Gaeilge by Úna Flanagan
At a recent Pen & Ink workshop given by Nuala Ni Dhomhnail, Nuala critiqued the following poem, saying, among other things, that it was very well crafted, she liked the use and placing of the word 'toisc', she enjoyed the humour and the poem was perfectly good enough to go on the Pen & Ink website! So, here it is.
The poem was written several years ago during a night-class course in learning to speak Irish.

 

Ba mhaith liom foghlaim Gaeilge
Agus nílim óg anois
Deanaim dearmad ar na foclaí
Ach bainaim triail as, toisc

Go dtaithníom bheith im Eireannach
Tá sé tábhachtach dom dar ndoigh
Go bhfuil mé ábalta focal a rá
I mo theanga fhéin go foill

Deanaim iarracht leis an teanga
Bíonn an sport again sa rang
Ar dtús bhí mé an-cúthail
Ach tá biseach mall ann

Seo dhuit mo cúpla focal
Mas maith leat, tá cead agat
Bheith ag gáire faoin dán seo
A táim a leamh anocht