European Day of Languages Den Haag 2024 - Cillín HD 1080p

European Day of Languages
Poem in Irish read by Stephen Eustace, written by Declan Collinge:
From Súnámaí (Coiscéim 2013)
Cillín
I monabhar na gaoithe thar dhroim an tsléibhe
Braithim clasicaideal balbh na naíonán
Neamhghlan gan bhaisteadh -
A lámha bídeacha cailce ag síor-impí
Orainne a shiúlann thar an bhféar tuartha
Ár n-aire ar an saol, ar chúraimí ár linne
Is fada fada saol Limbo ó daoradh
Iad chun fodhomhan idir eatarthu
Ag luí na gréine fadó, gan sagart gan paidir -
Má tá Liombó ann ar chor ar bith
Is ann a mhaireann a dtuismitheoirí céasta
A chlis as codladh na hoíche thar na blianta
Ciaptha ag aithreachas gan chúis
Ag aiféala gan mhíniú, scartha amach
Go buan óna naíonáin neamhchoisricthe -
I monabhar na gaoithe thar dhroim an tsléibhe
Braithim claisceadal balbh na marbh
Ag priocadh na nglúine tostacha, dár náiriú.
Declan Collinge
English translation
Kileen
In the murmur of the wind across the mountain
I hear the mute choir of unclean
Unbaptised infants -
Their tiny chalk-white hands imploring
Us who walk above on the bleached grass,
Our minds on our lives, our concerns,
The world of Limbo is a long long world
Since they were condemned to that in between realm
At sunset long ago, without priest or even prayer -
If Limbo exists at all
It is where their tortured parents live on
Who have started from their sleep at night down the years
Torn by unfounded guilt
By regret, that had no cause, shut out
Forever from their unconsecrated infants -
In the murmur of the wind across the mountain
I hear the mute choir of the dead
prodding the silent generations, shaming us all.
Declan Collinge