Turas Siar 367 - Donncha Ó Gallchobhair (R.I.P.) as an gCorrán i bparóiste Acla faoi agallamh ag Seán Ó Tuairisc, RnaG.

Iar-Aire Rialtais ag caint

Former Government Minister speaking.

Le Seán Ó Tuairisc

By Seán Ó Tuairisc.

As an gCorrán Acaill do Dhonncha Ó Gallchóir, múinteoir náisiúnta a sheas de Chlann na Poblachta i Maigh Eo sa mbliain naoi déag caoga ceathair.

From Achill Sound to Donncha Ó Gallchóir, a national teacher who stood for Clann na Poblachta in Mayo in the year nineteen fifty-four.

Sheas sé d'Fhianna Fáil i naoi déag seasca naoi agus arís i seachtó trí nuair a toghadh é agus bhí sé ina bhall den Chomhairle Contae ar feadh na mblianta agus freisin do na lán coistí Dála.

He stood for Fianna Fáil in 1969 and again in 1973 when he was elected, and he was a member of the County Council for many years and also for many Dáil committees.

Bhí sé ina Aire Stáit agus ina Aire Rialtais go deimhin, Aire na Gaeltachta ó naoi déag seachtó seacht go dtí seachtó naoi agus tá aithne mhór ar Dhonncha san iarthar agus go deimhin ar fud na tíre ar fad.

He was a Minister of State and indeed a Government Minister, Minister for the Gaeltacht from nineteen seventy-seven to seventy-nine, and Donncha is well known in the west and indeed throughout the whole country.

Tá a chroí sa anam i gCumann Lúthchleas Gael, go háirithe foireann peile Mhaigh Eo.

His heart and soul are in the Gaelic Athletic Association, especially the Mayo football team.

Chaith mise seal ag caint is ag comhrá le Donncha thíos in Acaill ar an gCorrán.

I spent a while talking and chatting with Donncha down in Achill on the Currane.

Corrán féin baile iontach deas a bhí ann.

Corrán itself was a really nice town.

Bhí cuid mhaith ag tarlú ann, mar a déarfá, bhí pobal ann a bhí bríomhar.

There was a lot happening there, as you might say, there was a community there that was lively.

Cuireann muid i gcás rud a bhfuil go leor cainte anois air 'Sin fáilte roimh buailte i dteach na scoile mar a déarfá.

We suppose something that is much talked about now, 'That is a welcome received in the schoolhouse, as you might say.'

Bhí fiosrúchán an-mhór i naoi déag tríocha sé a thug na tuismitheoirí na múinteoirí scoile.

There was a very big inquiry in 1936 that the parents gave to the school teachers.

Bhoil, bhí fiosrúchán ag an Roinn Oideachais, mar a déarfá, bhí sé sa scoil féin agus

Well, there was an investigation by the Department of Education, as you’d say, it was in the school itself and.

Bhoil rud é sin a tharlódh sa lá atá inniu ann ach bhí bhí pobal bríomhar

Well, that is something that would happen nowadays but there was a vibrant community.

A raibh fonn orthu cur ar a son féin ar an Chorrán ag an am sin agus ar ndóigh bhí na páistí ann chomh maith, bhí thart ar ocht scór ag dul ag an scoil ar an Chorrán ag an am sin agus ansin bhíodh siad ag iascaireacht, bhíoltaí acu, bhí thart ar deich gcinn de ghealltaí agus bhíodh siad sin ag iascaireacht i gcaitheamh na bliana san earrach, bheadh siad ag iascaireacht spléir, ag iascaireacht troisc leathú agus a leithéide sin ansin Lá Fhéile Pádraig, bheadh na troisc sceite agus bheadh siad ag iascaireacht foitíní agus cadógaí agus ina dhiaidh sin ronnaíos mangaí i ndeireadh na bliana ansin bhíodh siad ag iascaireacht scadáin agus cé gur báid bheaga a bhí iontu agus nach raibh an halla ceart acu in áit ar bith le ceart le teacht i dtír.

Those who wanted to sow for themselves on the Corrán at that time, and of course the children were there as well, there were about one hundred and sixty going to school on the Corrán at that time, and then they would be fishing, they had boats, there were about ten boats and they would be fishing throughout the year, in the spring they would be fishing for sprat, fishing for cod, flounder and the like, then on St. Patrick’s Day, the cod would have spawned and they would be fishing for whiting and haddock and after that some skate at the end of the year, then they would be fishing for herring, and although they were small boats and they didn’t have the proper hall anywhere to land properly...

Bhí siad ar siúl leo an t-am uilig go léir agus duine ar bith a raibh áit i mbád ag an am, mar adeir siad, mar adeir siad féin.

They were always on the move all the time and anyone who had a place in a boat at the time, as they say, as they themselves say...