Seán Geanach agus Riobard

Bhí sé mar bhéas ag Ríobard, an Máisitir, dul soir go dtí na Cáintíní Dé

Domhnaigh ar cuaird chun na gcomharsan. Bhí Seán Geancach ó na

Cáintíní tar éis dul go Meiriocá tamall gearr roimhe seo ach tháinig sé

abhaile arís gan choinne ag éinne leis. Ní raibh a fhios san ag Ríobard.

Chomhairligh dream éigin do Sheán dul taobh le carraig i dTuairín

Liath agus ligint air gur samhail a bhí ann agus go raibh sé ag iarraidh

Maiteachais “ar mháistir léinn”. Baineadh an-gheit as Riobard agus seo

mar a chuir sé síos ar an eachtra;

I

Lá breá Domhnaigh sa Ghleann ag taisteal dom

Is mé ag triall chun gasra ghrámhair, shéimh

Sea do dhearcas Seán Geanach in a shamhail cois carraige

Is é tar éis na farraige trácht i gcéin.

D’fhiosraíos go mall de cad do thug anall chomh tapaidh é,

D’fhreagair go fann mé gurbh amhlaidh a cailleadh é.

Do chritheas gan dabht le neart scanradh is eagla.

B’íontach nár cailleadh mé, ach grásta Dé.

II

Is ró-olc an t-am do tháinig an namhad seo trasna orm,

Dé Domhnaigh beannaithe i lár an lae

Is gan choinne sa domhan go raibh an namhad chomh gairid dom,

San am gur dhearcas é suas lem’ thaobh,

Ní raibh éinne sa domhan san am go bhfeacas é,

Ná tabharfadh céad púnt d’fhonn a bheith scarta leis.

Bhí creathán ‘na cheann is gach aon bhall de ar bhallachrith

Is é ag iarraidh maiteachais ar mháistír léinn.

III

Is duine ró-bhaoth mé in aon chor is maitheamh dó,

An cladhaire a mhairbh le scanradh mé,

Ag insint an éithigh go léir gur cailleadh é

Cé go maireann sé tar éis a’ tsaoil.

Bhíos tamall dem shaol is go ndéanfainn magadh faoi,

Is go gcoinneóinn féin an tréith-fhear magaidh seo.

Is dá bhfaighinn ina aonar é is gan éinne in aice leis,

Go dtabharfainn-se bata go binn dá thaobh.

IV

Is ró bhreán an deabhadh a dhein sé anall thar farraige,

Teicheadh lena anam ‘na dhúthaigh féin,

Sara mbeadh sé thall i dteannta ag fanatics

D’fhágfadh marbh é, sínte tréith.

Ach ó shroich sé an Gleann níl aon bhean aige feasta orthu,

Ach gan dul eatharthu arís lena shaol.

Is níor mheasa é ná fear a’ leabhair

Go raibh an Paidrín fada aige

Mar is é chuir mar scamall é, ansúd fám’ dhéin.

An Paidrín Fada – Ins na háiteanna iargúlta nuair ná raibh seans ag

daoine dul ar Aifreann bhí sé mar bhéas ag na comharsain bailiú le

chéile i dteach éigin agus cúig deichniúr déag den Phaidrín a rá i.e. An

Paidrín Fada.

Seán Geanach and Riobard

At this period in remote ares when they had no means of transport to

the Sunday Mass it was customary to go to a certain house and say the

fifteen decades of the Rosary hence “The man of the long Paidirín”.

I

One Sunday morning when out for a ramble

In search of company and to take the air.

There by the Carraig slouched Sean Geanach

Who had lately travelled to Americay.

I asked him slowly why he returned,

He answered feebly that he had died.

I shook and trembled with fear and anguish

It was the grace of God that kept me alive.

II

At the very moment this enemy accosted me,

The blessed Sunday in the bright noon day,

Never expecting a spectre to startle me

Until he appeared right there on the way.

To appease this spiit on my pathway

I’d give a fortune without any gain,

His head was lolling and his limbs a-tremble

As he asked forgiveness of the Máistir léinn.

III

I’m a foolish man to forive this gentleman,

This rascal who nearly killed me with fright.

With a bag full of lies that he was a dead man-

Thought hale and hearty here he thrives.

I was once in my life and I’d take no mockery,

I’d best and control this fellow so smart.

If I got him alone with no one to back him

I’d give him a taste of my cane on the back.        

IV

It was with great haste he made his return

Fleeing with his life to his own domain.

Over there he was in the grip of fanatics

Who would leave him lifeless in some dark lane.

But since he returned to his native valley

He is in no danger, on him no claim.

But I must not blame him but the man of the long Paidirín

For it was he who promoted Seán this plan to make.

This story was told to Sheila O’Connell by her father Pádraig Shéartha of Tooreens.