Fhreastail mé An Chomdháil Mheiricéanach do Léann do Éireann i Naomh Seosamh in aice leis Naomh Críos. Lhabhairt mé faoi an saor agus saothair de réir Máire Ní hAllmhuráin. Thógaidh sí i mBaile átha Cliath agus ansin ag imithe sí An tSeapáin ar feadh na n-ochtóidí go luath.
Chuaigh sí ar shiúl mar sin go raibh an dúil mhór aici ag maireachtáil chomh mar 'manach na tSen' ansiud. D'imigh sisean ar an taobh Thior i bhfad chun stadéar a dhéanamh Búdachas. Fuair sí bás nuair a bhí ach seacht mbliadhna ar fichead d'aois, i 1982.
D'fhan muid ar lar na cathrach i Naomh Seosamh ag trasna na basilica stairiúil agus dhá múseaim na healaíne agus teachneolaíochta. Shiúl muid ag cheantair sean 'solas-dearg' ina hoíche. Anois, measaim go raibh na colbhaí 'salach' leis carachtair amhrasach faoi na lampaí galánta fós.
Thug muid cuart air ár chairde dhíl Bob agus Crios ina dhiadh. D'ith muid ag am lón ag an caladh ina Naomh Crios. Bhi ag féachaint ar an chuain agus an clárchósan go hiontach.
Chonaic muid míoltaí móra léim ard amach as an aigéan. Ní fhaca mise féin riamh an oiread sin i mo shaol. Is radharc go mbeidh mé ag cuimhneamh ar feadh i bhfad. Is cuimhne liom aríst faoi ár shaol gearr i hiontas tapaidh agus an rúndiamhair laistigh de gach créatúr.
Watching whales.
I attended the American Conference of Irish Studies in San Jose near Santa Cruz. I spoke about the life and times of Maura O'Halloran. She grew up in Dublin and then left for Japan during the early Eighties.
She went away as she had a great desire to live as a Zen monk over there. She departed herself for the Far East to study Buddhism. Death took her when she was but twenty-seven years old, in 1982.
We stayed in the city center of San Jose across from the historic basilica and two museums of art and technology. We walked in the old "red-light"district at night. Now, I reckon the curbs may still be "dirty" with suspicious characters under the elegant lamps.
We paid a visit to our dear friends Bob and Chris afterwards. We ate lunch on the wharf of Santa Cruz. We viewed the harbor and wonderful boardwalk.
We saw many whales leaping high out of the ocean. I never saw myself so many at once in my life. It's a sight I will remember for a long time. I recall once more our short life in quick wonder and the hidden dimension within every creature.
(Above/Suas: Teach Solais Rinn le leon codhlata na fharraige/Lighthouse Point with sleeping sea lion. An caladh na Naomh Crios/Santa Cruz wharf. Photograph/Grianghraf le Chrios de Barra/Chris Berry, 30ú Samhain/October 30, 2011.)
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