Partake by Ceaití Ní Bheildiúin

The hill speaks:

If you are defenceless, come

close to my side and sanctuary;

if you are short of blessings, come

to drink from my wellsprings;

if you are in need of a hiding place, come

under the veil of my mists.

I give a welcome to the pure in heart

to a broad open mind.

I rejoice in new ways, new visitors –

the mighty and the weak.

Come from Africa and the East

from Syria, Eritrea, Afghanistan.

There’s scope here in my skirts

for the picking and choosing of your houses:

the grand houses of the Tiger

as roomy as hotels

big houses with big hearts

little houses of welcome

houses full but always a way

to squeeze in a few more

holiday homes, dream homes

empty houses, houses just built

abandoned houses, fallen-down houses

houses whose hearths ring with music and vigour

houses of hardship, houses of the fairies.

Come across the seas to me, come into my place -

I have empty ground

and shelter here for a people.

Come into my open arms.

Partake.


TAR AGUS TÓG

Labhrann an cnoc:

Má tá cosaint uait, tar
i dtreo mo shleasa is mo dhúnta;
má tá beannacht uait, tar
chun mo thoibreacha beo;
má tá ort dul i bhfolach, tar
faoi ionarbhréid mo cheo.

Fearaim fáilte roimis glaine croí
roimis aigne leathan oscailte.
Altaím taithí nua, cuairteoirí nua –
an laoch is an lag.
Tar ón Afraic is ón Oirthear
ó Siria, ón Eiritré, ón Afganastáin.

Tá scóip anseo ar mo sciortaí
togha is rogha de thithe:
tithe móra an Tíogair Cheiltigh
tithe chomh mór le hostáin
tithe móra na gcroíthe móra
tithe beaga fáilteacha
tithe lán ach slí i gcónaí
do dhuine breise iontu
tithe samhlaithe, tithe samhraidh
tithe folmha, tithe ullmha
tithe tréigthe, tithe titithe
tithe tinteáin, tithe le ceol is brí
tithe an dua, tithe na sí.

Tar thar lear, thar tairseach chugam –
tá láithreacha agam
is fothain anseo do phobal.
Tar isteach i mo bharróg.
Tar agus tóg.