Transcribing: Pádraic Thomáis Ó Raghallaigh i dTenerife

. . .ní ar laethanta saoire, a déarfainn, atá se ann.
Is é an t-ainm anois atá ar an bhfear seo ná Padraic, Phádraic Thomáis Ó Raghallaigh,
agus tá sé i Tenerife na laethanta seo.
Céad fáilte romhat, a Phádraic.
Go raibh maith agat a Mháirtín.
Cén chaoi an bhfuil tú?
Tá me go maith, mh'anam.
Cén chaoi an bhfuil tú féin? An-amhrán! Tá mé théis an t-amhrán sin a chloisteáil. Bhí sé go hálainn.
Tá.. Darach Ó Cathain... Is maith leat Amhrán An Tae?
Is breá liom é.
Uaitse a chuala mé sa gcéad uair é, an ceann sin.
Ab ea?
Sin Darach Ó Cathain, as . . . fear Rath Cairn?
Fear Rath Cairn, ar mh'anam, is ea.
Á, bhí sé thar cionn, nach raibh? Ach oiread leat féin.
Nach breá an Gaeilgeoir, bail ó Dhia air, atá thall i Tenerife?
Cen ait i gContae Maigh Eo ar ais a dhuit?
Is as Cathair Na Mart mé.
Muise ab ea?
Agus nuair a chuir tú an teachtearacht anall anseo againn, bhí tú i gCarna, agus bhí tú thiar ag an siamsa, agus bhí tú thiar ag an. . . ag ceol agus amhráin a bhí thiar i gCarna.
Bhí, ar ndóigh, agus chomh maith leis. . . is ea, bhí cupla siamsa acu i gCarna chuile. . . bhoil, chuile bhliain, agus bhí mé ansin
sin í an áit ar casadh orm Dara Bán, blianta ó shin, beannacht Dé lena anam.
Agus ar ndóigh bhí mé ag an bhféile a rinne tú féin, a chuir tú féin i láthair -
Féile Choilm De Bhailís.
Bhí mé ag go leor acu na laethanta sin.
Blianta ó shin, ar ndóigh.
'Bhfuil tú fhad thall anois i Tenerife, a bhfuil?
Tá mé abhus anois le cúig bliana déag.
Ó, a' bhfuil, bail ó Dhia ort, a' bhfuil? Bhoil, ní ar laethanta saoire a chuaigh tú. . . atá tú ann mar sin agus tú chúig bliana déag ann?
Tá mé ann anois go buan.
Tá, tá.
Is ea.
Agus cén sort ceird ort atá ort ann?
Bhoil, faoi lathair tá mé ag feliméaracht ann.
Tá mé ar an bhfeirm faoi lathair.
Go dtí chúig nóiméad ó shin bhí mé ag tarraingt luifearnach.
Cá fhad ó tharraing tú luifearnach, a Mháirtín?
An bhfuil a fhios agat céard é féin?
Tá a fhios agam céard é luifearnach ceart go leor.
Ach m'anam nach má tá go maith an scaitheamh ó tharraing mé an luifearnach,
Agus shíl mé nach raibh a leithéid de rud thall i Tenerife.
Shíl mise nach raibh dada ann ach tránna agus. . .
Tá dalladh dhi ann mar bhí sé ag báisteach le deireanach agus níl anois ann ach. . .
Tá níos mó luifearnach ná rud ar bith eile ar an bhfeirm faoi láthair.
Ach tá mé ag iarraidh fáil réidh léi inniu ná. . . agus amárach.
Tá mé a' ghoil thart á tarraingt, agus leis an strimmer chomh maith.
Muise, ab ea?
Agus an bhfuil beithígh agat ansin, an bhfuil, agus rudaí?
Níl, ar ndóigh.
Bhíodh cearca agam, agus rudaí beaga mar sin, agus coiníní, ach níl aon ainmhí mór agam.
Níl.
Ach i gcónaí bhínn ag plé leis na cearca agus na héanlaithe.
Ó, ab ea?
Agus is gearr go bhfaighidh mé cearca úra, tá súil agam.
Is ea. An bhfuil mórán cearca 'ad, a' bhfuil?
Níl faoi láthair, ach bhíodh i gcónai.
Bhíodh go leor acu agam, ach faoi láthair níl aon cheann agam, agus tá mé ag iarraidh é sin a athrú.
B'fhéidir an chéad mhí eile, b'fhéidir go bhfaighidh mé scata cearca, le cúnamh Dé.
Ní raibh mise thall i Tenerife ariamh, ach tá a fhios agam go dtéann go leor anonn ann ar a laethanta saoire.
An bhfuil tusa anois gar den áit a dtéann daoine ar a laethanta saoire ann?
Bhoil, níl i ndáiríre.
Tá mise ar an taobh eile den oileán.
Taobh ó thuaidh nó ó dheas? - Téann na daoine sin . . .
Ó thuaidh. Is iad. . . Ó dheas a théanns na daoine ar a laethanta saoire,
Mar tá i bhfad níos mó gréine ó dheas.
Ach . . . Ó dheas, níl a fhios agam ar dúirt mé. . . ó dheas. . .
Tá mise ó thuaidh, sa tuisceart agus tá i bhfad . . .
Tá sé i bhfad níos glaise abhus anseo,
Bíonn sé ag baisteach in amanna anseo, inniu mar shampla.
Inné bhí an-lá againn, bhí an ghrian ag scoilteadh na gcloch, mar a dúirt mé leat.
Ach gabh i leith, níl tú in ann anois maireachtáil ag feliméaracht ar na cearca, ar ndóigh.
Céard eile a bhíonns tú a dhéanamh ó thaobh feirméarachta dhe?
Céard é féin?
Céard eile. . . Cén cineál feliméaracht is mó a dhéananns tú?
Á, bíonn mise. . . ag plé le torthaí an chuid is mó.
Ó ab ea? Is ea.
Is ea. Trátaí, agus fíonchaora go háithrid, le haghaidh fíon a dhéanamh. Fíon Spáinneach.
Chuala tú, ar chuala tú trácht ar an bhfíon Spáinneach sna sean-amhráin?
Chuala bydad, chuala.
Nach mbídís ag trácht ar an. . . fíon, ar an bhfíon Spáinneach.
Á muise gur chuala.
Tá fíon thar a bheith go maith anseo. Agus ar ndóigh bíonn . . .
Bíonn tú ag plé le grapes mar sin an mbíonn?
Go díreach, hea. Go díreach é, is ea. Bíonn . . .
Tá an-tóir ar na grapes acu anseo.
Agus ar fhataí chomh maith.
Caithfidh mé tosú lá éicint anois leis na. . . le fataí a chur.
Á, muise, go bhfuil sé chomh maith dhuit.
Tá an-tóir ag na Spáinnigh ar fhataí, agus ar chuile shórt.
Caithfidh mé a bheith ag plé le cabaiste, chuile shórt.
Fásann chuile shórt go breá anseo.
Fásann, is dóigh.
Ó, bíonn sé ag fás i gcaitheamh na bliana!
Agus gabh i leith anois go bhfiafraí mé ort,
Cén fáth go ndeachaidh tú anonn ansin anois go Tenerife, an chéad lá ariamh agus gur b'in é an taobh a ndeachfaidh tú agus gur b'in é an cheird atá ort ann?
Bhoil, is dóigh go raibh go leor cúiseanna leis,
ceann amháin acu...chuala mé go raibh cineál teanga abhus anseo.
Bíonn na daoine a labhairt le chéile, agus sin é chuala mé,
Tá sé seo fiche agus a cuig bliain ó shin,
Labhraíonn na daoine le chéile ag feadaíl,
Agus dúirt me liom féin nach raibh aon fhírinne ansin,
Agus tháinig mé anall anseo,
Agus bhí sé fíor,
Agus chuaigh mé ag foghlaim na teanga seo,
Teanga na feadaíola,
Má chreideann tú mé.
'Sea, agus cén sort teanga é?
Is ea, is í an Spáinnis, ach in áit a bheith á labhairt, bíonn daoine á fheadaíl.
Ag feadaíl? Is ea?
Is ea, bíonn siad ag feadaíl le chéile le haghaidh rud ar bith a rá le chéile,
Go háithrid muintir, 'bhfuil fhios 'ad, muintir a bíonns ag plé le feliméaracht nó le caoirigh nó le gabhair go háithrid,
Má bhíonn siad i bhfad ó chéile.
Agus dhá mbeadh tusa anois. . . dhá mbeadh gabhar 'adsa anois,
Agus gabhar nó cupla gabhar a bheith ag an té a bheadh síos an bóthar uait,
Agus go raibh tú ag iarraidh rud éicint a rá leis faoin bocaide nó faoin ngabhar a bhí bailithe thar an gclaí, má tá claí ann,
Cén chaoi an ngabhfá dhá mhíniú sin i bhfeadaíl dhó?
Go díreach, tá sé tuigthe 'ad.
Bhoil, is ea, sin é rud. . . ceist a bhíonns ann go minic,
Má chailleann tú mar shampla gabhar éicint,
Abair, gabhar níl a fhios agam cén dath, gabhar liath, abraimid,
Bheifeá in ann feadaíl ag an bhfear, b'fheidir, ag an gcomharsa, ag rá leis -
"Gabh i leith, Tomás", nó cibé ainm a bheadh air,
"An bhfaca tú an gabhar liath liom" nó rud, cibé fhéin é,
Ach tú ag feadaíl, sa gcaoi go. . .
Agus an bhfuil tú in ann ruainne beag dhe a dhéanamh dhom anois anseo ar an radio?

. . . not on holidays, I would say, that's him.
The name of this man is now Padraic, Phádraic Thomáis Ó Raghallaigh,
and he is in Tenerife these days.
A hundred thousand welcomes, Padraic.
Thank you, Mháirtín.
How are you?
I am well, by god (my soul).
How are you yourself? Wonderful! I just heard that song. It was lovely.
Yes.. Darach Ó Cathain... Do you like "Amhrán An Tae"?
I love it.
I first heard it from you, that one.
Did you?
That's Darach Ó Cathain, from. . . Rath Cairn man?
Rath Cairn man, by god (my soul), he is.
Ah, it was excellent, wasn't it? Just like yourself.
Isn't he a fine Irish speaker, God bless him, over in Tenerife?
Where in County Mayo are you from again?
I am from Westport.
Really, is that so?
And when you sent the message over here to us, you were in Carna, and you were over at the entertainment, and you were over at the. . . at the music and songs that were over in Carna.
I was, of course, and as well as. . . yes, they had a few entertainments in Carna every. . . well, every year, and I was there
that's where I met Dara Bán, years ago, God rest his soul.
And of course, I was at the festival you yourself organized, that you yourself presented -
Féile Choilm De Bhailís.
I was at many of them in those days.
Years ago, of course.
Are you still far away now in Tenerife?
I have been here for fifteen years now.
Oh, have you, God bless you, have you? Well, you didn't go on holidays. . . you are there for fifteen years?
I am there now permanently.
Yes, yes.
Indeed.
And what kind of work do you do there?
Well, currently I am farming there.
I am on the farm right now!
Until five minutes ago I was pulling weeds.
How long has it been since you pulled weeds, Mháirtín?
Do you know what it is yourself?
I know what weeds are, all right.
But my soul, it's been a long time since I pulled any weeds,
And I thought there was no such thing over in Tenerife.
I thought there was nothing but beaches and. . .
There's plenty of it because it was raining recently and now there's nothing by. . .
There's more weeds than anything else on the farm at the moment.
But I am trying to get rid of it today and. . . and tomorrow.
I'm going around pulling it, and with the strimmer as well.
Really, is that so?
And do you have cattle there, do you, and things?
No, of course not.
I used to have chickens, and small things like that, and rabbits, but I don't have any big animals.
No.
But I was always dealing with the chickens and the birds.
Oh, really?
And I hope to get new chickens soon.
Indeed. Do you have many chickens, do you?
Not at the moment, but I used to always.
I used to have a lot of them, but at the moment I don't have any, and I'm trying to change that.
Maybe next month, maybe I'll get a batch of chickens, God willing.
I have never been over in Tenerife, but I know many go there on their holidays.
Are you now near the place where people go on their holidays?
Well, not really.
I'm on the other side of the island.
North or south? - Those people go. . .
North. They go. . . They go south on their holidays,
Because there's a lot more sun in the south.
But. . . south, I don't know if I said. . . south. . .
I'm in the north, in the north and it's much. . .
It's much greener here,
It rains sometimes here, today for example.
Yesterday we had a great day, the sun was splitting the stones, as I told you.
But come here to me, you can't now live on farming chickens, of course!
What else do you do in terms of farming?
What's that?
What else. . . What kind of farming do you mostly do?
Ah, I mostly deal with fruit.
Oh really? Yes.
Indeed. Tomatoes, and grapes especially, for making wine. Spanish wine.
Did you hear...have you heard tell of Spanish wine in the old songs?
I have indeed, I have!
Don't they be talking about the. . . wine, the Spanish wine.
Ah indeed, I have heard.
The wine is very good here. And of course. . .
Do you deal with grapes then, do you?
Exactly, yes. Exactly, yes. I do. . .
There's a great demand for grapes here.
And for potatoes as well.
I have to start someday now with. . . planting potatoes.
Ah, indeed, it would be well for you!
The Spanish are very fond of potatoes, and of everything.
I have to be dealing with cabbage, everything.
Everything grows well here.
It does, I suppose.
Oh, it grows all year round!
And tell me now, let me ask you,
Why did you go over there to Tenerife initially, and to go to this side (of the island) and with this occupation you have?
Well, I suppose there were many reasons,
one of them...I heard there was a kind of language over here.
People speak to each other, and that's what I heard,
This is twenty-five years ago,
People speak to each other by whistling,
And I said to myself there was no truth in that,
And I came over here,
And it was true,
And I went learning this language,
The whistling language,
If you believe me.
Yes, and what kind of language is it?
Yes, it is Spanish, but instead of speaking it, people whistle it.
Whistling? Indeed?
Indeed, they whistle to each other to say anything to each other,
Especially people, you know, people who deal with farming or with sheep or with goats especially,
If they are far from each other.
And if you were now. . . if you had a goat now,
And a goat or a couple of goats were with the person down the road from you,
And you wanted to say something to him about the goat that had gone over the fence, if there was a fence,
How would you explain that to him by whistling?
Exactly, you understand it.
Well, yes, that's a thing. . . a question that often comes up,
If you lose, for example, some goat,
Say, a goat I don't know what color, a gray goat, let's say,
You could whistle at the man, maybe, at the neighbor, saying to him -
"Come here, Tomás", or whatever his name would be,
"Have you seen my gray goat" or something, whatever it is,
But whistling, so. . .
And can you do a little bit of it for me now here on the radio?