Neòinean, Bròg Na Cuthaig’, Beàrnan-Brìd’
Neòinean, bròg na cuthaig’, beàrnan-Brìd’,
gach dìthean a chinneas anns a’ ghàrradh;
pleasgaidh iad tron ùir a rinn an àradh,
an talamh ag àlachadh an t-sìl,
a’ cruinneachadh an neirt an aghaidh na sìd’,
a’ sparradh is a’ sìneadh chun na faire,
gun cuir iad bileagan a-mach gun nàire,
ag èirigh gu àirde làin am brìgh’!
Coma leotha ar n-iomagain, ar fadal
fon ghrèin agus am feasgar fann gun anail,
ar troimh-chèile agus am pathadh a th’ innt’,
nach urrainn dhuinne fàs is a bhith torach
gun aire do na sriantan a th’ oirrne
mar neòinean, bròg na cuthaig’, beàrnan-Brìd’.
About this poem
Gaelic
Chaidh an dàn seo a thaghadh airson nan Dàn Albannach as Fheàrr 2022. ‘S e foillseachadh air loidhne a th’ ann an Dàin Albannach as Fheàrr, a’ toirt a-steach 5 dhàn air an taghadh le neach-deasachaidh fa leth gach bliadhna, le aithris aig an neach-deasachaidh is na bàird. Bheir e foir-shealladh pearsanta air bliadhna bàrdachd na h-Alba. Ann an 2022 b’ e Peigi MacVicar neach-deasachaidh na Gàidhlig.Earrann an Neach-deasachaidh:
Cha chanadh duine sam bith gun robh na dìtheanan seo a-mach às an àbhaist ann an Alba idir; neòinean, bròg na cuthaige agus beàrnan-Brìde, ach fhathast gach bliadhna tha an cothrom againn am moladh. Leis an dàn seo, tha Niall Ó Gallchoir a’ cur nam chuimhne a bhith a’ ceangail neòinean ri chèile, a’ mothachadh na h-achaidhean a’ tionndaidh gorm agus a’ stobadh beàrnan-Brìde fo smugaidean gus faighinn a-mach cò bha mòr air ìm. ’S iad cuimhneachaidhean soilleir a th’ annta seo ach a dhìochuimhnich mi a bh’ agam. Bha an dàn seo mar anail a leigeil, agus mar chuimhne air cho cudromach ’s a tha e sùil a chumail air ar prìomh feumalachdan gus cumail a’ dol. Tha sinn a’ faicinn na dìtheannan a’ dèanamh sin “gun nàire” air na tha mu thimcheall orra gus an urrain dhaibh fàs “gu àirde làin am brìgh” – rud air a bheil feum oirnn cuimhneachadh bho àm gu àm.
English
This poem was included in Best Scottish Poems 2022. Best Scottish Poems is an online publication, consisting of 5 poems chosen by a different editor each year, with comments by the editor and poets. It provides a personal overview of a year of Scottish poetry. In 2022 the Gaelic editor was Peigi MacVicar.
Editor’s notes:
Daisies, bluebells and dandelions – not uncommon flowers in Scotland by any means, but ones we can appreciate every year. Niall O’Gallagher has me thinking of making daisy chains, fields turning blue in spring and sticking dandelions under chins to find out who likes butter – vivid memories that I forgot I had. This poem felt like a release of pressure and a reminder of how important the basics are in keeping us going. The flowers continue to grow “gun nàire” – without worrying about what their surroundings are making of them and to grow “gu àirde làin am brìgh” to their full potential.
Author’s notes:
‘Neòinean, Bròg na Cuthaig’, Beàrnan-Brìd” is a lockdown sonnet. In 2020 we had a beautiful summer which we weren’t able to enjoy because of the Covid restrictions. As I looked through the window onto the unruly garden outside, I was troubled by the apparent indifference of nature to our difficulty. I returned to this in Litrichean Plàighe, a verse novella, though my thinking didn’t end up being quite so pessimistic by the end.
I’ve written sonnets since the beginning, and keep returning to them. They’re not common in Gaelic poetry. The form seems to allow for all kinds of subject matter and hasn’t lost its ability to surprise me. My recent sonnets follow Gaelic rules, but the form itself, of course, is European. The Gaelic sonnet is one way of putting Gaelic poetry into the mainstream European tradition, where it belongs.
