Athair (tuilleadh)

Father (continued)

• D’iompaigh sé thart, ionas go raibh a chúl iomlán leis an range. Chrágáil a bhealach i dtreo bhord na cistine. Chroch mias an bhainne lena dhá lámh gur dhoirt braon amach as síos sa jug nó go raibh ar tí cur thar maoil. Bhí a rostaí ar crith, ag an gcritheán a thagadh ina lámha nuair a bhíodh faoi straidhn ar chlaonadh áirithe. Bhí mé buioch nar shlabáil sé aon bhraon den bhainne ar an mbord: mé réidh le glantóir fliuch a fháil le glanadh suas ina dhiaidh dá mba ghá. Bhí sórt náire orm, i mo shuí síos ag breathnú air ag déanamh na hoibre seo—obair ba ghnách liom féin a dhéanamh… […]

  He turned around, so that his back was completely to the range. He walked awkwardly in the direction of the kitchen table. He held the milk dish with both hands until a drop poured out of it down into the jug or was about to overflow. His wrists were trembling, with the trembling that came in his hands when he was under the strain of a certain inclination. I was thankful that he didn’t spill a drop of milk on the table: I was ready to get a wet cleaner to clean up afterwards if necessary. I was kind of ashamed, sitting down and watching him do this work—work that was customary for me to do myself…

  crágáil	Claw, paw; handle roughly or unskilfully; Walk awkwardly; toil along
  mias	Board, slab; table; dish; …	f
  doirt	pour; spill; shed	v
  maoil	rounded summit; hillock, knoll; Bare, bald, top; tip, crown
  cur thar maoil	brimming over, full to overflowing
  tí	Marked line, track	f
  ar tí	on the track of, in pursuit of; on the point of, about to
  rosta	wrist	m pl rostaí
  crith	Tremble, shiver; tremor, shudder; vibration, quiver	m, v
  straidhn	strain	f
  claonadh	Inclination; tendency, trend	m
  slabáil	(Act of) puddling; sloppy work	f
  gnach	Customary, usual; common, ordinary

• […] Dhoirt sé an fuílleach bainne nach rachadh sa jug síos i sáspan slab na laonta agus leag an sáspan ar ghrua an range le go mbeadh ag téamh leis nó go mbeadh na beithígh blite agus na laonta le réiteach. Tharraing sé chuige buicéad enamel an bhainne, a bhíodh leagtha i gcónaí ar ráillí an bhoird ón am a nglantaí gach maidin é th’éis an bhleáin. Scal le huisce te é ón gciteal—uisce fiuchta bruite a bhí ag pléascadh feadaíl aerach as an gciteal cheana féin. Leag an citeal, gob iompaithe isteach, ar ais ar ghrua an range le nach gcuirfeadh thar maoil leis an teas. Chiorclaigh timpeall an t-uisce scólta ar thóin an bhuicéid sul má d’fholmhaigh é de ráigin amháin i sáspan na laonta. Shearr beagán é féin, gur rug chuige éadach na soithí, a bhí ar an raca os cionn an range. Thriomaigh an buicéad leis. Chaith suas ar ais aríst é, go fústrach míchúiramach, é á fhaire san am céanna faitíos go rollálfadh anuas ar bharr an range. Nior rolláil.

  He poured the rest of the milk that would not go into the jug down into the calf’s ??? saucepan and placed the saucepan on the edge of the range so that it would warm up so the milking animals would be milked and the calves would be ready. He drew to him the enamel milk bucket, which was always placed on the rails of the table from the time of cleaning every morning after milking. Scald it with hot water from the kettle—boiling water that was already [??} whistling gayly from the kettle itself. Placed the kettle, spout turned inwards, back on the edge of the range so that the heat does not overflow. Circled the scalded water around on the bottom of the bucket before emptying it with one ??? into the saucepan of the calves. He stretched himself a little, when he reached for the dishcloth, which was on the rack above the range. [He] dried the bucket with it. He threw it back again, fidgety, carelessly, watching it at the same time for fear that it would roll down on top of the range. It did not roll.

  grua	cheek; edge	f
  beithíoch	beast; animal	m gs npl beithígh
  bligh	milk	v vn bleán
  feadaíl	(Act of) whistling	f
  aerach	airy; Light-hearted, gay; lively, frolicsome
  gob	beak, bill
  folmhaigh	Empty, discharge, exhaust
  searr	Stretch, extend
  triomaigh	dry	v
  fústrach	fidgety

• Go tobann, dhírigh sé é féin mar a theagmhódh splanc leis. D’iompaigh anall ormsa. D’fhéach ar feadh soicind, radharc ár súl ag beannú, ag dul thar a chéile. Bhí an fhéachaint a bhí ag silt óna éadan difriúil leis an gcéad fhéachaint—an fhéachaint thobann thais úd, a chaith sé liom mar a bheadh á caitheamh amach uaidh féin nuair a d’inis mé dó … Thug mé faoi deara na roicne ina éadan, na roicne crosacha leathchiorclacha leathchearnógacha, an ghruaig ghearr liath a bhí ag éiri aníos óna chlár éadain, na malaí: na súile. Súile! […]

  Suddenly, he straightened himself as if struck by a spark. He turned closer to me. Looked for a second, our eyes meeting, going past each other. The look that dropped from his face was different from the first look—that sudden damp look—that sudden wet look, which he treated me as if he was throwing it away when I told him… I noticed the wrinkles in his face, the semicircular, half-square crosswise wrinkles, the short gray hair rising from his forehead, the eyebrows: the eyes. Eyes!

  teagmhaigh	chance, happen	v
  splanc	Flash, spark	f
  iompaigh	turn	v
  beannú	blessing; greeting	m
  sil	Drip, drop, trickle
  tais	Damp, moist, humid.

• […] Is iad na súile a ruaig asam cibé brionglóidi cónaitheacha a bhí á n-atáirgeadh agam an ala sin. Is iad na súile a chuir cor coise ionam. Na súile a abraíonn an oiread sin amach díreach gan a mbéal a oscailt. Thuig mé ansin nárbh fhiú breathnú ar fhear choíchin, gan breathnú sna súile air, fiú mura mbíonn ann ach breathnú drogallach leataobhach, fuadaithe beagnach i ngan fhíos … Bhreathnaigh mise uaim, gan mé in ann é a sheasamh níos faide, mé buíoch gur thogair seisean labhairt … Bhí an buicéad cuachta suas faoina ascaill aige, mar ba nós rialta leis nuair a bheadh ar tí dul amach ag bleán.

  It’s the eyes that chased away from me whatever constant dreams I was having at that time. It’s the eyes that make me trip. The eyes that say so much without opening their mouth. I realized then that it was never worth looking at a (straw/torch???) man, without looking him in the eyes, even if it’s just a reluctant one-sided look, stolen almost unconsciously…I looked away, unable to stand it any longer, grateful that he desired to speak…He had the bucket bundled up under him, as was his regular habit when he was about to go out to milk.

  ruaig	chase	f, v
  cibé	whoever, whatever
  cónaitheach	Constant, continual; persevering
  atáirgeadh	reproduction	m
  cos	leg, foot	f gs coise
  cor	turn, turning movement	m
  coi
  drogallach	Reluctant, unwilling; chary
  leataobhach	One-sided; lopsided, tilted; partial, biased
  fuadaigh	Take away by force; abduct, kidnap	v
  togair	Desire, choose, attempt	v
  cuach	Bundle; roll, wrap; hug, embrace; flatter, praise
  tí	Marked line, track	f
  ar tí	on the track of, in pursuit of; on the point of, about to
  bligh	milk	v vn bleán

• “Agus do shláinte!?” a d’fháisc sé aniar as a scornach go neirbhíseach. “Cén chaoi ‘bhfuil do shláinte, nó an bhfuil tú ceart go leor.”

  “Ó tá mé togha, togha,” a d’fhreagair mé chomh sciobtha agus a [d.l. 27] d’fhéad mé, mé thar a bheith buíoch as bheith in ann freagra chomh dearfa sábháilte sin a thabhairt agus a fhanacht a chniogadh láithreach. Is ina dhiaidh sin a tháinig iontas orm go gcuirfeadh sé a leithéid de cheist …

  “Cabhair ó Dhia chugainn as an méid sin féin,” a deir sé, a dhroim liom agus é ag coiscéimiú a bhealaigh siar go dtí an doras dúnta. Ba léir go raibh faoiseamh eicint ina ghór.

  “And your health!?” he cleared his throat nervously. “How is your health, or are you all right?”

  “Oh I’m fine, fine,” I answered as quickly as I could, being extremely grateful to be able to give such a positive and safe answer and to immediately strike his waiting. ???It was after that that I was surprised that he would ask such a question…

  “Nelp from God for that much,” he said, back to me as he walked his way back to the closed door. It was clear that there was some relief in his voice.

  fáisc	Squeeze, compress; wring, press; Bind closely, tighten; …	v
  aniar as a scornach	from the back of his throat
  togha	pick, choice	m
  sciobtha	Fast, rapid, prompt
  dearfa	Attested, proved; sure, certain
  cniog	Rap, tap; strike	v, m
  fanacht	wait, stay	m
  láithreach	Present, immediate

• “Níl aon chall imní duit,” a duirt mé, ag iarraidh tonn eile dóchais a fhadú, ó ba chosúil go raibh an méid sin faighte liom agam. “Bímse cúramach, Bím an-chúramach i gcónai.”

  “Más féidir a bheith sách cúramach?“ a chuir sé leis go ceisteach, a chaint níos nádúrtha. “Más fior leath d’fháisc mbíonn ar na paipéir Dé Domhnaigh, nó ar an television i gcaitheamh na seachtaine.”

  Lig mé tharam an chaint sin. Chuimhnigh go bhféadfadh i bhfad níos mó eolais a bheith aige ná mar a cheap mé. Nach mbíodh an teilifís casta air sa teach againn síoraí seasta, chuile ábhar cainte faoin spéir tarraingthe anuas ar chuid de na cláracha, é féin caite siar sa gcathaoir mhór ansin, a shúile dúnta, é ag míogarnach chodlata ó theas na tine … ach é b’fhéidir ag sú isteach i bhfad níos mó nó mar a cheapfa…

  There’s no need to worry,” I said, trying to extend another wave of hope, since I seemd to have gotten that much. “I am careful. I am always very careful.”

  “If it is possible to be careful enough?” he added questioningly, his speech more natural. If half is true squeezed/compressed it will be in the papers on Sunday, or on television during the week.”

  I let that speech go past me. Remember it could be that he knows a lot more than I thought. Wasn’t the television always turned on in our house, every topic of conversation under the sky was pulled down on some of the programs, he himself was thrown back in the big chair there, his eyes closed, he was sleepy from the heat of the fire … but perhaps absorbing much more than you would think…

  call	call, need; claim, right	m
  tonn	wave	f
  dóchas	Hope; expectation, trust	m gs dóchais
  fadú	Extension, elongation; …	m
  sách	Full, sated, satisfied; Sufficiently, enough
  fáisc	Squeeze, compress; wring, press; Bind closely, tighten; …	v
  casta	turned; Twisted, wound; Complicated, intricate, involved
  síoraí	Eternal, perpetual; unceasing, continual; constant, persevering.
  seasta	Standing, supporting

• Chroch sé a chóta mór anuas den tairne a bhí sa doras dúnta. Leag aniar é ar shlinneán na cathaoireach.

  “Agus ar chaith tú do rún a scaoileadh liomsa … an aois ina bhfuil mé is uile.”

  “Chaith agus níor chaith,” a bhí ráite agam, sul má thuig mé nárbh aon fhreagra é an méid sin. Lean mé orm. “Bhuel, níl mé ag rá gur chaith mé é inseacht dhuit ach … ach ar fhaitios go gcloisfeá ó aon duine eile é, ar fhaitios go ndéarfadh aon duine tada fúm i do chombluadar.” Cheap mé go raibh ag éirí liom mo phointe a chur trasna. “B’fhearr liom go mbeadh a fhios agat ar aon nós, go mbeifeá réidh.”

  “Réidh! Tá mé réidh anois ceart go leor … Is tá tú ag rá go bhfuil a fhios ag daoine thart anseo mar sin?” cineál múisce ina ghlór.

  “Tharlódh go bhuil. Is deacair tada a cheilt… go háirithe in áit iargúlta seo.“
  

  He lifted his overcoat from the nail on the closed door. He laid it down on the back of the chair.

  “And you have thrown and released your secret to me … at my age.”

  “I did and I didn’t,” I had said, before I realized that that was no answer [that amount]. I continued. “Well, I’m not saying I threw it to tell you but…but for fear you should hear it from any one else, for fear that anyone would say anything about me in your company.” I thought I was getting my point across. “I’d prefer you knew anyway, that you’d be ready. ”

  “Ready! I’m ready enough now… So you’re saying that people around here know?” a kind of loathing in his voice.

  “It would happen. It’s hard to hide anything… especially in this remote place.”

  slinneán	Shoulder-blade, scapula	m
  scaoileadh	Loosening, undoing; release, discharge	m
  múisc	Vomit; nausea, loathing
  iargúlta	remote, isolated

• “Agus an bhfuil tú ag ceapadh go bhfuil tú ag fanacht thart anseo?” ar sé de léim, noda imníoch scanrúil ina ghlór, dar liom. Bhuail an tsaighead thobann d’abairt[??] leadóg sa leiceann orm, chomh tobann sin nár fhéadas idirdhealú comhuaineach a dhéanamh: ceist a dhealú ón ráiteas nó ráiteas a dhealú ón gceist. Ar impigh an chaint sin freagra: freagra uaimse nó uaidh féin… d’fhiafraigh mé díom féin. Cinnte bhí mé ag iarraidh fanacht, nó ba cheart dom a rá—sásta fanacht, Ba é m’athair é. Mise ab óige sa gclann, [d.l.28] an t-aon mhac … Mo bheirt deirfiúr pósta i Londain. Ba ar mo chrannsa[???] a thit. Ach é áitithe ag na deirfiúracha orm, an oíche sul má d’imigh siad, go raibh Londain i gcónaí ann—go raibh áit ann dom dá dtiocfadh orm.

  “And are you thinking that you are staying around here?” he exclaimed, I think there was a hint of concern and dread in his voice. The sudden dart of the sentence was a slap on the cheek, so sudden I could not make a simultaneous distinction: separating a question from the statement or separating a statement from the question. That speech begged for an answer: an answer from me or from himself… I asked myself. Of course I wanted to stay, or I should stay—be happy to stay, He was my father. I was the youngest in the family, the only son … My two sisters were married in London. So it was down to me. But the sisters confirmed to me, the night before they left, that London was always there—that there was a place for me if I had to come.

  léim	Jump; Leap, bound	f
  nod	Scribal contraction, abbreviation; Hint	m
  imníoch	Anxious, concerned; Eager, diligent, careful; Causing apprehension, fearful
  scanrúil	Frightening, frightful
  saighead	arrow; Bolt, shaft; dart, pang; incitation	f
  abairt	Sentence; phrase	f
  leadóg	Slap, skelp, clout; Big stout person or animal	f
  idirdhealú	Differentiation, discrimination, distinction; Separation	m
  comhuaineach	Simultaneous
  dealú	Separation; subtraction	m
  impigh	Entreat, supplicate
  áitithe	Established, confirmed, practised.

• Nach gceapfá go mbeadh a fhios aige go maith go raibh mé toilteanach fanacht. Cé eile a bhreathnódh amach dó? Lámh chúnta a thabhairt dó leis an gcupla beithíoch, aire a thabhairt don teach, súil a choinneáil ar an ngiodán d’fheirm, freastal air féin, é a thabhairt chuig an Aifreann chuile Dhomhnach, comhluadar a sholáthar dé … ‘An bhfuil tú ag ceapadh go bhfuil tú ag fanacht thart anseo,’ a mheabhraigh mé dom féin arís, gan mé tada níos eolaí, fós ag iarraidh léas tuisceana ar cheist nó ráiteas a bhí mé in ainm is a dhealú ón gcaint sin. Ni raibh sé ag súil le freagra uaimse, nó an raibh?
  

  You wouldn’t think he would know well that I was willing to stay. Who else would look out for him? Give him a helping hand with the few animals, take care of the house, keep an eye on the bare patch on the farm, attend to him, take him to Mass every Sunday, provide him with company… ‘Are you thinking you are staying around here,’ I reminded myself again, without knowing anything, still wanting a ray of understanding of whether it wa a question or statement in the name of [God] separated from that speech. He wasn’t expecting an answer from me, or was he?

  toilteanach	Willing, voluntary
  giodán = geadán	(bare) patch; Buttock(s), bottom
  meabhraigh	Commit to memory; remember; Recall, remind; Apprehend; perceive; sense, feel
  léas	Ray of light; light, radiance; Weal, welt; red spot, blister; lease	m
  tuiscint	Understanding; wisdom, discernment; thoughtfulness, consideration	f gs tuisceana

• Bhí a chuid wellingtons tarraingthe chuige aige, é buailte faoi ar chathaoir ag cloigeann an bhoird, é cromtha síos ag scaoileadh barriallacha a bhróga móra tairní le strus, a chruth cromtha ag breathnú difriúil. Dá mbeadh orm imeacht, a dúirt mé liom féin … Dá dtabharfadh sé bóthar dom, ag ordú nach raibh sé ag iarraidh mé a fheiceáil níos mó, ná baint ná páirt a bheith aige liom …

  He had his wellingtons pulled to him, slumped over on a chair at the head of the table, bent down with stress loosening the laces of his big nailed shoes, his bent shape looking different. If I had to leave, I said to myself… If he gave me a road, ordering that he did not want to see me anymore, nor to have anything to do with me…

  barriall	Bootlace, shoe-lace	f
  cruth	Shape, appearance	m
  páirt	Part, portion, … Fellowship, friendship, affection	f

• Chuimhníos láithreach ar chuid de mo chuid méiteanna agus lucht aitheantais i mBleá Cliath. An codán acu a fuair bóthar nó drochíde óna ngaolta nó óna muintir ar a nochtadh dóibh: Mark—ar dhúirt a athair leis de scread gur focar brocach a bhí ann agus gan an teach a thaobhachtáil lena bheo aríst: Keith—ar thug a athair griosáil dé nuair a fuair amach go raibh leannán aige, agus a choinnigh sáinnithe taobh istigh de bhallaí an tí ar feadh míosa é, agus é beagnach scór bliain d’aois: […]

  I immediately remember some of my mates and acquaintances in Dublin. The fraction of them who received a road [were kicked out] or abuse from their relatives or their family upon disclosure to them: Mark—his father told him with a scream that he was a smutty f*cker and not to approach the house alive again: Keith—his father beat him when he found out that he had a lover, and kept him trapped inside the walls of the house for a month, when he was almost twenty years old:

  aitheantas	Acquaintance	m
  codán	fraction	m
  fuair bóthar	were kicked out	lit. “received a road”
  nochtadh	Baring, exposure; disclosure, revelation; appearance	m
  focar	f*cker
  brocach	smutty
  taobhacht	Trustfulness, confidence; Tendentiousness, partiality.
  griosáil = greasáil	Beating, drubbing, trouncing	f
  sáinnigh	Corner, trap, put in a fix	v

• […]Philip—a raibh an brú chomh mór sin air gur chlis ar a néaróga, nach raibh de chríoch uile ann dó ach éirí as a phost múinteoireachta, th’eis do chladhaire dá chuid daltaí é a fheiceáil ag fágáil ceann de na beárannaí oiche Dhomhnaigh ambáin—a thuairisc ar fud na scoile roimh am lóin an Luan dar gcionn. Leasainmneachaí maslacha gránna á nglaoch air ag na buachaillí suas lena bhéal … agus an chleatráil shioscach chúlchainteach. Cé a chuirfeadh milleán air, fiú mura raibh aige anois ach an dól agus aistriú chuig árasán ar ghualainn eile na cathrach. An dól féin ní raibh ag Robin .. […]
  

  Philip—The pressure was so great on him that his nerves failed, and he had no choice but to resign from his teaching job, a rogue of his students saw him leaving one of the bars Sunday night – his report [went] throughout the school before lunchtime the following Monday. The boys called him offensive and ugly nicknames to his face … and the gossiping clatter. Who would blame him, even if all he had now was the dole and had to move to an apartment on the other side of the city. Robin did not have even have the dole. […]

  clis	Jump, start; Flinch, fail	v
  néaróg	nerve	f
  críoch	Limit; boundary; Region, territory; end; completion, conclusion; fulfilment, settlement	f
  cladhaire	Villain; rogue, trickster; Spineless person; coward	m
  beár	bar [tavern]	m
  leasainm	By-name, nickname	m
  maslach	Insulting, abusive; opprobrious; Overstrenuous, overtaxing, abusive of strength
  gránna	ugly
  cleatráil	Act of) clattering; clatter	f
  siosc	Fizz, sizzle; whisper, chatter; …	v
  cúlchainteach	(Fond of) backbiting, gossiping
  milleán	Blame, censure; responsibility for failure or misdeed	m
  dól = ól	drink	m, v
  aistriú	Removal, transfer; Transposition; Translation	m

• […]Ceithre huaire fichead a thug a thuismitheoirí dó le glanadh amach as an teach, agus gach ar bhain leis a bheith crochta leis aige, ag rá nach bhféadfadh sé go mba leo féin é, gurb é féin amháin a tharraing an cineál seo saoil sa mhullach air féin, nach raibh siad ag iarraidh é a fheiceáil lena mbeo go deo aríst. Is ní fhaca. Gan rompu ach a chorp nuair a d’fhilleadar abhaile an oíche sin.[…]

  His parents gave him twenty four hours to clean out of the house, and remove everything that belonged to him, saying he couldn’t be theirs, that he alone drew this kind of life upon himself, that they did not want to see him in their lives ever again. He was not seen. Only his body was before them when they returned home that night.[…]

  mullach	top; heaped load	m

• […]É sínte scartha ar an leaba ina seomra codlata féin … clúdaigh [chlúdaigh??] boscaí piollaí [d.l. 29] lena ucht, leathghloine uisce faoin scáthán ar an mboirdín gléasta, nóta giortach ag miniú nár theastaigh uaidh ach bás a fhail san áit ar gineadh é, go raibh grá aige dóibh, is go raibh aiféala air iad a ghortú ach nach bhfaca sé an dara rogha ag síneadh amach roimhe sa saol.

  He was stretched out on the bed in their own bedroom…his chest covered with pill boxes, half a glass of water under the mirror on the dressing table, a short note explaining that he only wanted to die in the place where he was raised, that he loved them, that he regretted hurting them but did not see another choice stretching out before him in life.

  sín	Stretch; Make taut, straighten
  scar	Part, separate; spread	v
  ucht	Chest; breast, bosom	m
  clúdaigh	Cover, wrap	v
  giortach	Short, skimpy; low-sized, stumpy
  aiféala	Regret, remorse	m
  gortú	hurt, injury	m

• Thrasnaigh tonnbhuillí fadálacha aniar aduaidh an chloig mhóir ar mo liodán. Bhí sé féin thall os mo chomhair fós, ag rúpáil leis ag iarraidh a chuid wellingtons a tharraingt anios ar a chosa le deacracht mhístuama— cosa a threabhsair fillte síos ina stocaí tiubha olla aige … Dá gcaithfinn greadadh, a smaoinigh mé, ní móide go bhfeicfinn m’athair mar seo aríst choíche. Go deo. An chéad uair eile a bhfeicfinn é, bheadh sé fuar marbh ina chónra. An triúr fiosrach againn tagtha abhaile le chéile ar an gcéad eitilt as Londain th’éis teachtaireacht bis de ghlaoch deifreach gutháin a fháil ón mbaile … gur tite amuigh sa ngarraí a fritheadh é, nó nach raibh a fhios cinnte an amhlaidh a thit sé sa tine nó an raibh sé básaithe ar aon nós sul má dhóigh an tine an teach go talamh domhain san oíche, nó b’fhéidir gur sa seomra leapa a gheofaí a chorp—faoi leath dá chuid éadai—th’éis do chúpla comharsa doras an tí réabadh isteach le lámh láidir … iad ag iarraidh comhaireamh siar cé mhéad lá ó facthas go deireanach é, gan ar chumas aon duine uain bharainneach a bháis a dhearbhú go cinnte …

  Slow wave-beats out of the blue from the great clock interrupted my litany. He was still over in front of me, working to pull on his wellingtons up on his feet with clumsy difficulty— his trouser legs wrapped down in his thick woolen socks…If I had to leave, I thought, I would never see my father like this again. Forever. The next time I would see him, he would be cold dead in his coffin. The curious three of us arrived home together on the first flight out of London after receiving a death message from a hurried phone call from home….that he had fallen outside in the garden, or it was not known for sure if he had fallen. in the fire or had he died anyway before the fire burned the house to the ground in the night, or maybe his body would be found in the bedroom— under half his clothes – after a couple of neighbors broke in the door of the house with a strong hand… trying to count back how many days since he was last seen, no one being able to confirm the exact time of death with certainty…

  trasnaigh	Cross; traverse, intersect; Contradict; interrupt, heckle
  buille	Blow, stroke; beat; A little, somewhat	m
  fadálach	Slow, tardy; dilatory, tedious
  aniar aduaidh	from the northwest
  clog	bell; clock	m
  liodán	litany	m
  rúpail	Fast unmethodical work	f
  deacracht	Difficulty; Distress, discomfort	f
  místuama	Thoughtless, impractical, imprudent; Clumsy
  treabhsar	(Pair of) trousers	m
  tiubh	thick
  greadadh	Beating, trouncing; plenty	m
  choíche	ver, forever; (with neg.) never
  fiosrach	Inquiring, inquisitive
  deifreach	Hurried, in a hurr
  guthán	Telephone	m
  frítheadh = fuarthas		past aut of faigh
  amhlaidh	thus, so
  réabadh	Rending, shattering; rent, tear, rip; violation.	m
  comhaireamh	Count; calculation, reckoning	m
  cumas	Capability, power	m
  uain	Opportune time, free time; occasion; opportunity	f
  barainneach	Thrifty; careful, parsimonious; exact
  dearbhú	Declaration; affirmation, attestation; confirmation, assurance	m

• Bhí a chuid wellingtons múnlaithe air. É dírithe suas ina sheasamh. A chóta mór fáiscthe timpeall air, caipín speiceach ina láimh, réidh le tarraingt anuas ar a mhullach. Buicéad enamel an bhainne uchtaithe faoina ascaill.

  Ghluais sé go mall, stadach beagnach, trasna urlár an tí, i dtreo dhoras na sráide. Lean mo shúile a aghaidh … a thaobh … a dhroim, coisméig bhacach ar choisméig agus é ag éalú uaim—an abairt dheireanach a tháinig uaidh ar baillín beag á casadh féin timpeall athuair in mo chloigeann ar nós eascainne a gheofadh íobairt féin caite tite ar leac the, th’éis a bheith taosctha aníos as tobar lá brothallach samhraidh.

  His wellingtons were formed on him. He straightened up standing. His greatcoat clasped round him, a pointed cap in his hand, ready to ready to pull down on the top of his head. The enamel bucket of milk under his arm.

  He moved slowly, almost faltering, across the floor of the house, towards the street door. My eyes followed his face… his side… his back, lame footstep on footstep as he escapes from me — the last sentence that came from him was a little ball turning itself around again in my head like an eel that would find itself thrown fallen on a hot slab, after being drawn up from a well on a sultry summer’s day.

  múnlaigh	mould; Form, shape, model	v
  fáiscthe	Squeezed, compressed; Tightened, tight; Well-knit; compact; Trim, tidy; neatly dressed
  speiceach	peaked (of cap)
  mullach	Highest point, summit; Crown (of head);…	mi>
  ascaill	armpit	f
  Ghuais	Move; set in motion, stir
  stadach	Faltering, stammering
  coisméig = coiscéim	footstep, pace
  bacach	Lame; Halting, imperfect
  athuair	Again, a second time
  eascann	eel	f gs eascainne
  taosc	Bail, pump, out; drain
  brothallach	Hot, sultry

• Stop sé ag giall an dorais, mar ba nós leis i gcónaí ar a bhealach amach, gur thum a mhéar san umar uisce choisricthe a bhí crochta ar an ursain: seanumar adhmaid den Chroi Ró-Naofa a thug mo mháthair ar ais ó oilithireacht ar Chnoc Mhuire aimsir an Phápa. Chonaic mé é ag strácáil leathchomhartha na croise air féin go místuama, gan aon chinnteacht ann an í an ordóg nó an mhéar a tumadh san uisce coisricthe a bhí chun cinn ag déanamh an ghnaithe.

  He stopped at the door-jamb, as he always did on his way out, and dipped his finger in the font of holy water that hung on the door-post: An old wooden font of the Sacred Heart that my mother brought back from a pilgrimage to Knock Mary during the time of the Pope’s visit. I saw him clumsily struggling to make the half sign of the cross on himself, there is no certainty whether it was the thumb or the finger that was dipped in the holy water that used in performing the act.

  giall	Jaw, (lower) cheek; door jamb, …	m
  tum	Dip, immerse; plunge, dive	v
  umar	trough, font, cistern	m
  coisricthe	consecrated, holy
  ursain	Door-post, jamb	f
  oilithreacht	oilithreacht	f
  místuama	Thoughtless, impractical, imprudent; Clumsy
  strácáil	(Act of) striving, struggling, dragging along	f
  cinnteacht	Certainty	f

• Chuir sé a lámh ar laiste an dorais. D’oscail é, á tharraingt isteach chuige.

  Ansin a d’iompaigh sé timpeall gur fhéach orm, a chorp uile ag casadh thart go mall i ndiaidh a chinn. Bhí sé ag breathnú i leith díreach orm, ag [d.l. 30] baint an rásáil as mo chuid smaointe uile, is á ruaigeadh ar ais gcúinní dorcha mo chinn.

  “An seasfaidh tú roimh an mbó bhradach dom?” ar sé, “fad a bheas mé á bleán… tá sine thinn i gcónaí aici…”

  He put his hand on the door latch. He opened it, pulling it in to him.

  Then he turned around to look at me, his whole body slowly turning around after his head.He was looking straight at me, taking the racing out of all my thoughts, chasing back/expelling into the dark corners of my head

  “Will you stand before the thieving cow for me?” he said, “while I am milking her… she always has a sick teat …”

  laiste	latch	m
  i leith	in the direction of; towards; tending towards; in favor of
  rásáil	Racing; channelling, grooving	f
  ruaigeadh	Chase, expulsion
  bradach	Thieving; scoundrelly; stolen, ill-gotten; false
  sine	nipple, teat	f

Notaí Faoi Scéalta