as mo dhialann Gaeilge--15 Lúnasa, 2007

R.N.

A dhialainn, a chara...

tá agallamh ag teastáil ó Raidió na Gaeltachta agus ní fheadar an inniu atá sé nó amárach. nó an Aoine. ach pé scéal é, caithfidh mé a rá go mbraithim mar pháiste óg ó thaobh na Gaeilge de, tar éis an líofacht chomh láidir atá le cloisint sa cheantar so agus ar an gcúrsa seo.

muinín, a Mharcais, muinín. bíodh muinín agat.

I.N.

do chuas go dtí Dún an Óir—níl mórán le feiscint ach amháin an radharc (atá ana-dheas ar fad!) agus tá “leac cuimhne” (???) ann leis. is cosúil gurbh insan séú aois déag rinneadh ár uafásach ar slua mór saighdiúirí ag airm Cromwell. Gearradh na cinn den gach duine acu, is dóigh.

Bhí madra ann ar mo bhealach go dtí na háite, agus chonacthas domsa go raibh sé ag iarraidh greim bia a dhéanamh de mo chois! faoi dhó a rith sé chugam—ar an mbealach sall agus an bealach anall. (ó scríobhadh an píosa seo, rith sé liom gurbh ag smaoineamh gur caora mé a bhí sé, agus bhí sé ag iarraidh mé a bhuachailleacht!)

cad eile—ó sea, amárach—bhuel ar dtús caithfidh mé insint duit, a dhialainn, gur bhuaileas le Maidhc Ó Cealaigh, an fear a mbuaileas leis ar an idirlíon roimhe seo! B'ionadh mór é sin, gan dabht! Mar sin, amárach, tar éis an sois, beidh agallamh á dhéanamh orm agus ar Mhaidhc, agus beirt eile. ag an stáisiún raidió de chuid R na G.

YIKES!!!

15 Lúnasa, 2007--an tríú lá den chúrsa

Ok, what happened today? I was feeling pretty inept as far as my Irish was concerned. I was finding out how NOT fluent i was, especially after talking to some of the locals. Of course they had really thick accents so i guess i should give myself the benefit of the doubt there.

Classes as usual. I found out it was the following day that the interview would be done on Radió na Gaeltachta in Baile na nGall (Ballydavid.) That was nerve wracking, but it was nice to find out that another guy, Mike Kelly, whom i had been speaking Irish with online for some time, and who lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, was also going to be undergoing the grilling. He saw my name on the whiteboard in the assembly room, recognized my name and went a'looking for me. It was nice to meet him face to face! He's an amazing old fellow, in his 70's but still traveling and kayaking and all that.

I also went over to a “ruin” or whatever you want to call it, called “Dún an Óir,” The Fort of Gold, i suppose in English. there's really not much there—it's more of a memorial or monument to the lives lost when Cromwell's men attacked a group of Irish, Spanish and Italian forces who were holed up there in the 17th century, i believe. After surrendering, all but the Italian commander were slaughtered. Here's a picture of the monument that stands at the parking area.


I remember that on the way, a sheepdog tried to herd me. at first i thought it was trying to make a meal of me. I realized my mistake later. Also on the way i saw a brilliant rainbow. Tried to get a picture of it but it's pretty hard to do—they tend to go away.

I also saw this old chapel on the way to Dún an Óir—Dún Úrlann. A 15th century structure that was unearthed in about 1991. a lot of the architectural elements were to be found there, like the stones carved as rain gutters, a nice window sill carved from rock, and the holy water font, also stone-carved.

that's about it. i think we can all assume that i ended the night with Guinness. Let's just leave it at that.

More to Come

I've been busy with the holidays, a side job translating Irish for a software company, teaching and other things, but I haven't forgotten about this here blog.

A new post is in the works! I have to get on it or i'll forget the whole trip. Ah--ain't old-age great?