Banlaoch

D’fhás Clare aníos sa Brandywell. Fuair sí obair mar bhanaisteoir nuair a d’fhág sí Coláiste Naomh Cecilia. Rinne sí go han-mhaith: fuair sí páirt sa scannán ‘Bloody Sunday’. Ach ní raibh sí sásta lena stíl bheatha: ba nós léi an deireadh seachtaine a chaitheamh le cairde ag cóisirí ag ól agus a caitheamh tobac. Ansin chuir cara dá cuid ceist uirthi ar mhaith léi turas saor in aisce a dhéanamh go dtí an Spáinn in éineacht léi. Bhí Clare ag dúil le cóisirí gan stad nuair a ghlac sí leis an chuireadh. Ach laethanta saoire difriúla a bhí ann: cúrsa spioradálta in mainistir! Nuair a fuair sí amach cad a bhí i gceist, bhí sé rómhall tarraingt siar. Nuair a bhí sí sa Spáinn chuaigh sí trí eachtra ‘Bóthar Dhamascais’: chinn sí a bheith ina banrialta. Chuaigh sí isteach in Ord Spáinneach, Teaghlach na Máthar, nuair a bhí sí 28 bliain d’aois. Bhí sí ag obair mar mhúinteoir ceoil i scoil in Eacuadór nuair a bhuail crith talún an foirgneamh agus maraíodh Clare agus cúigear eile. Fuair sí bás ag iarraidh cuidiú leis na híobartaigh eile. Scríobhann an tAthair Leon Ó Giolláin ómós corraitheach don tSiúr Clare san eagrán reatha de Timire an Chroí Ró-naofa.

I measc na n-ábhar eile san eagrán seo, tá alt leis an Bhráthair Dónal Ó hÉalaithe ar na saighdiúirí linbh: ‘Ní mór don chine daonna gach iarracht a dhéanamh deireadh a chur leis an scannal seo’. Thaitin an t-alt ar stair Pháirc Náisiúnta Ghleann Bheatha le Dónall Ó Cnáimhsí go mór liom. Cuirtear agallamh spéisiúil ar an chraoltóir Cormac Ó hEadhra ina bhfuil sé ag caint ar an réiteach atá le déanamh nuair atá dhá theanga sa teaghlach céanna. Léiríonn seo an éagsúlacht atá san iris luachmhar seo: tá rud éigin sa Timire d’achan duine. Cad faoi shíntiús mar bhronntanas na Nollag do chara de do chuid? (Eolas: www.timire.ie).

Translation

A Heroine

The tragic story of Clare Crockett was reported in the Journal in April this year. Clare grew up in the Brandywell. She got work as an actress when she left St. Cecilia’s College. She did very well: she got a part in the film ‘Bloody Sunday’. But she was not happy with her life style: she would spend the weekend with friends at parties, drinking and smoking. Then a friend asked her if she would like to go with her on a free holiday to Spain. Clare was looking forward to endless parties when she accepted the invitation. But it was a different kind of holiday: a spiritual retreat in a monastery! When she found out what was involved, it was too late to pull out. While she was in Spain she had a ‘Damascus Road’ experience: she decided to become a nun. She entered the Spanish Order, ‘The Home of the Mother’, when she was 28 years old. She was working as a music teacher in a school in Ecuador when an earthquake hit the building and Clare and five others were killed. She died trying to help the other victims. Father Leon Ó Giolláin writes a moving tribute to Clare in the current edition of Timire an Chroí Ró-naofa (The Irish language edition of the Sacred Heart Messenger).

Among the other topics in this issue there is an article by Brother Dónal Ó hÉalaithe on child soldiers. ‘As human beings we must make every effort to put an end to this scandal.’ I really liked Dónall Ó Cnáimhsí’s article on Glenveigh National Park. There is an interesting interview with the broadcaster Cormac Ó hEadhra where he talks about the compromise that has to be made when there are two languages in the same family. This shows the variety of material in this highly valued magazine. There is something in An Timire for everyone. What about a subscription as a Christmas present for a friend? (Further information: www.timire.ie)