{"id":13027,"date":"2017-04-04T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-04-04T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mickgb.com\/?p=13027"},"modified":"2024-04-08T01:07:37","modified_gmt":"2024-04-08T01:07:37","slug":"nollaig-shona-2005","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mickgb.com\/en\/nollaig-shona-2005\/","title":{"rendered":"Nollaig Shona 2005"},"content":{"rendered":"

Beithil\u00edn<\/span>, a Crib; <\/span>m\u00e1ins\u00e9ar<\/span>, manger<\/span>; teach a\u00edochta<\/span>, an Inn; <\/span>Teaghlach Naofa<\/span>, the Holy Family; <\/span>girseacha<\/span>, young girls; <\/span>guinn\u00edn<\/span>, a little gun; <\/span>sa bhundlaoi<\/span>, in the eave of the house; <\/span>creimthe<\/span>, picked; <\/span>c\u00e1l\u00f3ga b\u00e1na<\/span>, white flakes (of snow)<\/span><\/p>

.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

Merry Christmas to You All<\/span><\/p>

Peadar Bair\u00e9ad<\/p>

Happy Christmas All<\/h1>

Yes, that time of year has come around to us again, that time that gives us all a chance to show peace and goodwill to the whole wide world outside of ourselves. Yes, and that time also gives us a chance to walk back down memory lane, to those days long ago when we stood looking in wonder at the beautiful Crib, arranged nicely and peacefully in the Church. And further back still, to the first Manger in Royal Bethlehem, in the Holy Land itself, at the beginning of the era of Christianity, when Jesus was born in the Stable because there was no place to be found for his mother, Mary, or for Joseph in the town\u2019s Inn that holy night. <\/p>

Christmas Night<\/h1>

F\u00e9ach mar a chuir an file, M\u00e1ire Mhac an tSaoi, \u00e9, ina d\u00e1n \u201cO\u00edche Nollag\u201d, agus \u00ed ag r\u00e1 go raibh d\u00eddean le f\u00e1il ag lucht an airgid sa Teach A\u00edochta c\u00e9anna sin, an o\u00edche \u00fad, ach gur f\u00e1gadh an an Mhaighdean is a c\u00e9ile, gan bheith istigh le f\u00e1il acu, ach amh\u00e1in i seanst\u00e1bl\u00e1n na mbeith\u00edoch….<\/p>

The lights were all lighting in that little hostel,<\/p>

There were generous servings of victuals and wine,<\/p>

For merchants of silk, for merchants of woollens,<\/p>

But Jesus will lie in this household tonight.<\/p>

T\u00e1 an file ag tagairt don n\u00f3s a bh\u00ed beo, i measc Gael, an tr\u00e1th \u00fad, go mb\u00edodh an Teaghlach Naofa ag f\u00e1na\u00edocht timpeall an o\u00edche sin, agus iad ag iarraidh bheith istigh a fh\u00e1il i dteach eic\u00ednt, agus b\u2019in an f\u00e1th a d\u2019fh\u00e1gta\u00ed an doras ar leathadh, coinneall na Nollag ar lasadh, agus \u00e1it socraithe r\u00e9idh d\u00f3ibh ag an mbord, ag s\u00fail go dtiocfaid\u00eds ar chuairt chucu, an o\u00edche bheannaithe sin. F\u00e9ach ar\u00eds mar a chuireann M\u00e1ire Mhac an tSaoi \u00e9, i v\u00e9arsa eile, sa d\u00e1n c\u00e9anna sin…..<\/p>

Leave all the doors wide open before her,<\/p>

The Virgin who\u2019ll come with the child on her breast,<\/p>

Grant that you\u2019ll stop here tonight, Holy Mary,<\/p>

That Jesus a while in this household may rest.<\/p>

There is no doubt in the world, but that the poet managed to understand and express the attitude and beliefs of the common people, in the verses of that beautiful poem, \"O\u00edche Nollag\".<\/p>

A Vigil kept<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

It was not the custom of the people in the west to go overboard that night with food or drink, for they were waiting for the arrival of the Holy Family to visit them. They would have an ordinary supper\u2014potatoes and fish, perhaps, or something of that sort\u2014because they wouldn't have the big Christmas dinner to prepare until the following morning, that is, after Mass. That morning, every priest had the custom of saying three Masses, and because of that, they would start quite early in the morning, at half-past eight perhaps. Those people would be home again around ten o'clock, and then they would start preparing the dinner. Yes, upon my soul, and consider that they didn't have modern cooking appliances at that time\u2014indeed they did not! They had nothing but the three-legged pot-oven and a pot, and they had to work those implements on the open fire. A big difference between yesterday and today! <\/p>

How about toys then?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

What about the boy and girls then?<\/p>

Cuirfidh m\u00e9 geall, nach dt\u00f3gfadh s\u00e9 i bhfad orthu a gcuid f\u00e9ir\u00edn\u00ed Nollag a oscailt, n\u00f3 n\u00ed th\u00f3gfadh s\u00e9 beirt, len iad a lucht\u00fa ar chairt! T\u00e1 m\u00e9 ag caint faoi mo dh\u00faiche fh\u00e9in, thiar in Iorras, i gContae Mhaigh Eo, d\u00e1r nd\u00f3igh, agus n\u00ed bh\u00edodh le f\u00e1il ag na gas\u00fair ach guinn\u00edn, b\u2019fh\u00e9idir, agus gluaiste\u00e1in\u00edn, n\u00f3 a leith\u00e9id, sea, agus glac milse\u00e1n agus tortha\u00ed, leis an stoca a l\u00edonadh. Agus c\u00e9ard faoi na girseacha? Bhuel, de ghn\u00e1th bh\u00edodh b\u00e1b\u00f3ga le f\u00e1il acusan, agus milse\u00e1in agus tortha\u00ed freisin, b\u2019fh\u00e9idir. Chaitheadh muid seal ag s\u00fagradh leis na f\u00e9ir\u00edn\u00ed Nollag sin, agus ansin, th\u00e9adh cuid againn amach ar th\u00f3ir an dreoil\u00edn, n\u00f3 bh\u00edodh muid ag f\u00e1il r\u00e9idh do L\u00e1 an Dreoil\u00edn, n\u00f3 b\u2019in an l\u00e1 i ndiaidh Lae Nollag. Mura n-\u00e9ireodh linn teacht ar dhreoil\u00edn an l\u00e1 sin, agus geallaimse dhuit \u00e9, go mb\u00edodh a fhios ag na dreoil\u00edn\u00ed c\u00e9anna sin go raibh muidinne ar a dt\u00f3ir an l\u00e1 \u00e1irithe sin, n\u00f3 ghlanaid\u00eds leo as \u00e1r mbealach go bre\u00e1 luath an mhaidin sin. Bhuel, mura n-\u00e9ireodh linn teacht ar dhuine acu, s\u00e9ard a dh\u00e9anfadh muid ansin, n\u00f3 fanacht go titim na ho\u00edche, agus ansin, n\u00ed bh\u00edodh s\u00e9 r\u00f3-dheacair teacht ar ghealbhan codlatach sa bhundlaoi, agus dh\u00e9anfadh seisean ch\u00fais d\u00fainn, an l\u00e1 d\u00e1r gcionn, ach gan ligint d\u2019\u00e9inne teacht r\u00f3-ch\u00f3ngarach don \u00e9in\u00edn a bh\u00ed cl\u00fadaithe go maith i gc\u00e1s againn! <\/p>

Memories<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

There is no doubt in the world, but that a flood of memories returns to me, at this time of year, as I go back that distressing, complicated, interesting, memory lane. Here is how I spoke about some of those thoughts, in a poem I composed myself last year:<\/p>

.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

A treasure of accumulated memories<\/p>

In the cupboard of bundled memories,<\/p>

Going out with a Wren, early Mass,<\/p>

Angels and Shepherds visiting<\/p>

.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

Sharing nice things generously,<\/p>

Roasting delicious foods,<\/p>

Christmas treats given with heart,<\/p>

And Jesus\u2019 birthday being celebrated.<\/p>

.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

They Chose a Goose.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

N\u00ed turca\u00ed a bh\u00edodh \u00e1 r\u00f3stadh acu don \u00f3c\u00e1id, an tr\u00e1th \u00fad, n\u00edorbh ea mh\u2019anam, ach g\u00e9. Sea, G\u00e9 bhre\u00e1, phlucach, Gaelach, don Nollaig, agus nach muid a bhaineadh s\u00falach agus toit as an ng\u00e9 bhocht ch\u00e9anna sin, agus ar deireadh thiar, nuair a bh\u00edodh a cn\u00e1mha creimthe go cliste, c\u00faramach, againne, n\u00ed chaithimis na cn\u00e1mha c\u00e9anna uainn go f\u00e1nach, ach oiread, n\u00ed chaitheadh muis! mar is amhlaidh a bh\u00edodh t\u00f3ir an domhain againn ar chn\u00e1mha m\u00f3ra na sciath\u00e1n, n\u00f3 tr\u00edna ngearradh go c\u00faramach, d\u2019fh\u00e9adfadh muid guinn\u00edn\u00ed g\u00e9 a dh\u00e9anamh astu, agus ansin, n\u00ed bh\u00edodh uainn ach moil\u00edn beag adhmaid a raghadh tr\u00ed chro\u00ed na cn\u00e1imhe sin, agus fata, le tos\u00fa ag scaoileadh urchair le chuile dhuine thart ar fud an t\u00ed. Nach againn a bh\u00edodh an sp\u00f3rt! Cuirfidh m\u00e9 geall, go mbainfeadh muid an oiread sp\u00f3irt as na guinn\u00edn\u00ed g\u00e9 c\u00e9anna sin, is a bhaineann gas\u00fair an lae inniu as a gcuid Play Stations agus eile! Sea, m\u00f3r idir inn\u00e9 agus inniu. <\/p>

But to put a fitting end to this week's piece, perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to wish a happy and prosperous Christmas to every one of my readers, and may every one of you be seven times better a year from tonight. And yes, may we be alive at this time again.<\/p>

.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

Birth in the Stable<\/span><\/strong><\/p>

The Christmas season is upon us,<\/p>

And white snowflakes coming down<\/p>

Like a bright, holy, shining cloak,<\/p>

Hiding grime and dirt for us.<\/p>

.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

But inside my heart, with enthusiasm,<\/p>

I will prepare a manger, with effort,<\/p>

and I will clear away the grime of the years<\/p>

From the old stable of my hard soul<\/p>

.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

The Christmas season is upon us,<\/p>

And the holy, Heavenly Infant, coming down<\/p>

Is washing, and saving the Clan of Eve,<\/p>

And hiding sin and trouble for us.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Beithil\u00edn, a Crib; m\u00e1ins\u00e9ar, manger; teach a\u00edochta, an Inn; Teaghlach Naofa, the Holy Family; girseacha, young girls; guinn\u00edn, a little gun; sa bhundlaoi, in the eave of the house; creimthe, picked; c\u00e1l\u00f3ga b\u00e1na, white flakes (of snow) . Nollaig Shona Dhaoibh Uilig Peadar Bair\u00e9ad Happy Christmas All Sea, t\u00e1 an t-am sin den bhliain tagtha […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":13435,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13027","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gan-chatagoir"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mickgb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13027","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mickgb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mickgb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mickgb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mickgb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13027"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mickgb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13027\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13028,"href":"https:\/\/mickgb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13027\/revisions\/13028"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mickgb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13435"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mickgb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13027"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mickgb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13027"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mickgb.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}