Beir mo Dhúthracht (2014)

Pádraig Ó Siochfhradha  An Seabhac
Curtha in eagar ag Caitríona Ní Chathail

ISBN: 9780906096192

Rugadh Pádraig Ó Siochfhradha nó An Seabhac i mBaile an Ghóilín, An Daingean, Co. Chiarraí sa bhliain 1883.  Cailleadh é ar an 19 Samhain 1964, in aois a 81 bliain. Ach ar shroisint na ceithre fichid dó thug sé fén gcuntas seo a scríobh ar a mhuintir, a óige agus a phobal féin sa tSlios i mBaile an Ghóilín tamall siar ó bhaile an Daingin i dtreo Cheann Trá.  A lámhscríbhinn, a bhí i seilbh Phádraig Uí Shiochrú, mac dearthár an tSeabhaic, atá sa bhfoilseachán seo.  Tá cur síos sa leabhar ar a mhuintir is ar a phobal féin, ar Thiarna Fionntrá agus a chuid, ar imeachtaí agus ar phearsana an Tí Mhóir agus an cheantair máguaird lena linn, chomh maith le léargas ar shaol eacnamaíochta, sóisialta is polaitiúil dúthaigh Duibhneach ag an am.  Tá léargas ann ar an athrú teanga a tharla i gCorca Dhuibhne sa bhfichiú aois agus ar cad é a spreag an Seabhac féin chun tabhairt fé theagasc agus fé Thimireacht na Gaeilge in Uíbh Ráthach agus é sna fichidí.  Cuntas beo bríomhar é seo a chuirfidh Gaeil ar fud na hÉireann, pobal Chorca Dhuibhne, lucht léite na Gaeilge agus an foghlaimeoir Gaeilge suim ann.  Costas:  €15.  Tá Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne an-bhuíoch d’Fhoras na Gaeilge a chuir cabhair mhaoinithe ar fáil chun go bhfoilseofaí Beir mo Dhúthracht.

This is an autobiographical account of his early and formative years in West Kerry, from the pen of the renowned Irish language activist, author, scholar and folkorist, Pádraig Ó Siochfhradha or An Seabhac (1883-1964) from Baile an Ghóilín, outside Dingle, whose other works, Jimín Mháire Thaidhg and An Baile S’againne, will be familiar to many.  In Beir mo Dhúthracht he gives a detailed and vivid account of the farming and fishing community who lived in the, by now, semi Gaeltacht region immediately west of Dingle Bay during his youth and of the duties of his father who was employed as gamekeeper on the estate of the seventh Lord Ventry in the local Big House.  He describes the music, dance and other pastimes of the time, political events happening in and around Dingle and the language shift taking place at the turn of the century.  This is a valuable account of the many characters residing in or visiting the area known as An Slios, as well as a description of the economic, political and social life of the time.