Tuesday, March 11, 2008


Scríobh Pól Ó Muirí faoí "Thar Sáile"

Chuir Ciara orm post nua le Pól Ó Muirí, "Thar Sáile." Deir sé faoí go bhfuil muid ag mairigh thar lear agus ag foghlaim Gaeilge. Chuir iontas air.

Bhí sé ag scríofa leabhair éagsúla. Cheannaigh mé dhá úrscéal don fhoglaimeoir fásta, "Paloma" agus "Dlíthe an Nádúir." Insíonn an drom ar na leabhair seo orainn: "Is é eagathóir Gaeilge an Irish Times é Pól Ó Muirí." Measaim go raibh an triu faoi Paloma Pettigrew faoi lathair, an ban-garda, an cigire. Tá sí ag cónai faoin tuaith, ach níl sí sásta! Déannann rudaí dífrúil agus go dona a bhuaileann uirthi. Ní faigheann sísean féin siochain.

Tá sé ag seoladh altannaí ar an "El Blogador" (le duine eile) faoi polaitiocht na tíre agus leasaitheoireacht sóisialta na hÉireann. Tá an dream na Yahoo "Úrscéalta." Bhí sé ag obríos ag aistriú as Béarla an chéad scéal Mhuíreadh anuraidh. Nuair bhí mé ag imeacht go Ghleann Cholm Cille an samhraidh seo caite ina hOideas Gael, d'fhan le Brian, agus eile, in aice leis an scoil go "An Teach Mór." Tá sé ag tógáil an leagan Béarla na leabhair i nGaeilge shimplí-- bhuel, tá siad furasta dó séisean féin!

Rugadh é agus tógadh é Londáin ann. Anois, tá sé i gcónaí i Bergen. Tá sé cathair na Ioruaidh. Labhair Brian an teanga Ioruais. Tá sé bean a tí agam; tá sí Ioruchaigh freisin. Tá sé cliste. Tuigeann sé Gaeilge go maith. Sílím go bhfuil ag foghlaim ar feadh trí nó a ceithre de bhlianta. Déanfaidh Brian ag fáil scrudái go ard as Foras na Gaeilge. Tá sé duine dea-shamplach leis mac léinn is cosuil sin ag plé Pól Ó Muirí. Maith thú, a Bhrian! Is cuimhne liom go raibh maith leis "Paloma" go mór!

Pól Ó Muirí writes about (Learning) Irish Abroad

Carrie sent me a new post by Pól Ó Muirí, "[Irish] Abroad." He talks about those of us who are living overseas and studying Irish. He wonders why.

He's a writer of various books. I bought two of his novellas for adult learners, "Paloma" and "The Law of Nature." The back of these books tells us: "Pól Ó Muirí's Irish-language editor for the Irish Times." I reckon there's a third book recently about Paloma Pettigrew, the policewoman, the detective. She's living in the countryside, but she's not happy! There's different things going on badly to knock her about. She can find no peace for herself.

He sends articles to "El Blogador," (with others) about national politics and social reform in Ireland. There's a Yahoo group, "Úrscéalta." They worked on translating into English the first Ó Muirí story last year. When I went off to Glencolmcille last summer at Oideas Gael, I stayed with Brian and others in "The Big House" next to the school. He's building up translations into English from the books in simple Irish-- well, they're easy for him!

He was born and raised in London. Now, he's living in Bergen. It's a city in Norway. Brian speaks the Norwegian language. He has a wife; she's Norwegian too. He's smart. He understands Irish well. I think he's been learning for the space of three or four years. He's getting ready to take the advanced examinations from the Irish-language agency. He's a prime example of a student like Pól Ó Muirí discusses. Good for you, Brian! He liked "Paloma" a lot, I remember.

Irish Abroad

No comments: