féith an ghrinn, sense of humour; ag luí leis an bhfírinne, being true; scáile an bháis, the shadow of death; snáthaidí móra, dragon-flies; spraoi, play; tuar, a sign; tairngreacht, prophecy; athlua, quote.

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I mBéal an Phobail

Áilleacht an tSaoil seo 7

Peadar Bairéad

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Sense of Humour?

Minic adeirtear nach raibh féith an ghrinn sa bPiarsach, olc, maith, nó dona, agus tríd is tríd, chaithfeadh duine a admháil go raibh an cuma sin ar an scéal, go minic. Ach bíodh sin mar atá, is fiú breathnú ar a shaothar, féachaint an bhfuil an tuairim sin ag luí leis an bhfírinne, agus caithfear a admháil, go bhfuil cumas grinn le tabhairt faoi deara, anseo is ansiúd, in a shaothar. Ach, nuair a chuireann tú chuile shórt san áireamh, go háirithe nuair a smaoiníonn tú go raibh a dhán fhéin feicthe ag an bPiarsach, ó chéad chuir sé a lámh le chéachta an Náisiúnachais, bíodh an céachta sin cam, nó díreach! Ba dhuine é, mar sin, a raibh scáile an bháis mar chomhluadar aige minic go maith, agus ní fonn grinn a chuirfeadh an comhluadar céanna sin ar dhuine, geallaimse dhuit é. Ag an am gcéanna, breathnaigh ar a bhfuil le rá aige i… “From a Hermitage”…….

“I have two qualities in common with a real hermit…I am poor, and I am merry…. I am in reality a genial and large-hearted person.”

Agus arís, i litir oscailte chuig an Dochtúir Dubhghlas de hÍde, scríobh sé……

“My dear Hyde…..laugh your great genial laugh now….Let your laughter shake the clock-tower in Earlsfort Terrace.”

Agus ansin i bhfonóta leis an litir sin, fonóta a scríobh sé tamall ina dhiaidh sin, deir sé….

“I observe that the clock-tower has since collapsed!

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Humour?

In áit eile, scríobh sé faoi shnáthaidí móra, scríobh sé go dtroideann na créatúir sin go dtí nach mbíonn fágtha ach na cinn, agus mar aguisín le sin, scríobh sé..

“So ferocious an eater-up is the dragon-fly that it is said that in the absence of other bodies to eat up, it will eat up its own body until nothing is left but the head and it would doubtless eat its own head if it could! – A feat which would be as remarkable as the feat of the saint, recorded by Carlyle, and recalled by Mitchel – The Saint who swam across the channel carrying his decapitated head in his own teeth!”

Agus arís, ag scríobh dó i, “From a Hermitage”, (Deireadh Fómhair 1915) deir sé…

“I frankly admit that I am well fed. Being a hermit I limit myself to four square meals a day, except on feast days when for the greater glory of God, I allow myself five !”

The Final Insult!

I Samhain na bliana 1913 scríobh sé …

In Belfast they are selling chair cushions with Sir Edward Carson’s head emblazoned upon them….-

One should not put a sacred emblem where it is certain to be sat on…Only an Orangeman would think of honouring their chief by sitting on his head.”

Níl sa mhéid sin ach cupla sampla den chineál ruda atá i gceist agam, agus mé ag caint ar chumas grinn an Phiarsaigh.

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Gloom or Doom?

Tuigeadh don Phiarsach, go raibh beirt fhear ina gcónaí taobh istigh dá chraiceann fhéin. Fear acu meidhreach, agus an fear eile dubhach go maith. Ní fheictí an fear meidhreach, áit ar bith, ach i measc a dhaltaí fhéin, thart ar Choláiste Éanna, fhad is a d’fheictí an fear dubhach, ar ócáidí poiblí.

Céard faoin bPiarsach fhéin? Ar shubhach, nó dubhach é?

Ní dóigh liom, go raibh freagra na ceiste sin ag an bPiarsach fhéin. Dá mairfheadh sé sa lá atá inniu ann, is dócha go mbainfeadh sé spraoi anois, as cuid de na rudaí a scríobh sé i “From a Hermitage”. Tóg mar shampla, rud a scríobh sé sa bhliain 1913. Ní dócha gur cheap sé an t-am sin, go bhfíorófaí bunús dá raibh i gceist aige ag an am, ach nach gcuirfeadh sé duine ag smaoineamh ar na línte eile úd a scríobh sé…

“O Wise men riddle me this,

What if my dreams come true?”

Ach seo mar a scríobh sé sa bhliain úd 1913….

“Before God I believe that the rest of the matter lies in foreign domination. A free Ireland would not, and could not, have hunger in her fertile vales, and squalor in her cities. Ireland has resources to feed five times her population, a free Ireland would make those resources available. A free Ireland would drain the bogs, would harness the rivers, would plant the wastes, would nationalise the railways and the waterways, would improve agriculture, would protect fisheries, would foster industeries, would promote commerce, would diminish extravagant expenditure, would beautify our cities, would educaate our workers (and also the non-workers who stand in direr need of it), would, in short, govern herself as no external power – nay, not even a government of angels and archangels could govern her.”

Bí ag caint faoin tuar a theacht faoin tairngreacht!

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As his Pupils saw him

Ach le críoch a chur leis an bpíosa beag seo, agus é a thabhairt suas chun dáta, mar adéarfá, ba mhaith liom athlua a dhéanamh ar rud adúirt Des Rushe ina cholún san Irish Independent, 18 Meán Fómhair 1979, áit a bhfuil cumas grinn an Phiarsaigh, i gcuimhne na ndaltaí a bhí aige i Scoil Éanna, faoi chaibidil aige..

“There are contradictions in the memories, as is only to be expected. “Fear mór ard ab ea é, dár liomsa, an uair sin” says Frank Bourke; “he wasn’t very tall, I thought,” says Síle Uí Dhonncha, who goes on to recall: I never remember seeing his smile.” On the other hand, Joe Sweeney states: He used to smile a lot.”

Well I wouldn’t say now he had a sense of humour.” Frank Bourke again, while Feardorcha Ó Dochartaigh comments, “ he had a great sense of humour” and adds by way of explanation..”Listening to jokes and everything like that he would never laugh out loud. He had a kind of a :- ho, ho, ho, do you know, and he would kind of cover his mouth with his hand – any kind of a joke at all he used to enjoy thoroughly”

Bhuel, sin sin. “You pays your money and you takes your pick!”

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