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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An Scáthán
The Mirror

• 
  Ar mheán lae samhraidh agus teas mór ann, bhí cailín óg ag baint bhairnigh thíos ar íochtar díththrá, in aice le gob na leice móire a bhí mar theora le taobh thoir an chuain. Bhí sí ag imeacht léi go righin leisciúil í áit go háit ar lorg na gceann ba mhó agus ba spéisiúla, a lámh chlé ag coinneáil ciseoige in aghaidh a gorúin agus bior iarainn ina láimh dheis. Bhí a sciorta gorm craptha suas thar a glúine, a léine gheal oscailte ag a scornach agus a mainchillí dúbailte suas go barr gualann. Ní raibh ar a cosa ach brúigíní beaga bána canbháis a raibh boinn robair fúthu.
  

  On a hot summer noon, a young girl was gathering limpets down at low tide, near the great stone that was the border of the east side of the bay. She was going stubbornly and lazily from place to place looking for the biggest and most interesting ones, her left hand holding a shallow basket against her hip and an iron spike in her right hand. Her blue skirt was gathered up above her knees, her white shirt open at her neck and her double sleeves up to the top of her shoulders. On her feet were only small white canvas shoes with rubber soles.

  bairneach	limpet	m gs npl bairnigh
  íochtar	Lower part, bottom	m
  díthrá	Low tide	f
  gob	Beak, bill; Tip, point; projection	n
  leac	Flat stone or rock; flagstone, slab	f gs leice
  teorainn	boundary, limit; border, frontier	f
  cuan	Haven; Harbor	m gs cuain
  righin	Tough; tenacious; unyielding, stubborn
  leisciúil	lazy, slothful; Reluctant, loath; Shy
  ciseoig	Shallow basket	f
  gorún	haunch, hip	m gs npl gorúin
  bior	Pointed rod or shaft; spit, spike	m gs beara
  scornach/i>	throat	f
  muinchille	sleeve	f pl muinchillí
  bonn	sole	m gs npl boinn

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