An Fear do labhair na Róinte leis /
The Man to whom the Seals spoke
The Man to whom the Seals spoke
Informant: Tomás Mac Conmara
Age: 72
Address: Fisherstreet, Co. Clare
Collector: Seán Mac Mathúna, National Folklore Collection, UCD
Date of Recording: 1930
Reference:
Fisherstreet, Co. Clare, 1962 [Caoimhín Ó Danachair, National Folklore Collection, UCD]
An Fear do labhair na Róinte leis
Insan tseanaimsir bhí an-tóir ar an rón ag na hiascairí a bhí anseo mar gheall ar an mbuaidh a bhí ag a chuid ola chun leigheas do dhéana’ i ngo leor galar. Insan uair sin dhíríodh a lán iascairí cuid dá n-aimsir a chaitheamh ag tóraíocht ar an rón. Insan uair sin bhí fear anseo i Sráid na nIascairí a dheineadh ceird a bheith marú róinte.
Oíche bhreá chuai’ sé féin agus a chomarádaithe isteach i gcurrach agus stad ná cónaí níor dheineadar gur bhaineadar amach uainte Aillte an Mhothair le dhéin na róinte. Do bhí an fharraige breá socair. Chuaigh na fir ar an gcurrach a tharraingt suas ar na clocha. Nuair do bhíodar dá dhéana’ sin cad a bhuail bhuailach anuas ina gcoinne ach rón agus do labhair sé leis an bhfear seo a bhíodh ag marú na róinte, Seán ’ac Searra do b’ainm don fhear.
“An bhfuil aon ghal sa phíop a Sheáin?” a d’fhiafraigh an rón.
Ní miste a rá gur baineadh an t-anam as Seán ’ac Searra agus an-bhuairt do bhí leis. Ritheadar abhaile trí cheithre mhíle sáile. I gceann támall aríst ina dhiaidh sin bhí an fear seo, Sean ’ac Searra ag siúl cois cladaigh amach i lár na hoíche. Cad a bhuailfeadh ar an mbealach roimhe ach rón. Agus do labhair an rón leis:
“Yearra Seán,” a deir an rón, “Tadhg a bhí im lorgsa; an bhfeicfása Diarmuid?”
Níor fhan Seán le níos mó caointe ón rón. Rith sé lena anam, agus níor bhac leis na róinte ó shoin.
The Man to whom the Seals spoke
There was a huge demand for seals from the fishermen in days gone by, because of how good the oil was for creating cures for many illnesses. Many fishermen in those days focused a lot of their time hunting for seals. There was a man here on Fisher Street in those days, and he made a living killing seals.
One lovely night he and his team went in a currach and they didn’t stop or rest until they reached the waves of the Cliffs of Moher, to fetch the seals. The sea was nice and calm. The men went to pull the currach up onto the stones. While they were doing that, what came up to them but a seal and he spoke to the man who would be killing seals, Seán ’ac Searra was the man’s name.
“Is there any smoke in the pipe Seán?” the seal asked.
It goes without saying that that scared the lights out of Seán, and worried him greatly. They hurried home over four miles of sea. A while after that, this man, Seán ’ac Searra, was scavenging on the shore in the middle of the night. What should appear ahead of him but a seal. And the seal spoke to him and he said;
“Yerra Seán,” said the seal, “Tadhg was looking for me; have you seen Diarmuid?”
Seán didn’t stay around to hear any more crying from the seal. He ran for dear life and didn’t bother with the seals again after that.