Cuirt an Mheán Oíche—The Midnight Court
le/by
Brian Merriman

 

Foclóir

Cuid a hAon: An Brollach

Siúlann an file amach leis féin maidin shamhraidh agus castar spéirbhean uafásach air. Sracann sí ina diaidh é tríd an lathach go dtí Cnoc Mhánmhaí áit a bhfuil cúirt á stiúradh ag Aoibheal, ríon álainn na sí.

Glossary

Part One: The Prologue

The poet sets out alone on a summer morning and encounters a fearsome vision woman. She drags him through the mud to Monmoy Hill where a court is sitting presided over by Aoibheal, a beautiful fairy queen.

 

Ba ghnáth mé ar siúl le ciumhais na habhann

1

Twas my custom to stroll with the river in view

Ar bháinseach úr is an drúcht go trom,

2

Through the fresh meadows covered with dew,

In aice na gcoillte i gcoim an tsléibhe

3

By the edge of the woods on the wild mountain-side

Gan mhairg gan mhoill ar shoilseadh an lae.

4

At the dawn of the day I’d cheerfully stride.

Do ghealadh mo chroí nuair chínn Loch Gréine,

5

My heart would brighten Loch Graney to spy,

An talamh, an tír, is íor na spéire

6

And the country around it, to the edge of the sky.

Ba thaitneamhach aoibhinn suíomh na sléibhte

7

The serried mountains were a delight to the beholder

Ag bagairt a gcinn thar dhroim a chéile.

8

Thrusting their heads over each other’s shoulder.

Ghealfadh an croí bheadh críon le cianta—

9

’Twould lighten the heart wizened with years—

Caite gan bhrí nó líonta le pianta—

10

Triflingly spent or drenched with tears—

An séithleach searbh gan sealbh gan saibhreas

11

Of the bitter outcast without wealth or goods

D’fhéachfadh tamall thar bharra na gcoillte

12

To catch a glimpse o’er the top of the woods:

Ar lachain ina scuain ar chuan gan cheo,

13

Of the ducks paddling by in the pellucid bay,

An eala ar a bhfuaid is í ag gluaiseacht leo,

14

Escorting the swan on her stately way,

Na héisc le meidhir ag éirí anairde

15

Of the fish in joyous arching flight

Péirse i radharc go taibhseach tarrbhreac,

16

Of the perch, a speckled spritely sight,

Dath an locha agus gorm na dtonn

17

Of the blue surging swell on the tinted lake

Ag teacht go tolgach torannach trom,

18

Crashing ashore with a thunderous quake,

Bhíodh éanlaith i gcrann go meidhreach mómhar,

19

Of the birds in the trees merrily singing,

Léimneach eilte i gcoillte im chóngar,

20

While the deer through the woods are nimbly springing,

Géimneach adharc is radharc ar shlóite,

21

To see the huntsmen with bugles blaring,

Tréanrith gadhar is Reynard rompu.

22

As after Reynard the hounds are tearing

 

Ar maidin inné bhí an spéir gan cheo,

23

Yesterday morning, no clouds in the sky,

Bhí Cancer, ón ngréin, ina caortha teo

24

Presaged another hot day in July;

Is í gafa chun saothair tar éis na hoíche

25

Up came the sun after a rest for the night,

Is obair an lae sin roimpi sínte.

26

To her day’s work, making all nature bright.

Bhí duilliúr craobh ar ghéaga im thimpeall,

27

With treeleaves rustling overhead

Feorainn is féar ina slaoda taobh liom,

28

And grass and ferns before me spread,

Glasra fáis is bláth is luibheannna

29

The expanse of flowers would cheer the soul

Scaipfeadh le fán dá chráiteacht smaointe.

30

And lighten thoughts however dole.

Do bhí mé cortha is an codladh dom thraochadh,

31

Totally fagged and dying to sleep,

Do shín mé tharam ar cothrom sa bhféar ghlas

32

I lay down where the grass was deep

In aice na gcrann i dteannta trínse,

33

Beside a rill, with trees about

Taca lem cheann is mo hanlaí sínte.

34

A support for my head and my feet stretched out.

Ar cheangal mo shúl go dlúth le chéile,

35

On shutting my eyes to go to sleep,

Greamaithe dúnta i ndúghlas néalta,

36

Locking them tight in slumber deep,

Is m’aghaidh agam folaithe ar chuileanna go sásta

37

My face protected from the flies,

I dtaidhbhreamh d’fhulaing mé an cuilithe cráite

38

A dream caused me to agonize

Do chorraigh do lom do pholl go hae mé

39

To shake, to chafe my psyche deep

Im chodladh go trom gan mheabhair gan éirim.

40

In my senseless, helpless sleep.

 

Ba ghairid mo shuan nuair chuala, shíl mé,

41

Short was my sleep when I heard, thought I,

An talamh máguaird ar luascadh im thimpeall

42

A violent quaking of the ground nearby

Anfa aduaidh is fuadach fíochmhar

43

A storm from the north violently brewing

Is caladh an chuain ag tuargain tinte;

44

And fire from the harbour luridly spewing;

Siolla de mo shúil dar shamhlaíos uaim

45

In my mind’s eye, a quick survey

Chonnaic mé chugam le ciumhas an chuain

46

Revealed towards me by the bay

An mhásach bholgach tholgach thaibhseach

47

A violent, bulging, big-assed crone

Chnámhach cholgach ghairgeach ghaibhdeach;

48

Her huge bulk hinting at testosterone;

A hairde ceart, má mheas me díreach,

49

Her stature, if I reckoned right,

Sé nó seacht do shlata is fuílleach,

50

Was six or seven yards in height

Péirse beacht dá brat ag sraoilleadh

51

She dragged her cloak for yards behind her

Léi sa tslab le drab is draoibeal.

52

Through the mud and mire and squalor.

Ba mhór ba mhéadhair ba fiáin le féachaint

53

’Twas mighty, majestic, wild and horrid

Suas ina héadan créachtach creimeach,

54

To gaze upon her blemished forehead;

Ba anfa ceantair, scanradh saolta,

55

The rictus of her gummy grin

A draid is a drandal mantach méirscreach.

56

Would make you jump out of your skin.

A rí gach má! ba láidir líofa

57

God almighty! In her huge claw

A bíoma láimhe is lánstaf inti

58

Was the biggest staff you ever saw

Comhartha práis ina bharr ar spíce

59

A brass plaque at its spike defined

Is cumhachta báille in airde air scríofa.

60

The bailiff’s powers to her assigned.

 

Adúirt go dorrga d’fhocla dána:—

61

In a gruff voice these words she spoke:

Múscail! Corraigh! a chodlataigh ghránna;

62

Up! Shake a leg! ya sleepy yoke;

Is dubhach do shlí bheith sínte i do shliasta

63

Shame on you, to be stretched out here

Is cúirt ina suí is na mílte ag triall ann;

64

With court convened and crowds drawing near.

Ní cúirt gan acht gan reacht gan riail

65

It’s not a court without rule or code.

Ná cúirt na gcreach mar chleacht tú riamh

66

Nor a marauding court in your usual mode

An chúirt seo ghluais ó shluaite séimhe—

67

This court is built on a civilized base—

Cúirt na dtrua na mbua is na mbéithe.

68

The court of the weak with a female face.

Is mór le maíomh ar shíolra Éibhir

69

It’s indeed a great boast for Ireland’s seed

Uaisle sí mar shuíodar d’aonghuth

70

That to sit in court the fairy lords agreed

Dhá lá is oíche ar bhinn an tsléibhe

71

For two days and a night holding forth

I bpálás bhuionmhar Bhruíon Mhá Gréine.

72

On top of the mount, in Moy Graney fort.

Is daingean do ghoill sé ar shoilse an rí

73

Intense is the grief of the spectral lord,

Is ar mhaithe a theaghlaigh thaibhsigh sí,

74

Of his spritely household’s noble horde

Is ar uimhir na buíne bhí ina ndáil

75

And all of the others assembled there

Mar d’imigh gach díth ar chríocha Fáil—

76

At the scale of Ireland’s disrepair—

Gan sealbh gan saoirse ag síolrach seanda,

77

The ancient race without wealth or liberty

Ceannas a ndlí ná cíos ná ceannfoirt,

78

No tributes, leaders nor legal autonomy

Scriosadh an tír is níl ina ndiaidh

79

The rape of the land with naught in its train,

In ionad na luibheanna ach flíoch is fiaile;

80

In place of the crops, a weed-rank terrain;

An uaisle b’fhearr chun fáin mar leaghadar

81

The nobles languish in a foreign land

Is uachtar láimhe ag fáslaigh shaibhre,

82

While the jumped-up rich get the upper hand,

Ag fealladh le fonn is foghail gan féachaint

83

In betrayal ardent, in plunder greedy

D’fheannadh na lobhar is an lom dá léirscrios.

84

Flaying the sick, despoiling the needy.

Is dochrach dubhach mar dhíogha gach daoirse

85

It is blackly baneful and sticks in the craw

Doilbhe dúr i ndúbhcheilt dlíthe

86

That, in darkest despair over the absence of law,

An fann gan feidhm ná faghaidh ó éinne

87

There’s nothing from no one for the purposeless weak

Ach clampar doimhin is luí chun léirscrios,

88

But a depredacious future that is hopelessly bleak,

Falsacht fear dlí is fachtnaí ardnirt,

89

The knavery of lawyers, tyranny on high

Cam is calaois faillí is fabhar,

90

Injustice, fraud and neglect apply

Scamall an dlí agus fíordhath fannchirt,

91

The law is clouded, the scales awry,

Dalladh le bríb, le fee is le falsacht.

92

With all the pull that bribes can buy.

 

Farradh gach fíor, is fuíoll níor fágadh,

93

Along with the rest—and all was debated—

Dearbhadh díble ar Bhíobla an lá san

94

An indictment was entered and that day dated,

Cúis dar ndóigh ná geobhaidh tú saor tríd,—

95

A charge that you cannot easily refute:

Cnú na hóige dá feo le faolras

96

The wizening celibacy among your youth,

Is easnamh daoine suite ar Éire—

97

The consequent lack of people in Ireland

Do mheath led chuimhne an síolrach daonna;

98

And the decline in population on this island;

Is folamh is is tráite fágadh tíortha,

99

The land left empty and in decline

An cogadh is an bás gan spás dá ndíogadh,

100

Wrecked by war, by death and rapine

Uabhar na ríthe is ar imigh thar sáile

101

The kings with gumption who have gone overseas

Nuair ná deineann sibh tuilleadh ina n-áit díobh.

102

Have not been replaced by new inductees.

Is náir d’bhur n-iomad gan siorrach gan síolrach

103

Your race without young ones is sad to see

Is mná ina muirear ar muir is ar tíortha,

104

With women burdening the land and the sea,

Connsaí chorpartha is borracaí óga,

105

Once buxom maids and lasses fresh

Is bonsaí bhrothallach fola agus feola,

106

With boiling blood and sultry flesh

Lóistigh liosta agus leigithí shásta

107

Are now lethargic, relicts debased

Is mórgaigh shioscaithe d’imigh i bhásta;

108

Once trim girls are gone in the waist;

Is trua gan toircheas stollairí den tsort seo,

109

’Tis a pity that these are without fruit of the womb

Is trua gan tórmach brollaigh is bóta iad,

110

Without swelling breasts and bellies in bloom.

Is minic iad ullamh an focal dá bhfaighidís

111

They just look for the word, please don’t wait

Ag titim dá mogaill is molaimse a bhfoighne.

112

Until they are past their sell-by date.

 

Is é cinneadh le saoithe i gcríoch na comhairle

113

The solons decided after deliberation long

In ionad na daoirse d’insint dóibh sin:—

114

Not to try the case before the fairy throng:

Duine den bhuíon seo, líon a gcumhachta,

115

But to appoint a plenipotent magistrate

Ar thitim don dísle, suíomh i bhFóla.

116

Who could, with the people, mediate.

 

Tairgeann Aoibheal croí gan chlaoin-bheart,

117

There was an offer from Aoibheal, with a heart so clean

Cara na Muimhneach, sí-bhean Léithchraig,

118

Munstermen’s friend and Craglea’s queen

Scaradh le saoithe sí na slua seo

119

To the assembled council to bid farewell

Scaitheamh do scaoileadh daoirse i dTuamhumhain.

120

And in the land of Thomond to bide a spell.

Gheall an mhíonla chaoinis chóir seo

121

This gentle upright lady swore

Falsacht dlí do chloí go cumhachtach,

122

To rip out bad laws by their core

Seasamh i dteannta fann is faonlag

123

To stand steadfast beside the poor and weak

Is caithfidh an teann bheith ceansa tláith libh,

124

So the mighty will have to cherish the meek.

Caithfidh an neart gan cheart seo stríocadh

125

The powerful desist from inflicting wrongs

Is caithfidh an ceart ina cheart bheith suite;

126

And justice enthroned where it belongs:

Geallaimse anois nach clis ná cumhachta,

127

I promise now that no power nor lure,

Cairdeas Miss ná Pimp ina comhalta

128

Nor the blandishments of pimp or whore

Shiúlfas tríd an dlí seo de ghnáth

129

Will undermine the dispensation

Is a gcúirt ina suí ag an síolrach neamhdha;

130

Of this tribunal for its duration;

Tá an chúirt seo seasmhach feasta sa bhFiacail,

131

The village of Feakle is where the court is sitting

Siúilse, is freagair í, caithfidh tú triall ann

132

Go and attend it—you’ve got to get cracking

Siúil gan tafann go tapa ar do phriacal,

133

Go quietly or at your peril dire

Siúil! nó stracfad sa lathaigh im dhiaidh thú!”

134

I’ll drag you there through the muck and mire.

Do bhuail sí crúca im chúl san chába

135

With her crook she grabbed the hood of my cape

Is ghluais chun siúil go lúbach láidir,

136

And off she dragged me with no escape

Sciob léi síos mé trí na gleannta,

137

Down through the valleys I was propelled

Cnoc Mhánmhaí is go binn an teampaill.

138

To Moinmoy Hill church where the court was held.

 

Deireadh leis an mBrollach

End of the Prologue

Ar Aghaidh go Cuid a Dó

On To Part Two

Fill ar ais ar Chlár Chinn na Cúirte/ Return to the Midnight Court Main Page