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Tomás Rua Ó Súilleabháin (1785-1848). The Kerry native’s poetry reflected the trials and suffering of the poorest of the Irish people in pre-famine Ireland because he suffered the same extreme hardship as his fellow Irish. In his words and music we are given a window on Irish society in the early 19th Century; up to the famine.
As a social commentator Tomás Rua wrote about the repeal movement, emancipation, his neighbour Daniel O Connell, faction fights, weddings, and yellow meal.
His words describe a world of great change and tell of the arrival of a liberator. But neither Tomás Rua’s extraordinary gift of language nor his learning was protection against poverty, and he shared the fate of over 1,000,000 other Irish when he died in 1848 in the great hunger.
Ó, is a dhaoine, nó an díth libh na scéalta, Do hinseadh aréir dom tar éis luí? Go raibh an Suibhneach á insint is Dónall, Ná díolfaí aon fheoirling deachmhaí; Beidh an Spáinneach is a loingeas go gléasta, Thar sáile go hÉirinn gan mhoill, Beidh an lá acu agus páintigh á dtraochadh, Is tiomáinfeam driverí ón gCill.
Is a bhuachaillí, gluaisíg le chéile, Go huasal go dtéam seal don Ghleann, Chun na gcluas a bhaint anuas de driverí, Is iad a ruagairt as Éirinn in am, Beidh sliocht Liútair agus Brúnaigh go tréithlag, Beidh Tiúit agus Déanna go fann, Ach brúfaimid brúidí an Bhéarla, Is beidh prionsa na nGael gceart mar cheann.
Is dubhach liom gan cúnamh im theannta, Chun an bhúid a chur ag damhas seal 'on gCill, Nó an cnútach thar triúcha ón nGleann so, Le húrghas den choll nó den draían,[droigheann] A shúile go mbrúitear in a cheann súd, Is sciúirse ró-lom ar a thaoibh, Leis an úr-mhac, gan chuntas, a labgraim, Is a chúram le fonn ar a dtoirn.
Faightear dom arm is púdar, Go dtéam seal ag cuncas na nGall; Fágfam lag marbh an tiúiteach, Is beidh Meaidin in a chnútach gan cheann; Beidh deachuithe leagtha ar gcúlaibh, Is an aicme úd Liútair go fann, Is ligfeam abhaile ar a dúchus, A gheadach á crú ins an nGleann
Oh, ladies, or the deprivation you the stories, was informed last night I been asleep? That was the Suibhneach told that Daniel, Do díolfaí any farthing deachmhaí; The Spaniard is a fleet dressed, abroad to Ireland without delay, will have day and being dtraochadh páintigh, is tiomáinfeam driverí from Kill.
The boys, gluaisíg together, That noble that dtéam turn the Valley, To the ear removal of driverí, are to ruagairt from Ireland in time, will extract Liútair and Brúnaigh weak, will Tiúit and Deanna that feeble, But brúidí will drive the English language, is Gaelic prince will correct one.
I depression without assistance is also butter, For at damhas bhúid to turn 'on Cell, Or cnútach across cantons of this Valley, With húrghas of intolerance or of draían, [droigheann] His eyes in his head is pressed yonder, Scourge is too bare to the side, With the fresh-son, without account, which labgraim, Its task is to dtoirn favor.
I found a powder weapon, In dtéam turns cuncas Donegal; Tiúiteach weak Fágfam dead, It is in a chnútach Meaidin will without one; Cuil will set deciles, The class in question is Liútair to faint, It is home to dúchus ligfeam, A gheadach being milked in the Valley
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