794
AN GAODHAL.
ABHRÁN an PHÓTAIRE,
Leis an g-Craoibhín Aobhinn, san
Chicago Citizen.
Molaim agus grádhuighim gloine maith
biotáile,
No an poitín thainic as an g-coire buidhe,
Má tá tú choidhche * uaigneach is é 'n deoch
tá cúmhachtach
Tú féin do dhúisiug'dh 's do chorrugh'dh do
chroidhe.
Má's brónach tá na smaointe a bh-fuil
agad 'san oidhche,
'S má tá tú féin ag caoineadh na mílte
och, och ón!
Ná dearmad an biotáile a bhéarfas duit
do shláinte,
Is féidir leis árdughadh an croidhe is
troime brón
Is cho cothrom leis na díslibh an croidhe
atá is ísle,
Acht é bheith air meisge, mar is ceart 's
is cóir,
Agus an croidhe is áirde 'r éis ól na g-
cáirte;
O, na deun dearmad air an m-braon óil.
Má tá tú choidhce tréigthe le caraid fíor
do chléibhe,
No le do mnaoi a's céile do bhuird 's do
leabuidh féin,
Tá carad níos buaine, a's rith chuige go
luath,
A's líon, líon suas as an lán-bhuideul.
Bíodh airgiod agus ór, bíodh saidhbhreas
agus stór,
Bíodh páirceann go leor ag an duine ua¬
sal árd;
Acht sólás agus sógh ceud uair níos mó
Geabhaidh misi 's mé ag ól an phoitín shoil¬
se bháin.
Dá bh-feudfainn féin mar fhile no bárd,
go ceart ag sgríobhadh,
Ní sguirfinn féin a choidhche acht ag caoi¬
neadh go deo
An deachmuidh mhór a's aidhbheul tá cur¬
tha air bhiotáile
Le Sacsain mhalaighthe, ghrána: is mór an
anró
Is liom is mór an truagh, Hómer liomh¬
tha luath
(An bárd sin do rug buaidh thar h-uile
bhárd ó choin),
Ná'r bhlas sé an biotáile go n-deunfadh
sé abhrán air,
A's laoidh mhór air an g-"córdial" nach
bh-fuil a leithid ann.
'Nois cúmhacht agus glóir, moladh 'gus o¬
nóir
Do'n té sin mar is cóir do chrúthaigh an
bárr buidhe
As a d-tig biotáile bheireas dúinn ar
sláinte,
'S dhíbreas go cineálta gach aicíd as ar
g-croidhe.
* 'riamh is in the copy before us
incorrectly: 'riamh is used in express¬
ing past time, and choidhche, that which
is to come. In the second verse the
feminine pronoun í is used for é to re¬
present the masculine noun, croidhe.
We presume the above errors are typographical,
but, considering their importance, we think it pro¬
per to call attention to them. In Mr. Russell's
song in last Gael there is an error in orthography
committed by us even after its correction in the
"proof.“ People look to these authors for cor¬
rect Gaelic, hence the necessity of calling atten¬
tion to such errors.
Auburn N. Y. Feb. 26th 188.
M. J. Logan, Editor of the GAEL — I would feel
grateful to you if you would, per return post, send
me the first reading Book of the GAEL.
The way I got acquainted with the GAEL is, I
got a sample copy of same at the Dispatch office
in Auburn. When I saw it, I examined it, and I
found it was my mother tongue coming to existence
once more. (I mean the Irish language.) It
is my greatest ambition for one, to speak and read
the Irish language, and if possible by any means
of dictation, learn to write it.
I need not tell you that any Irishman is far be¬
hind when he can't speak his mother tongue. For
there is'nt a country man in the whole world, but
who can speak his native language, and why not
the Irishman stick up for his language, as well as
he would stick up for his country. The language
requires as much defence as the country. I am a
green-hom in this country. I came from the East
of Cork (Ireland.) There is Irish spoken there, but
quite different from the way it is spoken in Water¬
ford or Kerry and the West of Cork. I think it is
spoken different all over Ireland, and that is the
reason the rising generation don’t care for the
language. They say it is no language, it is regu¬
lar bog-latin.” But I am not one of that kind. I
see it is the greatest fault in an Irishman not to be
able to speak his native language.
Yours very respectfully,
M. E. Burke.
