Rang Gaeilge, 23ú lá Mí Mheiteamh 2026
Bás na Bó
Death of the Cow
-
Rugadh marbh an lao. Tháinig sé in aghaidh a chos agus luigh sé ar an bhféar glas ina mheall dearg sleamhain, a cheann casta siar ar a dhroim.
Sheas siad timpeall air, ag craitheadh a gceann, gan focal astu. ”Sé toil Dé é,” adúirt bean an fhir ar leis an bhó.
Thosnaigh an bhó ag éagaoine; ar mire le tinneas beirthe. Ansin chas sí go tromchosach, a crúba ag brú síos na talún faoi mheáchan a coirp.
The calf was born dead. It came feet first and lay on the green grass in a slippery red lump, its head turned back on its back.
They stood around it, shaking their heads, without a word. “It is God’s will,” said the wife of the man who owned the cow.
The cow began to moan; mad with the pains of birth. Then she turned heavily, her hooves pressing down on the ground under the weight of her body.
lao (Young) calf n meall Ball, globe; Lump, mass. sleamhain Smooth, slippery toil Will; inclination, desire, wish f éagaoin Moan; lament, complaint f mire Quickness, rapidity; spiritedness, ardour; Madness, frenzy f crúb claw; hoof f meáchan weight m -
Chrom sí ar an lao, ag éagaoine agus í a bholú. Ansin thosnaigh sí á liachaint lena teanga gharbh go grámhar.Do chimil an bhean clár éadain na bó agus bhris deor faoina súil: ba máthair í féin.
Chinn an phian ar an mbó ansin. D’imigh sí ón lao. Sheas sí agus a ceann fúithi, a hanál ag teacht go tiubh as a polláirí. Do tháinig a hanál i gcolúna fada caola, mar bheadh dhá ghath gréine ag sileadh isteach imeasc breacsholais teampaill, trí fhuinneog ghloinedhaite.
She bent over the calf, moaning and smelling it. Then she began to lick it affectionately with her rough tongue.
The woman stroked the cow’s forehead and a tear fell from her eye: she was a mother herself.
The pain then overcame the cow. She went away from the calf. She stood with her head down, her breath coming thickly from her nostrils. Her breath came in long, slender columns, as if two rays of sunlight were descending into the midst of the half-light of a temple, through a stained glass window.
crom bend, stoop v bolaigh Smell, scent v vn bolú cimil = cuimil Rub; stroke, fondle; wipe clár éadain forehead tiubh Thick, dense, closely set polláire Nostril; Button-hole m ga …ray… m sileadh Drip, discharge; pus; Hang, droop m breacsholas half-light; glimmer m -
Dhíbrigh siad siar í go ceann na páirce. Sheas si, a ceann thar an gclai, go tuirseach, ag lascadh a taobhanna [d.l. 47] lena heireaball.Rug siad ar an lao agus thug leo é trasna na páirce go dti an clai; á tharraingt ar an talamh, amach tríd an gclaí go páirc eile, amach trí chlaí eile fós, suas ardán féarach go bruach na haille.
Chaitheadar síos sa bhfarraige é.
Thit sé ina mheall gan cruth ar charraig. Thogadar na clathacha arís go cúramach agus tháinig siad ar ais go dtí an bhó.
They drove her back to the end of the field. She stood, her head over the fence, tired, lashing her sides with her tail.
They took the calf and took it across the field to the fence; dragging it on the ground, out through the fence to another field, out through yet another fence, up a grassy height to the brink of the cliff.
They threw it down into the sea.
It fell in a shapeless lump on a rock. They carefully picked up the fences again and returned to the cow.
díbir Drive out, banish, expel claí Dike, wall; fence m lascadh Lashing, whipping, flogging; kicking m ardán Small height; platform; stage; terrace -
Thairg an bhean deoch mhin choirce dhi ach dhiúltaigh sí an deoch. Rugadar uirthi ansin, agus dhoirteadar an deoch síos a scornach trí adharc thairbh. Shlog an bhó leath na dí. Chuir sí uaithi an chuid eile den deoch, ag casadh a béil go fiánta.D’imigh siad abhaile ansin, an bhean ag caoineadh an lao agus ag déanamh a gearáin le Dia. D’fhan a fear leis an mbó ag faire an tsalachair. Chuir sé an salachar faoi charnán cloch. Ansin thóg sé beagan créafóóige ina láimh agus rinne comhartha na croise leis ar thaobh dheis na bó.
D’imigh seisean abhaile.
D’fhan an bhó i bhfad ag dearcadh thar an gclaí gur laghdaigh a tinneas. Chas sí go tobann, gur lig géim is gur chraith a ceann.
The woman offered her an oatmeal drink, but she refused it. They then caught her, and poured the drink down her throat through a bull’s horn. The cow swallowed half of it. She tossed the rest of the drink, twisting her mouth wildly.
They then went home, the woman crying about the calf and complaining to God. Her husband stayed with the cow, watching the afterbirth. He put the afterbirth under a heap of stones. Then he took a little clay in his hand and made the sign of the cross with it on the right side of the cow.
He left for home.
The cow waited a long time, looking over the fence, until her illness lessened. She turned suddenly, lowing and shaking her head.
tairg Offer; Proffer, tender min choirce oatmeal diúltaigh Deny, refuse doirt pour v adharc horn (of animal) f tarbh bull m slog swallow v, m fiánta Wild, fierce, savage gearán complain(t) v, m salachar dirt, ordure m carnán (Small) heap, mound m créafóg Clay, earth dearcadh look, gaze mi> laghdaigh Lessen, decrease, diminish; reduce -
Thug sí rith te reatha, a cosa ag snapadh. Sheas sí arís. Ní fhaca sí rud ar bith léi sa bpáirc. Ansin rith sí thart fán chlaí, ag cur a cinn thairis anseo is ansiúid agus ag géimneach go fiánta agus go cráite. Níor freagradh í. An macalla féin níor tháinig ar ais chuici. Chuaigh sí chun fiántais, do réir mar tháinig tuiscint di go raibh [d.l. 48 ] a lao ar iarraidh. Bhí a súile ag éiri ruaimneach agus iad ar nós súl tairbh. Thosnaigh sí ag smúracht na talún agus fuirse siúil fúithi, á treascairt sna tomacha féir.
She took off at a hot run, her legs snapping. She stood again. She did not see anything with her in the field. Then she ran around the fence, Then she ran around the fence, poking her head over it here and there and lowing wildly and painfully. She was not answered. The echo itself did not come back to her. She went wild, as she came to understand that her calf was missing. Her eyes became red and like the eyes of a bull. She began sniffing the ground and walking making furrows under her, knocking down the tufts of grass.
snapadh Snap, snatch, bite m géimneach Lowing, bellowing; shouting, roaring; trumpeting f macalla echo m tuiscint Understanding; wisdom, discernment; thoughtfulness, consideration f ar iarraidh missing ruaimneach Red, russet smúracht = smúrthacht (Act of) nosing, sniffing; (act of) feeling about, groping, prowling fuirsigh Harrow; Fuss, bustle; tussle, scramble; plod, struggle; rummage, fumble treascairt Knock-down, overthrow, downfall, defeat f -
Seo é an áit ar luigh sí roimh an bhreith, ar thaobh ardáin, an féar brúite faoi mheáchan a coirp. Siúd é an áit ar rugadh an lao; an talamh tochailte ag cosa na bhfear agus an chréafóg dhonn le feiscint aníos tríd an bhféar feoite.This is where she lay before the birth, on the side of a height, the grass crushed under the weight of her body. That is the place where the calf was born; the earth dug by the feet of men and the brown earth visible up through the withered grass.
ardán Small height; platform; stage; terrace brúite Pressed, crushed meáchan weight m tochailt Digging, excavation; uprooting f gs tochailte créafóg Clay, earth f feoite withered -
Fuair sí boladh an lao san áit ar thit sé. Bhreathnaigh sí ina timpeall go fíochmhar. Chuir sí srón le talamh. Lean sí lorg coirp an lao tríd an bhféar go dti an claí. Stad sí ag an gclaí, ag smuracht ar feadh i bhfad agus iontas uirthi cá ndeachaigh an lorg thairis sin. Ar deireadh bhrúigh sí roimpi an claí. Leag meáchan mór a coirp é. Ghearr na clocha a hucht, ach bhrúigh sí níos déine le neart uafáis, go ndeachaigh sí tríd an mbearna. Gearradh a hioscad chlé in aice an útha. Níor thug sí aird ar an bpian ach chuaigh ar aghaidh a smut le talamh.
She found the scent of the calf in the place where it fell. She looked around fiercely. She put her nose to the ground. She followed the track of the calf’s body through the grass to the fence. She stopped at the fence, sniffing for a long time, wondering where the trail went beyond that. Finally she pushed the fence before her. The great weight of her body knocked it down. The stones cut her chest, but she pushed harder with terrifying strength, until she went through the gap. Her left shank was cut near the udder. She paid no attention to the pain but went forward with her nose to the ground.
fíochmhar Furious, ferocious smúracht = smúrthacht (Act of) nosing, sniffing; (act of) feeling about, groping, prowling dian Intense, vehement; hard, severe gsf, comp déine uafás Horror, terror m bearna blind gap f ioscaid Hollow at back of knee f úth udder m gs útha smut Stump; short piece, portion; Snout; Sulky expression, huff m smut … snout… m -
Neartaigh a siúl. Anois agus arís chroch sí a ceann, gur lig búir—búir fhada, thruamhéileach; mar bheadh meall gaoithe ag timpeallú coirnéil.Ag an dara claí stad sí arís. Ansin bhrúigh sí ar aghaidh. Thit sé roimpi. Ar dhul tríd an mbearna gearradh gach taobh léi sa mbléin. Do shil an fhuil anuas go casta, ag deargadh stríoca geal a bhí ar a taobh clé.
Her ability walk was strengthened. Now and then she hung her head, bellowing—a loing piteous bellow; as if a gust of wind were circling a corner.
At the second fence she stopped again. Then she pushed forward. It fell before her. On passing through the gap, each side cut into her groin. The blood dripped down in a twisted way, there were bright red stripes on her left side.
búir Bellow, roar; low (of cow) truamhéalach Piteous, plaintive; pathetic timpeallú Encirclement, encompassment; Circumvention coirnéal corner m gs coirnéil meall ball, globe; lump, mass meall Beguile, charm; entice; Delude, deceive; disappoint bearna blind gap f bléin Groin; Cavity; cove sil Drip, drop, trickle v, f casta Twisted, wound; Complicated, intricate, involved;
Gnarled, bent; wizeneddeargadh Reddening; blushing; Glow(ing), light(ing);
Bloodying; wounding, chafing; Soil-turning, diggingn stríoc Streak, stripe f npl stríoca -
Seo suas an t-ardán í go dti barr na haille. Thosnaigh sí ag craitheadh. Chas sí go tobann i leataobh, nuair chonaic sí an fharraige agus nuair chuala sí an torann [d.l. 49 ] trom thíos amach: na tonntracha móra ag briseadh ar an gcarraig agus na héanacha ag scréachaíl go géar garg. Do bholaigh sí an t-aer, agus iontas uirthi. Chuaigh sí ar aghaidh go mall iar sin. Ar bhruach na haille, áit a raibh críoch leis an bhféar agus sraith gairbhéil ag fánadh thar bruach, rith sí i ndiaidh a cúil, ag géimneach ar mire. Tháinig sí ar ais arís. Chuir sí an dá chrúib thosaigh go haireach ar an ngairbhéal agus bhreathnaigh sí amach. Bhí deireadh le lorg a lao anseo. Niorbh fhéidir léi a leanúint níos faide. Bhí sé caillte sa doimhneas amuigh thar an mbruach. Shíl sí an t-aer a smúracht, ach níor tháinig faic go dtí n-a polláirí ach boladh goirt na farraige.She went up to the height to the top of the cliff. She began shaking. She suddenly turned to one side, when she saw the sea and when she heard the heavy noise below: The big waves breaking on the rock and the birds screeching sharply and harshly. She smelled the air and was surprised. She went forward slowly after that. At the edge of the cliff, where the grass ended and a layer of gravel wandered over the edge, she ran backward, bellowing madly. She came back again. She carefully placed both front hooves on the gravel and looked out. The search for her calf ended here. She couldn’t continue any longer. She thought to sniff the air, but nothing came to her nostrils but the salty smell of the sea.
ardán Small height; platform; stage; terrace tonn wave f pl tonntracha, tonnta scréachaíl Screech, screeching f géar sharp garg Acrid, bitter; rude, harsh; rough, fierce iar after sraith Swath; spread, spreading-ground;
Course, layer, stratum; Series, sequence, successiongairbhéal gravel m gs
gairbhéil cúil Corner, nook; Store, heap f cúl back m gs npl cúil géimneach Lowing, bellowing; shouting, roaring; trumpeting f mire Quickness, rapidity; spiritedness, ardour; Madness, frenzy f crúb claw; hoof f aireach Careful, attentive doimhneas depth f smúracht = smúrthacht (Act of) nosing, sniffing; (act of) feeling about, groping, prowling faic whack, nothing f polláire Nostril; Button-hole m goirt Saline, salted -
Thosnaigh sí ag éagaoine, a taobh ag at agus ag creathnú le rith na hanála. Ansin bhreathnaigh sí síos agus chonaic sí a lao caite ar an gcarraig fúithi.Ghéimnigh sí go lúcháireach. Rith sí soir siar ar bharr na haille, ag cuartú bealach le dhul síos chuig an lao, ag smuracht thall agus abhus, ag dul ar a glúine, ag deasú síos.
Ach ní raibh strapa le fáil. Tháinig sí ar ais arís, a cosa deiridh ag lascadh sa rith, go dtí an áit ar caitheadh síos an lao.
She began to moan, her side swelling and shaking with the running of her breath. Then she looked down and saw her calf thrown on the rock below her.
She bellowed joyfully. She ran forward and back on the top of the cliff, searching for a way to go down to the calf, prowling here and there, getting on her knees, preparing [her way] down.
But there was no cliff-path to be found. She came back again, her hind legs swinging in the run, to the place where the calf had been thrown down.
éagaoin Moan; lament, complaint f at swell; swelling v, m creathnaigh Tremble (with fear), quake; take fright, flinch vn creathnú lúcháireach Joyous, rejoicing, glad cuartú = cuardach search(ing) m smúracht = smúrthacht (Act of) nosing, sniffing; (act of) feeling about, groping, prowling strapa Strap, strop; Steps in cliff, cliff-path, climb; Stile lascadh Lashing, whipping, flogging; kicking m -
Is fada a d’fhan sí ag féachaint síos air gan cor aisti. Ansin do ghéimhigh sí in ard a cinn, ach freagra ní bhfuair sí. Chonaic sí an taoille ag teacht isteach, ag timpeallú na carraige ar a raibh an lao. Do ghéimnigh sí arís. Tháinig na tonntracha ar shála a chéile, timpeall ar an gcorp. Thosnaigh sí ag búirthíl agus ag casadh a cinn go fiánta, mar bheadh sí ag iarraidh an fharraige [d.l. 50] a chur ar gcúl lena hadharca.Ansin tháinig maidhm mór millteach isteach. Scuab sé an lao den charraig.
Chuir an bhó búir aisti agus síos léi.
She stayed looking down at it for a long time without moving. Then she bellowed loudly, but she received no answer. She saw the tide coming in, encircling the rock on which the calf was. She bellowed again. The waves came in rapid succession, around the body. She began to roar and turn her head wildly, as if she were trying to put the sea back with her horns.
Then a great destructive burst came in. It swept the calf off the rock.
The cow gave a roar and went down.
cor Turn, turning movement m géimneach Lowing, bellowing; shouting, roaring; trumpeting f timpeallú Encirclement, encompassment; Circumvention sáil heel f npl sála ar shála a chéile in rapid succession búir bellow, roar v, f maidhm Break, burst, eruption f millteach Destructive; baneful, pernicious
From Hilbert Space to Dilbert Space, and beyond 