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Pól Ó Duarcain & "Na Monarcha Hata": Alt liom ina h-"Epona."

Scríobh mé alt faoi dán seo. Chuir mé aiste sin ar an iris idirlíon ina h-Ungáir leis léann Ceilteach. Is maith liom a scríobh dó "Epona." Dhúisigh mé é ar ais go raibh ag cruinnithe aischóthu. D'inis an eagarthóir orm ceartúcháin go leor.

Ceapaim go raibh sé níos mo anseo. Pléim an comhthéacs faoi monarcha na hataí feilt ina dhá bhaile. Bhí áiteannaí ina An Caisleán na Bharraigh agus an cathair na Gaillimhe. Thosaigh siad in aice leis sna daicheadí. Thóg siad leis teifigh Gíudachái díobh Eorpach lárnach.

Is file cáiliúl O'Duarcain é. Bhí sé ag tóghtha ina An Caisleán na Bharraigh. Chonaic sé an monarcha ansin nuair go raibh óg seasain féin. Líon línte leis liostaí. Fuair file hata eágsulaí a-hocht agus ochtó ag cur as. Go mianchumach, cuireann sé a sheacht sá iontais air faoi duine atá caitheamh siadsan

Léigh mé faoi ceist sheanphléite ina Dáil freisin. Dúirt teachtaí Dálaí go minic ní raibh maith i Éirinn má go mbeadh monarcha hata nua. Cén fáth? Ní raibh dhóthain oibreachái. Bhídís duine eagla orthusan leis iomaíocht mhíchneasta. Ar ndóigh, ní mian leo ag fáil 'coimhthíochaí' áirithe fós.

Tá scéal agam faoi seo. Bhí Séamus Ó Fionnáin é mo sheanathair. Bhí Dónal mac é Shéamaisín. Bhí beirt ag oibrithe ina monarcha hata i nGallimhe ina Bóthar Mhór. Bhí ainm é "Les Modes Modernes." Rinne sé hata mbán leis feilt. Bhíodh Séamus seoladoir é. Bhíodh Dónal clerigh é.

Dhún dhá monarchannaí ar feadh na Seachtannaí. Bhain mná hata astu. Níor díol siad. Inniu, ní ábalta tú feiceáil an oiread caíliní leis hata. Ar feadh mórán bliain is docha, níor cheannaigh bean leis "modes modernes" hata a caitheamh.

Paul Durcan's "The Hat Factory": My article in "Epona."

I write an article about this poem. I sent that essay to the Internet journal in Hungary for Celtic Studies. I like to write for "Epona." I fixed it after gathering feedback. The editor told me lots of corrections.

I think that it's better now. I discuss the context about the felt-hat factory in two cities. There were places in Castlebar and the city of Galway. They were started near the Forties. They were built by Jewish refugees from Central Europe.

Durcan's a famous poet. He was raised in Castlebar. He saw the factory there when he himself was young. Lines fill with lists. The poet finds eighty-eight different hats to put in. Wistfully, he is filled with wonder about those wearing them.

I read about the much-debated question in the Dáil also. Deputies in the Dáil often said that it'd not be well for Ireland if there'd be a new hat factory. Why? There was not enough jobs. The people feared themselves unfair competition. Of course, they did not want certain "strangers" either.

I have a story about this. James Finan was my grandfather. Donny was Jim's son. The two worked in Galway in the hat factory on Botharmore. It's name was "Les Modes Modernes." They made women's felt hats. James was a dispatcher. Donny was a clerk.

The two factories closed during the Seventies. Women took off their hats. They did not sell. Today, you are not able to see many girls with hats. For many years it's likely, a woman "in modern mode" does not wear a hat.

"'The Hat Factory' in Paul Durcan. Ireland's West, and Dáil Debates." Epona 3 (2008): 1-13.

Iómhá /Image: Resistol Hata fógra/hat ad, 1950s/ú