An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Deo-gréine > Volume 16, October 1920-September 1921

148
AN DEO-GREINE.
(“Yee-aglaun”) instead of Diaglan (“Dee-
aglaun”).
In a western seaboard district there were
so many Padraig O D s on the school-
roll that they had to be distinguished
through the name-history of the family, one
I remember being: Padraig Dhonnacha
Phadraig Sheumais mhoir 0 D
(“Padraig (son) of Donnacha of Padraig of
Seumas (the great) 0 D.”). Surely a proof
of the Frenchman’s tribute : —
“Ireland is the only country in modem
Europe where the poorest man can trace his
ancestry. ’ ’—Renan.
FROM HINDOO TO HOMESPUN.
The Hindoo custom of having two
“initial” names is governed by the same
idea—the second name being always the
paternal one, I understand (as informed
some fifteen years ago by a Mahratti
gentleman, a Mr. Gokhali).
Young Irish women who have dropped into
the English form of having a long name:
“Ethel Muriel Margarite” (usually
shortened to “Babs” or “Cissie” during
schooldays—and long after!) will, of course,
disapprove of the Irish single name form;
but if the nation is to re-climb to first
principles and accept the language as the
only reliable national bulwark, the Etiquette
of the language must be accepted as an
integral and unalterable fact, being “all in
the piece,” like the woof of a Tir Connaill
homespun.
A mhic a bhodachain lachduinn,
A bun Lochabar nan craobh,
Cleas a’ chait a dh’61 an t-uachdar,
Theid a’ chluas thoirt dhlot mu’n mhaoil.
0
C’arson a bhithinn mar chroman-16in,
A’ tional loin air bharr gach pris?
C’arson nach caithinn-sa an saoghal,
’S gur cinnt gun caith an saoghal mis ?
0
Mfeirle salainn ’s meirle frois,
Meirl’ o nach faigh anam clos;
Gus an teid an t-iasg air tir,
Chan fhaigh mkirleach an tir clos.
FAS GNIOMHACHAIS NA
GAIDHEALTACHD.
LE EACHANN MAC DHUGHAILL, GLASCHU.
(Choisinn seo a’ cheud duals aig M6d an
Obain, 1920.)
Air do choigreach a rathad a ghabhail mu
thuath troimh Albainn, is e aon ni a bheir e
an aire dha, mar a dh’fhkgas e a’ mhachair
Ghallda as a dh&dh, gur ann is tearca comh-
araidhean gnlomhachais a’ fks, agus anns an
tomhas cheudna gur ann as tearca an sluagh.
Cha’n fhaod e, ged tha, so a ghabhail mar
chomharadh no mar thomhas air n&dur no
oidhearpas an t-sluaigh an dk leth na
duthcha idir; ma ni e sin, tha e a’ deanamh
mearachd mh6r. Siubhladh e muilltean,
gkrraidhean-togail, is ceird-bhiithan an
taobh deas is chi e gu’m bheil clann na
h-kirde tuath ri gualainn an co-bhrkithrean
bho’n deas air gach b6rd, a’ cheart cho
oidhirpeach, a’ cheart cho innleachdach is a’
cheart cho teoma gu gnlomhachas.
Ciod mar sin is coireach nach deach gach
uile sheorsa oibreach air am bheil sinn cho
eolach mu dheas a chur air aghaidh mu
thuath? Tha a’ cheist sin fiirasda gu leoir
a freagairt, agus ni aon fhacal e. Gual, is e
sin am facal, agus is ann air Galldachd a
mhain a tha gual na h-Albann, faodar a
radh, uile gu Idir ri fhaotainn. Chuige so
bha gach uile ghnlomhachas an earbsa is an
crochadh ri gual, is tha e furasda gu leoir
fhaicinn nach biodh m6ran toinnisg anns an
fhear a thogadh a mhuileann air astar ana-
cuimseach bho’n toll-ghual: dh’fheumadh
ni-eigin eile bhi gu m6r gu a bhuannachd
mu’n deanadh se e. “Nuair a theirigeas
gual sguiridh obair, ” tha an sean-fhacal ag
rkdh, is anns an dbigh cheudna dh’fhaodt-
eadh a rkdh far am fadghear gual gu’n
tbisich obair.
Ach pailt ’gam bheil an gual an taobh
deas Albann, no air st>n na cuid sin dhe ann
an ceam air bith de’n t-saoghal, cha’n eil an
teagamh as lugha nach tig an la anns an
teirig e: agus cha’n ann an latha a
theirigeas e is cbir a bhi a’ sealltainn a mach
gu cumhachd eile fhaotainn a ghabhas
’kite. Cha mhb is e sin a thathas a’
deanamh.
Tha ceannardan-gnlomhachais an diugh
a’ sealltainn chuca is bhuapa. Tha dk
chumhachd gnlomhachais aca air bhrath
cheana is tha iad ’g an cur am feum; agus
tha an treasa aon aca fo’n amharc. Is e
a’ cheud aon dhiubh so ola. Tha an cumh¬
achd so gu sbnraichte air a chur gu feum
Is cruaidh an cnoc air nach criomadh e.