An Bhléinfhionn sa tSnaidhm

Tadhg Ó hUallacháin ó Chúm Beatha a cheap an t-amhrán seo. An-

fhile ab ea é. Chuaigh duine de mhuintir Churráin ó na Gearraibhní

chun Aonach na Snadhma ag ceannach beithíoch. Aonach na Nollag a

bhí ann agus cheannaigh sé bléinfhionn mar mhairt chomh maith leis

na beithígh. Taréis dóibh an lá a chaitheamh sa tSnaidhm ag

caidreamh agus ag ól bhí breis deabhaidh ar na fir ag dul abhaile mar

go raibh an lá chomh gearr agus an t-aistear thar na mór-chnoic chomh

hanacrach. Thiomáineadar na beithígh agus an bhó rómpu suas na

Gabhláin agus thar barr Sliabh na Seasca amach. Sa ruathar thit an

bhléinfhionn le faill agus maraíodh í. Seo mar a d’innis Tadhg Ó

hUallachán an scéal.

A chomharsain ba dhóbair gur léan daoíbh,

An bhó so theacht déanach ón Snaidhm,

Is gur le fórsa lucht óil gurb ea thraoch í

Tré chóngar gach céim agus aoird’.

Ní raibh aon óigfhear i dtreo aige do dhéanfadh

Í thógaint an chéim úd aníos

Is is ró-olc na comharsain bhí taobh léi,

Sa mhór-leac do thraoch í gan mhoill.

Cáisígh na comharsain is téigí,

Is tógaígh an bhléinfhionn ‘na suí.

Cuirídh spóla i dtreo ar gach éinne,

Is gheobhaidh siad go héasca léi aníos.

Tá stór maith i dtreo ‘gat a Shéamais,

Is mór-stoc a dhéanfaidh do chíos,

Róstaí do gach deoraí gheobhaidh ad’ éileamh

Agus seolfar go déanach an tslí.

III

An chomhairle ba mheoin ba mheoin leis do dhein sé

Is do thóg leis gach réice sa tír,

Á dtreoradh tré mhór-chnocaibh aonair,

Is gan mór-stad á dhéanamh sa tslí.

Tháinig fórsa ró-mhór orthu is déanaí,

Tóirneach ón spéir agus duibeach,

Is gur thógadar gleo lena chéile

Gur dhóigh go raibh an bhléinfhionn i gcrích.

An foreman a bhí ar an dtréad seo

Á fhógairt nár bhaol dóibh aon dí,

Is go seolfaidís cóngar na sléibhte

Sa treo san go dtéidís don Snaidhm.

Áit a mbeadh óstaíocht agus cóir mhaith ag an mBaker,

D’éinne ‘sheolfaí do déanach ina shlí

Beam ar chóngar na beorach chun glaoch air,

Is ólfaimíd braonach a’ dí.

Do shiúlaigh an criú seo le chéile

Tré Chúm Ghleanna bhléinfhinne síos,

Is is lúfar mar a shiúlfaidís fraochra

Is iad ad dúbailt na sléibhte ar a ndroim.

Gach cúinse aige a thabhairt dos na béithe

Go dtabharfadh sé saor iad arís,

Ach bhíodar ag diúgadh na gcrúscaí is glaoch air

Chun gur ruaigeadh iad tréith-lag ón bhfíon.

B’í Nóra an cócaire gléasta

Chun cóir ghlan do dhéanamh chun bídh.

Ba neamhurchóideach cóiriciúil, béithiúil í,

Ina tauthbhaile féin agus tigheas.

Bhí sí ag tógaint na stól is á réitheach

Is ag órdú gach éinne chun suí,

Is bhí rósta ‘cu beoir agus daor-phuins,

Ar thórramh na bléinfhionn sa tSnaidhm.

VII

Amárach ba chráite bhí an tréibh seo,

Is iad ag gabháilt tré’s na sléibhte aníos,

Is iad á rá go mbeadh fán ar an mbléinfhionn

Sara dtárlaídís féin ann arís.

Bhí Mártan sa bhéarna á h-aoireacht

Á chrá is á chéasadh ag an síon,

Is é á rá leo gur náireach an scéal dóibh,

An lá thabhairt le fréic ag an Snaidhm.

VIII

Sea do ghluais an slua seo le chéile

Agus ualach gach éinne ar a dhroim,

A’ rugairt tré mhór-chnocaibh aonair

Is gan mór-stad á dhéanamh sa tslí.

Ghluais stuaire don chuallacht agus réice

Is ní raibh aon tuairisc ag éinne ar a bhuíon

Is is buartha bhí an comhluadar na thaobh siúd

Fé thuairim na gréine dul síos.

Bhí Mártan is a mháthair ag plé leis,

Gur ró-olc a dhéanfadh sé crích.

Is a dheartháir a fhágaint ina aonar

In árdmhullaigh chéim agus aoird’

“Tá an áit úd fánach, imigéineach

Is níl aon fháil bheatha ag éinee ann ná bia.

Is dob fhearr liomsa bhúr dtárlamh le chéile,

Nó dá bfhanfadh an bhléinnfhionn sa tSnaidhm.”

“Stuaim ort a shuairc-bhean is éist liom

Ba dhual dom go ndéanfainn-se crích

Ní raibh fuacht ar siúd, buaireamh ná tréigean

Don uair bheag dhéanach a chíonn.

Mar bhí an stuaire chiúin stuama in éineacht

Is é mo thuairim nách baol dó aon dí

Ach am’ ruaigairt thar chuantaibh má théim-se,

Ar thuairisc na bléinfhinn’ arís.”

Míniú – spóla: píosa feola gearrtha

Crích: Rud a chríochnú i gceart.

Pádraig Ó Conaill, Ceapa na gCrann a thug an dán seo do Dhónal Ó Conaill,

Tuairíní.

16. The Blaney Cow From Sneem

A man of the Currans from Garriney went to buy cattle at the

Christmas fair in Sneem. He bought a Blaney cow for beef as well.

After spending some time refreshing themselves in the public house it

was evening by the time he and the neighbours drove the cattle and the

cow upp through Goulanes and over Sliabh na Seasca towards Garriney.

With the force of the drive the Blaney cow fell over the clifff and was

killed.

This incident was related in song by Tadhg Houlihan of Cúm Beatha.

O my neighbours ‘twas a sorrowful evening

Bringing home late the Blaney from Sneem.

‘Twas the drink and the drive that betrayed them.

Through nearway and cliff and great heath.

There was no young man left of the company,

To raise up the cow and retreat,

And it certainly was the bad neighbours

That pushed her out over the steep.

Call for the neighbours and go out

And take up the Blaney as meat.

Put a spóla on each of your shoulders

And you’ll easily climb over the heath.

O Séamus, you are not badly off then

You have good stock to make up your rent.

Roast beef for all on your table –

Who come by, when the day is well spent.

III

The young fellow took that advice then

But called all the rakes he could see.

And they climbed over tall, single hilltops

In a hurry to bring home the beef.

Then the storm and thunder came at them

And they sheltered in cave and pluaisín.

And they argued with each clap of thunder

That the Blaney was finished indeed.

The foreman who was of this party

He told them a drink would not harm,

And they’d go by nearways o’er the hillside

Till they came to the village of Sneem,

Where the Baker had board and good lodgings

For anyone late on the street.

We’ll be near to the beer for to call out

And we’ll drink well our great thirst to ease.

This crew they set off together,

Walking down through the valley towards Sneem

And its lively they leaped oer the heather

As they doubled the hills at their heels.

The foreman advised the young women

Said he’d bring them back safely indeed.

But they emptied the glasses in plenty,

Till he chased them away from the beer.

Nora, the cook, she prepared food,

It was wholesome and appetising to eat.

She was courteous and neat and good-looking

In her own native village of Sneem.

She kept taking the stools and arranging

And showing each client to his seat.

They had roast beef and beer and good whiskey

At the wake of the Blaney in Sneem.

VII

Tomorrow was the day of great reckoning

As they climbed up the hill going home.

And they swore they would never go tending

A neighbour whose Blaney did roam.

Martin was still by her “herding”

He was hungry and cold and deceived,

And he told them it was very shameful

To spend the day drinking in Sneem.

VIII

This cowd they set off together

Each with his pack of good meat,

Going home over hills and rough hilltops

In a hurry while daylight did keep.

Along the way came the young women

And the party broke up in great glee,

But the neighbours were angry to miss them

As the sun sank to the rest by Beann Riabhach.

His mother was blaming poor Martin

It was hard for him do any good

And his brother alone, unattended

On the top of the hillside and scrub.

The place is remote and quite lonely

There is no living there or good food

And I’d rather you’d both come together

And leave the old Blaney for good.

Stop, my good woman and listen

It is kind for myself to have “crích”

And the last time I saw my own brother

He had company and was quite at his ease.

His coleen was with him in comfort

No fear that he’ll come to great harm

But I tell you I’ll clear out this place

If the Blaney causes any more alarm.

Bléinfhionn: A white loined cow.

Crích: Industrious, ability to finish off.

Spóla: A joint of meat, any part of a carcase cut up.

Pluaisín: A small cave; a hole or crevice

Paddy O’Connell of Cappanagrown.