Niall reports from Oileán Thoraí (Tory Island) off the north coast of Donegal, where he recently spent a week learning about the culture, history and dialect of this Gaeltacht community.
The legendary home of Balor na Súile Nimhe (Balor of the Evil Eye), the site of a monastery founded by Naomh Colm Cille, refuge of the traonach (corncrake), the inspiration for the céilí dance Tonnta Thoraí and the traditional song Báidín Fheilimí, Toraigh remains an outcrop of Gaelic paradise.
Amhráin luaite – Songs mentioned
- Amhrán na Scadán (The Song of the Herring) – Éamonn Ghráinne Mac Ruairí
- Bean Pháidín – Planxty
- Seán’s a Bhríste Leathair – Nell Ní Chróinín
- Báidín Fheilimí
Dán an Bhádóra- The Boatman’s Poem
Bhí an barra ag búirthí (The sandbar was roaring)
Bhí na taftaí ag umhlú (The thwarts were bowing)
Bhí na rámhaí ag lúbadh (The oars were bending)
Le tréan na dtonn (With the force of the waves)
Fear na stiúrthach (The helmsman)
Níor léir dó an cúrsa (The way wasn’t clear to him)
Ach ag inse dúinne (But telling us)
Go raibh an chontúirt ann (That there was danger ahead)
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Frása na seachtaine – Phrase of the week
Tá cár ar an fharraige – The sea is showing its teeth (ie the sea is rough and white with foam).
Roinnt pictiúr ón turas – A few pictures from the trip
Jonathan B 
Carol
GRMMA Niall !
Is aoibhinn liom do thuras agus tuairisc ar Oileán Thoraí.
Bhí sé an-cabhrach gur inis tú dúinn ar dtús i nGaeilge, ansin i mBearla. Ar fheabhas !!
Táim ag foghlaim stór focal agus gramadaí.
Ba mhaith liom tuiscint ar chomhrá a fheabhsú.
Ag éisteacht le do scéal, cúpla abairt ag an am: i nGaeilge ar dtús, ansin i nBearla thar a bheith cabhrach.
Go raibh míle maith agat Niall !
Go raibh maith agat féin as an aiseolas, a Mháire – ba chóir dúinn an creatlach Gaeilge-Béarla a úsáid arís amach anseo!
Ba mhór an pléisiúr dom i Nua Ebhraic an tuarascáil a chloisteáil ón múinteoir is foghlaí seo!
Nua Eabhrac!
Grma a Jonathan. Bhí daoine as Bostún, Nua Eabhrac, agus Philadelphia agus freastal ar an chúrsa liom i dToraigh.
Lovely voice in both languages.
Go raibh maith agat, a Carol! 🙂