Pádraic Mac Donncha |
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I ndiaidh blianta a chaitheamh mar bhainisteoir ar Chomharchumann Ráth Chairn tá Pádraic Mac Donncha imithe ar scoir. Bhí cóisir an-mhór ag muintir na h-áite dó sa halla, cóisir nach raibh fhíos aige féín tada faoi roimh ré, agus bhí na céadta i láthair. Bhí an tAire Iompar, Nollaig Ó Diompsaigh TD agus an tAire Gnóthaí Pobail Tuaite agus Gaeltachta, Éamonn Ó Cuív TD i láthair ag an ocáid.
Go maire tú an chéad a Phádraig. |
Padraic Mac Donncha has retired after spending many years as manager of Comharchumann Ráth Chairn. A great suprise party was held in his honour and hundreds of people attended. Present at the occasion was the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey TD and the Minister for Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Éamonn Ó Cuív TD.
Go maire tú an chéad a Phádraic. |
Ar Chúl: Pádraic Ó Conghaile, Cathaoirleach an Chomharchumainn, Pádraig Ó Ciadhra ó TG4, Antaine Ó Sé ó Mheitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta, Máirtín Tom Sheánín ó Raidió na Gaeltachta. Chun tosaigh: Nollaig Ó Diompsaigh TD. Éamonn Ó Cuív TD. Mairéad Mhic Donncha. Pádraic Mac Donncha agus Muiris Ó Sionóid. |
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Agus an tSamhain ag teacht......As Halloween Approaches |
Tá Cnoc Tlachta suite idir Bhaile Átha Buí agus Ráth Chairn, tuairim is míle go leith ón dá áit. Is anseo, ar chnoc na ndraoithe a tharla Oíche Shamhna don chéad uair riamh i bhfad siar. Bíonn an cnoc lán le muintir an bhaile agus na draoithe nua-aimsithre gach oíche shamhna.
Rugadh agus tógadh John Gilroy ag bun an chnoic ar thaobh Átha Buí. Scríobh sé 'Celtic Fire Festival,' stair Thlachta, sa bhliain 2001. Tá cónaí air anois lena chlann i gCorcaigh agus is Comhairleoir le Páirtí an Lucht Oibre é. Ar mbuíochas dó as ucht an tsliocht seo. |
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Tlachta is situated between Athboy and Ráth Chairn, about a mile and a half from both places. Here on this hill of the druids Halloween was celebrated for the first time a very long time ago. On Halloween night, the hill will be full of locals as well as some of the 'new-druids.'
John Gilroy was born and reared at the foot of the Athboy side of the hill. In 2001 he wrote the history of Tlachta, 'Celtic Fire Festival.' He now lives with his family in Cork and he is a Labour Party Councillor. Our thanks to John for this article. |
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Agus an tSamhain ag teacht, moltar duit gan dul rófhada ar strae ón mbaile, ach go háirithe má chónaíonn tú gar do Ráth Cairn nó Áth Buí. Ba chóir duit gan aird a thabhairt ar Thlachtga atá leath an bhealaigh idir an dá áit. Is é Tlachtga an áit a bunadh Oíche Shamhna agus an áit ar thosaigh na sean-nósanna a cheanglaíonn muid le hOíche Shamhna.
Tá ráth mór suite gar don mhullach a bhfuil radharc iontach ar fhiche contae thar an maígh. Tá suntas ar leith a bhaineann leis an ráth seo mar tá ceithre bhanc nó fáinní thart timpeall air, níl ach dhá ráth den déantús céanna aimsithe as na 40,000 ráth atá ar fud na tíre. Ráth na Seanad ag Teamhair agus an Ráth i gcontae Ros Comáin an dá cheann eile.
Tá sé ráite, gur mhúchtaí gach tine in Éirinn agus lastaí tine úr ar an mullach ar Fhéile na Samhna. Dáiltí an bhladhm ón tine úr go dtí na teaghlaigh agus lastaí na tinte don úrbhlain as sin. Tá an tsiombalachas taobh thiar den nós seo spéisiúil. Chreid na Ceiltigh go raibh dhá shéasúir sa bhliain – d’fhógair an tSamhain tús an Gheimhridh agus d’fhógair Bealtaine tús an tSamhraidh. Ag tús an gheimhridh d’ísligh an ghrian isteach sa domhan thíos agus cuireadh domhan an duine ina iomláine faoi bhaol. Ba í an tine contrapháirt domhanda na gréine. Fógraíodh múchta na tinte ag Samhain go raibh fórsaí an dorchadais ag dul faoi. Ba é athlasadh na tinte ar Tlachtga iarracht an duine cabhair a thabhairt don ghrian lena haistear geimhridh tríd an domhan thíos agus ba í dáileadh na tine úire comhartha caithréime na gréine. Beidh chuile rud ceart go leor.
Ba é Tlachtga ainm an Bhandia torthúlacht a raibh ceangailte leis an mullach. Is oiriúnaí an t-ainm a tugadh di mar ciallaíonn an focal Tlacht ‘cré’ agus cuireann an réimíre ‘Gha’ an tsleá cheiltigh i gcuimhne, an Gha Bolga, a bhí ar ndóigh bainteach leis an tintreach.
Míníonn na finscéalta conas a maraíodh í ar an mullach agus gur adhlactha í ansin. Tógadh na ráthanna a sheasann ansin i gcuimhne di. Is figiúr tábhachtach í sa mhiotaseolaíocht Cheiltigh. Deirtear gurbh é a athair an druid mór le rá Mogh Ruth agus is é an chiall atá taobh thiar dá ainm ná “Giolla an Rotha” a chuireann íomhá na gréine chun cuimhne arís.
Deirtear freisin go raibh an “Roth Ramhach” ina seilbh aici, gléas uafásach a raibh ann a deirtear a rachaidh thar an domhan ag deireadh an tsaoil. Chonaic an gléas miotaseolaíoch seo don uair dheireanach ag an aonach mór ag Tlachtga.
B’áit comhdhála móire é Tlachtga le linn na staire áit ar bailíodh airm chun aontú ar comhaontaithe síochána. Ach ní raibh siad i gcónaí síochánta. Mharaigh Hugh de Lacey Tiarnán Ó Ruairc, daoine de na Tiarnaí Éireannacha deireanacha a shás an fód in aghaidh na Normannach anseo sa bhliain 1169. Agus deirtear gur mharaigh Cromwell na Pluincéid ó Chaisleán an Rátha Móire anseo sa bhliain 1649.
Chun tuilleadh eolais a fháil féach Tlachtga: Celtic Fire Festival le fáil ó John Gilroy01@gmail.com. |
As Halloween approaches, you would do well to remember not to stray too far from home, especially if you live near Rathcairn or Athboy. You should particularly avoid attention to the Hill of Ward half way between the two places. This is Tlachtga, the home of Halloween and the place where the traditions we associate with Halloween started.
A large ringfort stands near the summit which enjoys splendid views of twenty counties over the flatness of the plain. This ringfort is unusual as it is surrounded by four banks or rings, only two similar forts have been identified out of about 40,000 which are found throughout the country. The Rath of the Sennods at Tara and Rathra in County Roscommon being the other two.
It is said that on the Feast of Samhain, all fires in Ireland were extinguished and a new fire lit on the hill. The flame from the new fire was then distributed to households and the fires for the new year were lit. The symbolism behind this is interesting. The Celts believed that the year was divided into two seasons – Samhain announced the start of Winter while Bealtine signaled the beginning of Summer. At the start of Winter the Sun descended into the underworld and the whole world of men was put in risk. Fire is the earthly counterpart of the Sun. The extinguishing of the fires at Samhain signaled that the forces of darkness were in the ascendancy. The relighting of the fires at Tlachtga was man’s attempt to help the sun in its Winter journey through the underworld while the distribution of the new fire signaled the triumph of the sun. All would be well.
Tlachtga was the name of a fertility goddess associated with the hill. Her name is appropriate as the word Tlacht means ‘Earth’ while the prefix ‘Gha’ calls to mind the famous Celtic Spear, the Gha Bolga, which is of course associated with lightening.
Legend tells how she was killed on the hill and buried there. The mounds that stand there today were raised in her memory. She is an important figure in Celtic mythology. Her father is said to be the great Druid Mogh Ruth whose name means ‘Servant of the Wheel’ which again brings to mind the image of the sun.
It is also told that she possessed the amazing ‘Roth Ramach’, the Flying Wheel, which is said to be a terrible machine which will pass across the world at the end of time. This mythological contraption was last seen at the great Fair at Tlachtga.
The Hill of Ward was a great meeting place throughout history where armies met to agree peace treaties. But it was not always peaceful. Tiernan O’Rourke, one of the last Irish lords to hold out against the Normans was killed here in 1169 by Hugh de Lacey. While, Cromwell is said to have slaughtered the Plunketts of nearby Rathmore Castle here in 1649.
To find out more see Tlachtga; Celtic Fire Festival, available from John Gilroy01@gmail.com.
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