Faoi Dheireadh Thiar

At Long Last

• Pearsana

  
  TAIMÍN CHUALÁIN: Fear ciúin, deabhóideach nach bhfuil amharc na súl aige.
  COILMÍN AN BHREATHNAIGH: Fear a d’ol gach a raibh ag gabháil leis.
  
  MEAIG LOIDEAIN: Bean théagartha atá taghdach agus ceanndána.
  DARACH LOIDEAIN: Mac Mheaig. Tamall caite i Sasana aige.
  MÁIRÍN: An matran. Dea-chroíoch agus cineálta.
  JACKIE: Banaltra óg ghealgháireach.
  SALLY: I Sasana i gcaitheamh a saoil, a meabhair caillte aici.
  

  TAIMÍN CHUALÁIN: A quiet, devout man who doesn’t see well.
  COILMÍN AN BHREATHNAIGH: A man who drank everything he could take.
  MEAIG LOIDEAIN: A stout woman, impulsive and stubborn.
  DARACH LOIDEAIN: Meg’s son. He has spent some time in England.
  MÁIRÍN: The matron. Good-hearted and kind.
  JACKIE: A cheerful young nurse.
  SALLY: Spending her life in England. Lost her mind.

  deabhóideach	Devout, devotional
  amharc	Sight; Faculty of sight, vision
  breathnaigh	Observe, examine
  téagartha	Substantial, stout, bulky
  taghdach	Fitful, impulsive, quick-tempered; changeable, capricious
  ceanndána	Headstrong; wilful, stubborn
  dea-chroíoch	Good-hearted, kind-natured.
  cineálta	kind
  gealgháireach	Having pleasant smile; sunny, radiant; cheerful, joyous
  meabhair	mind, memory	f

• An Seit

  Oifig na mbanaltrai ar thaobh na láimhe clé. Tá pasáiste réasúnta leathan go dti seomra codlata ar dheis agus seomra bia, srl. ar chlé.

  Tá roinnt cathaoireacha boga chun tosaigh ar an stáitse. Tá leaba shingil i gcúinne ar thaobh na láimhe deise.

  lonad: Áras do sheandaoine.
  Am: Oiche Nollag.
  [d.l. 8]
  

  Nurses office on the left. There is a reasonably wide passage to a bedroom on the right and a dining room, etc. on the left.

  There are some soft chairs towards the front of the stage. There is a single bed in a corner to the right.

  Place: A home for old people.
  
  Time: Christmas Eve.
  

  singil	single

• GNÍOMH 1 (Act 1)

  Tá an stáitse ar fad sa dorchadas cé is moite de na soilse atá ag lasadh is ag múchadh ar chrann na Nollag. Tá lóchrann beag eile ag soilsiú na ndeilbh sa gcrib. Tá COILMÍN sinte ar chathaoir amhain, gan é le tabhairt faoi deara ach ar éigean. Tá TAIMÍN ina shuí trasna uaidh. Níl corr as ceachtar acu.

  Soilse anios go mall ar an stáitse agus ceol meidhreach le cloisteáil ón seomra bia. Meascán cainte freisin ag cur in iúl go bhfuil thart ar scór duine aosta ag fanacht san áras. Cloistear glórtha ó chúl an stáitse.

  The entire stage is in darkness with the except for the lights on the Christmas tree that flicker on and off. Another small lamp illuminates the figures in the crèche. COILMÍN is stretched out on one chair only, barely noticing anything. TAIMÍN is sitting across from him. Neither of them are stirring.

  Lights come up slowly on the stage and merry music can be heard from the dining room. A jumble of speech also indicates that there are about 20 elderly people staying in the house. Voices are heard from backstage.

  Cé is moite (de)	except (for)
  lasadh	Lighting, flaming, inflammation	m
  múchadh	Smothering, suffocation; Quenching, extinguishment; Obliteration, obscurement	m
  lóchrann	Lantern; light, lamp, torch	m
  deilbh	Frame, figure; shape, appearance	f
  crid = cruib	crib
  corr	odd	a
  ceachtar	Either, one or other of two; (with neg.) neither
  meidhreach	Mirthful, merry, gay; frisky, sportive
  Meascán	Mass, lump; Mixture; jumble, muddle

• MÁIRÍN: Tuilleadh tae, a Bhrid? … Olfaidh tú. Bhuel d’olfá a bhfuil de tae tigh Lipton… Céard? Ceart go leor, a Bhrid.
  JACKIE: No, Sally. No a duirt mé, Sally. Dia dar réiteach! Sally!
  SALLY: (le cloistedil ón taobh deas): Nurse? Nurse?
  MÁIRÍN: Cuirfidh mé, a Bhríd. Cuirfidh mise a choladh anois thú chomh luath is atá an tae ólta agat.
  JACKIE: Sally, níl a dhath air agat orm. Sally!
  SALLY: (le cloistedil ón taobh deas): Nurse? Nurse?
  (Siúlann SALLY trasna an stáitse agus amach an taobh eile agus i ag fogairt.) Waiter? Waiter? Waiter? [d.ŀ. 9]

  MÁIRÍN: More tea, Brid? … You will drink. Well, you would drink Lipton house tea… What? All right, Brid.
  JACKIE: No, Sally. I said no, Sally. God keep us! Sally!
  SALLY: (heard from the right) : Nurse? Nurse?
  MÁIRÍN: I will, Brid. I’ll put you to bed now as soon as you’ve drunk your tea.
  JACKIE: Sally, you don’t care about me.
  SALLY: (heard from the right) : Nurse? Nurse?
  (SALLY walks across the stage and out the other side calling) Waiter? Waiter? Waiter?

  fógairt	Call; proclamation, declaration; Warning; summons, order; proscription, threat	f

• JACKIE: (ag rith ina diaidh): Cáil tú ag dul, a Sally?
  SALLY: I need a cigarette.
  JACKIE:
  Gabh i leith uait, maith an bhean. Gheobhaidh mise fag dhuit. Come on to the smoking room, (Ar ais trasna an staitse.)
  SALLY: Thank you, waiter. Put it on my account.
  (Tá an stáitse soilsithe go hiomlan ag an tráth seo so agus TAIMÍN tar éis dúiseacht, gan a fhios aige cá bhfuil sé. Éirionn sé ina sheasamh, á threorú féin lena mhaide.)
  TAIMÍN: (ag feadaíl); Cáil tú agam Fáinne? (“Clic clic” lena theanga.) Fáinne? Good dogeen, come here, Á muise, Dia linn. Níl meas fanta ag an mada fhéin anois orm. (Feadail arís. Ag tóraíocht an mhada lena mhaide ach is ar chloigeann Choilmín a leagann sé an maide.) Cone here, Fáinne?
  COILMÍN (Ar dúiseacht): Ach cén sórt spochadh an deabhail atá agat leis an maide sin, á Taimín?
  TAIMÍN: Bhfaca tú mo mhada?
  COILMÍN: Ní fheicfidh mé cat ná mada go brách aríst ach Dia a bheith láidir. Is beag bídeach nar bhain tú an tsúil amach as mo cheann.
  TAIMÍN: B’annamh leis imeacht ón teach.
  COILMÍN: Ní sa mbaile atá tú a deirim leat, ach sa home.
  TAIMÍN: Ab ea?
  COILMÍN: Nach bhfuil mo theanga caite agam ag rá leat gurb é an home é
  TAIMÍN: Creidim gur fior dhuit é.
  COILMÍN: (ag éirí): Suigh síos, maith an fear, agus déan [d.l. 10] suaimhneas. (Cuireann sé TAIMÍN ina shui. Brúcht ó CHOILMIN.) Mallacht dílis De ar an rice sin, níl aon lá dá mblaisim dhe nach gcuireann sé dó croí orm.

  JACKIE: (running after her) Where are you going, Sally?
  SALLY: I need a cigarette.
  JACKIE: Come hither, good woman. I will get you a fag. Come on to the smoking room, (Back across the stage)
  SALLY: Thank you, waiter. Put it on my account. (The stage is fully lit at this time and TAIMÍN has woken up, not knowing where he is. He stands up, guiding himself with his stick.)
  TAIMÍN: (whistling) Where is are you my Ring? (“Clic clic” with his tongue) Ring? Good dogeen, come here. Ah, indeed. The dog itself has no respect for me now. (whistling again. Chasing the dog with his stick but he lays the stick on Coilmín’s head.)
  COILMÍN: (on waking) But what kind of teasing of the devil do you have with that stick, Taimín?
  TAIMÍN: Have you seen my dog?
  COILMÍN: I will never see a cat or a dog again as God is strong.You almost took the eye out of my head
  TAIMÍN: It was rare that he left the house.
  COILMÍN: You are not in the town I say to you, but in the home.
  TAIMÍN: Was it? [??]
  COILMÍN: I have not lost my tongue telling you that it is home
  TAIMÍN: I believe it’s true for you.
  COILMÍN: (getting up) Sit down, good man, and rest. (He puts TAIMÏN in his seat. A beloch from COILMÍN) God’s own curse on thet rice, there is not a day when I taste it that it does not make my heart burn.

  tráth
  	Hour; time, occasion; day, period	,
  treorú	Guidance, direction	m
  maide	Stick, bar, beam	m
  meas	Estimation, judgment; estimate, opinion; Esteem, regard, respect	m
  bídeach	tiny
  annamh	Rare, infrequent
  suaimhneas	Peace, tranquillity; quietness, rest
  dó	Burning; searing, scorching; incineration, combustion; two	m

• TAIMÍN: Deir an Matrún go bhfuil an rice folláin muis. (Brúcht eile ó CHOILMÍN.) Rice ar fad a iosann siad thall i China, a deir sí.
  COILMÍN: Is furasta aithne ar a gcuid leicne feosaí gurb é. Nach é dath an bháis atá orthu
  TAIMÍN: Is deacair an béile fataí a bhualadh.
  COILMÍN: Bolg brea fataí agus iasc saillte. Sin é.
  TAIMÍN: Á, céad slán nuair a bhíodh cruit ar an gciseog i lár an bhoird, is é ag cinnt orainn a chéile a fheiceáil lena mbíodh de ghail ag éiri astu.
  COILMÍN: Ní raibh aon dose ag teastáil uait ina ndiaidh sin. Ar ndóigh, a dhearthair, is ar éigin a théinn de léim thar an gcnaipe a scaoilfinn thiar sna
  tomachaí.
  TAIMÍN: Sin é an uair a bhí na daoine folláin
  COILMÍN: Rice anois agus chips agus fish fingers
  — is beag an dochar do dhaoine a bheith tolgtha.
  TAIMÍN: Ag stealladh magadh fúinn atá siad. Nach bhfuil a fhios ag chuile dhuine nach bhfuil méarachaí ar bith ar bhreac.
  (Déanann COILMÍN brúcht eile agus é ag breathnú amach os cionn an lucht féachana mar a bheadh sé ag breathnú amach tri fhuinneog.)
  COILMÍN: Á, a mhic na mbeannacht, nar bhreá an tráthnóna chois an chuntair é. Pionta is leathghloine amach ar t’aghaidh is iad ag gáirí leat.
  [d.l. 11]
  

  TAIMÍN: The Matron says that the rice is healthy indeed. (Another belch from COILMÍN.) Rice is all they eat over in China, she says.
  COILMÍN: It is easy to recognize their shriveled cheeks because it is. Isn’t it the color of death.
  TAIMÍN: The meal of potatoes is hard to beat.
  COILMÍN: A fine stomach of potatoes and salted fish. That’s it.
  TAIMÍN: Oh, a hundred healths[???] ago when there used to be a hump on the basket in the middle of the table, it is making sure we see each other with the steam coming out of them.
  COILMÍN: You didn’t need a dose after that. Of course, brother, I would hardly jump over the button that I would undo in the bushes.
  TAIMÍN: That was the time when the people were healthy.
  COILMÍN: Rice now and chips and fish fingers — it does little harm to people to be tempted.
  TAIMÍN: They are making a downpour of jokes about us. Doesn’t everyone know that a trout has no fingers. (COILMÍN makes another belch as he looks out over the audience as if he were looking out through a window.)
  COILMÍN: Oh, son of the blessed, what a fine evening it was at the bar. A pint and a half-glass outo your face and they’re laughing at you.

  folláin	Healthy; wholesome, sound
  feosaí	Wizened, shrivelled, weedy
  cruit	(amall) harp; hump
  ciseog	Shallow basket (for potatoes, etc.)	f
  gail	steaming, boiling	f
  cnaipe	button	m
  tomach	bushy, tufted
  dochar	Harm; hurt, injury; loss, distress	m
  tolg	Attack, thrust; buffet, jolt; Brew, gather; Contract, develop, catch (illness, disease)
  stealladh	Outpouring; downpour; Bashing; fight, squabble	m
  magadh	mocking; mockery, ridicule; joking	m

• TAIMÍN: Meas tú cén t-am é, a Choilmin?
  COILMÍN: Deabhal a fhios agam ó mhórbhonnachaí an deabhail cén t-am é, a Taimín.
  SALLY: (le cloisteáil ón taobh deas): Nurse? Nurse?

  TAIMÍN: Ní féidir an lá a chaitheamh.
  COILMÍN: O! Ni bhreathnaim ar chlog ar bith anois. Tá fhios ag Mac dílis Dé go sílfeá gur i ndiaidh cúil atá an sclíteach de shnáthaid mhór ag dul, (Tagann MÁIRÍN trasna ar gcuil agus seanbhean gcathaoir rothaí aici.)
  MÁIRÏN: Ach féach an áit a bhfuil an dhá chaidhfte. Shílfeá go bhfanfadh sibh istigh ag an gceol.
  COILMÍN: Dileá air mar cheol, nach bhfuil seabhrán i mo chluasa aige. Dud dud dud — shílfeá gur ag lascadh seanbhuicéid atá siad.

MÁIRÏN: Is maith le Jackie an cineál sin ceoil. Cuirfidh mé air ceol Gaelach dhaoibh.
COILMÍN: Ara, b’fhearr linn amuigh anseo ag caint ar mhná.
MÁIRÏN: Ó, a rógaire, m’anam nach gcuirfinn tharat é dhá bhfaighfeá an seans. (Ag imeacht.)
COILMÍN: Up our that.
TAIMÍN: Meas tú an dtáinig fear an phosta fós?
COILMÍN: Ní fhaca mé aon dé air. Deabhal mac an éin bheo le feiceáil ach carrannaí ag dul soir is siar ina dtoirneach pé ar bith cail a ndeifir ag dul.
TAIMÍN: Isteach Gaillimh is dóigh, ag ceannacht na Nollag.
COILMÍN: Nár thuga Dia slán amach iad le uabhar a bheith ag imeacht orthu.
[d.l. 12]


TAIMÍN: What time do you think it is, Coilmin?
COILMÍN: Devil I know from the devil’s medallions what time it is, Taimín.
SALLY: (heard from the right): Nurse? Nurse?

TAIMÍN: The day cannot be spent.
COILMÍN: Oh! I don’t look at any clock now. God’s own son knows that you would think that the ??? of a big needle is going backwards. (MÁÍRÍN comes across the back with an old woman in a wheelchair.)
MÁIRÏN: But look where the two quoits are. You’d think you would stay inside for the music.
COILMÍN: As music it is a bust, which has no hum in my ears. Dud dud dud — you would think they were kicking old buckets.
MÁIRÏN: Jackie likes that kind of music. I will play Irish music for you.
COILMÍN: Hey, we’d rather be out here talking about women.
MÁIRÏN: Oh, rogue, my soul I wouldn’t give it to you if you had the chance. (leaving)
COILMÍN: Up our that.
TAIMÍN: Do you think the mailman has come yet?
COILMÍN: I saw no glimmer of him. Devil son of the bird alive to be seen, only cars going east and west in thunder no matter how fast they go.
TAIMÍN: Into Galway likely, Christmas shopping.
COILMÍN: God did not deliver them to be leaving them with pride.

mórbhonn	medallion	m
cúil	corner, nook	f
sclíteach = scloitéir	Greedy, gluttonous, person; heavy drinker, swiller; Silly gabbler
caidhfte = caidhte
seabhrán	Buzzing noise in head; dizziness; Buzz, hum; whirr, whizz
lascadh	Lashing, whipping, flogging; Kick
rógaire	rogue	m
dé	Smoke; Puff, breath; glimmer	f
uabhar	Pride, arrogance	m

• TAIMÍN: ‘Bhfuil an oiche tite fós, an bhfuil? Deabhal mogall a fheicimse.
  COILMÍN: Deabhal ar fearr dhuit a fheiceáil. (Ag suí agus ag tógáil paipéar nuachta.) Is é an chaoi a stopfadh do chroí da bhfeicfeá cuid de na rudaí atá ar an saol anois.
  TAIMÍN: Deir siad é.
  COILMÍN: Féacha an dá dhide mhóra atá nochtaithe aici seo i lár an gheimhridh dhearg.
  TAIMÍN: Céard atá, a deir tú?
  COILMÍN: Bean atá anseo ar an bpaipéar is Dawn Dairies nochtaithe aici.
  

  TAIMÍN: Has night fallen yet, has it? I see damn all.
  COILMÍN: Devil it’s better for you to see. (Sitting and taking a newspaper.) It’s like your heart would stop to see some of the things in life now.
  TAIMÍN: They say it.
  COILMÍN: Look at the two big nipples she has exposed in the middle of the deep winter.
  TAIMÍN: What is it, you say?
  COILMÍN: Here is a woman in the paper who has exposed Dawn Dairies.

  mogall	mesh; Compact body; cluster of people.; …	m
  caoi	Way, path; Way, manner;>br>Means, opportunity; Order, (proper) condition	f
  dide	nipple	f
  nochtadh	Baring, exposure; disclosure, revelation; appearance	m

• TAIMÍN: Ó, ‘choirseacan Chriost orainn!
  COILMÍN: Sin é anois atá ag díol na bpáipéir seo. Mná agus gan stitch orthu. Loinnir ina gcuid boilg, a dheartháir, mar a d’fheicfeá coirleach ar iarthrá.
  TAIMÍN: Níl aon náire fanta sa saol.
  COILMÍN: Náire? Níl samhaoin ar bith le baint as an náire. Is mó brabach atá ar an rogaireacht go mór fada.
  TAIMÍN: Shílfeá go mbeadh sé in am ag fear an phosta a bheith tagtha anois.
  

  TAIMÍN: Oh, Christ bless us!
  COILMÍN: That is now what is selling these papers. Women without a stitch on them. There is a radiance in their stomach, brother, as you would see strapweed in the west.
  TAIMÍN: There is no shame left in life.
  COILMÍN: Ashamed? There is no benefit in being ashamed.
  TAIMÍN: You would think it would be time for the mailman to have come by now.

  coisreacan	Consecration; blessing	m
  Loinnir	Light, brightness; brilliance, radiance	f
  Coirleach	strapweed	f
  samhaoin = somhaoin	benefit, profit; The best part, most, of	f

• COILMÍN: Go scalla an deabhal agat é mar fhear posta. (Tost. An chaint tar éis goilliúnt ar TAIMÍN.) Ná bí ag súil le mórán den rath ó fhear an phosta ó thiocfas tú isteach sa home.
  TAIMÍN: Deabhal lá ariamh nach mbíodh muid ag tnúthán le litir faoi Nollaig.
  COILMÍN: Bhíodh, mar bhí nádúr ag baint leis an Nollaig an uair sin. Ar ndóigh, ní Nollaig atá agat anois ach circus. Dáir ar dhaoine ag caitheamh airgid [d.l. 14] is gan a fhios ag leath acu ó Dhia thuas na glóire cén fath a bhfuil siad ag ceiliúradh.

  COILMÍN:May the devil scald you and your mailman. (Silence. The speech after the touchiness of TAIMÍN.) Don’t expect much bounty from the postman since you have come[??] into the home.
  TAIMÍN: The devil if there ever was a day when we didn’t expect a letter at Christmas.
  COILMÍN: It used to be, because nature was associated with Christmas then. Of course you don’t have a Christmas, but a circus. A frenzy of people spending money and half of them don’t know from God above the glory of why they are celebrating.

  tr>

  goilliúnach	Painful, distressing, hurtful to feelings; Easily hurt, sensitive
  goilliúnacht	Sensitiveness, sensitivity; touchiness	f
  rath	Bestowal, grant; grace, favour; gift, bounty; prosperity	m
  tnúthán	(Act of) expecting, desiring, longing; expectancy, yearning	m
  dáir	Heat (in cow); 2. Copulation (in cattle); Urge, fit, frenzy.	f

• TAIMÍN: Creidim gur fior dhuit é.
  COILMÍN: Is fior dhom é. Ar ndóigh níl aird ag an nglúin daoine atá ar an saol anois ar Dhia ná ar Mhuire, ach ag éirí ar a chéile nuair atá cupla deoch ólta acu.
  TAIMÍN: (a bheannú féin): Á, i bhfad uainn an anachain agus an urchóid.
  COILMÍN: Ná bac le bheith do do choirseacan fhéin, a TAIMÍN. Breathnaigh ar an teilifis go bhfeice tú.
  
  TAIMÍN: Cén mhaith dhom breathnú air nuair nach léir dhom é?
  COILMÍN: Shíl muide go raibh muid sna flaithis fadó nuair a bhaineadh muid cupla fáisceadh as gearrchaile ag ceann an bhóithrín trathnona De Domhnaigh. Níl tada den ealáin sin ar an téilifís anois ach isteach díreach sa leaba is a dhul glan go Donegal.
  TAIMÍN: Is é an deabhal atá ag cur cathú ar na daoine.
  COILMÍN: Deabhal leath den cheart nach bhfuil aige mas é fhéin. M’anam gur muide a bhí ina n-amadain nach ndearna tuilleadh gleáradh nuair a bhíodh ar anail againn.
  TAIMÍN: Á, shílfeá go bhféadfá an lá beannaithe scaoileadh tharat gan a bheith ag gráiscinteacht.
  COILMÍN: Cén neart an deabhail atá agam air? Nach gcuirfeadh a himleacán sin cathú ar Naomh Peadar.
  (Buaileann an fón san oifig. Fón soghluaiste.)
  

  TAIMÍN: I believe you are right.
  
  COILMÍN: It’s true for me. Of course, the generation of people who are alive now pay no attention to God or Mary, but only come to blows with each other when they have had a few drinks.
  TAIMÍN: (blessing himself) Oh, disaster and harm are far from us.
  COILMÍN: Don’t bother to bless yourself, TAIMÍN. Watch the television and see.
  TAIMÍN: What good is it to me to watch it when it is not clear to me.
  COILMÍN: We thought we were in heaven a long time ago when we got a couple of squeezes out of a young girl at the head of the country lane on a Sunday evening. There is nothing of that art on the telly now, just directly to bed and go straight to Donegal
  TAIMÍN: It is the devil who is tempting the people.
  COILMÍN: Devil half right he does not have if he himself. My soul that we were the fools who did not blaze more when we used to breathe.
  TAIMÍN: Oh, you’d think you could let this blessed day go without being vulgar.
  COILMÍN: What strength of the devil do I have on him? Wouldn´t her navel tempt Saint Peter
  (The phone rings in the office. A mobile phone.)

  aird	direction, attention	f
  glúin	knee, generation	f
  éirí	Rising, rise	m
  anachain	Mischance, calamity, disaster; loss	f
  urchóid	Harm, iniquity	fi>
  coisreacan	Consecration; blessing	m
  léir	Clear, lucid; distinct, explicit; clear-headed, clever;
  fáisc	Squeeze, compress; wring, press; Bind closely, tighten; …
  gearrchaile	Young girl, lass	m
  ealáín	art, science, skill	f
  cathú	Conflict, battle; temptation; Regret, sorrow	m
  gleáradh = gleadhradh	Noisy beating; clatter, tumult; Blaze, flare; glare; Great number or amount	m
  gráiscínteacht	Foul-mouthedness, obscenity; vulgar importunity	f
  imleacán	navel	m
  soghluaiste	Free of movement; movable, mobile; Readily available, accessible

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