Dinnseachas Chluain Daimh, Cuid IV

Dinnseanchas Chluain Daimh, Cuid IV
Le Ciaràn Dunbar
Originally Published in An tUltach

Allt a’ tSagairt

Is léir ón ráiteas seo a leanas go raibh suim ar leith ag John O’Donavan, an tópógrafóir mór, agus é ag bailiú logainmneacha Chontae an Dúin in ainmneacha na sléibhte. Is léir fosta go raibh sé ábalta duine áitiúil (nó daoine áitiúla) a aimsiú le heolas a chur ar fáil dó.

These mountains bear very curious aboriginal names, and I am very anxious to have a perfect list of them lest I omit any. While at Castlewellan and in the very wild parish of Clonduff, I got the names of persons in Mourne from whom I can derive proper information concerning the wild mountain valleys of Mourne … furnished me by John McLindon, a kind and intelligent farmer, who is more interested in the subject than myself, and who is as much obligied to me as I am to him for the trouble we have taken with them. (O’Donavan, 1909, L. 84)

Mar atá le feiceáil ina chuid nótaí thíos, bhí Allt a’ tSagairt i measc na hainmneacha siúd ar bhailigh sé.

Althothagart. Alt a t-Sagairt, altitude Sacerdotis. Here the altar is still to be seen whereon Masses were celebrated during the rage of bigotry [aimsir na péindlíthe]. (O’Donavan, 1909, L 65.)

Is sliabh cáiliúil é Allt a’ tSagairt sa dúiche cionn is go mbíonn Aifreann ar a thaobh gach bliain ag Carraig an Aifrinn atá tógtha ansin, de bharr sin tuigtear an chiall leis an logainm go forleathan. Dar liomsa, is é seo an áit is iargúlta sa pharóiste ar fad.

Tá scéal stairiúil bainte leis an áit faoi sléacht uafásach a tharla in Aimsir na Péindlíthe. Chuir an tUrramach Patrick Keenan an leagan seo den scéal i gcló (Keenan, 1941, L. 12-13).

The late Canon Rooney (P.P. Clonduff 1923-30) used to relate the story as handed down by tradition, of the martyrdom of this priest, Father Eoghan (?O’Hagan). According to the tradition a certain Col. Whitechurch , having learned from his spies that Mass was to be celebrated at Alt-an-tSagairt on a particular Sunday set out with his henchmen for the spot, reaching just as mass was ended, He is said to have murdered the priest and a number of those who assisted at the mass ... it is interesting to note that prior to the penal age the name of the “Priest’s mountain was “Altakeltie” – the wooded hill.

Baintear úsáid as an litriú Gaeilge i litríocht na háite cé go scríobhtar é mar ‘Alt’ seachas ‘Allt’ (Féach Ó Mainnín, 1993, L. 125) agus tá an fuaimniú Béarla cosúil go leor di [le teacht], cé go bhfuil an t deireanach leathan.

Tá traidisiún sa pharóiste nach raibh carraig an aifrinn Allt a’ tSagairt san áit a gceiliúrtar Aifreann na Carraige gach aon bhliain i saol na linne seo, áit atá thuas ar thaobh an tsléibhe. I mo thuairim féin, déantar seo le dreapadóireacht ceart a thabhairt do mhuintir na háite le léirchruthú do dhaoine an streachailt a bhí ag a sinsear le dul chuig an aifreann nuair a bhí na péindlíthe i bhfeidhm.

Tá carraig mhór mhín eile i bhfolach thíos sa ghleann ag bun Allt a’ tSagairt, atá taobh le coill agus níos deise don tsráidbhaile. Dúradh liom sa cheantar gurb é sin carraig an aifrinn i gCluain Daimh. Ar scór ar bith, is cinnte liom nach raibh sé thuas úd ar thaobh sléibhe, áit atá infheicthe agus doiligh éalú as! Seift déanta ag sagairt glic éigin atá i gceist dar liomsa, nuair a bhí air áit a roghnú le carraig an aifrinn a thógáil.

Leabharliosta

Ó MAINNÍN, M. B., Place-Names of Northern Ireland, vol. III, County Down III, The Mournes (The Institute of Irish Studies, The Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast 1993).

EVANS, E., Mourne Country: Landscape and Life in South Down (Dundalgan Press Ltd. Dundalk 1989).

Féilire Húi Gormáin: the martyrology of Gorman, ed. Whitley Stokes (London 1895).
The Martyrology of Donegal: a calendar of the saints of Ireland, trans. John Ó’Donavan, ed. James H. Todd and William Reeves (Dublin 1864)

DINEEN, Rev P. S., Foclóir Gaedhilge agus Béarla (Irish Texts Society, Dublin, Cork 1904, new ed. 1927, repr. 1970).

McPOLIN, F., ‘Fairy Lore in the Hilltown District’ Ulster Folklife, vol. 9 (1963).

KEENAN, P., Brief Historical Stetch of the Parish of Clonduff, Diocese of Dromore, (Newry 1941).

Ó DOIBHLÍN, D., The Ulster Irish Translation of the De Imitatione Christi (Cumann Seanchais Ardmhacha, Monaghan 2000).

O’ DONAVAN, J., ‘Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the County Down collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1834’ pub. as supplement to Leabharlann III (Dublin 1909).