Scéal Charraig na Rón i gCinn Mhara /
The Story of Seals’ Rock in Kinvarra
The Story of Seals’ Rock in Kinvarra
Informant: Val Ó Donnchadha
Age: 35
Address: An Bhanrach Ard, Cill Chiaráin, Co. Galway
Collector: Liam Mac Coisdealbha, National Folklore Collection, UCD
Date of Recording: 04/11/1942
Reference:
NFC 867:100-102
Currachs, Inis Meáin [Tomás Ó Muircheartaigh, National Folklore Collection, UCD]
Scéal Charraig na Rón i gCinn Mhara
Tá carraig i gcuan Chinn Mhara a dtugann siad Carraig na Rón uirthi. Tá sí tuairim is míle amach ón tala’. Ach bhí fear ina chónaí i gCinn Mhara agus ba dh’é é a cheird ag imeacht ag marú róinte. Trathnóna breá ansin le titim na hoíche thug sé leis a ghunna agus d’orda’ sé dhá chlann é a fhágáil istigh ar an gcarraig, ach gan aon dearmad a dhéana’ air a thíocht dhá thóigeáil roimh a thaoille tuile. Nuair a tháinig siad slán i dtír théis é a fhágáil istigh ar an gcarraig, bhailíodar leothu ag cuartaíocht nó ag imirt cártaí agus níor chuímhníodar ar a n-athair ní ba mhó.
Chaith sé píosa mór don oíche ag faire agus ní fhaca sé aon rón a’ thíocht nó cosúlacht ar bith leis. Thosa’ an taoille tuile ag ardú, ach ar ball bhí sé go barr na carraige. Ní fhaca sé aon chosúlacht leis an gclann ag tíocht dhá thóigeáil. Ach nuair a chonaic sé an taoille ag tíocht ina thimpeall thosa’ sé ag blaoch agus ag béiceach.
“Ó, Dia dhá réiteach!” a deir sé. “Tá mé báite!”
Is bhí an t-uisce a dhul isteach ina bhróga an uair sin. Chuir mín mór liath a chloigeann aníos le taobh na carriage.
“Tá tú báite,” a deir sé, “agus is beag an scéal thú! Ach má gheallann tú domhsa,” a deir sé, “nach gcaithfidh tú aon urchar liom féin ná le héinne dho mo mhuíntir, sábháilfidh mé t’anam anocht dhuit,” a deir sé, “agus béarfaidh mé slán i dtír thú.”
“Geallaimse,” a deir sé, “dho Dhia agus dhon Mhaidin Mhuire nach dtíce [nach dtóigfidh] mé mo ghunna le haon urchar a chaithe’ le haon rón aríst go brách.”
“Tá go maith,” a deir an rón, agus bhuail sé aníos ar a’ gcarraig. “Buail aniar ar mo dhroim anois,” a deir sé, “agus coinni’ greim mhaith chrua!”
Fuair sé greim mhaith chrua ansin air agus amach leis sa gcuan ag snámh, agus ní mórán achair go raibh lán a chosa dhon tala’ aige. Nuair a thug sé i dtír ansin é;
“Téiri’ abhaile anois,” a deir sé, “agus ná téiri’ san aistear sin aríst choíchin.”
Ghabh sé abhaile agus é buíoch go leor do Dhia. Agus níor chaith sé aon urchar as aon ghunna le rón ná le rud ar bith eile aríst fad is bhí sé beo.
The Story of Seals’ Rock in Kinvarra
There is a rock in Kinvarra Harbour they call Seals’ Rock. It’s about a mile out from land. But a man was living in Kinvarra and his trade was killing seals. One fine evening as night was falling he took his gun and ordered his children to leave him out on the rock, but not to forget to come and collect him before the tide flooded it. When they came ashore after leaving him on the rock, they went off visiting or playing cards and they didn’t think anymore of the father after that.
He spent most of the evening looking and he saw no seal or anything else come up. The tide rose and he had to go to the very top of the rock. He didn’t see his children coming to get him. But when he saw the tide surrounding him he started calling and shouting.
“God save us!” he said. “I’ll drown!”
The water was going into his shoes by that time. Something smooth, large and grey popped up its head next to the rock.
“You’ll drown,” he said, “and you’ve brought it on yourself! But if you promise me,” he said, “that you won’t shoot me or any of my kin, I’ll save your soul for you tonight,” he said, “and I’ll take you safely ashore.”
“I promise,” he said, “to God and the Virgin Mary, that I will never again take my gun to shoot any seal.”
“Good,” said the seal, and he came up onto the rock. “Get up on my back now,” he said, “and keep a good strong grip!”
He got a good strong grip on him and out he went swimming into the harbour, and it wasn’t long before he had his feet on land again. When he’d taken him ashore, he said;
“Go home now, and don’t ever go on that journey again.”
He went home and he was very grateful to God. And he never again shot a seal or anything else as long as he lived.