(Scroll down to read the English translation of this post.)

Bhuel, bhí sé go h-iontach a bheith i láthair i Ros Muc i mbliana le hÉirí amach na Cásca a chomóradh, céad bhliain níos déanaí.  Bhí brat na hÉireann ag foluain i ngach gáirdín agus cuma álainn ar an cheantar ar fad.  Bhí gach sórt imeacht ar siúl – ócáidí do pháistí, do dhéagóirí, do stairithe, do rothaithe(!) do ghaolta agus do chairde – ní fheicfear a leithéidí aríst ann.

Tá cór iontach ag Ros Muc, faoi stiúir ag Cathy Ní Chonaola, agus chan siad ag aifreann Domhnach Cásca agus aríst ag Teach an Phiarsaigh ar Luain Cásca. Chan Jimí Ó Ceannabháin agus Briocán Bairéad chomh maith agus bhí Raidió na Gaeltachta ann leis an ócáid a thaifeadadh ar an dá lá)

Is dóigh gurb é an rud is támhachtaí a thárla ná “Fleadh an Turlaigh Bhig” sa Chrannóg. Tháinig thart ar céad daoine le chéile le comóradh a dhéanamh ar an bhfleadh a chuir Pádraic Mac Piarais ar siúl san áit céanna fadó. Bhí béile deas againn, agus ceol agus craic, insan halla mór a bhí maisithe le pictiúirí álainne de chuid ealaíontóirí na h-áite. Bhí mo phictiúrsa (thíos) ag crochadh ann freisin, pictiúr a bhronn mé ar an Chrannóg ar Aoine an Chéasta.

An Piarsach, 96 x 120cm, oil on canvas, 2016

Ar maidin dé Luan tháing Raidió na Gaeltachta go dtí Teach an Phiarsaigh leis an chlár "Adhmhaidin" a chraoladh ann. Cuireadh agallamh ar mo dheartháir Fearghas agus léigh sé Forógra na Poblachta amach ag deireadh an clár.

http://www.rte.ie/radio/utils/radioplayer/rteradioweb.html#!rii=b17...

Is fiú go mór an clár seo a chloisint mar bhí cúpla agallamh an-spéisiúl air, ceann le Seosamh Ó Cuaig, ceann eile le Colm Ó Mainín agus le Frank Ó Máille.  B’é athair le Frank a chas leis an bPiarsach an chéad uair riamh ar tháinig sé go Ros Muc. Eisean a thug é ar a sidecar ón staisiún traenach sa Teach Dóite go dtí Tigh Uí Mháille i Ros Muc. Tá seomra codlata ina theach fós ar a dtugtar Seomra an Phiarsaigh air, áit a d’fhan an Piarsach ó am go h-am, sul a bhí teach aige dó fhéin.

Fearghas Mac Lochlainn ar "Adhmhaidin". My brother, inside Pearse's Cottage in Ros Muc on Easter Monday

Lovely to be in Connemara to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising in Ros Muc. There’s so much to tell but I think I’ll just write about one item for now -- and that’s Fleadh an Turlaigh Bhig (pronounced: Flah un Turly Vig) on Easter Sunday.

I didn’t mention the Earl of Dudley before, the British Lord Lieutenant in Ireland, but this fellow had an estate in Ros Muc (for fishing and shooting and the sort of carry-on that lords and ladies often did back then -- still do, I suppose). But once a year, he would host a sort of garden féte at Inver Lodge, for the locals -- cucumber sandwiches, muffins and such, and English songs and stories – but Patrick Pearse heard of this and decided to host an alternative party on the same day, with Irish music and songs and stories of Ireland. Great craic altogether, dancing til dawn, caint agus comhrá, drams of Poitín perhaps… Anyway, this occasion was replayed here in Ros Muc on Easter Sunday and I was honoured and delighted to be there, with Fionnuala and my brother Fearghas and his wife Bríd and daughter Anna.

Fleadh an Turlaigh Bhig, Ros Muc

Fearghas and I were asked to speak (as we are great grand nephews of the Pearses). "Wasn’t it interesting", I mused, "that we were two brothers here again, one an artist and the other a schoolmaster and writer…" And I presented a painting to the community (see above), one of a pair I'm painting of Patrick Pearse, this year. The other will be seen at the Harold's Cross Festival in Dublin during the month of May.

The other main story was about the recording of a radio programme "Adhmhaidin" at Pearse's Cottage on Easter Monday. It was great to be present to hear the various readings and musical items and the interviews with locals and historians (and local historians). Here's a link:

http://www.rte.ie/rnag/adhmhaidin/programmes/2016/0328/777877-adhmh...

http://tuairisc.ie/gailearai-leann-fearghas-mac-lochlainn-an-forogr...

http://emacl.com/

https://emacl.wordpress.com/

I always look forward to your comments, i nGaeilge or in English.  Slán go fóill, eoin