Cur Seilbh in Íochtar Cua

Chónaigh Mons a’Chasúir Ó Súilleabháin i bhfeirm bheag in Íochtar

Cua. Blianta an Ghorta a bhí ann agus chuir Eoghan Ó Súilleabháin an

t-agent as as seilbh é mar nár fhéad sé an cíos d’íoc. Ghlac gaol gairid leis,

Mícheál Óg, seilbh ar an bpaiste talún agus fágadh Mons is a chlann ag

brath ar na comharsain chun blúire bídh d’fháil. Bhí an bia gann go

leor ag na comharsain agus ghoill sé go mór ar Mhons mar cheap sé go

rabhadar ag maíomh an bhídh air féin is ar a chlann.

Seo mar a d’inis Mons an scéal.

I

Deir Léan sa Mhacha,

Go n-íosfadh Pádraig Bán an saol,

Is deir Máire Ní Mharcais

Go n-íosfadh Bud Buí da réir.

Dá bhfágfaidís mise sa bhaile

Ní íosfainn orthu náda an tsaoil,

Is mairfeadsa feasta is mo leanbh

Ar ár n-ábhar féin.

II

Ithe ‘gus stolladh ní obair ná ábhar é,

Dá labharfadh an pobal

Níl aon ní le rá liom féin.

Dá n-ólfainn mo scilling go minic i meán a’ lae

Do thiocfainn abhaile

Go beannaithe i ngrásta Dé.

III

Moladh le Mac Muire

Maireann muintir mo chéile fós,

Conchúr is Donncha is Parhaalán gléigeal óg.

Bia gan aon doicheall

Do chonac-sa á riaradh ar bórd.

Is déanfaidh siad mise

Chomh saibhir leo féinig fós.

IV

Ní chreidfinn ón sagart

Ní go bhfaighinn mo chuid féin ó Eoghan.

Mo phaiste beag talamh.

Bhí grafaithe réidh go leor.

Dá bhfaighinn urra nó banna

Do dhéanfadh dom féin aon treo,

Do sheasóinn an talamh

Chomh fada le Mícheál Óg.

V

Dá bhfaighinn-se m’asal sa bhaile

Agus ábhar síl,

Maide ‘gus satailt go daingean lem’ rámhainn arís,

Do chuirfinn – se beatha

D’fheara is do mhná a’bhaill

Is ní mhaoifinn go fairsing

Dá n-ithidís pláitín bídh.

Nóta: B’í Máire Ní Mharcais máthair a chéile.

Bairbre Ní Shúilleabháin, Íochtar Cua a thug an dán seo do Shíle Ní Chonaill, na Tuairíní.

Eviction in Eightercua

Mons a’Chasúir O’Sullivan lived in a small farm in Eightercua. They

were famine times and he was evicted by Eoghan O’Sullivan, the

landlord’s agent becuase he was unable to pay rent. Mícheál Óg

O’Sullivan, his cousin got the land. Mons was left with nothing, and

he and his family were forced to depend on the neighbours who were

almost as badly off as themselves. Sensitivity on account of his

reduced status at the time made Mons more conscious of any

complaints or criticisms made about his healthy appetite by the

neighbours, as is shown in the following poem.

I

My neighbour Léan in the Macha

Says fair Pádraig would eat the whole world,

And her neighbour Máire Ní Mharcais

Says Bud Buí would eat the same.

If they left me at home in my own house,

Ne’er a bite of theirs would I eat at all.

But henceforth my child and myself

Will live on our own reward.

II

Eating or drinking deserves neither fault nor blame.

If my neighbours speak fair they’ll level at me no shame.

If I drank my shillings’s worth in the middle of the bright noon day

I returned home to my family held safe by Grásta Dé.

III

Praise to the Son of Mary, my in-laws are living still

Con and Donncha and young Batt of the bright fair head.

Food without stint they share on a generous board

And rich as themselves they’ll make me yet, I know.

IV

No priest could convince me that I wouldn’t get rights from Eoghan

My small patch of land that was carefully cleared and sown,

Were I get bond or security I’d soon claim back my own

And out of my own patch of land, I’d elbow Mícheál Óg.

V

If I had my donkey at home and my bag of seed,

My handle and treader stoutly set in my spade,

For all men and women I’d plant lashings of food to eat

And I wouldn’t begrudge an abundance to any or all in need.

Barbara O’Sullivan of Eightercua told this story to Sheila O’Connell of Tooreens.