Mearbhall (tuilleadh)
Bewilderment (continued)

• 
  “Á! A dheartháirín!” adeir sé. “Ná tóg orm é. Tá mé leathmharbh le uaigneas ó d’imigh mo dheirfiúr dhá bhliain ó shoin.”

  “Tuigim,” adeir mé. “In ainm Dé, ná tog ormsa ach an oiread an drochfhocal a labhair mé.”

  “Ní thógfad a stór,” adúirt an fear. “Tá’s agam nach le oilbhéas a ghearr tú amach an focal taodach.”

  “Go deimhin, ní hea,” adeir mé féin, “is iomaí uair a sciorann cúpla focal mímhúinte thar an teanga i nganfhios don intinn.”
  

  “Oh! little brother!“ he said, “Don’t take it out on me. I’ve been half dead with loneliness since my sister left two years ago.”

  “I understand,” I said. “In God’s name, don’t hold any of the bad words I said against me either.”

  “I wouldn’t take it, my dear,” said the man. “I know it was not from viciousness that you cut out the word ‘impulsive’.”

  “Indeed, no,” I said myself, “many times a few rude words slip over the tongue without the mind knowing.”

  uaigneas	Loneliness, solitude	m
  oilbhéas	Evil habit; mischievousness, unruliness; crossness, viciousness	m
  taodach = taghdach	Fitful, impulsive, quick-tempered; changeable, capricious
  iomaí	many
  sciorr	Slip, slide, slither, skid
  mímhúinte	Unmannerly, rude, ill-bred

Léigh tuilleadh

Rang Gaeilge, 13 lá Mí na Lúnasa 2026

Mearbhall
Bewilderment

• Bhí adhart brocamais ar gach uile rud dá raibh sa siopa tábhairne idir troscán agus mangarae. Bhí an seanchuntar adhmaid brataithe le ramallaí pórtair. Bhí an t-urlár tollta. Is ar éigin a bhí solas an lae i ndon briseadh isteach tríd an scamall a chlúdaigh gloine na fuinneoige. Bhí rírá ag na mílte cuileog ar fuaid na háite. Chuirfeadh bréanadas an aeir úis ar mhuic.

  There was a heap of refuse on everything in the pub’s shop, from furniture to junk. The old wooden counter was covered with slimy porter. The floor was pocked. The daylight barely broke in through the cloud that covered the window glass. The buzzing of thousands of flies was all through the place. The stench of the air would interest a pig.

  adhart = adhairt	bolster, pillow
  brocamas	refuse	m gs i>brocamais
  troscán	furniture	m
  mangarae	Huckster’s wares; assorted collection; welter, junk	m
  ramallach	slimy
  toll	Bore, pierce, perforate	v
  rírá	Hubbub, uproar	m
  cuileog	fly [insect]	f
  bréanadas = bréantas	Rottenness, stench; Filth
  ús	Interest (on money)	m gs úis

Léigh tuilleadh

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

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