410
AN GAODHAL
Ireland.” You, Most Rev. Sir. announce God's
Holy Word in the language required by the needs
of our day, and thereby bow down men's hearts to
the sweet yoke of His Gospel, and you do it with a
resistless eloquence that not only wins those who
are “of the household of faith," but extorts the ad¬
miration of “those who are outside.” Our desire
is to bring back to new life the old tongue in which
the same truths fell from Patrick, Columbkille and
other heralds of salvation and brought our fathers
into the fold of Christ. And in this effort we feel
assured that we shall have your sympathy and en¬
couragement.
Welcome, then, a thousand times, Most Rev. Sr
to this your future field of Apostolic labor ; and,
that this welcome comes from our inmost heart, we
hope to prove by our faithful co-operation with
our brethren of the laity in seconding all measures
that your teal and wisdom shall take in hand for
the promotion of religion and charity in your new
diocese.
The following is a private letter sent by Mr.
Sheridan of Phoenixtown, Co. Meath, to his friend
Mr. Coleman of Jersey City, who considers it no
breach of privilege to publish it in the interest of
the Language Movement. Mr. Sheridan carries
on all his correspondence with Mr. Coleman in
the Irish Language.
BAILE FÍON-UÍSGE,
12adh Lá Baeltaine, '84.
A Sheághain Dhílis. — Chuir do leitir náire
orm mar na'r thug me freagradh air do
leitir dhéighíonach, ach bhí rún liom sgríobh
chugat 'san t-seachnmhain so, an chuid is
móide. Agus níor chuireas an t-Iris-
leabar na Gaedhilge chugat mar bhí na h-
uimhre déighionacha 'nna g-ceithre h-uimhre
speiséalta le h-ullmhughadh sgolaire air
an sgriudadh i sean-Gheadhilig 'san mhí le
theacht. Níor thainic liom féin d'a léigh¬
eadh ach beagán mar ta na focla litrigh¬
the 'san t-sean mhodh. 'Siad na sgeulta
atá ionnta "Loingeas Mac h-Uisnigh,"
"Oidhe Cloinne Tuirean." Fuair me
mar an g-ceudna "Oidhe Clonne Lir."
Do cheannuigheas a n-Duiblinne é. Goir¬
thear leo, "Trí Stáir Doilghiosa Éir¬
eann." Béidh an t-Irisleabhar 'san am
le theacht mar bhí sé air d-tús agus cuir¬
fead chugat iad, ma thoil le Dia. Ní
dhearmadann mé thú; mar deireann ar
bh-file mhilis féin, ua Móra, mar chuir
mé go Gaedhilig :—
"Tabhair cuimhne dhuit! seadh fad as
mhaireann mo chroidhe,
Ní bhéarfad dearmad duit-se a choidh¬
che;
Níos dílse ndh' dhíbreas ad' bhróin
'sad' dear,
'Na fuighle an t-saoghail 'nna sonas
go mór."
Is dóigh liom go n-aithneann tú an dán
sin, agus beireann cuimhne na h-athais a
bhéidheadh againn 'san tír sin 'nuair bhí
tú ag fóghluim Gaedhilge a léigheadh a's
sgríobhadh. Deir Ua Móra air an b-
punc so :—
"Bhídheadh deunta a bh-fuil measa le
cinneamhuin cruaidh,
Thá muinintidhe sannach' a thearnuigh¬
eas uaidh;
A thig anns an oidhche dubh ag labhairt
go ciuin,
De'n aimsir ta tharrainn, gidh tamuid
a m-bróin."
"Let Fate do her worst there are moments of joy,
That spring from the Past which she cannot
destroy
Which come in the night-time of sorrow and care,
And bring back the features that Jn used to
wear."
Cad é mheasann tú air an treas-
bheurlughadh sin?
Fuair me sean leabhair luachmhaire
san Geimhredh chuaidh tharrainn. Is dóigh
liom d'innis me timchill ceann díobh; ta
'nna laimhsgríbhinn, leis an Athair Cucho¬
nas MacAodh, san m-bliadhain d'aois an
Tighearna, mar a deir an sgíobhnóir
reumhráidhte, — Míle Seacht Ceudcuis
Bliadhna Deug agus Fiódhthe. So é an
famhail in a sgríobhthar é, agus baineas
le neithe na h-Eaglaise é. Ta 549 leath¬
anuigh sgríobhtha cho dlúth mar clódhbhuail¬
tear iad, agus leannan se a Fhíorfreumh
no a Gheinealach suas go h-Eachaigh Dubh-
léine, Árdrígh Eireann. Is mór an leabh¬
ar sin. Is mian liom go d-tiocfadh leat
a fheicsint Ta leabhar eile díob, Teag¬
asg Críosduighe, clodhbhuailte in 1654.
Fuair me mar an g-ceudna na soisgeul¬
ta agus na h-Epistlidh uile. clodhbhuail¬
te in 1829. Ach tá me cuir buaidhreadh
ort leis an g-caint so.
Tamuid ag deunadh go maith anois a
bh-Féis Shacsain, ach má's áill le Dia béidh
Féis againn d'ar g-cuid féin a n-gar,
Tá dlighe aga dheunadh ag tabhairt togha
