Matalang Dónaill Mhóir
Collected from Conchubhar Ó Drisceóil of Inis Cléire, Co. Chorcaí, 1938. Preserved through the National Folklore Collection, UCD.
Grant, C.J. 1833. Emigration, detailing The Progress and Vicissitudes of an Emigrant. J. Pattie: London.
“Bhí fear i gCléire fadó agus is é an ainm a bhí air ná Dónall Mór. Chuaigh sé ar farraige agus tar éis lae nó dhó seoladh dó ag teacht thar n-ais ó thaobh thuaidh Meiriceá le ualach adhmaid, tháinig gála orthu agus tugadh chun siúil a raibh do canbhás acu agus bhí an tárrac caite ar ceann a bíoma. Thug an captaen agus na hoifigí suas go raibh sí caillte mar bhí sí ag déanamh uisce. Dúirt an captaen leo go léir dul síos sa chabán agus an t-éadach ab fhearr a bhí acu a chur umpa mar bhí siad caillte. Chuaigh siad go léir síos ach amháin Dónall Mór. Chuaigh sé sin síos chun cinn agus d’aistrigh sé an t-adhmad go léir a bhí inti agus thóg sé an t-árthach ina shuí ar a chíle arís.
Rinne siad an cuan i dTalamh an Éisc. Bhí an captaen agus na hoifigí lúcháireach go leor toisc iad a mhaireachtain. Chuir an captaen scéala chun ceannaí na loinge féachaint cad é an luach saothair a bhí le fáil ag an té a shábhail iad. Chuir na ceannaithe scéala thar n-ais á rá go raibh coróin sa ló le fáil ag an bhfear san gach lá is a fhad a mhaireadh sé. Chaith siad an oíche go meidhreach is go lúcháireach i dTalamh an Éisc. D’imigh duine anall is duine abhus agus nuair a tháinig an lá agus nuair glaodh na cúntóirí ní raibh Dónall Mór lé fáil. Cuireadh cuardach air agus fuair siad marbh sa sneachta é. Rinne duine éigin caoineadh dó ansin:
A Dhónaill Mhóir, is trua ar lár thu,
Gur easnamh ar Cléire go lá an bháis tu,
Gur i long ghualaigh, a thugais an barr leat,
Ag dul go Talamh an Éisc ag déanamh áiméir”
“There was a man in Cléire long ago and the name that he had on him was Great Dómhnall. He went upon the ocean and after a day or two sailing coming back from North America with a load of wood, a gale came upon them and what they had for canvas sails was swept from them and the surge was thrown on the head of its beam. The captain and the officers gave up that it was lost as it was taking on water. The captain told all of them to go down into the cabin and the best clothes that they had to put about them as they were all lost. They all went down except for Great Dómhnall. He went down to the forefront and he moved the entirety of the wood that was in it and he brought the vessel to rest on its keel again.
They reached the harbour in Newfoundland. The captain and the officers were overjoyed because they had survived. The captain put the tidings to the headman of the ships inquiring what kind of reward would be available for the person who had saved them. The overseers sent word after saying that a crown a day would be had by that man each day as long as he would live. They spent the night merrily and joyfully in Newfoundland. People departed here and there when the day came, and when the accountants called, Great Dómhnall was not to be found. A search was put out for him and they found him dead in the snow. Someone composed this lament for him there:
Oh Great Dómhnall, a pity that you have fallen,
That you were gone from Cléire until the day you died,
That in a coal ship, you gave the best of you
Going to Newfoundland trying your chance”
Adapted from: “The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0295, Page 120-121” by Dúchas © National Folklore Collection, UCD is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
