Broadcaster and writer is link in a long tradition

(This was first published in An tUltach, February 2014)

le hAnton Mac Cába

Bhuail mé le Diarmuid Ó Tuama sa chaifé ag an Chultúrlann i mBéal Feirste le leabhar agus sraith raidió s’aige ar Chogadh na gCarad a phlé. Tar éis cúpla bomaite ag ól caifé leis, thuig mé go raibh mé le nasc beo leis an stair. Tháinig a shean-athair aneas as Corcaigh go Béal Feirste. Bhí sé ag stopadh le Francis Joseph Biggar, ansin le James Connolly. Bhí athair Dhiarmuid, Seamus Twomey, ina cheannaire ar an IRA (Sealadach) i mBéal Feirste ag tús na dTrioblóidí, ansin ina Cheann Fóirne.

“Thaobhaigh mo mhuintir ar fad leis na hIrregulars (na Poblactaigh, nuair a scoilt an IRA i 1922 – A Mac C) agus bhí mo shean-athair amuigh i naoi gcéad déag is a sé déag,” ar seisean. “Agus bhí gliondar orm sin a chluinstin, nuair a chuir an Bureau of Military History an t-eolas ar an idirlíon.” Ní raibh sé ábalta teacht ar a sheanathair sna cáipéisí ón dtréimhse 1919-21 “agus shíl mé go raibh m’athair ag insint bréaga. Chuaigh mé siar go dtí naoi gcéad déag is a sé déag, agus ceart go leoir, b’shin ainm s’aige – Mary Street, Belfast, James Twomey - Séamas a bhí air ach scríobh siad ‘James’. Bhí mé iontach bródúil as sin. Thaobhaigh seisean leis na Irregulars. Chuaigh a dheartháireacha in éadán an Chonartha. Chuaigh a mhuintir ar fad i gCorcaigh – b’as Corcaigh dó – in éadán an Chonartha.”

Cuireadh an Seamus Twomey seo go Béal Feirste le h-eagar a chur ar na Fianna. Gabhadh agus cuireadh faoi ghlas i 1910 é as postaeir a chur suas in éadán earcaíochta san arm Ba Seán Mac Diarmada a shínígh bannaí dó. “Bhí sé ag stopadh le Francis Joseph Biggar,” arsa Diarmuid. “Nuair a fuair Biggar amach go raibh sé gníomhach, chuir Biggar amach as a theach é, agus bhí air dul a stopadh le James Connolly.” Bhí an Seamus Twomey seo sna lár-déaga ag an am.

Fuair an sean-athair bás agus Diarmuid ina dhéagóir. Is cuimhin le Diarmuid é  i 1966. “Nuair a bhain Sasana i gCorn an Domhain, thobair nár chuir sé a bhróg fríd an teilifís,” arsa Diarmuid.

Agus é óg, bhíodh Diarmuid ag dul thart chuig comórthaí i dteannta a shean-athair, gur bhuail le cuid mhór sean-óglach. “Casadh Stephen Fuller orm, a pléascadh ag Ballyseedy (mar ar dúnmaraíodh ochtar cime poblachtach le linn Cogaidh na gCarad – A Mac C),” ar seisean. “Bhí fhios again ar tharla i mBallyseedy sula raibh fhios ag an chuid eile den phobal. Tháinig an scéal amach go hoifigiúil i naoi gcéad déag ochtó’s a sé, sílim, nuair a chuir RTE an clár sin ‘Ballyseedy’ amach.”

Ba mhinic Uinseann Mac Eoin, a scríobh ‘Survivors’, tí tuismitheoirí Dhiarmuid, nó gur cairde iad. Bhain sé úsáid as ‘Survivors’ sa leabhar s’aige féin, mar leabhar tagartha, nó tá an scéal oifigiúil “i bhfad ró-fhada ón fhírínne.”

Beart a spreag é le scríobh faoi Cogadh na gCarad, ná go raibh náire ar an stát ó dheas as. “Ní raibh i gCogadh na gCarad ach an dara leath den chéad cogadh (an Cogadh Angla-Éireannach),” ar seisean. “ Sílim go raibh an sos cogaidh  míle naoi gcéad déan fiche’s a h-aon ina chinéal leath-am ag an rud.”

Sa sos cogaidh tháinig daoine amach “agus bhí fhios ag achan duine cé rinne cad é, agus eile.” Cúpla mí den sos agus bheadh “achan duine ag ceoil, ag ól” agus ag pilleadh ar an saol a bhí acu mar shibhialtaigh. Ba chuid sin den phlean ag na Sasanaigh go mbeadh saol arais acu, agus nár mhaith leo dul arais ag troid.

“Ins an chéad leath den chogadh, buaileadh Sasana go h-olc,” arsa Diarmuid. “Ins an dara leath, bhain Sasana.

“Bhí Collins agus Duffy agus Griffith iontach cliste. Chuaigh siad thart mar a rinneadh inniu, agus dúirt siad ‘Look, ní seo an deireadh, ná bí buartha, beidh mo dhuine arais ag troid.’ Agus bhí fhios acu go rí-mhaith nach mbeadh siad arais ag troid.

“Bhí baicle daoine a tháinig chun tosaigh le linn an sosa cogaidh, leithéidí Cosgrave, Desmond Fitzgerald, na leaids sin ar fad, agus sin na daoine a bhunaith rialtas an Saorstáit.”

Agus Collins ag troid, bhí siadsan ag bailiú cumhachta. Taobh thiar díobh, feiceann Diarmuid Andy Cope, an Leas Fó-Rúnaí na hÉireann deireannach ag na Sasanaigh. Bhí dlúth-teangmháil aige le polaiteoirí seo Shinn Féin. B’eisean a leag síos polasaí s’acu “ ná glac príosúnaigh, maraigh achan duine. Deir siad gur mharaigh siad seachtó’s a seacht, ach mharaigh siad na céadta.”

Dar le Diarmuid go raibh sé suntasach nár tharla seo go dtí gur maraíodh Michael Collins.

“Sílim gur ghlac muidne go ró-fhada leis an chraic gur na hÓglaigh a rinne é,” arsa Diarmuid. “Ní creidin gurb iad na hÓglaigh a rinne é. Scríobh fear ar pháipéar i mBaile Átha Cliath – ní cuimhin liom anois a ainm – nuair a bhí (An Maor-Ginearál Emmet) Dalton fós beo, dúirt sé gur scaoil Seirbhís Rúnda Shasana Michael Collins: an fear a rinne é, gur tugadh jab dó i rialtas an tSaorstáit ina dhiaidh, agus ina dhiaidh sin d’fhág sé rialtas an tSaorstáit agus chuaigh sé arais le Seirbhís Rúnda Shasana, agus bhí sé ag obair san Éigipt agus san Eoraip ina dhiaidh sin. Agus ní raibh i gceist ach duine amháin ansin, Emmet Dalton.”

Léigh Diarmuid ráitisí a scríobh beirt shaighdiúr a bhí in éineacht le Collins nuair a maraíodh é. “The IRA could not possible have killed General Collins as he had not come round the corner and he was in no line of fire,” arsa fear amháin. “Dúirt an fear eile go bhfaca sé Dalton ag scaoileadh Collins marbh,” arsa Diarmuid. “Dúirt sé go bhfaca sé Dalton ina sheasamh ag corp Collins agus gunna ina lámh aige, fear taobh leis, an tiománaí a bhí ag Collins an lá sin ná fear darbh ainm Corry, iar-shaighdiúr Shasanach, agus bhí Collins timpeallaithe acu.”

Bhí Cope den bharúil nach dtiocfadh leis brath ar Collins, bhí sé chomh taghdach sin, agus ina ‘Thadhg an Trí Thaobh’. “Bhí sé ag rá leis na Státairí ‘We’ll fight these Republicans agus gheobhfaimid an bua orthu’,” arsa Diarmuid. “Bhí sé ag rá leis na Poblachtánaigh ‘Stop an cogadh, agus rachaimid ó thuaidh’. Agus bhí sé ag rá leis na Sasanaigh ‘Troidfidh mise an cogadh’.

“Chreid cuid mhór de na hóglaigh i mBéal Feirste é, agus chuaigh cuid mhór acu le hArm an tSaorstáit, rud a chuir iontas orm, cé nach ndeachaigh mo mhuintir féin leo.”

Briseadh go tubaisteach ar na hÓglaigh. “Bunaíodh dhá stát, ar an dóigh go dteipfeadh ar an rud a bhí acu,” arsa Diarmuid. “Bhunaigh siad an stáitín ó thuaidh a bhí seicteach, ciníoch, Albanach, salach, agus ar an taobh eile chuir siad stáitín ar shiúil a bhí lofa ón dtús, a bhí Caitliceach, a bhí i gcoinne na feirmeoirí beaga, a bhí ann do lucht an rachmais a bhí go mór i bhfách le Fine Gael, nó Cumann na nGael mar a bhí ag an am.”

Léiríonn ar tharla ina dhiaidh go raibh ciall le Cogadh na gCarad. “Bhí na daoine seo ag troid ar son poblachta,” arsa Diarmuid. “Ní raibh siad ag troid ar son dhá stáitín lofa.”

‘Cogadh na gCarad’ le Diarmuid Ó Tuama. Coiscéim, €10. Na cláracha raidió ar an idirlíon @ https://www.rte.ie/rnag/fuinneog-feirste/programmes/2013/0730/465472-fuinneog-feirste-d-mirt-30-iil-2013/?clipid=1278818

Legendary footballer

by Anton McCabe

(a slightly different version was published in the Irish Times of March 8th 2014)

Jimmy Jones – born 25^th July 1928, died 13^th February 2014

Jimmy Jones, who has died after a long illness, was a legendary Northern footballer, and at the centre of one of Irish soccer’s most infamous incidents. Belfast Celtic withdrew from the Irish League after Linfield fans attacked him following a match on Boxing Day 1948.

That infamous 1948 match was played at Linfield’s ground, Windsor Park in Belfast. Linfield was perceived as a Protestant team, Belfast Celtic being perceived as Catholic – despite Jones being Church of Ireland. During the first half, a Linfield player suffered a broken leg when tackling Jones. At half time, a Linfield official announced the injury. When the game ended, Linfield supporters invaded the pitch. Jones was kicked unconscious, then a Linfield fan jumped off a wall onto his leg, breaking it in five places. A friend saved Jones’ life by lying on top of him. Afterwards, surgeons considered amputating the leg.

Jones recovered, to become the Irish League’s top scorer ever, hitting 646 goals in a career that continued at Glenavon, Larne and Newry Town. He was capped three times for Northern Ireland. He was a strong centre-forward with legs like tree-trunks, who defined his function simply: “I am there to score goals.” An opponent broke his jaw in one match: he was back playing in a fortnight.

As well as being a footballer, Jones was a motorcycle racer. He won the Skerries 100, among other races.

Jones was born in July 1928 in his maternal grandparents’ house in Keady, Co Armagh, only child to Thomas Jones, a police sergeant, and his wife Ellen (née Wilson). When Jones was days old, his mother returned to Lurgan. He spent the rest of his life in or near that town.

After education at Carrick Primary School and Lurgan Technical College, he served his apprenticeship as a mechanic – while making an impact as a footballer. While playing football, he became a salesman for dairy products, briefly ran a pub - and married Cecily, a nurse from Co Kilkenny.

At the time of his death, he was President of the Belfast Celtic Society. When his death was announced at a Glasgow Celtic home game, the crowd applauded him. They knew who he was, though most were not born when his career ended.

Jones is survived by his wife Cecily, children Jennifer and Trevor, and grandchildren.

Pioneer Northern human rights' lawyer

(First published in Irish Times January 11th 2014)

by Anton McCabe

Eamon McMenamin – born October 8^th 1959, died December 22^nd 2013

Eamon McMenamin, who has died in his adopted home of Belfast, was a pioneer of civil litigation on human rights issues in the North. In the late 80s and early 90s McMenamin was the specialist lawyer in litigation against the security forces. He secured damages for dozens of plaintiffs injured by plastic bullets. One of his most high-profile cases was that of Sean Downes, an unarmed civilian from Belfast. Television cameras filmed Downes’ death in 1984, at the hands of a policeman who fired a plastic bullet at close range. McMenamin successfully represented the family.

He settled some of the first cases involving victims of collusion, such as persons targeted by Brian Nelson, a British army agent and intelligence chief of the UDA. He won settlements for persons falsely arrested by the security forces. While some of his clients were prominent Republicans, most were ordinary civilians.

The nature of this work placed him under threat. He was a partner in the firm of Madden and Finucane when the UDA murdered Pat Finucane, one of its principals, in February 1989.

Not all his cases were linked to the Troubles. He represented some victims of the 1989 Kegworth air disaster, when 47 passengers were killed in the crash of a London-Belfast plane.

In all he did, McMenamin was driven and perfectionist. He was known to work right through the night on cases. Despite many of his cases being controversial, opposing lawyers respected him. They found him reasonable to work with.

Eamon Patrick McMenamin was born in Dublin in October 1959, second of four children to Paddy McMenamin and his wife Kay (née McKenna), both natives of Co Tyrone. He was educated at the Marian College in Ballsbridge: then, when the family moved to Castlederg, Co Tyrone, at the Christian Brothers’ Grammar School in Omagh. Afterwards he studied law at University College, Dublin.

As well as studying law, he boxed and won an Irish Universities’ championship. He was a useful Gaelic footballer, and moved on to being a referee.

From the late 80s he became a knowledgeable art dealer and collector. Mostly, he collected emerging Northern Irish artists, while dealing in the works of deceased Irish artists.

Pat Finucane’s murder deeply effected McMenamin. Tragically, chronic ill-health forced him to cease work as a solicitor some years ago, when he still had a huge contribution to make.

He is survived by his father Paddy: partner Val (Pattie): children Kathleen, Dermot and Sean: their mother Aileen: sister Bernie: and brothers Brendan and Colm. He was predeceased by his mother, Kay.

Co Armagh woman was leading neuroscientist

(First published in the Irish Times January 25th 2014)

by Anton McCabe

Marie Filbin – born October 25^th 1955, died January 15^th 2014

The work of Dr Marie Filbin from Lurgan, Co Armagh , who has died after a long illness, is crucial to understanding paralysis due to spinal cord injury and Multiple Sclerosis, and to developing drugs that may someday reverse the conditions.

Filbin spent most of her of career in the United States. At the time of her death, she was distinguished Professor and Director of the Specialized Neuroscience Research Program at Hunter College in the City University of New York. She made several breakthroughs into enabling nerves of the spinal cord to re-grow after injury. Among the honours bestowed on her were being joint winner of the Ameritec Prize for significant accomplishment towards a cure for paralysis: and being inducted into the Researchers’ Hall of Fame of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Filbin could have taken a professorship in an elite institution, but was committed to Hunter College and her students. Many came from poor backgrounds, and she helped them improve their lives. She took her research out of the university to speak to spinal injury victims and MS sufferers. .

Filbin always wore her learning lightly. She never lost her accent, moderating it slightly to facilitate communication.

As a person, she was warm. A few years ago she flew family and close friends from Ireland to New York for an extended party. She explained this was because she had never given them a wedding.

Marie Theresa Filbin was born in October 1955 in Lurgan, youngest of three daughters to John Filbin, who owned his family’s old-established bakery, and his wife Maureen (née McWilliams), noted as a lover of opera.

She was educated at Tannaghmore Primary School and St Michael’s Grammar School, Lurgan. Her adolescence coincided with the height of the Troubles. Once an IRA man dragged her to safety from the middle of a gun battle. Such experiences made her decide to leave the North.

She graduated from the University of Bath with a BSc and then Doctorate in biochemistry. At the end of her third year as an undergraduate she showed such promise she was chosen to work in the State Technical Laboratories in Finland, a world leading institution. In 1982 she moved to the US, working first in the University of Maryland, then John Hopkins University

Illness blighted her last few years, leaving her confined to a wheelchair. Committed to her family, she travelled back to Ireland last month for the wedding of her only niece. Unfortunately, she was not to return to New York.

She is survived by her sister Elizabeth; brother-in-law Liam Glover; niece; and five nephews. She was predeceased by her sister Jane

Leading specialist in respiratory medicine

(first published in the Irish Times February 15th 2014)

by Anton McCabe

Roger Clark Lowry - born September 20^th 1933, died January 30^th 2014-02-11

Roger Lowry, who has died after a long illness, was one of the North’s leading specialists in respiratory medicine. For more than a generation he was central to the work of the Chest, Heart and Stroke Association, being Chairman for almost 30 years.

Medicine was not his first calling. He graduated in economics from Queen’s University, Belfast, then worked for a year in his father’s accountancy firm. Accountancy was not for him, though, and he returned to Queen’s to study medicine.

Roger Clark Lowry was born in Belfast in September 1933, third of four sons to Harry Lowry, an accountant, scout for several English First Division football teams, and former manager of Glentoran and Bangor football teams: and his wife Evelyn (née Blair), a primary teacher. The parents raised their sons in an atmosphere of tolerance. Methodism was central to all their lives.

Because of German bomber raids on Belfast, the Lowrys moved to the Co Down countryside, between Killyleagh and Crossgar. There, Lowry attended the tiny Ballytrim Public Elementary School, then Down High School in Downpatrick, before completing secondary education at Campbell College on the family’s return to Belfast.

From those early years, he excelled in cricket, tennis, squash, and golf, even taking up horse-riding for a period. His hand-eye coordination was excellent.

Lowry was also adventurous. While a student he worked as a bell-boy for a summer in a hotel in Alberta, Canada. Afterwards he hitch-hiked over 5,000 kilometres to southern Florida, where a brother was working. He found d the best way to get lifts was to be well-dressed and carry a rolled-up umbrella.

Shortly after qualifying as a doctor, he met and married Joan Smith, a nurse from Monaghan: then undertook postgraduate studies in London and the United States, before setting up home in Newtownards. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of both England and Ireland. He ended a distinguished career as head of the Respiratory Investigation Centre at Belfast City Hospital. Lowry had been a smoker, but grasped the dangers of smoking early in his career. This understanding made him an evangelist for non-smoking, firstly and successfully preaching that gospel to his brothers.

Despite his achievements, he did not take self seriously. Lowry will be remembered as gregarious man. This was despite developing Parkinson’s Disease soon after retiring. At Lowry’s funeral in Knock Methodist Church, his friend Rev David Cooper summed up his life with the line from Seamus Heaney: “Steady under strain and strong through tension.”

He is survived by his wife, Joan: daughter Julie: sons Kevin, Michael, Peter, and Alan: brothers John, Sidney and Eric: and grandchildren.

Derry Labour stalwart dies (first published in Irish Times January 11th 2014)

by Anton McCabe

Jim Sharkey – born March 23^rd 1914, died December 31^st 2013

Jim Sharkey, who has died in his 100^th year, was known in his home city of Derry as a ‘labour man’. He spent much of his life working for an economically just society. He had a horror of sectarianism, from whatever source, and held the vision of working-class people coming together

In the 1960s he was a leading figure in the Derry Labour Party. This was one of the bodies which organised the City’s Civil Rights march on October 5^th 1968: police attacked the march, with revulsion leading Civil Rights to become a mass movement. Sharkey was subsequently active in the Civil Rights Association. In his working life he was an electrician, an active member of the Electrical Trade Union (ETU), and for years an officer of the union’s Derry branch.

Before Derry Labour Party was re-established in 1960s, he had been involved in several ephemeral groups that came together to stand independent labour candidates for the old Stormont parliament.

He was an old-style ‘labour man’. Attending meetings in jacket, shirt and tie, the middle-aged Sharkey was sartorially different to the youthful radicals who flocked into Derry Labour Party in the late 60s – and warmed to his sense of humour and strong principles.

James Joseph Sharkey was born March 1914 in Rossville St, the main artery of Derry’s Catholic quarter, the youngest of six children to James Sharkey, a carter, and his wife Bridget (née Doherty), a seamstress. When he was only a few months old, his father died. His widowed mother then opened a small shop in the house.

He received secondary education at the Christian Brothers’ Technical school, known as ‘The Brow of the Hill’. During World War Two, he served in the Irish Army, stationed mostly in the Dublin area.

Politics and trade unionism were only part of his life. He had a passion for music. His wife, Sibeal, shared that passion, and they passed it on, particularly to their son Fearghal, once lead singer of seminal punk band The Undertones. He had an adventurous spirit. In the late 60s, he took his family on camping trips to France and Spain, when such was uncommon. This culminated in he and Sibeal selling their home and moving to Fuengirola, Spain. There he became unofficial sacristan of the Catholic Church, and facilitating all sorts of activities for the Irish community. After his wife’s death he stayed on, until the family persuaded him to return to Derry.

He is survived by his daughters Ursula and Bridgín: sons Jimmy, Michael, Fearghal and Diarmuid: and by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife Sibeal and daughter Patricia.

Writer discusses 30th anniversary of seminal modern Irish Language Novel (first published - An tUltach, December 2013)

le hAnton Mac Cába

Tá sé 30 bliain ó phléasc Cuaifeach Mo Londubh Buí isteach ar litríocht na Gaeilge. Léirigh an scríobhneoir, Séamas Mac Annaidh, beocht ar fad nuair a bhuaileamar i gcaifé Rebecca sa Mhargadh Ime ar oileán Inis Ceithleann. Is caifé úr go maith é, ach i gceart-lár láithreach traidisiúnta, mar sin idir scríobhneoir agus caifé cosúil lena gcéile. Bhíomar cúpla céad slat ón dteach inar tógadh Séamas.

Ba díreach i ndiaidh dó pilleadh ar Inis Ceithleann a scríobh sé an Cuaifeach. “Is dócha, i ndiaidh dom bheith ar an Ollscoil i gCuil Raithin, go raibh m’intinn lán de smaointí agus de thuairimí agus lán de litríocht agus den gramadach,” ar seisean. “Agus nuair a tháinig mé arais go hInis Ceithleainn, ní raibh outlet ar bith agam, nó ó tharla go raibh oideachas tríú léibhéal agam, ní raibh móran daoine ann den ghlúin s’agam féin. So bhí mé liom féin ar bhealach, agus bhí an oiread sin den eolas agus den oideachas sin, agus b’éigean dom rud éigean a dhéanamh leis, ag méadú agus ag at istigh i m’intinn, agus i ndeireadh na dála phléasc sé. Tháinig sé amach i rabharta mór amháin.”

Sa leabhar “bhí mé ag éirí míshástacht áirithe a léiriú. Bhí mé bréan den sean-rud Gaelach. Is dócha go n-aithním anois, b’fhéidir nár aithin mé ag an am, an rud a bhí mé ag éirí a léiriú gur teanga nua-aoiseach Eorpach í an Ghaeilge, go mbaineann sí leis an lá atá inniu ann, go dtig léi plé a dhéanamh ar ábhar ar bith. Bíodh sí cian-aosta, níl sí ar bhealach ar bith sean-caite. B’shin an fath go ndeachaigh mé siar chomh fada le h-eipic Gilgamesh, an litríocht is sine, b’fhéidir, i litríocht an Iarthair, agus go ndeachaigh mé chomh fada suas le Comórtas Amhránaíochta na hEurófíse.”

Bhí sé ag éirí an an réimse iomlán sin a chlúdach. Ba trí thaisme a tháinig sé ar eipic Gilagmesh, atá lárnach sa Chuaifeach. Bhí Iráineach ag stopadh in éineacht le Séamas sna hallaí cónaithe ag an Ollscoil. “Bhíodh seisean i gcónaí ag maíomh as traidisiún s’aige féin,” arsa Séamas. “Lá amháin tháinig mé ar cóip dara láimhe, Penguin Classics.” Léigh sé sin, go bhfaca na cosúlachtaí le teanga an Bhíobla agus na béaloideasa. Bhí sé iontach fóirsteanadh don Ghaeilge, nó ann bhí “an t-athrá, freagraí agus ceisteanna.”

Dhiúltaigh an Cuaifeach do chrot traidisiúnta na h-úrscéala Gaeilg, nó “bhí dóigh eile agam le h-amharc ar an saol, níorbh ionann an dearcadh saoil a bhí agam an t-am sin agus an dearcadh atá ag seanduine ar an taobh thiar den Earagal. Bhain mise le saol na hollscoile, le saol na ndéagóirí, agus ní raibh an saol chomh simplí.” Mar sin, sa Chuaifeach, tá ceithre scéal ar shiúil san am céanna, an t-úrscéal ag bogadh ó ceann amháin go ceann eile “mar a dhéanann tú channel surfing ar an teilifís.”

Bhí eolas aige ar oidhreacht liteartha na Gaeilge, nó ar an Ollscoil, rinne sé staidéar ar leithéidí Séamas agus Seosamh Mac Grianna, agus Myles na gCopaleen. Aithníonn sé gur scríobhneoirí fiúntacha iad, ach bhain úsáid as cuid acu chun pastiche a dhéanamh, mar go bhfaca “an taobh greannmhar agus an taobh áiféiseach den saothar sin chomh maith.”

Bhí Séamas ag machnamh tamall ar an Chuaifeach sular thug sé faoi Mí Lúnasa 1982. Shocraigh sé guar ar aon lá amháin a tharlódh. “Roghnaigh mé lá, agus chuaigh mé amach an lá sin, agus bhreac mé síos cuid de na rudaí a tharla, cuid de na daoine a casadh orm, cuid de na smaointí a bhí agam, agus ansin thug mé faoin leabhar,” ar seisean. “An plean a bhí agam cúig leathanach a scríobh san oíche, cúig lá sa tseachtain, ar feadh deich seachtaine.”

Chloígh sé le sin. Ní dheachaigh sé níos faide ná cúig leathanach “fiú má bhí ábhar agam. Bhí sé níos fusa toiseacht an céad lá eile. Ní raibh mé ag toiseacht fuar, mar a deirfeá, bhí sé níos fusa leanúint ar aghaidh leis an scéal, bhí mé i lár an tsrutha.”

I ndiaidh na Nollag, chuaigh sé chuig Lár-Ionad Tyrone Guthrie i gCo Muineachán, go ndearna an t-iomlán a athscríobh. B’shin roimh ré an ríomhaire. Ní raibh síntí fada ar clóscríobhán, mar sin “b’éigean dom seachtain a chaitheamh ag cur na síntí fada isteach. Agus mar a deirim i gcónaí, bhí síntí fada i mo dhinnéar, bhí síntí fada ag léimint thar claí, i mo chodladh. Bhí siad achan áit.”

Bhí an t-ádh ar an Chuaifeach. D’éirigh Pádraig Ó Snodaigh air an lámhscríbhínn a chur chuige, ansin “an rud a tharla gur ghlaoigh sé lá amháin agus mé amuigh, agus an rud a dúirt sé le mó mháthair: ‘Abair le Séamas go raibh a fhoilsitheoir ar an ghuthán’.”

Níor cruthaíodh an scríobhneoir thar oíche. Bhí Séamas ag scríobh ó bhí sé ar an bhunscoil. “Ba ghnáth linn bheith ag scríobh abairtí sa bhunscoil, agus ba ghnáth liomsa na h-abairtí a chur lena gcéile i bhfoirm scéal,” ar seisean. Dhéanadh sé sraith-scéal dhe. Bhíodh comórtas ann gach maidin, eisean agus gasúir eile ag léamh amach a scéalta féin. Choinnigh sé leis an scríobhneoireacht, ainneoin bheith ar mheánscoil “mar nár tugadh móran airde ar an litríocht nó na h-ealaíona. Le fírínne, muna raibh cos maith peile agat, ní raibh móran suime acu ionat.” Choinníodh sé dialann i nGaeilge ann “bíodh is nach raibh mo chuid Gaeilge thar moladh beirte.” Fuair sé spreagadh ar an Ollscoil. Foilsíodh cúpla rud leis ar An t-Ultach agus ar an nuachtán Inniu.

Tá sé riachtanach aige ar fad rud éigean a scríobh gach lá. “Bím go bhfuil ag scríobh liom go rialta, níl oiread sin deifre orm rudaí a chur i gcló,” ar seisean. “Tá fhios agat nuar atá tú i do dhéagóir agus sna fichidí, tá práinn ag baint le h-achan rud, ach anois agus mé méan-aosta, mar a deirfeá, níl oireadh sin deifre orm.” Tosnaíonn sé ag scríobh ar maidin nuair a imíonn a iníon, Raphaelle, ar scoil. Déanann sé cúpla uair a chloig ansin, cúpla uair a chloig eile istoíche.

Mar oileánach de chuid Inis Ceithleainn, roghnaigh sé an Ghaeilge ainneoin gan aon ró-cáil Gaeilge bheith nó ar an bhaile, nó ar an mheánscoil mar a raibh sé. “Is dócha go raibh mé ag éirí bheith réabhlóideach nó conspóideach,” ar seisean. Bhraith sé compórdach sa Ghaeilge. Ba theanga príobháideach dá chuid féin é “ní raibh móran daoine thart anseo go raibh Gaeilge acu, rud a d’fhág go raibh saoirse iomlán agam mo rogha rud a scríobh.”

Bhí Gaeilge sa teaghlach, nó thóg uncail i mBaile Átha Cliath a chlann le Gaeilge. Léim sé isteach sa Ghaeilge in Árann Mór an samhradh i ndiaidh dó an scoil a fhágáil. “Léigh mé cóip de ‘Le Clapsholas’ le Máire,” ar seisean. “B’shin an céad uair go ndearna mé iarracht leabhar Gaeilge a léamh. Agus tá fhios agat féin, taobh istigh de trí nó ceithre bliain, bhí leabhar scríofa agam féin, mar gur tháinig oiread sin de fás agus de bhorradh ar mo chumas Gaeilge taobh istigh de thréimhse gairid. B’fhéidir gurb é an momentum sin a chuidigh liom leis an saothar sin a chur i gcrích – agus b’é Cuaifeach Mo Lon Dubh Buí an toradh a bhí ar sin.”