Dictionary Entry

Ba mhór i gceist fadó nuair a thagadh an tráth seo bliana daoine a bheith súil le litir nó cárta as Meiriceá agus níl mé ag caint ar an gcineál cárta a chuireanns Michael Ring Ring amach ach an oiread ar ndóigh bhí dhroiméad ar dhaoine litir a fháil as na ag aon am litir a d'inseodh go raibh an dream thall ina sláinte agus go raibh ag éirí go maith leo sa saol ach an tráth seo bliana bhítí ag súil go mb'fhéidir go mbeadh rud beag breise sa litir b'fhéidir cúpla nóta dollar b'fhéidir nó chúig dollar nó b'fhéidir scór scór dollar nó má bhí ag éirí go maith leis an dream thall b'fhéidir go mbeadh fiú amháin céad dollar istigh sa litir nó istigh sa gcárta bhí sé faoi na rudaí sin atá muid ag dul ag caint le Pádraic Ó Murchú ar maidin mar tá Pádraic air, rud a theastaigh an t-am sin agus tá sé cinnte ar aonduine eile a fháil amach amach a bhfuil aoibhne acu air.

It used to be a big deal long ago when this time of year came around for people to be expecting a letter or a card from America, and I’m not talking about the kind of card that Michael Ring sends out either, of course. People were always hoping to get a letter from over there at any time—a letter that would say the folks over there were in good health and that things were going well for them in life. But at this time of year, people would be hoping that maybe there would be a little extra in the letter—maybe a couple of dollar notes, maybe five dollars, or maybe even twenty dollars, or if things were going really well for the people over there, maybe even a hundred dollars in the letter or in the card. That’s what we’re going to be talking to Pádraic Ó Murchú about this morning, because Pádraic has it—something that was needed at that time, and he’s sure someone else has found out about it and enjoys it too.