raibh uirthi post a lorg, agus nach olc an gléas déanta beatha a d’aimsigh sí?”
  

  ‘Did Bella Prunty have anything valuable, annything that would tempt a thief?’
  ‘Her husband’s business failed. When the debts were paid there was nothing left. That was why she had to look for a job, and isn’t it a terrible way making a living that she found.’

  luachmhar	Valuable, costly, precious
  meall	beguile, charm; entice
  fiach	debt	m npl fiacha
  gléas	Means, facilities; provision, accommodation; Instrument, appliance, apparatus, outfit	m

• Bhí an prochóigín dorcha, an t-aer dlúth le deannach, le deatach dúidíní, le hallas. Tharraing an Duinníneach a chiarsúr as a phóca chun braonta allais a ghlanadh dá éadan. Thit an téad a chuir sé ina phóca, tigh Phenelope, ar an mbord agus thit sé ina lúb.
  

  The den was dark, the air thick with dust, with pipe smoke, with sweat. Dineen pulled his handkerchief from his pocket to wipe drops of sweat from his face. The string he put in his pocket at Penelope’s house, fell on the table and into a loop.

  prochóg	Hole, den, cave; hollow; hovel	f
  dlúth	Close, compact; dense, solid
  deannach	dust	m
  deatach	smoke	m
  dúidín	[smoking] pipe	m
  allas	Sweat, perspiration	m
  ciarsúr	Kerchief, handkerchief	m
  éadan	forehead	m
  téad	rope	f
  lúb	Loop, link; coil, turn; twist, bend	f

• ‘Comhartha!’ arsa Nell i nglór ard agus thosaigh sí ag gáirí.
  Leanfadh sí uirthi murach gur fháisc an bheirt bhan eile t-aer aisti. [d.l. 159]
  

  A sign!’ said Nell in a loud voice and began to laugh. [She saw the loop as hangman’s noose.]
  She would have continued if the other two women had not squeezed the air out of her.

  Comhartha	Sign; Mark, symbol.
  fáisc	Squeeze, compress; wring, press; Bind closely, tighten

• ‘Cén t-am ar fhág Bella Prunty an áit seo ar an Satharn úd?’
  Bean an tsiopa a d’fhreagair:
  ‘Thart ar a cúig. Bhí fúithi dul abhaile agus an tae a réiteach. Tháinig Fayley Toole isteach, thart ar a seacht, á lorg. Ansin chuaigh sé sall chuig teach an phosta, féachaint ar tháinig sreangscéal chuici á gairm in áit éigin. Ni raibh aon tuairisc ar a leithéid, ar ndóigh.”
  

  ‘What time did Bella Prunty leave this place on that Saturday?’
  The shop woman answered:
  ‘About five. She had to go home and prepare the tea. Fayley Toole came in, about seven, looking for her. Then he went over to the post office, to see if a telegram came to her calling her somewhere. There was no report of such, of course.’

  sall	To the far side, over, across
  sreangscéal	telegram	m
  gairm	call	f

• ‘Chuaigh Fayley isteach sa Bheairic ag an bpointe sin?’ a d’fhiafraigh an Duinníneach de Bhill.
  ‘Cén fáth go dtarraingeodh sé na póilini air féin agus í marbh aige?’ a d’fhreagair Nell go gangaideach.
  ‘Níor tháinig,’ arsa Bill. ‘De réir an ráitis atá againn, d’fhill sé ar Ath na Lachan. Thug sé na páistí abhaile leis. Bhí siad tigh Doyle go dtí sin. Bhí greim bídh aige leo. Ina dhiaidh sin, chuaigh sé chun cainte le Hugh Foley, a bhfuil an mótar aige, féachaint ar thug seisean síob go dtí stáisiún na traenach di. Ar ndóigh, níor thug. Faoin am seo, bhí an scéal ar fud an bhaile go raibh Mrs. Prunty ar iarraidh.’

  ‘Agus dúirt mise leatsa, a Bhill de Brún, dul ag lorg corpáin,’ arsa Nell agus a seáilín á theannadh thart uirthi féin aici go fíochmhar.

  ‘Did Fayley go into the barracks at that point?’ Dineen asked Bill.
  ‘Why would he draw the police on himself when he killed her?’ replied Nell bitterly.
  ‘He didn’t come,’ said Bill. ‘According to the statement we have, he returned to Duckford. He brought the children home with him. They were at Doyle’s house until then. He had a bite to eat with them. Afterwards, he went to talk to Hugh Foley, who has a car, to see if he gave her a ride to the train station. Of course, he did not. About that time the story was all over the town that Mrs. Prunty is missing.’
  ‘And I told you, Bill de Brún, to go look for bodies,’ said Nell, tightening her shawl around herself furiously.

  gangaideach	Virulent, venomous; spiteful, bitter
  ráiteas	statement	m gs npl ráitis
  biadh – bia	food	m gs bídh
  tabhair síob	give a lift
  ar iarraidh	missing, sought for
  séal	shawl	m
  teann	Tighten, tauten
  fíochmhar	Furious, ferocious

• Dhein Mrs. Batty Byrne Ó Duinnín agus an constabla a chomóradh go doras an tsiopa.

  ‘Ar ndóigh,’ ar sise, go discréideach, ‘ón uair gur seanmhaighdean í Nell, ar éigean go ndéarfadh Bella móran léi i dtaobh a saoil phósta, nó i dtaobh súgradh soip ar bith a bheadh ar siúl ag Fayley agus í féin in Ath na Lachan.’

  ‘Nilim cinnte arbh é an leann a bhí searbh nó an aeráid, ach ní bhfuaireas aon bhlas ar an ngloine sin,’ arsa Ó Duinnin le Bill agus an sráidbhaile á fhágail ina ndiaidh acu. [d.l. 160]

  Mrs. Batty Byrne escorted Dineen and the constable to the door of the shop.
  ‘Of course,’ she said discretely, ‘since Nell was an old maid, Bella would hardly tell her much about her married life, or any playing in the straw [bed] between Fayley and herself in Duckford.’
  ‘I’m not sure if it was the ale that was bitter or the climate, but I got no taste for that glass,’ Dineen said to Bill as they left the village behind them.

  comóradh	Gathering, assembly; Gathering, assembly; Accompaniment, escort of honor	m
  discréideach	discrete
  seanmhaighdean	old maid	f
  súgradh	(Act of) playing, sporting; amusement, fun	m
  soip	Wisp, small bundle (of straw, etc.); Straw bedding; (straw) bed;	m gs npl soip
  leann	ale; liquid, fluid	m
  searbh	Bitter, sour, acid
  aeráid	Climate; Flightiness, airy notion.

• ‘Tá an cheárta ar dheis,’ arsa Bill. ‘D’aithin an gabha an speilín lenar maraíodh Mrs. Prunty. É féin a rinne é do Fayley. Speilín aitinn a dhein sé de sheanspeal bhriste, tamall ó shin.’
  Bhí láir bhán ceangailte lasmuigh, an gabha istigh agus an cheárta á cur i dtreo aige. Ghairm sé isteach orthu.
  

  ‘The smithy is on the right,’ said Bill. ‘The blacksmith recognized the scythe-blade with which Mrs. Prunty was killed. He made it himself for Fayley. He made the scythe-blade from an old broken scythe, some time ago.’
  A white mare was tied outside, the smith inside in the direction of the forge. He called them in.

  ceárta	forge, smith, workshop; Center of activity, of gossip	f
  speilín	scythe-blade
  speal	scythe	f
  láir	mare	f gs lárach
  gairm	call	f

• ‘ ‘Bhill,’ ar seisean leis an gConstábla, ‘nílim istigh liom féin ón uair gur thug an Sáirsint orm a admháil gur do Fayley a dheineas an speilín. Tá’s againne nár choinnigh Fayley aon uirlis dá chuid faoi ghlas riamh. D’fhéadfadh duine ar bith rud ar bith a ardú leis ón teach sin, am ar bith, ach níor thuig an Sáirsint sin’
  Chaith an láir bhán a ceann san aer agus lasc sí i féin lena heireaball.
  

  ‘Bill,’ he said to the constable, ‘I have not been myself since the Sergeant made me acknowledge that I made the scythe blade for Fayley. We know that Fayley never kept any of his tools locked up. Anyone could carry off anything from that house, any time, but the Sergeant didn’t understand that.’
  The white mare threw her head in the air and lashed herself with her tail.

  admháil	Acknowledgement, admission; receipt	f
  lasc	lash	v, f

• ‘Tá sí chomh caoch agus chomh mallaithe lena húineir, Jer Ó Cualáin,’ arsa an Gabha ag dul sall chuici.
  Thiontaigh an láir agus nocht Nell Willis taobh thiar di.
  ‘Tú féin atá ann, a Nell! ‘Bhfuil tú ag iarraidh go gcuirfinn crúite faoin gcat dubh sin atá agat?”
  

  ‘She is as blind and cursed as her owner, Jer Ó Cualáin,’ said the Blacksmith, walking towards her
  The mare turned and Nell Willis became visible behind her.
  ‘It’s you, Nell! Do you want me to put a shoe under that black cat of yours?’

  caoch	blind
  mallaithe	cursed
  úinéir	owner	m
  sall	To the far side, over, across
  tiontaigh	turn, …
  crúite	milked, shoed [a horse}

• ‘Táim á leanúint siúd,’ arsa Nell go doicheallach agus méar á dhíriú aici ar an gConstabla. ‘Tá a fhios ag an saol gur cara leis an dúnmharféir é. Nach mbíonn siad ag seinm ríleanna ag an gcrosbhóthar, d’ainneoin cros na sagart ar an rince? Mura gcoinnítear súil air, beidh sé ag cumadh fianaise chun Toole a shaoradh ón gcrochaire. Tá an sagart bocht san á mhealladh leis aige le go mbeidh finné saonta, neamhurchóideach ar láimh aige.”
  

  ‘I am following them,’ said Nell churlishly, pointing a finger at the Constable.’The world knows that he is a friend of the murderer. Don’t they play reels at the crossroads, despite the priest’s prohibition on the dance? If an eye is not kept on him, he will be fabricating evidence to free Toole from the gallows. He is luring the poor priest with him so that he will be a naive witness, harmless in his hand.

  doicheallach	Churlish, inhospitable
  seinm	playing [music]
  ríl	reel [dance]	f pl ríleanna
  cumadh	formation; Contrivance, invention	m
  saoradh	Liberation, deliverance, release, acquittal; Assurance, confirmation	m
  crochadh	hanging	m
  mealladh	Beguilement, allurement, enticement; Deception; disappointment	m
  finné	witness; presence	m
  saonta	Naive, gullible
  neamhurchóideach	Harmless, inoffensive

• ‘Is é seo an tAthair Padraig Ó Duinnin ar anseo ar údarás an Ard-Chigire Smythe, Caislein Bhaile Atha Cliath,’ arsa an Constabla go foirmeálta, leis an nGabha.
  ‘Holy Moses! Duine díobh siúd thú?’ arsa an Gabha.
  

  ‘This is Father Patrick Dineen here on the authority of Chief Inspector Smythe, Dublin Castle,’ said the Constable formally to the smith.
  ‘Holy Moses! Are you one of them?’ said the smith

• ‘Duine dínn féin é, Mick,’ arsa an Constabla agus níor thug [d.l. 162]
  sé meangadh beag íorónta an Duinninigh faoi ndeara.
  ‘Cá bhfuil bhur dtriall?’
  ‘Teach Fayley, Ath na Lachan. Ba mhaith liom go bhfeicfeadh an tAthair Padraig an áit ar tharla an tubaist.’

  ‘Má tá an deargadaol mná sin bhur leanúint, b’fhearr dom féin dul in bhur dteannta freisin, im aingeal coimhdeachta.’
  ‘Ná cuirimis isteach ar an obair,’ arsa Bill.

  ‘He is one of us, Mick,’ said the Constable and he did not notice Dineen’s small ironic smile.
  ‘Where are you going?’
  ‘Fayley’s house, Duckford. I want Father Padraig to see the place where the tragedy happened.’
  ‘If the red beetle woman follows you, it would be better for me to go with you too, as a guardian angel. ‘
  ‘Let’s not interfere with work,’ said Bill.

  meangadh	smile	m
  íorónta	Ironic(al)
  triall	Journey, expedition	m
  tubaiste	Calamity, disaster, tragedy	f
  deargadaol	Devil’s coach-horse	m
  teannta	Strait, difficulty, predicament	m
  i dteannta	along with
  aingeal coimhdeachta	guardian angel

• ‘Beidh orm an láir a thabhairt abhaile, ar aon nós. Teach Chualáin teach cheann an bhóthair. Déanfaidh mé sibh a chomóradh faid le geata theach Fayley, pé scéal é.’
  Chaith sé a naprún de. Bhog sé srian na lárach den chuaille ceangail agus amach leis ar an mbóthar agus í á treorú aige. Lean an Constábla agus an Duinníneach é. Ina ndiaidh, fillte ina seailín dubh, ghluais Nell, fuath agus fiosracht ina súile.
  D’éirigh an bóthar cúng agus thosaigh siad ag saothrú in aghaidh an chnoic.
  

  ‘I’ll have to bring the mare home, anyway. Cualáin’s house is at the end of the road. I will accompany you as far as the gate of Fayley’s house, whatever that may be.’
  He threw off his apron. He moved the mare’s bridle off the tie-post and led her out onto the road. The Constable and Dineen followed him. After them, wrapped in her black shawl, went Nell, hatred and curiosity in her eyes.
  The road became narrow and they began to labor against the hill

  láir	mare	f gs lárach
  comóradh	Gathering, assembly; Gathering, assembly; Accompaniment, escort of honor	m
  pé scéal é	whatever it is
  naprún	apron	m
  srian	bridle	m
  cuaille	Pole; stake, post	m
  treorú	Guidance, direction	m
  gluais	Move; Set in motion, stir; proceed, go
  fiosracht	Inquisitiveness	f
  cúng	narrow, confined
  saothrú	cultivation; Earnings, wages	m

• ‘Sin teach Dora Doyle ag casadh an bhóthair,’ arsa an Constabla.
  Lig madra a bhí ina luí i lár an bhóthair, sceamh as. Amach as an teach le slua páistí agus sheas siad ar chlai an ghairdin. Lean bean théagartha iad agus plúr á ghlanadh dá lámha aici. Cheangail an gabha an capall bán le caorthann a bhí taobh leis an ngeata.
  

  ‘That’s Dora Doyle’s house at the turn of the road,’ said the Constable.
  A dog that was lying in the middle of the road let out a yelp. Out of the house [came] a crowd of children and they stood on the garden fence. A stout woman followed them, cleaning flour from her hands. The blacksmith tied the white horse to a rowan by the gate.

  sceamh	yelp, squeal	f
  claí	Dike, wall; fence	m
  téagartha	Substantial, stout, bulky; Sheltered, warm, comfortable
  plúr	flour	m
  caorthann	Mountain ash, rowan	m

• ‘Sin é Bill de Brún a thóg Deaidi s’againne chun priosúin,’ arsa cailín tanaí fionn a raibh pataire linbh ar a cromán aici.
  Thóg buachaill beag cloch den chasán agus chaith sé le Bill é.
  ‘Éirigh as, a Taimín,’ arsa bean an tí. ‘Ar ndóigh, tabharfaidh Bill do Dhaid ar ais chugat aris, chomh luath agus is féidir leis.’
  Bhí Nell tamall siar ón gcuid eile ar an mbóthar agus gan éinne ag tabhairt airde uirthi gur lig sí béic aisti.
  ‘Huirris!’ a bhéic an cailín beag.
  

  ‘That’s Bill de Brún who took our Dad to prison,’ said a thin blonde girl with a chubby child on her hip.
  A little boy picked up a stone from the pavement and threw it at Bill.
  ‘Give it up, Taimín,’ said the woman of the house. ‘Of course, Bill will bring your Dad back to you again, as soon as he can.’
  Nell was a bit behind the rest of the road and without anyone paying attention to her she let out a scream
  ‘Hurris!’ shouted the little girl.

  tanaí	thin
  fionn	white, fair
  pataire	Plump creature; chubby person
  cromán	hip
  cloch	stone	f
  casán = cosán	Path; Footway, track; way, passage; direction	m
  Huirreas		[cry for driving away a pig] – Dineen

---

Notaí Faoi Scéalta

Bhí na laethanta saoire ciúin ach deas	The holidays were quiet but nice
Tá ár dtraidisiún saoire féin againn
D’fhéachamar ar an scannán “Hoggfather”		Athair muc
Tá sé bunaithe ar an úrscéal scríofa ag Terry Pratchett
Is fantasy domhan diosca/discworld é		domhan diosca = discworld
Tá an domhan diosca cothrom		cothrom = flat
Suíonn sé ar cheithre eilifint
Seasann na heilifintí ar thurtar ollmhór
Tá balla sneachta ag bun ár gcabhsa ar maidin inniu	There was a wall of snow at the bottom of our driveway this morning
Ní fhéidir linn ár gcarranna a thiomáint	We could not drive our cars
Bhí muid ag fanacht leis an gcreach	We are waiting for the plow
Fadhb ar bith
D’fhanamar abhaile an chuid is mó den lá	We stayed home most of the day
Bhí mé in ann siúl taobh amuigh	I was able to walk outside
Táim ar scor ón obair. Is maith liom é.	I am retired from work. I like it.