Calum Maclean’s Diary Entry from Connemara

From his home-base of An Teach Mór, Indreabhán [Inverin], Co. Galway, on the west coast of Ireland, Calum Maclean wrote, on the 16th of November 1944, a fairly long and interesting diary entry about his time collecting in Connemara. His account is evocative of the time when storytelling was still to be heard amongst the native Irish speakers that lived to the west of Galway city. Maclean had been in Ireland for around five years by the time he wrote the following account. During that time he became fluent in Irish Gaelic and this did not go unnoticed by his contacts back in Dublin. Five years earlier he began a post-graduate course at University College Dublin which had been curtailed due to the outbreak of the Second World War. Maclean then decided to go to the west of Ireland shortly afterwards and began collecting for the Irish Folklore Commission as a part-time collector in 1942.

 

An Teach Mór

Indreabhán, Cois Fhairrge

Co. na Gaillimhe

16.XI.’44

 

Mise Colm Iain MacGhille Eathain as oileán Ratharsair i n-iarthar na h-Alban. Bhíos ag bailiú béaloideas do Choimisiún Béaloideas na h-Éireann ’sa gceanntar seo dhá bhlian ó shoin. Tháinig mé ar ais chuig an áit se air an 14mh lá de mhí na Samhna le cuairt ghearr a thabhairt ar an áit. D’ fhága mé an áit seo blian agas chúig ráithe ó shóin, ach tá na sean-daoine a thug adhbahr béaloideas dhom cheana beó slán fós, buideachas le Dia. Níor cailleadh aon duine aca ó shoin cé go raibh cuid aca aosda go maith – cuir i gcás Pádraig Ó Cúláin, Baile a’ Logáin, Cor na Rón atá 87, agas Maitiú Ó Tuathail na Criogáin atá 90. Tá Maitiú mar a chéile, gcumhnaidhe, shilfeá nár tháinig aon aois air ó chunnaic mé é roimhe seo. Chuadhas siar aréir a’ bhreathnú air agas tá sé chomh acrach agas bhí aríamh. Tá neart seanchais agas sgéalta aige fós nár thug mé liom chor ar bith fós. Mar sin táim ag dul siar go dtí é aríst mar bhí go leór le rádh aige réir nár chuala mé ag an duine ach é féin. Níl ’sa teach anois ach Maitiú agas a bhean, sean-bhean laghach atá tuairim 86 d’ aois. Ní raibh an t-sláinte go maith aice dhá bhliain é ó shoin, nuair a d’ fhága mé iad, ach aréir chuir sé iongantas or mi bheith i n-a suidhe agas a bheith i n-án obair an tighe a dhéanamh chomh maith agas bhith sí i n-án aige aon lá aríamh. Tá Maitiú agas a bhean i n-a gcomhnaidhe i dteach ceann-tuighe giota beag ó thuaidh den’ mbothar mór a théigheanns siar third na Criogáin go Conamara thiar. Tá an teach ar thaobh na láimhe deise is tú ag dul siar go Ros a’ Mhíl. Beidh mion-chunntas ar an teach seo ’sa leabhar seo i n-áiteiánt eile. Tá inghean le Maitiú ag obair thall i Sasana faoi láthair agas ta mac leis pósda ar a’ mbaile céadna. Nuair a bhuaileas isteach chuig Maitiú aréir 15.IX.’44, chuir sé féin agas a’ bhean an-fháilte romham, mar ní raibh fhios aca chor ar bith go raibh mé teagaithe chuig an taobh tíre seo. Ba gearr a bhíos istigh aca nó gur tráchtadh ar sgéalta agas seanchas. Thug mé foir n-deara go bhfuil an chuimhne ag Maitiú chomh maith céadna agas bhí aríamh. Tá an glór breagh céadna aige i gcomhnaidhe agas tá se éasgaidhe rudaí a bhreacadh síos uaidh. Theasbáin mé dhó paidreachaí a bhailigh mé an samhradh seo thuas i dTeidhleann i dTír Chonaill, agas chuir siad-san paidreachaí eile i gcuimhne dhó-san. Sgríobh mé síos uaidh dhá phaidir e bhí aige, agas d’ innis mé dhó annsin go rabhas a’ tóraidheacht seanchais agas sgéalta faoi Fhianna Éireann. Thug sé dhá ghiotá beag eile domh, ach is gearr a bhíomar a’ sgríobhadh nuair a tháinig beirt bhuachaill óg isteach aige, beairt de’n dream céadna a theagadh isteach chuige nuair a bhíos annseo cheana dhá bhliain ó shoin. Buachaillí óga as a’ mbaile sin iad a theaganns ar cuairt chuig Maitiú agas a bhean chuile oichdhe a thosaigh siad a’ teach ar cuairt chuca blianta ó shoin. Teagann siad i gcomhnaidhe tuairim a h-ocht a’ chlog ’san oidhche. Tugann siad móin isteach agas cuireann siad caoi air an teine an chéad uair. Annsin suidheann chuile dhuine aca mór-thimcheall na teineadh, as tosaigheann Maitiú a’ cur síos ar chúrsaí an t-saoghail mhóir, an cogadh agas an obair a’ bhionns ar siubhal amuigh, an nuacht a thuganns daoine leó as Gaillimhe agas as Conamara thiar. Fear e Maitiú atá i n-dán cuimhniú ar chuile fhocal a chloiseann sé ó dhaoine is cuma más fada gearr ó shoin a cualthas iad. Aréir bhí sé a’ trácht ar chómhrádh a bhí aige le fear as Tír an Fhiadha thiar. Sílim nár dubhairt an fear am aon fhocal nár chuimhnaigh Maitiú air, a’ cur síos ar an gcogadh a bhí siad. Nuair a bhí Maitiú reidh le cúrsaí fánacha an t-saoghail, thosaigh sé a’ cainnt ar na daoine láidire a bhí i gConamara fadó. Chainntigh sé faoi Phádraig Labhrais, faoi Thomás Ruadh Mhac Dhonnchadha, agus faoi Mhaitias Ó Dúbháin. Faoi seo níor fhéad mé cur isteach ar Mhaitiú, agas iarraidh air na sgéalta imseacht go mall ’sa gcaoi go bhféadfainn iad a bhreacadh síos; mar bhí an sgéalaidheacht anois faoi lán-t-seól aige agas ba mhór an feall cosg a chur air. Nuair a bhí cuid mhaith innsighte aige faoi na gaisgidhigh a bhí i gConamara tuairim céad bhliain ó shoin, tharraing sé anuas Fianna Éireann aríst. Thrácht sé annsin ar an gclaidheamh a bhí ag Goll Mac Mhórna...Thosaigh sé annsin ar sgéal faoin Dara Donn a bhí a’ troid le Fianna Éireann. Annsin aríst bhí sgéal eile aige faoi Chaol an Iarainn. Tá an méid sin seanchais le sgríobhadh fós agam, ach aréir níor fhéad mé ach cnámh gach sgéil a bhreacadh síos ’sa gcaoi go gcuirfinn i gcuimhne dhó iad aríst. Faoi’n am seo bhí sé fiche roimh a deich ’san oidhche, agas ó bhí aísteir dhá mhíle le shiubhal agam, d’ fhága mé slán aca, ach gur gheall mé go dtiocfainn ar ais aríst luath ’sa lá air an Aoine i n-a dheaidh sin. “Bí anoir cho luath ’s is féidir leat,” adeir Maitiú, “agas ma bhéas an lá go breagh, sé ’n áit a ghabhas muid síos ar na carraighreachaí go bhfeicfigh muid a mbeidh aon bhreac le fail.” Tá dúil mhór ag Maitiú ’san iasgach ghliomach ar chladaigh Chonomara. Is meinic a chuaidh sé treasna go Conndae a’ Chláir i n-a churrachín agas isteach go h-Árainn. Tá aithne aige ar thuaisceart an Chláir chomh maith Cois Fhairrge. Bhí sé thar cionn a’ iomradh le n-a mhaidí rámha, agas d’ aithneóchthá sin air mar tá sé go h-an-láidir fós. Thóig sé deichneabhar cualodair agas gan aon chéird aige ach gliomadóireacht agas gan aige ach leath-ghabhaltas tálúna mar shlighe-bheathadh, nuair a chliosfeadh an ghliomadóireacht air. Is iongantach chomh beódha láidir is atá Maitiú fós. Dubhairt sé féin liom aréir go bhfuil sé ocht mbliana agas cheithre fichead (88), ach deir daoine eile go bhfuil a cheithre fichead is a deich slánuighte aige. Dubhairt sé go raibh sé a’ sgaradh agas a’ baint mhóna an samhradh seo, agas chreidfinn sin go maith. Fear árd caol é Máitiú, tá sé an-díreach, silim nach bhfuil sé blas níos lugha ná se troighthe ar aoirde. Tá a chuid gruaige liath, ach níor chaill sé morán dá chuid guraige aríamh. Bíonn sé bearrtha i gcomhnaidhe, cé is mórté de’n chroimbéal. Sean-fhear slachtmhar é, mar tá súilí glasa loinnreacha aige, súilí a’ bhíonns a’ gáiridh de ghnáth. Tá glór an-bhreagh aige, agas tá an Ghaedhilge go fíor-líomhtha aige. Tá sé i n-dán amhráin a rádh fós, agas d’ aithneóchtha go raibh an-ghuth aige nuair amháin. Is fearr mar sheanchaidhe is mar sgéalaidhe é ná amhránaidhe. Nuair a bhíonns sé ag innseacht sgéalta, ní bhíonn aon gheaitsí ar siubhal aige. Mar is meinicí suidheann sé síos gan chorraighe le linn dó a bheith a’ sgéalaidheacht. Ar uairibh bionn sos gearr aige agas caitheann sé a phíopa. Corr-uair a chaitheann sé tobac, nuair a bhionns an sgéalaidheacht ar bun aige. Is furasda fheiceál go bhfuil an-dúil aige ’sa gceird mar imthigheann an sgéal leis uaireantaí. Beidh trácht ar an dream a thug na sgéalta agas an seanchas dó an chéad uair i n-áit éicint eile ’sa leabhar seo.

 

And the translation goes something like this:

 

I’m Calum Iain Maclean from the isle of Raasay on the west coast of Scotland. I’ve been collecting oral traditions for the Irish Folklore Commission in this part [of the country] for two years. I came back to this place on the 14th of November for a short visit. I left this place a year and five seasons ago but the old folk from whom I collected are all hale and hearty, thanks be to God. None of them have passed away since despite being quite old – for example Pádraig Ó Cúláin, Baile a’ Logáin, Cor na Rón [Cornarona] who is 87 and Maitiú Ó Tuathail, na Criogáin who is 90. Maitiú is the same as always and appears not to have aged since I saw him last. I went over to see him last night and he’s just as obliging as he has ever been. He possesses lots of lore and stories that I’ve never yet taken down. Therefore I’m going to go and see him again as he has lots to say that no one else but him knows. Only Maitiú and his wife, a lovely old woman who is aged around 86, stay in their house. She hasn’t been too well over the past two years since I was last here but last night she surprised me as she sat down and continued her housework as well as ever and she has been his friend every day since. Maitiú and his wife stay in a thatched-house not far north off the highway that wends its way westwards through the Criogáin to west Connemara. The house is on the right as you make your way westwards to Ros a’ Mhíl [Rossaveal]. There is a detailed account of this house in another part of this book. Maitiú has a daughter who is now working over in England and he has also a married son here [in the township]. When I visited Maitiú last night 15.IX.’44 he and his wife gave me a very warm welcome as they had no idea that I was coming to this part of the country. I wasn’t long in when mention was made of stories and lore. I noted that Maitiú’s memory is just as good as it has ever been. He has likewise a beautiful voice and he’s keen to have things taken down. I showed him prayers that I collected this summer up in Teidhleann in Tír Chonaill [Tyrconnel], and they reminded him of other prayers he knew. I wrote down from him two prayers he knew, and then he told me some lore and stories about the Fianna of Ireland. I’ve already written this lore down but last night I could only take down the outline of each story so that I could remember them again. He then gave another two short pieces, and I had scarcely written them down when a couple of young lads came in, the same couple who would come in here two years ago. Young lads from the township who come to visit Maitiú and his wife every night since they started visiting years ago. They would always visit around eight o’clock at night. They would take in peat and the first thing they would do would be to place it on the fire. Then everyone would sit around the fire and Maitiú would tell of what was happening in the wide world such as the war and what work had to be done outdoors, the news that people had from Galway and west Connemara. Maitiú is a man who remembers every single word he hears from folk whether he has heard it short time before or even a long time before. Last night he mentioned a conversation he had with a man from west Tír an Fhiadha. I think that this man didn’t say a word that Maitiú couldn’t recall; they were talking about the war. When Maitiú had finished talking about worldly things, he began speaking about strongmen who had been in Connemara long ago. He spoke about Pádraig Labhrais, Tomás Ruadh Mac Dhonnchadha and Maitias Ó Dúbháin. Because of this I couldn’t interrupt Maitiú and ask him to tell stories slowly so that I could note them down; for his storytelling was now under full sail and it would have been a great shame [to interrupt him]. By the time he had spent a good part of time talking about those Connemara heroes from around a hundred years ago, he then mentioned the Fianna of Ireland again. He then mentioned Goll Mac Mórna’s sword...He then began on a story about Dara Donn squabbling with the Fianna of Ireland. Then he had another story about Caol an Iarainn. I’ve already written this lore down but last night I could only take down the outline of each story so that I could be remember them again. As it was twenty minutes to ten at night and as I had to walk two miles, I bade them farewell promising that I would return as soon as I good the Friday after. “Be here as early as you can make it,” said Maitiú, “and if it’s a nice day, we can go down to the fish weir to see if there’s any trout to be caught.” Maitiú greatly enjoys lobster-fishing on the Connemara shoreline. Many a time has he gone over to Country Clare in a currach and over to the Aran Isles. He knows northern Clare just as well as Cois Fharraige. He gave a brilliant description of using oars and it was apparent that he’s still exceptionally strong. He brought up a family of ten relying only on lobster-fishing and with only half-holding of land to grow produce when the lobster-fishing failed. It’s amazing how lively and strong Maitiú still is. He himself told me last night that he’s eighty-eight years of age but other folk said that he is ninety years of age. He said that he had been cutting and collecting peat this summer and I can well believe him. Máitiú is a tall, thin man and he’s very upright; I shouldn’t think that he’s anything less than six feet in height. His has grey hair but it has hardly ever thinned. He always wore it short, but he has a long moustache. He was a tidy old man with sparkling grey eyes that were always full of laughter. He has a lovely voice, and his Gaelic is very polished. He still sings songs and it’s apparent that he had a good singing voice. He’s a better raconteur and storyteller than singer. When he tells a story, he makes no gestures. More often than not he sits down to mend nets whilst telling a story. At other times he would have a short break whilst he smoked his pipe. Very occasionally, he would smoke at the beginning of a story. It’s easy to see that he very much enjoys telling stories. There will be a mention of the folk who gave him the stories and lore in the first place in another part of this book. 

Reference:
NFC 969: 3–8 [Courtesy of Cnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann, Coláiste Ollscoile Baile Átha Cliath / National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin]

Image:
A ruined house in Indreabhán (Inverin) © Copyright Graham Horn and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence