le Antaine Ó Raifteirí (1784-1835) 1. A Bhaile Locha Riach, is fada 'bheas trácht ort ón lá úd a tharla mé ann, Nó gur dhruid mé go dlúth leis na cárta 's gur thógadar ríl in mo cheann. 2. Ar maidin ag dul tríd an tsráid dom shíl mé nach ndéanfainn aon mhoill, Nó gur rug John Joyce ar bharr láimhe mé go dtí teach pléaráca agus grinn. 3. Chas Dia aon scilling amháin chugam agus a shíl mé go raibh mo dhíol ann, Nuair a shíl mé nár ghlaos ach dhá chárta bhí ag Conúr im aghaidh trí is bonn 4. Bhuail mise an bord leis an gcárt is Maolamhnaigh 'se tháinig go teann, D'fhiafraíos cén chiall an cás seo is a ghiorracht ó thangamar ann. Fear an Tábhairne: 5. "Is é an dlí a bhíos againn ins an áit seo an reicneáil nach n-íoctar in am, Má éiríonn na daoine ón gclár- An fear deiridh bheith síos leis an leann," Raifteirí: 6. "A Chonúir ar m'ainim ná tráchtaigh, tháinig mé gear, is b'annamh liom, Dá dtugthá-sa beagáinín spáis dom bheinn anseo amárach in am." Fear an Tábhairne: 7. "Dá mba sagart thú a thiocfadh , nó bráthair, ní bhfaighfeá-sa cairde faoin leann, Ach íocfaidh tú mise ar an tairne má tá an hata crua fáiscthe ar do cheann," Raifteirí: 8. "An gcuirfeá-sa amach mé lá báistí, i mo sheasamh, lár sráide, im cheann Is a fheabhas agus d'ólfainn do shláinte ach mo sparán bheith láidir is teann?" Fear an Tábhairne: 9. "Nár dhúirt me leat cheana gan trácht air, go raibh taxes agus license an-teann? Is dá dtrustfainnse réic nó fear fánach ní bheathóinn mo bhean is mo chlann." Raifteirí: 10. "Go bhfeice mé tusa i do stáca I do sheasamh, lár sráide, in do cheann, Do chosa ins an lathaigh faoi ghága, is tú ag suathadh na láibe go lann

by Criostoir O'Flynn O Loughrea, 'tis long you'll be talked of, since to there on my travels I went, I settled down to the drink in good order and was left with a reel* in my head. When I came to the street on the morning I thought I'd be on my way, But John Joyce took my hand and he brought me to a house of good fun and great play. With a shilling that the good God provided I thought I'd enough and to spare, What a shock then when Connor confided for two quarts three-and-six I must pay. I clattered the jug on the table and Molony came running to hear, I asked what he meant by this statement when so short was the time we'd been there. Bartender: "The rule that in this house we favour any reckoning not paid as they sup, Whoever is last at the table for all that they drank must pay up." Raftery: "Don't say any more, my good Connor, I'm found short and that's seldom my state, But give me at least till tomorrow, I'll come early and clean off my slate." Bartender: "If you were even a priest or a friar, no credit for drink would you get, Just pay on the nail what's decided or I'll have that hard hat off your head." Raftery; "Would you put me outside and it raining bareheaded to stand in the street, When your health I'd be loudly proclaming if my purse all expenses could meet?" Bartender: "I told you already, don't argue! the taxes and license are hard, Trusting wild rakes and wanderers like you my wife and my children would starve." Raftery: "May I live to hear yet of the time you'll be put there yourself on the street, With your head bare as you have made mine and you tramping the mud in bare feet!"

Courtesy of Jack & Vivian, IrishPage.com October 2005
From Blind Raftery by Criostoir O'Flynn, Cló Iar-Chonnachta, Connemara Ireland, 1998
Cf. Bertrand Library, Bucknell Univ. Lewisburg, Pa. 17837
* Reel is Irish music and dance
Music to this poem, if any, is nowhere to be found.
Replay background music jigsong.mid
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Filleadh go liosta
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