Blogtrotter

Ag seinm na gruaim.

D'fhoghlaim mé go raibh an frása "tá sé tromchroíoch" an lá eile-- as Beárla deirimid seo chomh "feeling blue"-- ag taghtha dó An Theas Mheireaceánach. Bhain sclábhaithe gormachaigh de plúirin ina bplandáil. Bhí obair go crua. Mar sin, tháinig tallann ghruama acusan féin.

Is focal é "gorm" seo as teanga céann go bhfuil ag taispeáint cad go mbheadh an fear "dubh" as Béarla. Ach, deirimid "dubh" in áit ghorm. Is mór an chuid suime é seo. Tá "lionndubh" fós as Gaeilge ann. Is cosuil le "gruama."

Is planda é go bhfuil eádach a thogann a salachar. Fágann sé smál ar lamh níos fusa. Saláionn sé cadás súiteach. Ar ndóigh, déanaimid sé in úsaid leis deinim (?) ina léinte agus briste géine.

Is iontach agam faoi seo, mar sin féin. Gheobhaidh tú go mbeidh deinim bheith fóinteach chun ruda. Is acra a bhíonn in úsaid gach lá. Ar cuimhne linn an bunús ann? Tá sé imithe as ár chuimhne faoi na fulaingt is mór leis na pobail gorm ina hAfraic agus Meiriceá. Caitheann réaltai rhóc "na gruama"-- chomh déanaimid-- agus seineainn siadsan féin seo freisin.

Scríobh Ruairí Ó Dúill faoi lascannaí idir na fir gorm agus ná pobal Éireannach ina a lheabhar "Na Fiacha." Bhí sé greann garbh, go cinnte! Bhí maith fir Éireann a cur siadsan féin i gcomórtas leis fir gorm ann. Is beag is ionann iad; ní comórtas ar bith dá chéile iad go fírinne i bpian buan.

Déanimid sinn uile ag rómánsaíocht ár éadóchas. Cén chaoi inseodh Bono chuige An Faobhar, "A Fhaobhair, seinn na gruama"? Is briathar idirdhealaithe in Éirinn nuair ag seinm ceoil. Ní raibh focal amháin as Béarla. B'fhéidir caitheann muid anseo grá cheoil? Ní fhaigheann muid ar bith ar cheol maith go minic. Bogaionn sé gruama againn.

Playing the Blues.

I learned that the phrase "he's heavy-hearted" the other day-- in English we say this as "feeling blue"-- came from the American South. The black slaves picked indigo on the plantation. It was hard work. Therefore, they came to reckon themselves as (in the) blues.

This word "blue" in the same language is shown what would be a "black" man in English. But, we say "black" {or "dark" in Irish) in place of "blue." This is very intriguing. There's "dark-filled" in Irish also. It's similar to the "blues."

It's a plant that gets stains on stuff. It leaves a smear on hands very easy. It colors absorbant cotton. Of course, we make it in use for denim in shirts and jeans.

I wonder about this, however. You'll find that denim will be of use as an item. It's an article in use every day. Do we remember the origins of it? There's forgetfulness in our memory about the greater suffering of the black people in Africa and America. Rock stars wear "the blues" now like we do-- and they sing them too.

Roddy Doyle wrote about links between the black men and the men of Ireland in his book "The Commitments." This is broad humor, certainly! The Irishmen in it liked to make connections with the black men. There's little in common there; there's not much of a tie to (join them) truly together in lasting pain.

We all romanticize our despair. How would Bono tell the Edge, "Edge, play the blues?" It's a distinctive verb in Ireland when playing music. There is not the single word in English. Perhaps we have lost here the love of music? We do not often appreciate at all good music. It eases our blues.