Plé an duine óig le filíocht na Gaeilge / The young person’s engagement with Irish-language poetry
19/10/2012 by Claire Marie Dunne · No Comments
Tugann an scríbhneoir iomráiteach Biddy Jenkinson léargas dúinn thíos ar an bplé a bhíonn ag páistí óga an lae inniu le filíocht na Gaeilge.
Páistí bochta! Ní bhíonn saoirse ar bith ag duine óg faoi láthair. Ní bhíonn frídín ar bith in aon áit (Bíonn ar chomhlachtaí áirithe díghalrán a dhíol. Bíonn ar lucht fógraíochta é a fhógairt. Is dána an mamaí nó an daidí nach gcuireann buidéal den stuif sa tralaí, ar eagla...) Fágann sin nach mbíonn deis ag duine óg fiú frídín beag bídeach a chloí. Ní bhíonn cead i bhfarraige aige gan culaith uisce dhíonach air. Fiú an spraoi a dhéanann sé bíonn sé eagraithe ag lucht díolta cluichí agus bréagán.
Níl de shaoirse ag an duine óg ach a shamhlaíocht , a chumas béicíola, a chumas rince, a chumas grafaíochta agus péintéireachta, a chumas cainte.
Éist le leanbh atá ag foghlaim cainte: na fuaimeanna, an caise focal, leaganacha á dtriail, á gcanadh, ráfla cainte. Dán na hóige. Mol an file foclach agus tiocfaidh sé.
Agus má éiríonn le duine eitilt, fiú aon uair amháin,
ní chaillfidh sé na sciatháin riamh.
Dánfhocal
Dán an chait, 'Crrrrrrr, crrrrrr. Míáú!'
Dán na bó, ' Umááááá, umáááááá.'
Dán mo mhadra 'Taf, taf, taf.'
Can do dhánfhocal féin inniu.'
Cá bhfuil an Dán?
Suíonn an dán
idir do chéislíní
Oscail do bhéal
agus léimfidh sé amach.
Beidh Biddy Jenkinson ag glacadh páirte i léamh dátheangach údair ar leabhair pháistí mar chuid de Féile Leabhar Bhaile Átha Cliath. Léifidh sí cúpla dán le cabhair ón lucht éisteachta mar aon lena leabhar Mo Scéal Féin xx Púca sa Gutter Bookshop ar 11.00 r.n. Satharn 17 Samhain.
The famed Irish-language writer, Biddy Jenkinson, gives us an insight into young people’s engagement with Irish-language poetry today. Translated with permission by Claire Marie Dunne.
The poor children! Young people today have no freedom. Germs have been banished (companies even have to sell sanitiser. Advertising companies have to announce its presence. And what about the bold mum or dad who doesn’t succumb and put a bottle of the stuff in the trolley, just in case…) The young person is not even allowed to catch a semblance of a germ. There’s no going into the sea without donning a waterproof suit. Even his play is dictated by the makers of games and toys.
The young person’s only freedom is his imagination, his ability to shout, to dance, to make use of his graphicacy and painting ability, and his voice.
Listen to a child learning to speak: the sounds, the torrent of the words, the trial and error of various forms, singing them, the chattering speech. The poem of youth. Praise the verbose poet and he will succeed.
If someone can fly, even just once, he will never lose those wings.
Biddy Jenkinson will be taking part in a bilingual author reading during the Dublin Book Festival. She will explore a few poems with the help of the audience as well as reading from her book Mo Scéal Féin xx Púca in the Gutter Bookshop at 11.00 a.m. on Saturday 17 November.
