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

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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

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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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An Beo (tuilleadh)
The Living (continued)

• 
  Ní fearacht sí n don tseanduine bocht. Is beag an [d.l. 41] t-ómós a bhí dhósan. Nuair a déanadh freastal air, ba le grá Dé é agus ní le fonn. Ba mhór leo an chomaoin is lú a chuireadar air.

  “Féach ar an seandiabhal sí n,” adeiridís. “Níl brabach ag Dia ná ag duine air, caite ina smíste cois an teallaigh ó mhaidin go hoíche. B’fhearr dhuit bheith ag iarraidh na déirce ná bheith ag freastal air.”
  

  That’s not like the poor old man. There was little respect for him. When he was served, it was out of love for God and not out of desire. They liked the smallest favor they gave him.

  “Look at that old devil,” they used to say. ”There is no profit for God or man in him, spent as a large lump by the fireplace from morning to night. It would be better for you to beg for alms than to serve him.”

  fearacht	Like, as, in the manner of
  ómós	Homage; reverence, respect	m
  fonn	Desire, wish, inclination, urge	m
  comaoin	Favor, obligation	f
  brabach	Gain, profit	m
  smíste	… Large lumpish object….	m
  teallach	Fire-place, hearth	m
  déirc	Charity, alms(-giving)	f gs déirce

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An Beo
The Living

• Bhí an mháthair ina luí ar chlár a droma, a súile dunta agus a lámha sinte amach os cionn an éadaigh leapan. Bhí sí ag oibrid a cuid méar gan sos. Bhí a corp ar fad cloíte ag mórobair an bheirthe. Ansan do scread an leanbh. D’oscail sí a súile chomh luath agus chuala sí an glór. Rug sí greim cruaidh ar an éadach. D’ardaigh sí a ceann agus bhreathnaigh sí go fiáin ar an tseanmháthair ag a raibh an leanbh á chóiriú thall le cois na tine.
  

  The mother was lying on flat on her back, her eyes closed and her hands stretched out above the bedclothes. She was working her fingers without a break. Her entire body was exhausted from the great labor of childbirth. Then the baby screamed. She opened her eyes as soon as she heard the voice. She gripped the cloth firmly. She raised her head and looked wildly at the grandmother who was dressing the baby over by the fireside.

  cloíte	Subdued, exhausted
  fiáin	Wild
  cóiriú	Arrangement, dressing

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