AN GAODHAL.
119
BAILE MHURÁID NO BAILE BHOS
DÁLAIGH.
Osmhégó, an t-Ochtmhadh lá deug
Lúghnása, míle ocht g-ceud da agus
ceire fichid.
D' Fhear-eagair an Ghaodhail.
A Shaoi:
Tá 'n sdoirm 'teacht anuas ó bhárr na
g-cnoic,
Le fothrom na toirnighe 's talamh air
croith;
Le gaoth an gach aird agus splancaidhe
'san spéir,
Agus an mac-alla 'freagairt air ais
go léir,
Gach fuaim ó sgataidhe caorach' as buaibh,
Ó gach eun talmhan agus mara bhí meud-
ughadh 'n ghleo;
Ó 'n g-clog a bhí clingiughadh a mbárr an
chrainn,
Air maidin, meadhon lae agus tránóna
'san am
Rabh Donncha Bós Dálaigh mar thighearna
ann;
Fear fíor a thóig a ghuth le h-Onraoi
Gratan
A bh-feis dheighionach Ath-Chliath n-aghaidh
díol air ór ann
Saoirse na h-Éireann do mhuintir na
Sacsan.
Tá na srutháin fós teacht le fána go
teann,
Go cois na sléibhte beacht anns an gleann
'S treortha soir go cúirt Baile Mhuráid,
'San dún 'náit na ceataridhe le í choim-
eud.
As sin síos le fána thríd an g-cluan,
An tuile ó mhullach na sléibhte a's ó'n dún,
Go di 'n bogach tá 'nois le sionnán sínte
Faoi 'n loch mhór tá suas líonta,
Uai leitrim soir go droichid Dúnaidhra.
Ní'l eun no cearcuisge go di 'n naosgach,
Ó'n mbunán-leuna, ó fhanlóg 's corriasg,
Ó fionóg gorm, pilibín a's faoilleán,
'S gé 's lacha agus grag garbh na b-pria-
chán.
Bí na h-eunla 'sgriach os cionn a n-uisge,
Lorg na nide bhí faoi cúram na h-éisg,
An macalla freagairt na treunad
Bhí teacht ó sgriachaibh na n-eunlaé,
As Cluan Laog go Cnocán MhicTíre;
Tá mar áit faire na saoirse.
Go measamhuil — Seághan Ó'Cealla.
Oswego, Aug 18th 1882.
M. J. Logan Esq
Sir—I Sir—I have attempted something in Irish which
I dare not send without some explanation —
Dalystown in olden times was called Baile Mhur-
raid, and to the present by Irish speaking people;
It is about 4 miles a little south by east of Lough-
rea The mountains called Sliabh Beacht, or the
largest of them, is opposite Dalystown and runs
about east and west. There are smaller ranges
running parallel to it There is a little stream
running between Dalystown and the mountains
which springs about two miles west of Dalystown
This stream is conducted by a canal of solid mason-
ry from a point about a mile west of Dalystown,
to the court dhun, when it has a vertical fall of a-
bout sixteen feet. When there is a flood from the
mountains the canal which is arched over with
land under cultivation, comes down and forms a
beautiful cascade and empties into the river by the
court This river runs through the lawn nearly a
mile to the principal gate, where a peelers barrack
is situated now. What was called the metal brid-
ge (so called from strong iron bars embedded iuto
the parapet of the bridge], was in its day as strong
a one arch bridge as was in Ireland. The demesne
wall north and south of this bridge was built of
solid masonry eight or nine feet high. In 1825
Dalystown was made the headquarters of the
peelers. lt is to be hoped that their day will be
short in Ireland, that they will take their depar-
ture with the landlords. Some years ago the es-
tate of Dalystown was purchased by Chas. Farrell
what was built of the Demesne wall as dry walls he
had them built of solid masonry; all on the east
side of the Demesne from the intersection of this
with the Loughrea road on the north, to the Castle
of Ail north west corner of the estate.
Denis Bose Daly was a good landlord, and his
leases did not die out until a few years ago. He
was a member of the last Parliament of Ireland,
and voted against the Union with Henry Grattan.
He died in 1821, and laid in his tomb in Dalys-
town, at Cruish Ban, in a little burying ground
where children were buried. He and his wife were
the only adults ever buried in the place.
The passage to the interier of Dalystown is by
a postern about two-hundred yards below the
court. It is of solid masonry and arehed, and
trees growing over it ; this porch is serpentine,
in the form of an S. A few soldiers on the inside
could protect it against any number. There is a
strong gate of iron leading into the porch where
the water fall is, and the offices all rouud to the
walls of the court, making it a strong fortress. It
would require cannon to reduce it. In a great
flood from the mountains the police barracks near
the bridge was overflown, so that the peeiers had
to move themselves and their traps on the middle
of the bridge, where they had to stay until the
water receded. Since then the bridge had to be
made larger. Those floods are continuous; one
or two showers will raise a flood in the river,
Heavy rains make heavy floods. There are moors
or bogs between Leitrim and Duniry; the bogs
are exhausted, and only hand turf can be obtain-
ed now.
Beidh an Ghaedhilge faoi mheas fós
go fóill.
