Duinnín agus an Bótun

Dineen and the Mistake

Botún, pl. -i, a smith’s paring knife; an unfledged bird; misfortune, irreparable mistake; ní raibh aon bhotún. ‘na béal nuair d’ith sé an fheoil … rinne mé mo bhotún …

• ‘Aitheim’ arsa an Duinníneach agus é ag taibhsiú taobh thiar
  den gheolaí mór le rá, an t-aindiagaí Abraham Tomkins, sa Leabharlann Náisiúnta.

  ‘Umf,’ a d’fhreagair Abraham.

  ‘Fágaimis Dia as an áireamh, cad ann a chreideann tú?’ a d’fhiafraigh an Duinníneach de.

  
  

  ‘Ahem!’ said Dineen to the eminent geologist looming behind him, the atheist Abraham Tomkins, in the National Library.

  ‘Umf,’ answered Abraham.

  ‘Let us leave God out of the reckoning, what do you believe?’ Dineen asked him.

  taibhsigh	loom	v
  geolaí	geologist	m
  aindiagaí	atheist	m
  áireamh	Count(ing), enumeration; census	m

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Duinnín agus Imleacán Kali (tuilleadh)

Dineen and the navel of Kali (continued)

• Lig Brady osna as, ach thug sé an treoir chuí do phóilín a bhí ar dualgas.
  

  Brady sighed,but he gave the appropriate direction to a police officer on duty.

  treoir	Guidance, direction	f
  cuí	Fitting, proper
  dualgas	Natural right, due; customary fee or reward
  ar dualgas	on duty

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Duinnín agus Imleacán Kali (tuilleadh)

Dineen and the navel of Kali (continued)

Duinnín agus Imleacán Kali

Dineen and the navel of Kali

Nodlaig, -lag, pl. -i, f. , oft. with art … .
N. mhaith chughat, I wish you a merry Christmas…

• Seachtain roimh Nollaig. An aimsir an-mhíthaitneamhach ar
  fad. Gálaí gaoithe, ráigeanna baistí, flichshneachta. An Duinnineach
  ar a bhealach isteach go hEaglais na mBráithre Bána. Bhí
  sé thart ar a haon agus ba léir go leanfadh an lá anfach, fliuch. I
  halla mór na hEaglaise, bhí go leor pramanna, báibíní ina gcodladh iontu,
  teachtaireachtaí carntha orthu. Bhí daoine, mná don
  chuid is mó de, ag rith isteach chun faoistine nó ag lasadh
  coinnle: ullmhú i gcomhair na Nollag faoi lán tseoil.

  Week before Christmas. The weather was thoroughly unpleasant. Gales of wind,
  sudden outbreaks of rain, sleet. Dineen was on his way to the WhiteFriars’ church.
  It was about one and it was clear that the rainy, wet day would continue.
  In the great hall of the Church, there were many prams, babies sleeping in them,
  messages piled on them. There were people, mostly women, running in to confession or lighting up candles: preparation for Christmas in full swing[sail].

  míthaitneamhach	Displeasing, disagreeable; unpleasant, unattractive
  ráig	udden rush; sudden outbreak; fit, bout, attack	f pl ráigeanna
  flichshneachta	sleet	m
  anfach	Stormy, rough, tempestuous
  teachtaireacht	message	f
  carn	heap, pile	v
  faoistin	confession	f

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Duinnín i Ráth Maonais (tuilleadh)

Also Duinnín i Ráth Maonais

• ‘Charlotte Lehane a d’aimsigh an corpan, a Athair.’
  ‘Mar sin é, a Sheosaimh?’
  ‘Níorbh fhéidir lei – deir sí – ligint dá comharsa an séú
  haithne a bhriseadh os comhair an tsaoil gan comhairle a leasa a
  chur uirthi. Ní túisce X imithe nár gur thrasnaigh Charlotte an
  bóthar. Chnag sí ar an doras – tá a méarlorg ar an gcnagaire.
  Nuair nach bhfuair sí freagra thuig sí go raibh náire ar an
  bpeacach roimpi. Chuaigh sí thart ar chúl an tí, grásta Dé á
  spreagadh, a deir sí. Bhí a fhios aici cá mbeadh eochair an
  chúldorais. Bhíodh sí mór le Nellie gur éirigh eatarthu i ngeall
  ar John Pinkerton. Isteach lei sa chistin. Bhí Nellie ar an urlar
  roimpi, marbh más fior.’

  ‘Charlotte Lehane found the body, Father.’
  ‘So that’s it, Joseph?’
  ‘She couldn’t – she says – allow her neighbor to break the sixth commandment in front of the world without giving her advice for her well-being. No sooner had X gone than Charlotte crossed the road. She knocked on the door – her fingerprint is on the knocker. When she did not receive an answer, she understood that the sinner before her was ashamed. She walked around the back of the house, inspired by God’s grace, she says. She knew where the back door key would be. She was friendly with Nellie until they quarreled on account of John Pinkerton. Into the kitchen. Nellie was on the floor
  before her, dead as it were.’

  ligint
  comharsa	neighbor	f
  séú	sixth	m
  aithne	acquaintance, commandment	f
  comhairle	Advice, counsel; direction, influence	f
  leas	Good, well-being, benefit, interest	m gs leasa
  túisce
  trasnaigh	Cross; traverse, intersect; Contradict; interrupt, heckle; interfere
  náire	shame	f
  peacach	sinner	m
  grásta	grace	m
  spreag	Urge, incite; arouse, inspire; prompt, encourage
  i ngeall	in pledge

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Duinnín i Ráth Maonais

Also Duinnín i Ráth Maonais

Fairim … I watch, guard; notice, perceive; spy (with ar); I wake or hold a wake on; I keep a thing from (ar); Tá sé ag faire na taoide ar an dtráigh, he is endeavoring to keep the tide away from the strand, attempting to do the impossible (Con.); ag faire an chait ar an mbainne … sean-duine ‘na chodladh agus seana-bhean ag faire uirthe féin … d’fhaireas go bhfaca é …. [the cat watching for milk…an old person asleep and an old woman watching herself … I watched him see it.]

• Ní raibh an tAthair Pádraig O Duinnín rócheanúil ar Miss
  Charlotte Lehane a raibh cónaí uirthi i Lána na Sceach, Ráth
  Maonais. Mar sin féin, shuíodh sé ina parlús – seomra tosaigh
  dorcha, troscánshactha – uair sa ráithe, nó mar sin, agus
  thugadh sé deis di sceitheadh uirthi féin. Lig sí uirthi riamh
  nach raibh ach gannchuid Gaelainne aici
  ‘Mummy, and Daddy didn’t speak Irish but the servant girl did…’

  Father Patrick Dineen was not too fond of Miss Charlotte Lehane
  who lived in Thornbush Lane, Rathmines. Even so, he used to sit in her parlor –
  a dark front room, stuffed furniture -once a quarter, or so,
  he gave her a chance to express/explode herself. She always pretended to
  speak only a little bit of Irish.

  ‘Mummy and Daddy didn’t speak Irish but the servant girl did…’

  ceanúil	Loving, affectionate
  Sceach	Thorn-bush	f
  Mar sin féin	Even so
  troscán	furniture	m
  ráithe	Three-month period, quarter, season	f
  Gaelainn = gaeilge

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Duinnín agus na Bollain (tuilleadh)

• Chiúnaigh an tseanbhean tar éis tamaill agus d’fhill Brídín. ar
  an gcomhluadar. Thóg an tAthair Pádraig an buideal uaithi.
  Bhain se an corc as agus é ag mothú gurbh é uair na cinniúna é.
  Bholaigh sé é. Ansin dhoirt se braon ar a bhois agus bhlais sé de.
  Bhí sé ar an bpoitín ba ghairge agus ba ghránna a bhlais sé
  riamh, ach ní raibh aon amhras air ach gur phoitín é. Bhí na
  cailíní á choimhéad. Chuimil sé an braon go cúramach ar alt a
  ordóige.

  ‘Tá leigheas ann ceart go leor,’ ar seisean.

  The old woman calmed down after a while and Bridey returned to
  the company. Father Patrick took the bottle from her. He removed the cork,
  feeling it was the moment of destiny. He smelled it. Then he poured a
  drop on his palm and tasted it. It was the harshest and ugliest poteen he
  had ever tasted, but he had no doubt but that it was poteen.
  The girls were watching him. He carefully rubbed the drop on a joint of his thumb.

  ‘That is certainly medicine,’ he said.

  Ciúnaigh	Calm; pacify
  comhluadar	(social) company	m
  mothú	Feeling, perception; sensation, consciousness	m
  cinniúint	Destiny; chance; Tragedy, misfortune	f gs cinniúna
  Bolaigh	smell	v
  doirt
  braon	drop	m
  gairge	Harshness, pungency	f
  gránna	ugly
  coimhéad	watch, guard	m
  Cuimil	rub, stroke, fondle; wipe
  alt	joint	m

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Duinnín agus na Bollain (tuilleadh)

• Is ansin a chuir an diabhal cathú air. Bhí air suí síos ar an
  trasnán. Phléasc a cheann le físeanna. An mhaith a dhéanfadh
  dornán beag bonn do mhuintir Shé … aturnae don mháthair,
  spré do Bhrídín, faoiseamh don deirfiúr bhreoite, dram don
  tsean-lady, cearca . . . bó. Bhí a lámha ar crith nuair a bhrúigh
  sé an cláirín anuas ar an mbosca. Chuir sé ar ais sa pholl folaigh
  é. Chuir sé an tomhaisín ina phóca.

  It was then that the devil tempted him. He had to sit down on the crossbar.
  His head exploded with visions. A small handful of coins would be good for
  the Shea family … an attorney for the mother, a dowry for Bridey, relief for
  the ailing sister, a dram for the old lady, hens … a cow.
  His hands were shaking when he pushed the palm down on the box.
  He put it back in the hiding hole. He put the small paper cone in his pocket.

  cathú	Conflict, battle; temptation
  Pléasc
  dornán	Fistful, handful; small quantity or number	m
  bonn	sole; coin	gpl here
  aturnae	Attorney, solicitor
  spré	wealth; dowry
  faoiseamh	Relief; alleviation, ease	m
  breoite	Sick, ailing.
  crith	tremble, shake; trembling, shaking	v and m
  brúigh	press; push, shove
  cláirín	Little board; short stave; Flat part; palm (of hand	m
  tomhaisín	Small measure, small amount; Cone-shaped paper bag; wallet, purse	m

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Duinnín agus na Bollain (tuilleadh)

• D’imigh an Duinníneach leis go Buailín Siar. D’fháiltigh a
  chairde roimhe. D’éirigh leis bainis Bhridín a chur as a cheann
  agus codladh maith mór a dhéanamh. Ar maidin, i ndiaidh
  bricfeasta, thug sé bóthar Thrá Lí air féin. Thug sé cuairt ar Ard
  Fhearta, ón uair go raibh sé ag dul thairis, agus shroich sé baile
  Thrá Lí anonn go maith sa lá. Dhírigh sé láithreach ar
  phroinnteach Sally Murphy, gar don stáisiún traenach.

  Dineen left for Bouleenshere. His friends welcomed him. He succeeded in getting Bridín’s wedding out of his head and got a good big sleep. In the morning, after breakfast, he took to the Tralee road himself. He visited Ardfert, since he was passing by, and reached the town of Tralee well into the day. He presently aimed for Sally Murphy’s cafeteria, near the train station.

  anonn	Over, to the other side.
  dírigh	straighten; direct, aim
  láithreach	Present, immediate
  proinnteach	Dining-hall, refectory

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