The Daniel O’Connell Heritage Trail
A Rí an Domhnaigh, tar le cabhair chugham is tóg in am ón bpéin mé.
A Rí an Luain ghil, bíse buan liom is ná lig uaitse féin mé.
A Rí na Máirte, a chroí na Páirte, déan díonadh Lá an tSléibhe dhom.
A Rí Céadaoine, ná fulaing i ngéibhinn mé cé fada óm' chaomhghin féin mé.
A Rí Déardaoine, maith ár bpeacaíne do dhein do dhlí a réabadh.
A Rí na hAoine, ná coinnigh cuimhne ar mo dhrochghníomhartha baotha.
A Rí an tSathairn go síoraí achainím mé a thabhairt thar Acheron chaorthainn.
Faoi dhíon do thearmainn, trí ríocht an Aifrinn, suas go Parthas Naofa.
A Bhanríon oirirc, a Bhanríon shoilbhir, a Bhanríon sholais na gréine!
Ní haon tsaibhreas atá uaim ortsa ach leigheas ar dhochar mo phéine.
Na sluaite borba a bhí ag gabháil ormsa is a rug im' chodladh orm tréimhse,
Cuir cogadh orthu mar churadh cosanta is tabhair ón ngoradh Lá an tSléibhe mé
A Bhanríon álainn go bhfuil na grásta ort ó liúim go hárd agus glaoim ort,
Ó's tusa máthair an Linbh ghrámhair déag don pháis dár saoradh.
Is é seo láithreach am an ghátair is mé gan cairde taobh liom.
Ó tar im láthair, cabhraigh lámh liom is ná lig don bhás mé a thraochadh.
A bhán- Naomh Bhríde go bhfuil do lá ar shlí chughainn,
Ó tar dom dhíon is dom aoireacht,
Is an aicíd choimhthíoch atá ar mo dhroimse ná lig im' chroí aon ghaoth dhi.
Ó pé ar domhan díomais atá ar mo thíse tógse arís mo chréachta,
Is le cúnamh Íosa go dtabharfad droim leis an bpeaca do chloígh na céadta.
Níl aon dochtúir dá raibh im thimpeall dá mhéid den liacht a léadar,
Nach bhaighfí sínte le plá na doighe seo dá dtéadh aon saighead ina ngaobhar di
Ní mhaithfead choíche do Sheán Ó Ríordáin me a chur i dtíos leo in aon chor.
Dá nglacfadh bíog mé ná laige intinne ní thabharfadh a ndícheall saor mé.
Tomás Ruadh Ó Súilleabháin (1785–1848)
Tomás Ruadh Ó Súilleabháin (1785–1848), was a schoolmaster and poet in the Irish language. He was born in Bán Ard, Derrynane. Sometime after 1818 he was sent by Daniel O'Connell to a teacher training college in Dublin, possibly that of the Kildare Place Society under the patronage of the O’Connell family. Daniel O'Connell was a member of the Society's board until 1820. During Tomás's third year in college he contracted tuberculosis and was sent to the sanatorium on Cork Street, by Seán Ó Riordáin, MD, a relation of O'Connell. While recuperating there he composed this wonderful hymn, ‘A Rí an Domhnaigh’, in which he called on God and the Blessed Virgin to come to his assistance.
His compositions provide us with a tantalising insight into his own life and also in to contemporary life in Iveragh. Tomás was an enthusiastic supporter of Daniel O’Connell and wrote a number of songs in his honour, including two on the occasion of O'Connell's election as an MP for Co. Clare in 1828: ‘Guím slán go hUíbh Ráthach’ and ‘Is é Donall binn Ó Conaill caoin’.
He regularly attended social gatherings at Derrynane house, accompanying his songs with a tune on the fiddle.
Much of what we know about the life and compositions of Tomás Ruadh Ó Súilleabháin were collected from the folk memory by Séamas Ó Fiannachta.