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Home Back Issues   › 2008   › Winter   › Pol O Muiri Poem  

Casadh Criost dom

A Poem by Pol O Muiri
Vol.97, Issue 388

Dearc suas as do chionn ר chífe tu an ghrian, reanna nimhe, ר na dúile go huile a’ dubhughadh ר a’ dorchughadh le cumhaigh, gruaim, ר tuirse le linn bháis ר pháis Chriosda. Amhairc fud air a’ talamh, air na cnuic, ר air na sléibhte; ata basmairt agas boill chriotha orra ag caoineadh na páise aniodh. Seanmónta Chúige Uladh

 

Casadh Críost dom i nGleann Cholm Cille;

Bhí sé ag ól pionta tigh Biddy’s san oíche

I ndiaidh an lá a chaitheamh ag teagasc

Siúinéireachta agus ag siúl na sléibhte.

Bheannaigh sé dom i nGaeilge na Mumhan:

“Conas tánn tú, a gharsúin?”

Rinne mise iontas de gur Gaolainn

Agus chan Gaedhlig a bhí ag Críost:

“An bhfuil na boicht linn i gcónaí?

An bhfuil gorta agus turadh fós ar domhan?”

Ach ní raibh mise ag éisteacht Leis níos mó;

Bhí Críost ag caint liom sa chanúint chontráilte.

 

I met Christ in Glencolumbkille;

He was drinking a night-time pint in Biddy’s

Having spent the day teaching

Carpentry and walking the mountains.

He greeted me in Munster Irish:

“Conas tánn tú, a gharsúin?”

I was astounded that Christ spoke

Munster Irish and not Ulster Irish.

“Are the poor still with us?

Is there famine and drought in the world?”

But I was no longer listening to Him;

Christ was talking to me in the wrong dialect.

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