Turas go Lár na Cathrach

A trip to the Center of the City

Genitives (such as I could identify — I am sure I missed some) in bold.

• I Ráth Maonais a fuair mé an bus seo, bus a cúig déag A, agus mé ar mo bhealach go lár na cathrach — bhí sé sin tuairim is tri bliana ó shin. Ní cuimhin liom cad é mar a bhí ar dtús. Is dócha: go raibh leabhar liom, mar ba ghnách liom leabhar a léamh i gcónaí ar an bhus.

  In Rathmines I found this bus, bus fifteen A, on my way to the city center – that was about three years ago. I don’t remember how it was at first. Likely I had a book with me, because I used to always read a book on the bus.

  tuairim	opinion; about	f

• Níl cuntas ar an méid rudaí aisteacha a tharla ar an bhus seo. Ceann de na rudaí ab uafásaí ar fad an lánúin úd a tháinig ar bord agus a raibh argúint acu i gcúl an bhus. Níor amharc mise thart mar a rinne daoine eile — d’fhan mé ag stánadh romham (bhí an leabhar caillte agam faoin am sin, no b’fhéidir gurb é rud é a thug mé do dhuine éigin ar iasacht é). Níor thuig mé ábhar na hargóinte: cainteoirí dúchais a bhí iontu, déarfainn, agus tá a fhios agat an modh tapa cainte a bhíos ag na cainteoiri dúchais Béarla nuair a bhíonn siad ag caint eatarthu féin.[…]

  There is no accounting for the number of strange things that have happened on this bus. One of the most horrible things of all was that couple who came on board and had an argument in the back of the bus. I didn’t look around like other people did — I stayed staring in front of me (I had lost the book about that time, or perhaps it was a thing I had lent it to someone). I did not understand the topic of the argument: they were native speakers, I would say, and you know the fast way of speaking that the native English speakers have when they talk to each other.

  lánúin	(Married or engaged) couple	f
  amharc	look, see	v
  amharc	sight; view; look	m
  stánadh	stare; staring	m
  iasacht	Lending, borrowing; loan	f

• […]Thosaigh an bhean ag screadach sa deireadh, agus ansin mhothaigh mé an trup amhail is dá mbeadh duine acu i ndiaidh an duine eile a bhualadh. Ní raibh smid astu ina dhiadh sin. Chonaic mé fear i dtosach an bhus ag tabhairt sracfhéachana thar a ghualainn agus ag tiontú ar ais arís. Ní raibh sé de dhánacht ionamsa féachaint siar — shamhlaigh mé go raibh an fear i ndiaidh an bhean a mharú. Corradh le bliain ó shin a tharla sé sin agus níor amharc mé siar go fóill.

  The woman finally started screaming, and then I felt the din as if one of them had hit the other. There was no breath from them after that. I saw a man at the front of the bus glance over his shoulder and turn back again. I did not have the nerve to look back — I imagined that the man had killed the woman. That happened more thab a year ago and I still have not looked back.

  mothaigh	feel	v
  trup	Tramp; noise, din	m
  amhail	like, as
  smid	breath, puff	f
  tiontú	Turning, turn	m
  dánacht	Boldness; daring, confidence; forwardness, audacity	f
  Corradh	addition; more than

• Anois is arís chuireadh na rudaí uafásacha isteach go mór orm, go háirithe nuair a bhíodh foréigean nó na péas i gceist — bhí eagla mhillteanach orm roimh na péas. Uair nó dhó cheistigh siad mé agus bhí mé iontach umhal leo, ag iarraidh a chur in iúl gur duine múinte gan dochar a bhí ionam, rud a [d.l. 7] chuireadh náire go leor orm ina dhiaidh.

  Now and then I was greatly disturbed by the terrible things, especially when violence or the police were involved — I had a crippling fear of the police. Once or twice they questioned me and I was very submissive to them, trying to let them know that I was a polite and harmless person, which would embarrass me a lot afterwards.

  foréigean	Violence, force, compulsion	m
  péas	Peace officer, policeman; Police; weight	m
  millteanach	Terrible, horrible; Enormous, extreme
  umhal	Humble, submissive; Dutiful, obedient; Lithe, supple, pliant; limber and able-bodied; willing and able
  iúl	Knowledge	m
  múinte	Well-taught, well-behaved, mannerly, polite; chastened
  dochar	Harm; hurt, injury; loss, distress	m

• Ach ar feadh tamaill mhaith ar dtús rudaí beaga aisteacha den ghnáthchineál a thiteadh amach, agus bhínnse i rith an ama ag machnamh ar mo chuid fadhbanna féin. Uaireanta — gach aon mhí nó mar sin — dhéanainn liosta i mo intinn de na rudaí tábhachtacha, na fadhbanna Pearsanta, a bhí le réiteach agam: na toitíní, an t-ólachán, cúrsaí meáchain agus mo thráchtas M.A., cé nach smaoineoinn ar an tráchtas chomh minic leis na rudaí eile. Ar feadh na seachtainí dhírínn mo aird go léir ar cheann de na trioblóidí sin, bhínn ag síormhachnamh air, gach uile bhomaite den lá.[…]
  

  But for a good while at first strange little things of the usual kind were falling out, and during the time I was contemplating my own problems. Sometimes — every month or so — I would make a list in my mind of the important things, the personal problems, that I had to solve: the cigarettes, the drinking, weight issues and my M.A. thesis, although I would not think about the thesis as often as the other things. For weeks I directed ed all my attention to one of those troubles, I was continually thinking about it, every minute of the day.

  machnamh	Wonder; Reflection, contemplation	m
  feadh	Extent, distance, space, duration	m
  Ar feadh tamaill	for a while
  meáchan	weight	m
  tráchtas	Treatise, dissertation; Thesis	m
  bomaite = nóiméad	Minute; moment, instant	m

• […]Ní raibh mé i bhfad ar an bhus gur thug mé faoi deara na boscaí mora toitíní agus na buidéil uisce beatha a bhí faoin chathaoir romham agus gur thosaigh mé ag baint úsáide astu. Ní raibh mé róchrua orthu agus tá cuid den stór sin gan chaitheamh go fóill. Bhí fonn mór orm éirí as na toitíní sular tháinig mé ar bord ar chor ar bith, agus ní bhainim mórán suilt as a bheith ag caitheamh de ghnáth, ach nuair a bhíonn tú ar bord gan sos ar feadh na mblianta, cuireann an toit samhnas ort. Mar sin féin, cumhacht an ghrá a chuir ar mo chumas éirí astu sa deireadh.
  

  I wasn’t long on the bus when I noticed the big boxes of cigarettes and bottles of whiskey under the seat in front of me and started making use of them. I wasn’t too hard on them and some of that stock is still unspent. I had a great desire to quit smoking even before I got on board, I really wanted to quit smoking before I came on board at all, and I don’t take much pleasure in smoking usually, but when you’ve been on board for years without a break, the smoke gives you tranquility. However, it was the power of love that finally gave me power to let them go.

  stór	Store; Stock, provision	m
  fonn	Desire, wish, inclination, urge;…	m
  sos	Rest, cessation; pause, interval; respite	m
  toit	smoke	f
  sámhas	Bodily pleasure, voluptuousness	m
  sámhas = sáimhe	Peacefulness, tranquillity
  cumas	Capability, power	m

• Bhí an bus i mbaile mór éigin. Tá mé cinnte nach Baile Atha Cliath a bhí ann, ach ní thiocfadh liom níos mó ná sin a rá fá dtaobh de. Bhí an oíche ann, is bhí cuid mhór soilse geala ar dhathanna éagsúla ar lasadh sna sráideanna — is cosúil gur i lár an bhaile a bhíomar agus seans gur aimsir na Nollag a bhí ann. Bhí mise ag smaoineamh ar an stailc bia a bhí mé ag dul a dhéanamh nuair a bhainfinn an baile amach.

  The bus was in some big town. I am certain it wasn’t Dublin, but I could not say more than that about it. It was night, and there were a lot of bright lights of various colors lit in the streets — it seems that we were in the center of the town and it might have been Christmas time. I was thinking about the food strike I was going to do when I reached home.

  éagsúil	Unlike, dissimilar; Different, various, diverse.
  lasadh	Lighting, flaming, inflammation; blush, flush	m
  stailc	Stubborn trait; sulk, sulkiness; strike [labor]; starch

• Stad an bus agus tháinig an cailin ar bord. Rinne mé glandearmad ar an stailc bia nuair a shuigh sí síos taobh liom. (Ba chóir dom a rá anseo gur stad mé ar fad de bheith ag smaoineamh ar bhia sa deireadh nuair a thuig mé go raibh mé ag éirí iontach tanaí cibé ar bith cionn[?] is nach raibh a dhath le hithe againn ar an bhus — níl a fhios agam cad chuige nach bhfuaireamar uilig bás den ocras.) Is fíorannamh a shuíodh duine ar bith in aice liom, ach tá a fhios ag an saol mór gur cuid den dlí nádúrtha nach suíonn cailíní deasa in aice leat ar bhusanna in am ar bith.[…]

  The bus stopped and the girl got on board. I clean forgot about the food strike when she sat down next to me. (I should say here that I eventually stopped thinking about food in the end when I realized that I was getting really thin at any rate and we did not have anything to eat on the bus — I don’t know why we didn’t all die of hunger.) It was verg rare that anyone sat next to me, but the world knows that it is part of the natural law that pretty girls never sit next to you at any time on buses.

  cibé	whoever/whatever…
  a dhath	any, anything
  annamh	rare, infrequent

• […]Bhí an cailín seo deas, áfach, gan a [d.l. 8] bheith alainn go direach: suile glanghorma aici agus gruaig fhada dhonn. An dá luas is a shuigh sí síos, fuair mé boladh éadrom púdair agus leáigh mo chroí agus tháinig borradh faoi mo bhod. Ag na cúinní, mhothaigh mé a gualainn bhog ag brú i gcoinne mo ghualainnese[emph]. Dar liom ba ag dul i dtroime a bhí an brú sin le himeacht aimsire. Faoi cheann lá nó dhó, bhí a fhios agam go raibh sise i ngrá liomsa fosta agus go raibh sí ag baint an tsuilt chéanna as na cúinní is a bhí mise.[…]
  

  This girl was pretty, however, without being exactly beautiful: She has clear blue eyes and long brown hair. As soon as she sat down, I got a light scent of powder and I was aroused. At the corners, I felt her soft shoulder pressing against my shoulder. I think that pressure was getting heavier with the passage of time. Within a day or two, I knew she was in love with me also and that she was enjoying the corners the same as I was.

  boladh	smell, scent	m
  éadrom	light	adj
  púdar	powder	m
  leáigh	melt	v
  borradh	Swelling, growth	m
  bod	penis	m
  troime	Heaviness, weightiness	f
  imeacht	Going, departure	m
  le himeacht aimsire	with the passage of time
  fosta	also
  céanna	same
  cúinne	Corner; angle, nook	m

• […]Mar sin féin, baineadh stangadh mór asam nuair a rug sí greim láimhe orm — d’amharc mé uirthi agus rinne sí miongháire beag caoin liom. Leis an fhírinne a inse, d’éirigh mo chroí fuar ar feadh cúpla bomaite cé go ndearna mé miongháire leamh ar ais léi. Ach d’éirigh mé cleachta lena láimh agus cúpla lá ina dhiaidh sin chuir mé mo lámh thar a gualainn agus chuamar ag pógadh a chéile go díograiseach. Bhí mé sna glórtha. Tharla uair gur chuir stiúrthóir an bhus stop leis an phógadh agus bhí orainn a bheith faichilleach as sin amach, ach is annamh a bhíodh seisean thíos staighre.

  However, I was greatly taken aback However, I was taken aback when she grabbed my hand — I looked at her and she gave me a gentle little smile. To tell the truth, my heart went cold for a few minutes even though I smiled weakly back at her. But I became accustomed to her hand and a few days later I put my hand over her shoulder and we started kissing each other fervently. I was in the voices. Once the bus conductor stopped the kissing and we had to be careful from then on, but he was rarely downstairs.

  miongháire	Smile; soft chuckle	m
  caoin	Smooth, delicate; gentle, refined
  leamh	Soft; weak, impotent;…
  cleacht	Perform habitually; be, become, accustomed to
  díograiseach	Fervent, zealous; devoted, loving; attached to kind
  annamh	rare, infrequent
  stiúrthóir	Steersman; Conductor; Director, controller
  faichilleach	Careful, cautious

• Ritheadh sé liom anois is arís gur chóir dom rud éigin a rá léi, ach shíl mé san am céanna go raibh ag éirí go maith leis an chaidreamh eadrainn mar a bhí agus gur chóir rudaí a ghlacadh céim ar chéim. Thart faoin am seo a d’éirigh mé as na toitíní faoi dheireadh thiar. Bhí mé ag déanamh nár mhaith liom bás a fháil díreach nuair a bhí gach aon aisling rómánsach dá raibh riamh agam ar tí a comhlíonta. Agus bhí mé dubh dóite díobh cá bith.

  It occurred to me now and again that I should say something to her, but at the same time I thought that the intimacy between us was going well as it was and that things should be taken step by step. Around this time that I finally quit smoking. I was pretending not to want death just when every single romantic dream I’d ever had was about to be fulfilled. And I was burned black by them everywhere[I was sick of it].

  caidreamh	Intercourse, intimacy
  ar tí	on the track of, in pursuit of; on the point of; about to
  comhlíon	Fulfil; Perform, observe; complete
  dubh dóit	devastated
  bith	World; existence
  cá bith	whatever

• Bhí mo ghrá geal ar an bhus ar feadh tuairim is[??}] trí seachtainí. Thuirling sí den bhus áit éigin faoin tuath maidin gheal ghréine. Chroith sí lámh chugam agus an bus ag imeacht: sin an pictiúr is glinne dá bhfuil agam di, ina seasamh le taobh an bhealaigh mhóir agus lámh bhog bhán in airde aici.

  My love was bright on the bus for about three weeks. She got off the bus somewhere in the country on a bright sunny morning. She waved a hand to me as the bus left: That is the clearest picture I have of her, standing by the side of the highway with her soft white hand raised.

  tuairim	opinion; about	f, a
  tuirling	descend; alight
  croith	shake; Scatter, sprinkle; wave
  glinn	Clear, distinct, vivid

• Bhí mé faoi ghruaim mhór ar feadh i bhfad, ach ar an taobh eile de chréid mé ar dtús go bhfeicfinn arís í, go leanfadh ár gcumann ar aghaidh, agus thóg sé sin cian dom. Ansin lá amháin bhuail sé isteach i mo cheann nach bhfaighinn litir uaithi ná scairt ghutháin — ar ndóigh níorbh fhéidir sin ar bhus. Bhí mé i bhfeirg liom féin ansin de bhrí nár shocraigh mé cúrsaí níb [d.l. 9] fhearr. Bhí orm fanacht ó lá go lá, ag súil go dtiocfadh sí arís. Aisteach go leor, chuamar thart ar stop s’agamsa cúpla uair ina dhiaidh sin, ach ní fhágfainn an bus — cad é an seans a bheadh agam í a fheiceáil di ndéanfainn?
  

  I was very gloomy for a long time, but on the other hand I believed at first that I would see her again, that our relationship would continue, and that took the distance from me. Then one day it hit me that I never got a letter from her or a phone call — of course that wasn’t possible on a bus. I was angry with myself then because I did not arrange matters better. I had to wait from day to day, hoping she would come again. Strangely enough, we past my stop a few times after that, but I didn’t leave the bus — what chance would I have of seeing her if I did?

  gruaim	Gloom, despondency; dejection	f
  cumann	Friendship, love; companionship; Company; fellowship, community; (Of organised body) Association; club, society	m
  cian	Length of time, age; Distance, distant place;…	f
  scairt	Shout; call, summons	f
  guthán	Telephone	m
  brí	Strength, vigor; Force, significance; Influence, merit	f
  de bhrí	whereas, because
  níb	more	[with comp adj]

Notaí Faoi Scéalta

At the end of class we watched Laochra Beaga Gorma (Little Blue Heroes). There were two people in it with the last name MacDaibhéid. We also watched Kneecap on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show, with closed captions.