Céad míle fáilte Obama! Siún Ní Dhuinn Is cuimhin liom Iar-Uachtarán Mheiriceá, Bill Clinton, ag teacht go hÉirinn agus a bheith i láthair ag ócáid nuair a labhair sé le muintir Dhún Dealgan agus an domhan mór, dáiríre, faoi shíochán ó thuaidh.
Ba é ceann de na cuimhní ba mhó a sheasann amach dom ó laethanta m’óige i mbaile teorainneach. Is dócha gurb é an rud céanna a tharla nuair a tháinig an Pápa go hÉirinn i 1979. Stop muintir na hÉireann agus d’éist muid leis an méid a bhí le rá aige.
Tá súil agam go ndéanfaimid amhlaidh nuair a thiocfaidh Uachtarán Mheir-ceá na linne seo Barack Obama ar cuairt chugainn go luath. Cuirfimid fáilte is fiche roimhe agus beidh muid ag súil le focail spéisiúla, spreagúla a thabharfaidh misneach dúinn agus muid faoi bhrat na mbancanna briste agus na ndrochscéalta.
Déanfaidh a chuairt maitheas as cúimse don tír, an eacnamaíocht agus muinín na tíre agus tá muid thar a bheith buíoch dó as sin.
Seo thíos cúpla frása a mholfainn don Uachtarán a fhoghlaim agus é ag taisteal na tíre álainne:
Is breá an tír í seo, lán le háilleacht agus dóchas – This is a great country filled with beauty and hope
Ba mhaith liom teacht ar ais anseo ar laethanta saoire – I’d like to come back here on my vacation
Gabhaim buíochas le muintir na tíre seo as na daoine iontacha a chruthaigh Meiriceá – I’d like to thank the people of Ireland who sent so many over to us, to create America
Ná cailligí an misneach! – Don’t lose faith!
Is féidir libh! – Yes you can!
Is fiú go mór cuairt a thabhairt ar an tír iontach seo, rud a thaispeánfaidh Barack Obama don domhan mór agus is mór againn é sin.
Is scríbhneoir agus léachtóir le Gaeilge í Siún Ní Dhuinn in UCD
Welcome Obama!
Siún Ní Dhuinn
I remember when the ex-President of America, Bill Clinton, came to Ireland. I was present at an occasion when he spoke about peace in Northern Ireland to the people of Dundalk, and to the whole world, really.
It is one of my biggest memories about growing up in Dundalk, a border town. I suppose it was a similar situation when the Pope came to Ireland in 1979. The people of our country stopped and listened.
I am hoping the same thing will happen when the current President of the United States, Barack Obama, pays us a visit soon. We welcome his visit with open arms and are hoping for words of inspiration and hope that will lift us from under the cloud of broken banks and bad news.
His visit will do untold good for the country’s economy and confidence and for that we are very grateful.
Here are some phrases for our first time visitor to learn!
Is breá an tír í seo, lán le háilleacht agus dóchas – This is a great country filled with beauty and hope
Ba mhaith liom teacht ar ais anseo ar laethanta saoire – I’d like to come back here on my vacation
Gabhaim buíochas le muintir na tíre seo as na daoine iontacha a chruthaigh Meiriceá – I’d like to thank the people of Ireland who sent so many over to us, to create America
Ná cailligí an misneach! – Don’t lose faith!
Is féidir libh! – Yes you can!
This country is well worth a visit and President Obama will show that to the world when he spends a few days here, and for this we thank him.
Siún Ní Dhuinn is a writer and lecturer at UCD
