Category: Gaelic

Pádraic Ó Tiomáin

Céad agus fiche bliain ó shin labhair 4,000,000 duine sa tír seo an Gaeilge mar ghnáth-theanga. Sa bhliain 1891 níor labhair thar 1,000,000 duine an teanga. San aiste seo insionn PÁDRAIG Ó TIOMÁIN faoin gcaol ar tharla an t-athrú, an fáth a bhí leis agus an beartas a ceapadh leis an meath a chost.

Is iomaí duine in Eirinn inniu nach gcreidfeadh gurbh í an Ghaeilge gnáth-teanga Ceithre Mhilliun duine sa tír seo céad agus fiche bliain ó shin. Ach dob í. Agus is deacair, freisin, a chreidiúint gur fhoghlaim agus gur labhair breis agus trí mhilliún Eireannach Béaela idir na blianta 1861 agus 1891. Bhí an teanga ag fail bháis chomh mear idir na blianta sin nach raibh, de reir Census sa mbliain 1891, thar milliún a leabhair a dteanga dhúchais.

Cén chaoi ar tharla an mhíorúilt sin? Caithfear dul siar go dtí 1825 nuair a chuir Coimisinéiri Oideachais in Eirinn cuntas agus tuairisc uatha ar stáid an Bhéarla sa tír. Chuaigh dream i Sasana i mbun oibre. Bhí an t-teaspag Whately in a measc. Gineadh “Arrachtach” sa mbliain sin, 1825 agus rugadh sa mbliain 1831, é. An “Scoil Náisiúnta” a baisteadh mar ainm air. Chuaigh an “tAnchúisne” i mbun oibre gan mhoil dá laghad.

Concas úr

Cén cuspóir a bhí ag an “scoil náisiúnta? An t-aon chuspóir amháin – an Teanga Ghaeilge a mharú, an Tír a Shacsanú, agus daoine neamhliteartha a dhéanamh de mhuintir na h-Eireann. Na tiarnaí talún a chuir na botháin ar tugadh scoileanna orthu ar fail do na “muinteoiri”. Bhí na tiarnaí ina “mbainisteoiri” scol agus d’fhostaigh said lucht oibre na scol. Céard faoi na múinteoirí? Níor mhúinteoirí iad de réir bunbhrí an fhocail. Sean-shaighdiúirí a bhí i gcuid acu, “scriobadóirí sál” as na tithte móra, searbhóntaí as tithe tiarnaí talún agus daoine den tsórt sin. Ní raibh léann ar bith ag cuid mhaith acu agus, ‘mirabile dictu’, ní raibh léamh ná scríobh ag cuid. Má bhí Béarla, fiú Béarla briste acu, bhíodar cáilithe.

Céard a bhí á mhúineadh sna scoileanna? Ar an gcéad dul síos bhí an teanga Ghaeilge toirmiscthe iontu. Rinne na Coimisinéiri Oideachais deimhin de mar sholáthraigh said “batai scóir” agus gobáin do gach scoil. Chaith páistí bochta, nár chuala fiú focal Béarla riamh, an lá ag aithrisis is ag athrá ranna Béarla gan ciall ná brí. Seo ceann acu:

I thank the goodness and the grace,

Which on my birth have smiled,

And made me in these Christian days,

A happy English child. (“Whately)

Agus seo slíocht as ceacht léitheoireachta:

On the east of Ireland where the Queen lives is England.

Many people who live in Ireland were born in England

And we speak the same language and are called one nation.

An chéad rud ar maidin crochadh “bata scoir” ar mhuinéal gach páiste agus má bhí de mhí-ádh ar an gcréatúr focal ghaeilge a ligint as a bhéal i rith an lae cuireadh eang ins an “mbata scoir” do gach aon fhocal, roimh dul abhaile dó in aghaidh gach eanga. Má chuala an múinteoir cogarnail i nGaeilge ar chul a chin sháith sé gobán i mbéal an chiontaigh agus ar ndó fuair an gasúr bocht gríosáil mhaith. Níor chuir na tuismitheoirí i gcoinne an phionóis chorpartha seo. Bhí an Béarla agus an Béarlachas ag lui ar a n-intinn ag na tiarnaí talún agus a gcuid seiobháird. Rud eile bhí slat méaraíochta ag an tiarna talún ar a thionónta bochta agus b’éigin dóibh toil an tiarna a dheanadh. Cuireadh ina luí ar na paistí agus ar a dtuismitheoirí go gcuirfeadh an Béarla a gclann ar bhealach a leasú.

Duine Amhain

Ag Dia amhain atá a fhios cén chaoi ar chonnigh formhór mhuintir na tuaithe, corp agus anam le chéile roimh 1879 agus le linn Chogadh na Talún. Is iontach an rud é nár ardaigh duine ar bith méar in aghaidh an Oireachtais Uir seo ach an t-aon duine amháin, an tArd-Easpag Mac Eil. Ghoill an mi-ádh seo go mór air agus rinne sé cion fir gan amhras. D’Ionsaigh sé Bille Oideachais Stanley go fiochmar agus rinneadh míonathrú air. Fritheadh cead roinnt Gaeilge a labhairt sna “scoileanna”. Thug sagairt an Easpaig Mhóir a seanmóirí i nGhaeilge, ach faraoir géar, fuair an Dochtúir Mac Eil bás sa mbliain 1885 agus níor tháinig aon Ghael Mór ina dhiadh lena dhea-obair a choinnéail ar siúil go dtí 1891.

Níor chualathas móran faoi labhairt na Gaeilge nó faoin dochar a bhí á dhéanamh ag na scoileanna don teanga. Déarfar gur cuireadh an cuimse cumann Gaelach ar bun san naoú haois déag. Cuireadh, ar ndó, ach Cumann Acadúil a bhí i ngach ceann acu agus rinne said sár-obair do scoláirí Gaeilge. Chuireadar cuid mhaith leabhar amach. D’fhoilsiodar litriocht Ghaeilge, cuid mhaith aistriúchan ón tsean-Gaeilge.Ba deachair scolairí chomh léannta leo a fhail in aon tír eile le na linn. Faic ní dhearnadar ar san labhairt na Gaeilge.

Gael Óg

Caithfimid dul siar go Nua-Eabhrac áit a raibh Gael óg, an Dochtúir Dubhglas de hIde, ar cuairt. Ar mhaithe le labhairt na Gaeilge a chuaigh sé siar mar is leir ón léacht a thug sé uaidh. Seo mar a tuairiscíodh é ar an nuachtán úd “An Gaelic American” den dáta Meitheamh 27, 1891 agus é clóbhuailte i nGaeilge. “Anois a dhaoine uaisle, más mian líbh an Gaeilge a choinneáill beo in bhur measc , níl aon tslí ná aon mhodh eile lena dhéanamh ach amháin í do labhairt i gcómhnui – i gcómhniu a deirim, – eadraibh féin. Leanaigi mo shompla-sa impidhim oraibh. Tá mé fé gheasaí mar a dúirt said sa tsean-Ghaeilge, tá mé faoi gheasaí agus faoi mhóid gan aon fhocal Béarla a labhairt a choiche ná go deo ach amháin an uair nach dtuigfear mé i nGaelige…..deirim libhse agus deirim arís agus arís é nach bhfuil aon chaoi eile leis an teanga a choinneal beo ach amháin í a labhairt…….Más mian leis na hEireannaigh seasamh le chéile mar aon Náisiún agus aon chine caithfidh said sean-chluifí, sean-nóis agus sean-cheol a dtíre féin a chleachtadh. Agus cia an áit a bhfaighfidh sibh sreang níos laídre nó ceangail níos buaine ná sean-teanga na hEireann………..D’fhéadfainn mórán eile a rá ach creidim go dtuigeann sibh an chúis anois chomh maith liom féin. Muna raibh ach aon fhocal eile le rá agam ba é- Labhraigi Gaeilge le chéile , – é.”

SOISCEAL

Ba shoisceal nua an soisceal sin gan amhras ach chualathas arís agus arís eile é sa mbaile in Eirinn ina dhiadh sin. Bhí an Dochtúir de hIde ina Uachtarán ar an gCumann Liteardha Náisiúnta i mBaile Atha Cliath in 1892. Thug sé óráid uaidh ag céad chruinniú na bliana ar Shamhain 25, 1892. Bhí idir céad agus céad go leith bail i lathair. Chuir de hIde gáir chatha amach nár cuireadh amach riamh roimhe ag na Feisiri, ag Eirinn Oig ná ag na Fininí. Ba é an rosc catha ná go gcaithfidis Sasanschas a scríos in Eirinn, sé sin go gcaithfidis sin Eire a dhi-Shacsanú agus go gcaithfidis sin a dhéanadh tríd an teanga, tríd an gceol, tríd na cluifí náisiúnta ach go mórmhór trí labhairt na teanga. Bhí daoine ag éisteach leis a raibh an Gaeilge acu ón gcliabhán agus ní labhraidís í agus ní raibh sí ag a gclanna. Cuireadh ag smaoineadh iad. Dúirt sé go dtainig an t-am ‘nar cheart dul go dtí na daoine féin mar bhí anam na hEireann ina slua mór daoine , na daoine nach raibh iontu de réir Dean Swift ach “lucht gearrta ádhmaid agus lucht tarraingte uisce”. Ar na daoine sin a bhí an obair mhór – teanga a bhreith ó bhás. Ba mhithid a thuiscint nach bhféadfai rud fónta a dhéanamh in Eirinn agus ag déanamh aithris ar na Sasanaigh ag an am céanna. Ní fhéadfaidis a bheith ina nGaeil agus ina seoníní.

Thug an óráid sin abhar machnaimh do chuid mhaith daoine a chuala é agus a léigh é. I dtús na bliana 1893 chuaigh an Doctúir de hIde, agus Yeats in éineacht leis, go cathair Chorcaí, áit ar lean sé ar a shoiscéal. Dúirt sé freisin, go raibh níos mó déanta ag Cumann na gCleaslúith i gcúig bhliain ná rinne na cainteoirí i gcúrsa trí fichid blain. Ní gá dom a rá nach raibh an nuachtán Sasanach in Eirinn – The Irish Times- ró-cinéalta ins an gcuntas i dtaobh chaint de hIde. Seo píosa a scriobhadar: “Tá aon rud amhain ann, a bhfuilimid cinnte faoi, is é sin nach bhfuil aon tír ins an domhan a mbeadh misneach ag duine ábalta lea-mhúinte a leithéid chaint a thabhairt uaidh, ná lucht éisteachta d’fháil do leigfeadh orthu go raibh said sásta léi.

Lean an Dochtúir de hIde air ag treabhadh leis in 1893 ach d’iompaigh an taobh dhearg den fhód in uachtar ag cruinniú eile den Chumann Liteardha Náisiúnta. “Tá a fhios ag an saol gur fear a rinne beart de réir a bhriathair i gconaí é agus tharla nach raibh Gaeilge ag móran a bhí ag an gcruinniú áirithe seo labhair sé i mBéarla faoi na “Scoileanna Náisiúnta”. Seo cuid den léacht:

“I saw bright eyed, intelligent children, second in intelligence I should think to none in Europe with all the traditional traits of a people cultured for 1500 years. Children endowed with a vocabulary (Irish) in everyday use of about 3000 words, enter “National Schools”, come out at the end (of a few years) with all their vivacity gone, their intelligence sapped, the splendid command of their native language lost forever, with a couple of hundred English words, badly pronounced and barbarously employed substituted for it and this they in turn will transmit to their children, while everything that they knew – story, lay, poem, song, aphorism, proverb and the unique stock in trade of an Irish speaker’s mind – gone forever and replaced by nothing. I repeat – gone forever. I am haunted by the look of fear, failure and despair on these children’s faces as they rhymed Whateley’s …….

Bhí an treabhadh agus an fuirseadh déanta agus an ithir réidh don síol nuair a shiúil dornán de fhir isteach i seomra Mhártain Uí Cheallaigh ag a 9, Sráid Uí Chonaill, Iochtarach, i mBaile Atha Cliath agus an data – an lá deireadh den tSamhradh, 1893. Sílim nach bréag a rá go dtáinig toradh do-iniste as an gcruinniú beag sin. Tháinig (tá súil again) sábháil na Gaeilge agus ina theannta sin saoirse, beagnach iomlán, sna Sé Contaethe Fichead. B’sin mar ar cuireadh Conradh na Gaeilge ar bun.

Tibohine

Extracts from talk given to the Lough Gara Historical Society by Patrick Timon, NT. Fairymount, 1969. 

(Later published in the Roscommon Archaeological and Historical Society Journal, Vol. 1, 1986.)

Tibohine, Ti Baethin in Airteach, also known as Tir Eanna or Tir Enda, comprised the present parishes of Tibohine, Frenchpark and Loughlinn. It had 15 ancient ‘baile’ or ‘sen cleithi’ from which it can be inferred it was half a ‘Triocha Cead’ or’ Barony’ or’ Hundred’. It was referred to frequently by Tireachan as Tir Eanna in Airteach.

On the east, it was separated from’ Magh Ai’ of Cruchan by a sruill from the Castlerea area down through Belach na gCarr (Ballinagare) to meet the Brideog River with which and Lough Technet* it was bounded on the north. Abha na Luinge flowed along most of its west side to almost Bun Suicin in Co. Mayo. The Suck on the South separated it from Cill Caoimhin (Castlerea) parish.

Who was this Enda of Airteach?

He was son of the famous King Niall Mor and a brother of Laeghaire. Enda with his brother, Fiach, rudely opposed St. Patrick at Uisneach 433, and when Patrick pronounced a course on Uisneach and Fiach, Enda listened to Patrick and was baptised. In sorrow, he made atonement and offered to Patrick for the church – “ a Ridge in every Nine” in all his territory, as a dowry with his infant son, Cormac, whom he placed as foster son with Patrick’s sister Darerca**. King Laoire confirmed this grant of territory to Patrick. It comprised 15’ sen cleithi’ in Airteach, Connacht, in which Laoire had previously installed Enda as ruler. There was at the time a literary as well as a civil fosterage in Ireland.

This Cormac was reared and educated by Patrick’s nephews (sons of Darerca) to wit: Bishop Donal of Aileach Airtigh (now Castlemore, Ballaghaderreen), Bishop Coimid of Cluain San Mhaoil (Frenchpark) and Bishop De Bonne (Davone in Kilnamanagh, Frenchpark – Boyle road).

Incidentally, this Cormac Mac Enna Mac Neill was Patrick’s successor in Armagh. In accordance with the “servitude of the church” (Book of Armagh) as the land of Airteach really belonged by spiritual descent to Cormac the four churches in Airteach had to send a cow each to Cormac and his successors until it was remitted by Nuda, Abbot of Armagh, in 801 A.D.

In 437 Lallocc, daughter of Darerca, niece of St. Patrick and foster sister of Cormac was brought by Patrick and Bishop Cathach to Ard Senila, ancient name of Fairymount. They came 5 miles north from Ard Lice (near Cloonalis where they founded a church and left Deacon Caoimhin who gave his name to Castlerea parish (Kilkeevan). In Fairymount on the side of Maighean Iontach, a mile west of the old fort on top of Ard Sen Lios, Patrick founded a church to which Lallocc her name, Cill Lallocc, a name which down the years has been very badly pronounced and the spot is now known as Cill i Hooley. There are no ruins of the church, but it was known as sacred ground and was used as a burial place for unbaptised infants until a short time ago.

According to Dr. Hanley, Patrick founded another church nearby for Bishop Cethech of whom there is no mention again in Fairymount. He is found with Patrick and Cethech’s brother, Sichill, in Oran where a Basilica was built.

The site of the old Don Lios in Fairymount is the present Carn Cloch on the summit of Fairymount hill. It commands a great view over Airteach and to Cruachan. The name Ard Sean Lios and Maighean Iontach have disappeared in the last 30 years. The name Mullach an Si has been adopted and there are two meanings given for its origin by old people. Mullach na Sidhi – the mount of the whirlwinds (586 ft.) and Fairymount – the hill of the fairies supposed to be given to it by ancient pagans who saw Lallocc and her holy virgins in the distance near Ard Sean Lios. There remains no other name as a saint other than St. Lalocc in the Fairymount area.

Patrick did not travel from Fairymount to the Tibohine end of Airteach from Fairymount. Instead he went on to Oran. Why? We must remember he travelled by Carbad (chariot) and there was no ramhad from here to Tibohine.

According to Cormac’s Glossary there were 5 classes of roads in Erin.

1. Sed, Semita Unius Animalia.

2. Lamh Rod – a Bridle road

3. Tuath Rod – a people’s path from fort to fort.

4. Bothar – a road for flocks.

5. Ramhad – a road so wide that the chariot of a king or a Bishop could pass by each other without touching.

Instead we find that Patrick came to the present place called Tibohine from Moylurg. He was proceeding north through Hugh Loirg when his horses were stolen from his camp or Eas na Erc. He came to his friends in Airteach for fresh horses and to the present place called Baethin. Here he founded a church which later came to be known as Domus Baethini – Ti Baethin, which gave its name to the parish. Local tradition held that Baothin was with him but Tireachan in the Book of Armagh states that Baethin, grandson of Enda of Airteach, inherited (spiritual) this church a century later. In the Tripartite Baethin is given as a contemporary of St. Nathy and St. Attracta of Breedouge.

Baethin of Airteach apparently extended this church and the number of cealla covered several acres in hill in Tibohine overlooking Domus Baethin. It flourished from the 6^th to early 18^th century and was described in the Book of Lecan and the Annals. In “An ait be mho Cliu in Airteach ba e Ti Beatha e” – The most famous place in Airteach, Ti Baethin. The civil rulers were Clann Diarmaid Gall of Enda.

There was not to be found a ceard in Erin that was not to be found in Ti Tibohine. It is frequently mentioned in the Book of Lecan, Book of Armagh and the Annals.

1225. An entry states “Giolla an Coimhdere Mac Giolla Coraig, uasal, sagart agus pearson, d’eag.”

A few years later, a similar entry – “ Mac Giolla Eanaig, Tigh Baethin d’eag.” In 1230 Aodh Muineach O’ Concubhar and his brother plundered (slad) Ti Baethin and its cealla and carried away considerable quantities of gold. silver and leather goods (Book of Armagh).

Ti Baethin recovered from these raids and several others from Ulster.

It was not until the Cromwellian soldiers, who had settled in the area – The Frenches, later De Freynes, arrived that Domus Baetheni suffered its final destruction. They invaded Airteach after much bloodshed and spent nine days carrying away the total contents to Dun Gar camps.

They burned Ti Baethin and took possession of many of the fifteen sean Cleithi of Airteach. Over these we find them as landlords in the following century.

The manaigh fled with many articles, which they buried in bogs and even in Lough Technet. There was an old saying in Tibohine: “Ta sadhbhreass sa loch nach eisc.”

One article stolen, a silver chalice, was given by the De Freynes years later, to the Minister of the Protestant Church in Portahard. It was inscribed Ecclesia Airtigh 1707. It is still there I presume. In like manner these De Freynes with Davises and Cornwalls burned and plundered churches in Cloonshanville, Kilnamanagh, Kilrodain and Kilrain.

After Catholic Emancipation the old unit of Airteach Enda was no more. Churches were built in Frenchpark, Tibohine (in O Connor Don’s property) and Loughlynn. One of the De Freynes married a Catholic in early 19^th century and gave a patch of land for the present church in Tibohine which previously had temporary accommodation in Carragharriffe and Teevnacreeva in O’Connor’s property.

The roofless walls of Ti Baethin remained for nearly a century when the County Council took over the graveyards. They pulled down the walls and used the stones for road material. We are told that old men with tears in their eyes begged the engineer not to take away Baethin’s house. He laughed and said he would leave some. He did. It remains, a small portion covered with ivy in Tibohine cemetery.

During the Famine the parish suffered very badly. Scores had been driven west from the good lands “the Machaire” and they died in their hundreds. The grounds around the old monastery, where Baethin and his monks were buried, were used to bury the unfortunate victims at night as well as by day and were completely filled up.

There was a stone over a door in the monastery with the inscription Domus Baetheni and a worn date. It is supposed to be in the old fothrach that remains.

What an inglorious end to a church founded by Baethin, one of St. Patrick’s 300 bishops. The present parish is not one-third of the ancient parish of Tibohine – Tir Enda Airteach. Here are now two new churches, one in Tibohine and one in Fairymount and the parish is now frequently called Fairymount parish as the present parish priest lives there since the end of the last century.

Mention of Tibohine would not be complete without a special mention of Dr. Douglas Hyde, President of Ireland, 1938 – 1945. Tigh Baethin is the “Gleann in ar togadh e”, Rath Trae.

Old Place names:

Mt. Sen Lios, Maighean Iontach.

Fothrach in Tibohine cemetery.

Some Leasa – Lios ar gcul, Lios s’choirce, Lios adhaim.

Kill Ui, Cill Lallocc.