Bhí dearcadh Ghaeil Thalamh an Éisc i leith na sióg, agus gach ar bhain leo, chomh láidir is a bhíodh in Éirinn. Ní amháin sin, bhí ‘the little people’ nó ‘the good people’, mar a thugaidís orthu, mórthimpeall othru - i dTalamh an Éisc!

The view of Newfoundland Gaels towards the fairies, and everything concerning them, was as strong as it had been in Ireland. Not only that, ‘the little people’ or ‘the good people’ as they were called, were all around them - in Newfoundland!

Terms collected from Aloysius O’Brien by Memorial University in 1973 offer a tantalizing glimpse into the living Irish of the early settlers, and the Irish terms which were irreplaceable in Newfoundland life, even after Irish itself had ceased to be spoken.

Atá séasúr na rón thart i mbliana. Sa Mhárta ‘s ea cuirtear dlús lena marú i gcónaí.

The sealing season is over this year. In the March they always get a move on the killing.

D’imídís ag iascach trosc ann agus thugaidís dhá bhiaiste ann, cuid acu.

They would go fishing cod there and they would spend two fishing-seasons there, some of them.

Bhíodh a lán daoine ón áit seo ag dul go Talamh an Éisc ag iascach fadó.

A lot of people from this place would be going to Newfoundland fishing long ago.

Is olc an talmhaí mé i dtús a’ Mhárta, Níor chaitheas láí ar feadh seacht mblian’

Terrible the farm worker I am at the start of March, I haven’t put in a loy-spade for seven years

Na seandaoine a bhíodh anseo fadó is go Talamh an Éisc a théidís. Ní raibh aon stímear ann ach árthaí seoil.

The old people that were here long ago, it’s to Newfoundland they did go. There weren’t any steamers then but sailing ships.

Ar maidin inné bhí camadam scéil ag gaige gan chéill dá leathadh ‘dir mhnáibh

Yesterday morning there was a romantic story being without sense spreading between the women

Imir an ní úd bhíodh ag eitilt in airde

Play that thing which flies overhead

Do riarfainn sceól dom chomharsa ar aon rud ar mbriathraibh beoil dob eól do chéadta

I would serve a tale to my neighbours on anything in the spoken words that many would understand

Beir beannacht óm chroí go tír na hÉireann, bánchnoic Éireann óigh’

Take a blessing from my heart to the land Ireland, the fair hills of holy Ireland

Cé tharla in ionad mé gan uireasa bídh ná óil, Gan gábha le foithin i gcuideachtain mílte slógh,

What happened instead of me being without want for food or drink, Without dangers with shelter in the company of thousands of people

Bhí fear i gCléire fadó agus is é an ainm a bhí air ná Dónall Mór.

There was a man in Cléire long ago and the name that he had on him was Great Dómhnall.

Théadh a lán daoine bochta ón ndúthaigh seo fadó go Talamh an Éisc, nuair nach bíodh aon job eile oibre acu, ná aon phá ná aon ní acu á d’fháilt. Bhídís ag gabháilt d’iascach ann.

A lot of poor people went from this district long ago to Newfoundland, when there didn’t have any other jobs for work, nor any pay or having any means to get it. They would go for fishing there.

Bhí fear den áit seo ⁊ ‘sé an ainm a bhí air ná Seán Ó Caoimh ⁊ bhí sé chun a bheith á phósadh le cailín óg - cailín deas is dócha - ⁊ fuair sí bás.

There was a man from this place and the name on him was Seán Ó Caoimh and he was to be married to a young girl - a nice girl most likely - and she died.