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Crom Dubh

Sa scéal seo bíonn comórtas cumhachta idir Chrom Dubh agus Naomh Bréanainn. D'fhéadfá rá gur léiriú é ar an t-athrú ón seana-ré phágánach go aois úr na Críostaíochta. Pé méid athrú, cuimhnítear fós ar Chrom Dubh agus déantar ceiliúradh ar an bhfómhair ar an nDomhnach deireanach d'Iúil sa dúthaigh le siúlóid suas go barra Chnoc Bréanainn!

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In this story there is a contest of power between Crom Dubh (literally meaning 'black stoop' or 'dark croucher') and Saint Brendan (Bréanainn;'braen-fhind' literally meaning 'fair drop'). The tale could be associated with the power-shift from the old pagan ways to the new Christian beliefs and the age-old clash of 'light' and 'dark'. However converted, 'Crom Dubh Sunday' is still commemorated in the region on the last Sunday of July every year, connecting him directly to the harvest festival.

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Cormac MacAirt

Ard-Rí ar Éireann ab ea Cormac Mac Airt fadó. Agus é ina leanbh ghabh mactíre é faid a chodail a mháthair agus thug aire agus cothú in uaimh do. D'aimsigh agus thóg a mháthair ar ais arís é ach, agus í ag déanamh iarracht éalú istoíche, bhailigh na mactírigh le chéile chun Cormac a aisghabháil ach chuir tréad capall fiaine de dhroim seoil iad.

Seo léaráid bunaithe ar scéalta ceangailte le huaimheanna agus curtha le chéile ag Dr. Marion Dowd, Irish Cave Archaeology Project, 2010.

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As a child a wolf stole him while his mother slept and suckled and sheltered him in a secret cave as he hid from his enemies. His mother found him and took him back but, while crossing a mountain at night-time, the wolves of Ireland gathered to steal him back again but were thwarted by a herd of wild horses.

This was an illustration for a great book on Irish caves by Dr. Marion Dowd, Irish Cave Archaeology Project, 2010.

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Litirphic

Pictiúirí déanta as litreacha agus a mhalairt. Maisiúcháin iad seo a bhí sa leabhar 'Fianna Éireann - Eipic ar an bhFiannaíocht idir Laoithe agus Scéalta' le Pádraig Ó Fiannachta (An Sagart, 2014).

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(Letterpics) Pictures made of letters and vice-versa.

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Cros na Sceilge

Tá na pictiúirí seo ón leabhar; 'Cros na Sceilge', Seán Mac Mathúna (Coiscéim, 2012), a léiríonn eachtraí suite sa 9ú aois in Éirinn agus a chuireann idir manaigh, mathúnaigh, mactírigh, Lochlannaigh agus toirc ina steillebheacha ar an leathanach romhainn.

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Images from the book 'Cros na Sceilge' (The Cross of Skellig Rock); an adventurous tale situated in 9th Century Ireland when monks, Vikings, bears, wolves and boars roamed the wild land and sea of South West Ireland.

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Ceo Lán Draíochta

Ceo draíochta i gcoim oíche do sheol mé
Trí thíorthaibh mar óinmhid ar strae,
Gan príomh-charaid díograis im' chóngar,
Is mé i gcríocha thar m'eolas i gcéin;
do shíneas go fíor-thuirseach deorach
i gcoill chluthair chnómhair liom féin,
ag guíochaint 'dtí Rí ghil na glóire
Is gan ní ar bith ach trócaire im' bhéal...

(sliocht as an aisling a chum an file ó cheantar Shliabh Luachra i gCiarraí Eoghan Rua Ó Súilleabháin, 1748-1784).

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Through the deep night a magic mist led me
like a simpleton roaming the land,
no friends of my bosom beside me,
an outcast in places unknown.
I stretched out dejected and tearful
in a nut-sheltered wood all alone
and prayed to the bright King of Glory
with 'Mercy!' alone on my lips...

(excerpt from an aisling, or vision poem, composed by the great Munster poet Eoghan Rua Ó Súilleabháin(1748-1784). Translation by Thomas Kinsella).

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Port na bPúcaí

An gcreideann sibh i bpúcaí? Bhuel, seo scéal ar conas a cumadh 'Port na bPúcaí' amuigh ar Inis Mhic Uibhleáin. Deireadh muintir an Bhlascaoid go raibh Inis Mhic Uibhleáin fé dhraíocht agus lán de phúcaí...

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'The Tune of the Fairies (or Ghosts)' - this tale tells of how this haunting, lonely tune was composed on one of the westerly Blasket Islands known as Inis Mhic Uibhleáin. People used to say that the island was an enchanted place and if you listened you just might hear the fairy music. Do you believe in the fairies? I do not, but they're there!

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