Muiris Ó Conchobhair was a shipwright in Cork City and also
wrote some Irish manuscripts. Nothing much is known about him but that.
The following two letters occur in a National Library of
Ireland manuscript, G 351 (Catalogue of Irish Manuscripts in the National
Library of Ireland, Fasc VIII, cataloged by Nessa ní Shéaghdha and published by
Dublin Institute in 1984. Two other of his manuscripts survive. This one mostly
contains Central and East Cork poetry of the early 18th century.
I started out keeping to his spelling (adding explanations),
but gradually modernized a little when some forms got confusing.
Two rare 18th century letters in Irish and a charming (I think) glimpse of a man and a time.
“Muna mbeadh go bhfuilid na boithre fluich salach doimhin
do-chshiúbhalta agus na crannaibh (dative plural) agus na cráochaibh ina bhfoilaribh
feoire fiadh-ramhlaidh fásaigh (of wilderness) gan fosga gan fothain (shelter)
agus gan puinn de’n bhfáltas (resorces, ie. money) againn , do bheithmíos
(bheimis, ie. conditional) a tfochuir ( I do fochair: together with you) hoir
seal do’n tsaoírse, gidheadh is leór a fhaid atamaoíd gan tfaicsin (I think it
excessive how long I’ve been without seeing you.), agus an tan (tam) do
dhruidfeadh an ghrian annsa chúrsa sholsmhar the (thé), agus do bheadh na
láthaibh (dative plural) fada geal glé-mhaiseach, an áinla (éanlaithe) glórach
gliúndrach ag cantainn ciúil (genitive of “ceol”) air chrannaibh agus ar
chráochaibh (craobhachaibh), an tan (am) do bheadh libhráe (colours) rógh-shnasda
air na maghaibh (plains) agus air na machairidhibh (machaire, dative plural) go
mor-dhálach agus na féadha (forests) le fórthas ag sgéith a nduileábhair agus a
mbláth, na ród (roads) agus na ráonta (ways) go huile sgriosta sguabhtha gan
súgha (sucking) gan slogadh acht amhuill
(amhail) párlús (parlor) ríoga ró-aluinn,
do ba fhéidir go gcuirfeadhdhís fonn frithir firinneach orainn súil do
thabhairt oruibh a (“in”) i_ gcionn fheil (feile) oirdheirc na blighna .i. an
Chasg.” (D 47)
Letter Two
“A charuid ionmhuin agus a Bharraigh (Vocative of Barrach, ie. surmame de Barra/Barry) uasail oirdheirc onóraigh ghasda Ghlinn binn-bhriatharuig, is uaigneach atuirseach aighmhéilleach atáuid re cian daíir .1. ón uair d’fagbhuis an Chaithirse, Óir (because) níor tharluig (go firinneach) aon do’d shórd liom o shoin I leith (since then), agus bíodh a fhios agad, b=da mba mhian leat troitheach (footman) nó taiddiollóir (fear taisteala) do chur ar feadh Eirionn iaithghlais uille-ánaigh aig iarraidh tuarasghabhala (tuairisc) dhuine bhoicht bhuarthadh ina aigne, gurab gonuig (to) mise do ba inreacht (suitable) do, agas sin uim an abhar reimhraighte. Ach sgeal tairis dúinn go foil (anothrr matter for now), an cuimhin leat gur thárlaógláoch forsda fearamhail fial de chloinn Chiarmhic ort annsan mbaile re a ráightear (with that is said/called) Baile na Martara? Is cuimhin gan ámhras. Agus bíodh a mhairg dhuit no ataimse meallta (and you’re worse for it if I’m not mistaken), nar gheallais (didn’t you promise) go humhal-chraoídheadh uait féin do, go ndeanfadh feartlaoi (memorial poem to the dead) , mairbhne (formal lament poem), nó niígh égin da shord, da mhnaá agus da bhánchele insan am chéadna: is fíor gur gheallais agus nár chómhlíonais (didn’t fulfill). Ar an abhar sin, bí go róaireach (very careful) ar do choímead féin air (blank space_ agus go deimin, ní fa (faoi) aoinníh dá raibh eadraibh roimhesi (before), acht amháin fá (faoi; concerning) gan tusa do chimh lionnadh na geallta thuas, ó, a dhuine, is truagh mar rugadh thú (Alas you were born. Ie. You’re in trouble!), acht ní miste a nduramar, má geibhum anois (incomphrhensible word) é. (But all that I said is no harm/worry, if we get it now). Biadham (let us be) sídhach , búidheachas do Dhia, is grod an tsíochain (peace will soon be here) agus (another unreadable word) tré chónghamh do dheabhfhótuidhe (servant) bith-dhíleas go bas .i Muiris Camshrónach Ua Conchubhair, December 19th 1764.” (D 45-46).
There you are.
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