Pádraig Ó Miléadha & Family History

Shauna Hallahan is the great-great-great granddaughter of famous Déise poet Pádraig Ó Miléadha. Shauna enthralled her classmates when she researched and shared her family history. The class was treated to an illustrated lecture about her much admired ancestor.

Teacher Evelyn Simons congratulates Shauna Hallahan on her presentation.

The poet's most famous work is Sliabh Geal gCua which has been recorded by Liam Clancy, Nioclás Tóibín and many other noted performers.

An file was born in Sceithini near Touraneena in 1877. He spent part of his life as an Irish teacher in the early days of the the independent Irish state. He had attended the National Schools in Touraneena and Kilbrien and grew up in a community where the old Gaelic traditons and language were losing ground to English. Pádraig Ó Miléadha learned the Irish language and traditions in that area at a time when Ireland was awakening but was paradoxically allowing its Gaelic-speaking areas to dwindle and grow smaller.

Like many others, he emigrated to Wales where he spent over 20 years. It was during this period that he wrote his lovely song. He returned to Ireland in 1922.

A monument celebrating Pádraig Ó Miléadha was erected in the centre of Touraneena in 1977. The fund raising committee produced a pamphlet at that time. It is from this carefully preserved family heirloom that the bibilographic material given above is taken.

Sliabh Geal gCua (Pádraigh Ó Mileadha 1877-1947)

Ó a Shliabh Geal gCua na Féile
Is fada uait i gcéin mé
Im shuí cois cuain im aonair
Go tréith-lag fé bhrón
An tuile bhuí ar thaobh díom
‘Dir mé ‘gus tír mo chléibhe
‘S a Shliabh Geal gCua na Féile
Nách géar é mo sceol.
Dá mbeinnse 'measc mo ghaolta
I Sceithín ghlas na séimh-fhear
Nuair a scaipeann teas na gréine ann
Ón spéir gheal gan smál
Nó dá mbeinnse ansúd faoin réaltan
Nuair a thiteann drúcht ar fhéar ann
Ó a Shliabh Geal gCua nár dhéirc sin
Dá mb’fhéidir í d ‘fháil

‘Sé mo léan ná fuaireas tógaint
Le léann is mór-chuid eolais
I nGaelinn uasal cheolmhar
Ba sheolta mo bhéal
Do threabhfainn cuairt thar sáile
Is do thabharfainn bua thar barr chughat
Mar, a Shliabh Geal gCua ba bhreá liom
Thú d’árdach i réim
Mo ghrá-sa thall na Déise
‘Dir bhánta, gleannta ‘s sléibhte
Ó shnámhas anonn thar tréan-mhuir
Táim tréith-lag gan bhrí
Ach ó b’áil le Dia mé ghlaoch as
Mo shlán-sa siar go hÉirinn
Agus slán le Sliabh na Féile
Le saor-ghean óm chroí.

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