Galway Advertiser 1992/1992_10_29/GA_29101992_E1_028.pdf 

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T h e night w a s bright, the mist w a s slight, T h e bell had just struck o n e . T h e g r a v e y a r d t r e e s , m o a n e d in t h e b r e e z e T h e m o o n , the sky did run. W h e n o'er t h e w a l l , that s t o o d s o t a l l . T w o m e n were seen to climb, T h e y l o o k e d about, then both set out, For the Vhults of Austerline. For ten s c o r e year, w e r e buried here, T h e n o b l e s o f that c r e s t . But t w o months past, the very last, T h e D u k e w a s laid t o r e s t . T w a s truly s a i d , that all t h e d e a d . Were decked with jewellery fine, A prize o f gold, the T o m b did hold, In the limits of Austerline. With faces w a n , they quickly ran, Across the H o l y ground, W h e r e h e a d s t o n e s g r e y , o n d e a d m e n lay, Until die T o m b they found. Before the Vault, they b o t h d i d halt A n d e y e d its a n c i e n t l i n e s . For 'twas their j o b , they'd c o m e t o rob, The Vhults of Austerline. With crow-bars three, they tried to free, T h e slab that m a r k e d t h e door, A n h o u r h a d p a s s e d , b e f o r e at l a s t . It c r a s h e d u n t o t h e f l o o r . T h e tomb within, w a s black as sin, A n d t h e s m e l l w a s that o f l i m e , B y lantern light, the thieves caught sight, Of the Vhults of Austerline. T h e t o m b s w e r e laid, in line arrayed, Each o n e w a s m a d e o f stone. T h e t h i e v e s w e r e fast t o c h o o s e t h e l a s t , Their jackets off were thrown.

%)t faults of guaterline

G A L W A Y AY poe 11 N el Mmmmpretwily T R U L Y A G R E A T D A Y ft r eb h e e e a p md b t t a e s Gwgn to r ve a eas ev l i i t e v is o h it f s ta s t n n r to r na t i es ac l l i Gl a in the ft s ay w ii fe ad e r s t s A n al x . y ie i nme of poe l e u br ep i l k W Fh scee y ay uedd li for a m in b gg te rn i ni i t e " asa " ad h Madm n t e " ydm n t e h Rna " i t h o by but sd hs a, ay tee l v is cae. i t esd s
laddagh rings and he, in turn, entertained a large number of guests. The Mayor of Galway, Mr. Peter G r e e n , sang nostalgic ballads of his native city. In the quayside bands played and traditional Irish dancers performed as thousands assembled to greet the 300 returning exiles landing. It was truly a great day and it is felt that their rival port of Cobh in the South will not begrudge a fair share of liner traffic to the City of the Tribes in the future!' touch of dialect would not be out of place. 'Cara' is a very common word along the Connemara coast. There is a multitude of small islands which are accessible, especially at low tide, by means of stepping stones, or rough causeway. T h i s is t h e ' c a r a ! At Knocknacarra we find a narrow channel through which the tide flows into a salt lake. At a point in this channel there were large syones w h i c h e n a b l e d pedestrians to cross: this is the 'cara' in our case, I feel sure. It wasn't an easy business: shoes and stockings had to be removed. As a rambling schoolboy I often crossed there with other lads. I had a look at the place recently, and the crossing looked more difficult than formerly--I didn't give it a trial. Some of the stones may have been removed to discourage trespassers. The numerous barbed wire o b s t a c l e s on the way scarcely bespeak 'cead mile failte! In the old days the man who owned most of the land was Luke Hackett, a fanner. Luke was a fine Irish s p e a k e r . As far as I remember he called the 'Kruk na Kara! speaking in Irish. To my mind

A n d the c r o w - b a r s c r a s h e d , and the mallets s m a s h e d T h e stone to p o w d e r fine. B e f o r e t h e m lay, i n f i n e array, The Duke of Austerline. T h e r e w a s still a t r a c e , o f t h e n o b l e f a c e O n the flesh s o dried a n d grey. But a fungus g r o w t h , above the throat, H a d the j a w - b o n e ate away. T h e r e w e r e still s o m e s t r a n d s , o n h i s folded h a n d s , O f t h e s k i n that s e r v e d its t i m e . A n d the signet ring, gift from the K i n g , To the Duke of Austerline. N o t i m e to waste, they stole in haste, T h e Cross and chain of gold. B u t t h e s i g n e t ring, t o t h e f l e s h d i d c l i n g W o u l d not release its h o l d . With a woeful curse, the more perverse, Performed his base design, W i t h a p o w e r f u l t w i s t , t o r e t h e rotting w r i s t , From die Duke iff Austerline. N o w t o t h i s day, t h e p e o p l e say, T h e y w e r e w o k e u p in their b e d , B y the thunder crash o f a lightning flash That near awoke the dead. A n d 'tis t h o u g h t fay a l l , b o t h o l d a n d s m a l l That G o d has sent this sign, T o s h o w h i s w r a t h , at w h a t h a t h h a t h , To the Duke of Austerline. A n d d e e p within, the tomb, the din Was heard by both these knaves. B u t in their g r e e d , they paid n o h e e d A s they o p e n e d up the graves. W h e n t h e rafters g r o a n , ' n e a t h t h e r o o f o f s t o n e . W a s a final w a r n i n g s i g n . E r e t h e vault c r a s h e d i n , o n t h e t w o w i t h i n , The Vhults erf Austerline. A s daylight broke, the s c e n e bespoke. T h e v i o l e n c e of the night. B e n e a t h t h e m o u n d , t h e t w o w e r e found. T h e i r d e e d w a s b r o u g h t to light. T h e local s h a m e , w a s turned to fame. W h e n t h e y rebuilt t h e s h r i n e . M a y the N o b l e s rest, beneath their crest. In the Vhults of Austerline. I'd H z to Ota* wm old friend Robert Perry far lending ne tins truly Pot-fake baffad far TtaKa^iMtMi.lbyCreiaC^ar^CorruMfaia. t t i c w ' Ifatf Morgan O'Doherty

The following is a report from the Cork Examiner of August 9th, 1958 of one of those occasions: "It was a day of rejoicing in the West when t h e H o l l a n d - A m e r i k a liner, Ryndam, dropped anchor in lovely Galway Bay last week. The first transatlantic liner to call to the port for almost 2 0 years, it received a tumultous welcome and the port authorities left nothing undone to ensure that the arrangements for disembark ation were carried out expeditiously. The liner's call was made possible through the magnificent co-operation of Galwegians at home and in the U.S. Some of the hardest workers to bring liner traffic back to the capital of the West were Messrs. Mike sinnott, Willie Fahey and Pat Dow, all G a l w a y m e n residing in America. The Harbour Commissioners, Corporation and Co. Council all united in the cause, and even a Corkman, Commander Jim White, Harbour Master, must claim some credit for this initial effort. On b o a r d the liner. Captain von Dalen was presented with gifts of tweed, Waterford glass and

Today's photograph is an amateur one, taken with a box camera, and shows one of the liners that used to come into the bay in the thirties. The picture was taken in Salthill, with Mrs. Cremin's Seawater Baths shown on the left. This is where Seapoint is today. There was just a small retaining sea-wall running along the side of the road. -T.K.

Knocknacarra' is a case where the English form reproduces the Irish one almost exactly, and I see no justification for seeking further. ' M u r r o u g h ' has been noted by Tomas 6 Maille in 'An Beal Beo' (p. 72, n. 5), and by others. It is Irish ' m u r b h a c h ! pronounced 'niuriich; a compund noun, the first member of which is 'muir' (sea), and the second boch' (breaking), the verbal noun of early bongid' (breaks). The scene depicted by the name is believed to be a low ridge along the seashore formed by the motion of the water, and over which rough seas burst on to the land.

KNOCKNACARRA
In reply to queries from T.K. (24-9-92). I consider that the last part of the name is "cara" in 'Knocknacarra! the dialect pronunciation of the feminine noun 'coral The Irish name, therefore, would be 'Cnoc na Cara' (hill of the stone crossing)--the little

At the top of Threadneedle Road I notice a sign for the Aran travel services which displays the word 'Arann' with arrow pointing w e s t w a r d s . Surely this should be 'Arainn'! The ancient name of the island w a s NOminative 'Aru' ('Ara'), Genitive 'Arann! Dative 'Arainn! As happened with many nouns the Dative 'Arainn' later took the place of the Nominative producing an occasional new Genitive 'Aime' as well as as the old 'Arann!

(Prof.) Tomas 6 Broin