Tinteán

Here is an edited extract from Colin Ryan’s monthly newsletter An Lúibín on the Irish participation in the Battle of Trafalgar. We have added some extra summary throughout to Colin’s initial one in English as an aid, so that non-Irish language readers can enjoy the account. If you would like to receive Colin’s newsletter, you can do so free of charge by emailing rianach@optusnet.com.au

Na hÉireannaigh ag Trafalgar

The battle of Trafalgar in 1805, in which Nelson defeated a combined French and Spanish fleet, was considered an astonishing victory, though a costly one. The official British complement was around 18,000 men (and one woman, though doubtless there were others). They included sailors of many backgrounds, and among them over 3,500 Irish, most of them Irish speakers. 

D’fhéadfá a rá gurbh é cath Trafalgar in 1805 an bua mara is mó a rug na hÉireannaigh riamh.

It would be fair to say that Trafalgar was the greatest sea victory for the Irish.

Taispeánann taifid Mhúsaem Náisiúnta Mara na Breataine agus Chartlann Náisiúnta na Breataine go raibh os cionn 18,000 fear (agus bean amháin ar a laghad) sa chabhlach Briotanach a bhí ag troid ag Trafalgar, agus os cionn 3,500 Éireannach san áireamh. Ina measc siúd bhí 893 fear as Baile Átha Cliath, 632 as Contae Chorcaí, 187 as Contae Phort Láirge, 154 as Contae Luimnigh, 116 as Contae Loch Garman agus 112 as Contae Aontroma. Is léir mar sin, i bhfianaise staid na Gaeilge ag an am, go raibh neart cainteoirí Gaeilge ann; is dócha gurbh í an dara teanga is mó a bhí á labhairt ar bord í.

Of the 18,000 men and at least one woman, the Irish amounted to more than 3,500. They included 893 Dubliners, 632 Corkonians, 187 from Waterford, 154 from County Limerick, 116 from County Wexford, and 112 from County Antrim. Evidence shows us that in 1805 many would have been Irish-speakers and that Irish would have been the largest second language spoken on the ship.

Bhí cabhlach na Breataine lán de dhaoine eile nár Shasanaigh iad – fir as an Tuirc, an Fhrainc, an Spáinn, an Iodáil, Málta, na hIndiacha Thiar, Meiriceá, Ceanadá, an Phrúis, an Ostair, an Ísiltír, an Rúis, an Iorua agus an tSualainn. 10% den fhoireann iomlán ba ea iad.

Other nationalities represented on the hulk were Turks, French, Spanish, Italian, Maltese, West Indians, Americans, Canadians, Prussians, Austrians, Dutch, Russians, and Swedes.

B’as Éirinn, dála an scéil, a tháinig cuid mhaith de lón an chabhlaigh, muiceoil, mairteoil agus arbhar.

Ireland, by the way, provided most of the provisions – pork, beef, and corn.

‘Trafalgar,’ pictiúr a rinne Clarkson Standfield (1793-1867) in 1836.

photo: Wikimedia Commons

Bhí 828 fear ar bord HMS Victory, long Nelson féin, agus 94 Éireannach ina measc: 77 Rianach, 59 fear de mhuintir Mhurchaidh agus 32 fear de mhuintir Chárthaigh. Bhí fir eile ann as na hIndiacha Thiar, Meiriceá, an Ísiltír, an Iodáil, an Fhrainc, Málta agus eile – dhá thír is fiche san iomlán.

On board Nelson’s own ship, HMS Victory were 77 Ryans, 59 Murphys, and 32 Cartys.

Cath é a tháinig den choimhlint idir an Bhreatain, an Fhrainc agus an Spáinn le linn Napoléon. Bhí an Chéad Impireacht Fhrancach i réim ar mhór-roinn na hEorpa, ach bhí an fharraige faoi smacht ag an gCabhlach Ríoga. Bhí fonn ar Napoléon ionradh a dhéanamh ar an mBreatain, ach b’éigean greim a fháil ar Mhuir nIocht ar dtús. Bhí an Fhrainc agus an Spáinn ina gcomhghuaillithe ag an am, agus socraíodh go rachfadh a dhá gcabhlach i bpáirt sa ghnó.

It was a conflict between Britain, France and Spain during Napolean’s reign. He needed to capture the Channel in order to invade Britain.

Chuaigh siad chun farraige ó chuan Cádiz i ndeisceart na Spáinne ar an 18 Deireadh Fómhair 1805 agus bhuail an cabhlach Briotanach leo amach ó Rinn Trafalgar ar chósta thiar theas na Spáinne. Ní raibh eagar ceart ar an gcabhlach comhaontaithe agus d’ordaigh Nelson go rachadh a longa féin díreach rompu ina dhá líne i measc an namhad. Bhí seacht long fichead i gcabhlach na Breataine agus trí long is tríocha sa chabhlach eile, agus bhí sé ina bhualadh ceart; rinneadh an-dochar do longa Nelson agus ba bheag nár cailleadh an Victory, ach i ndeireadh na dála chaill an cabhlach comhaontaithe dhá long ar fhichid agus níor chaill Nelson long ar bith, cé gur maraíodh é féin.  

The French coalition lost 22 ships, Nelson only one, although he was killed.

Tá eolas ar mhairnéalaigh i gcabhlach Nelson le fáil ó liostaí foirne, suirbhéanna, taifid pinsinéirí agus teastais seirbhís, agus é bailithe anois i gCartlann Náisiúnta na Breataine, áit ar féidir ainmneacha a fháil ar líne. Ós rud é go bhfuil an sloinne Ó Riain ar eagarthóir An Lúibín, ba bheag an mhoill air dul ar thóir a mhuintire ar bord. Ní in Éirinn a rugadh iad go léir. Rugadh duine san Afraic, duine san Phortaingéil, duine in Halifax, Yorkshire, agus duine in Blackpool. Níl amhras ná go raibh cainteoirí Gaeilge go leor i measc na Rianach arbh as contaethe áirithe dóibh: Port Láirge, Tiobraid Árann, Luimneach, Chill Chainnigh, Corcaigh, an Mhí, Gaillimh. Bhí a lán ‘landsmen’ ann – aineolaithe mara a chuirfí ag obair mar ‘waisters’ iad, ag tarraingt téad ar deic agus mearbhall orthu nuair a chonaic siad scriútaí, staghanna, láinnéir chleithe, láinnéir shlaite, téadáin chluaise agus téadáin leithid ina dtranglam thuas.

The editor of An Lúibín was interested in finding out about the Ryans who took part in the battle. Not all were born in Ireland.

Bheadh amhras ort, b’fhéidir, faoin sochar a bhain na hÉireannaigh as a bheith ag troid ar son na Breataine. Ach bhí siad ann, ar muir agus ar tír, agus rinne siad a gcion go cróga.

You might be sceptical as to the benefit for the Irish fighting for Britain, but they were there, on land and on sea, and they conducted their part with bravery.

Colin is a regular contributor to Tinteán. Many thanks to Colin for this excellent Irish language newsletter that he researches and produces diligently every month. His interests are varied, and his excellent research and writing results in stimulating reading for those fluent in the language and those of us still learning. Moreover, he is one of those rarities, a published Irish language poet. Colin is a Melbourne and Australian cultural treasure.