AN GAODHAL
577
CAIPTÍN SEORSA O'MÁILLE
An sémhadh lá de'n Fhóghmhar trá thóigeamar ar seolta,
Ag imtheacht as na cóstaidhe seo air thóir an mhionnáin siar,
thart le Cruach na Caoile agus anuas le Rinn an Mhaoile,
Innis Turc taobh shíos de & trá Bhríghide air fad taobh shiar,
Nó gur dhóirteamar le fánadh thre fhairge d'a cárnadh,
Go ndeárnadh 'mach an Ráithche ó bhí iarraidh orrainn ann,
Ach ag sginneadh thart le Árrainn neartuigh orrainn an gála
Bhí cúrsaigh stigh ar sáigh againn 's níor thrá dhá fhailligh' é,
Bhí cliú na luinge in aoinfeacht a dearcadh suas a m'eudan,
A súil le réidhteach uaim-se 's gan aon mhaith díobhtha ann,
Ach dhúbhairt mé leo air aon chor go ndeunfainn díobha feuch¬
(aint,
Ag iompar a cuid éaduigh chó 'd 's b'fhéidir léi snámh.
An trá theannamar airthi an t-eudach seadh thoisigh sí i pleus¬
(gadh,
A lúbadh in a chéile & ag imtheacht mar bheidheadh cú;
An fhairge gur dheun sí 'sé cur na tonna treuna,
,Gus an sneachta d-tuadh dá shéideadh go dian in mo shúil,
Agus trí dhul de rópa cnáibe thar mo lár teanntadh 'niar,
Ach air son saoirse 's tártháil, is éigin a dhul thríd
O! tá mo lámha stróice go síoruidhe tarraing rópaidhe,
Tá 'n croicionn & an fheoil a leig tóigthe 'mach ó 'n g-cnáimh,
'S dá m-beidheadh caint air bith aig cláraibh d'innseodís sgeul
cráidhte,
Le na ghoirreadh is chuaidh an bás dúinn ach gur thárluigh'mar
('mhach é,
Ní rabh maith air dá sheunadh má sé an dán a gheall Mac Dé
(dhúinn;
Ach ólaighidh sláinte chéile má théidhim-se bhaile beo
Nár mhór an cliú 'san sása dúinn an bealach ud do thárla,
'Snach rabh éineach dá'r g-cáirde in ach ar námhaid air gach taobh
Bhí police ann a gárdáil & waterguards a deáráil,
Bhí revenue na h-áite ann 'sgach dream dá ndeachaidh leo;
Bhí cutters bheag' is mór' ann 'gus an Cliú Bay salach leotha,
Agus loingeasacha Sheoirse inns a tóir a leig 'nar ndiaigh;
Ach is mise Seora O'Máille, fear maith de chineál Ghráinne,
Chuir mo lochduidh d-tír go sásta & Caiptín Ward air suan.
I regret spare does not permit me to do justice
to the name of George O'Mally, or as he was better
known as Captain O'Mally. He was always proud
to relate that he was a native of Brinishool. He
got a good education, entered the English Navy and
soon raised to the rank of a commissioned officer.
And although he wore the saxon coat, his pride was
to see the cross of St George trail in the dust. The
British man-of-war seized on a cargo of smug¬
gled goods about the year 1826 and O'Mally
was told to take the same to Westport, but
he ran her into Achill Island instead. The car¬
go was soon hidden all over the country, which
mostly consisied of tobacco. And George himself
soon became a refugee from English justice. The
crime was high treason and a price was soon laid on
his head. But as General O' ally of Peninsular
war fame, his arrest and conviction was sure to ar¬
ouse the West to rebellion, the matter was let drop
easy and O'Mally entered on several smuggling ex-
peditions. This song is a review of one of his ex¬
ploits with the noted bark Seafair when he outwit¬
ted all his pursuing foes.
He died in Westport in 1864 and was interred
in O'Mally's Tombs.
Martin P Ward
We understand that Mr. Ward has
left for California; and the classes will
miss his jolly presence.
Several Gaelic contributions are un¬
avoidably held over this issue.
Home Rule and the language in the
schools is the Gaelic motto.
