Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann – We won’t see his likes again

Macalla an Chláir le MacDara Ó Conaola

As a buachaill óg growing up on the Gaeltacht island of Inis Oírr I worked in my parents’ craft and souvenir shop during the samhradh months.

I’d play ceol in the cúlra to avoid any ciúnas awkward when custaiméirí would be ag breathnú timpeall. It was usually ceol from a cassette or CD we were ag díol. One of those cassettes, or tapes, was the now classic album, ”Meitheal”, by Steve Cooney agus Séamus Begley (Ó Beaglaoich), who we sadly lost this past Dé Luain.

I calculated that I played that album about míle uair over an samhradh, and sold dozens of copies! To say that the album had tionchar on me musically, would be an understatement mór millteach! Séamus Begley was one of the finest Native Irish speakers a chuala mé i riamh, agus b’amhránaí, ceoltóir, agus showman den scoth a bhí ann. Agus rógaire den scoth freisin! He played here in Condae an Chláir many times. Aireoidh muid uainn é. Beannacht Dé lena anam ceolmhar.

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Until next week, tóg go réidh é!

Imeachtaí/Events:

Cúl-chaint le Domhnall Ó Loingsigh chuile Dé Sathairn, ag 9am ar Clare FM
Ciorcal Comhrá san XPO, i gCill Iníne Baoith, chuile Dé Céadaoin ag 7.30pm
Rith le Ruairí, chuile Dé Máirt ag 6.30pm, ag Local Motion, Inis.
Ciorcal Comhrá, chuile Dé Céadaoin Dé Sathairn i nGlór, Inis, 11am-12pm
Scéalta agus Rannta le Chéile, chuile Dé Céadaoin i Leabharlann Shráid na Cathrach ó 10.30 – 11am, Saor in aisce / Free of charge

Gluais/Glossary (Irish/Gaeilge – English/Béarla):

buachaill óg – a young boy

Gaeltacht – the tiny areas of Ireland where Native Irish is still spoken daily

samhradh – summer

ceol – music

cúlra – background

ciúnas – silence/quietness

custaiméirí – customers

ag breathnú timpeall – looking around/browsing

ag díol – selling

míle uair – a thousand times

tionchar – influence