Johnny Seoighe

Tomás Shiúnach

Originale	English translation
JOHNNY SEOIGHE	JOHNNY SEOIGHE
A Sheáin Uí Sheoighe tuig mo ghlór is mé ag tigheacht le dóchas faoi do dhéint	Johnny Joyce (1), you are my glory and the brightest hope I have
Mar is tú an réalt eólais ba deise lóchrann dár dhearc mo shúil ariabh	You shine like the brightest star in the temple of the Lord
Is tú bláth na h-óige is deise breághtha i dhearc mo shúil i d-Teampall Dé	Your voice is the flower of youth since I was born
Agus as ucht Chríost, tabhair dom relief go gcaithfear oidhche Nodlaig féin.	And from the bosom of Christ I ask you to give me relief on Christmas Eve
Lá ar na mháireach nuair i fuair mé an páipéar is mé a bhí sásta agus ghluais mé an siubhail	On the following day I will obtain papers and I will be satisfied and I will go walking
Ní bhfuair mé freagra ar bith an lá seo acht mé féin is mo pháistí amuigh faoi an drúcht	I need an answer today but myself and my children are out in the rain
Tá mé caillte, bruighte, feannta, dóighte gearrtha ó neart an t-siúil	I am tired, scourged, worked, and have cuts from hard walking
Agus i Mhister Joyce tá an Work-House lán agus ní glacfear ann isteach níos mó.	And Mr. Joyce, the workhouse is full and there is no more room inside
Nach mór an cliú do phoball Carna ó thosuigh an lánmhain seo ag dul thrid	You have much reputation in the town of Carna, and this couple passing through
Ba deise breághtha méin na mná ná an Morning Star nuair d’eirigheócha sí	It appears to the women the morning star rising
Tá an Bhanríoghan tinn is i na luighe lag síos, deir na dochtúirí go bhfaoi sí bás	The queen is lying in bed sick and the doctor says that she will die
Sé fios m’údair go ndeir siad liomsa faoi nach bhfuil sí pósta ag Mr Joyce.	And they say the only reason for this is she is not married to Mr. Joyce
	(1) Johnny Seoighe was a playboy who abandoned his wife and family in Oughterard and ran off with Peggy (Pegsy) Barry, daughter of the bailiff who was in Carna at the time…. It was reported that Johnny Seoighe had stolen the relief book from the Relieving Office, and that he started to share out the yellow meal as he saw fit. Tim Robinson, in his book Connemara: Listening to the Wind says “This cannot be quite right, as Joyce was in fact a relieving officer for Roundstone, but it is probably not far from the truth, as he was eventually dismissed for corruption….”’ (Liam Mac Con Iomaire, Seosamh Ó hÉanaí: Nár fhágha mé bás choíche, 118; also Tim Robinson, op. cit. 205-6.) joeheaney.org