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Gordon Bennett Motor Race 1903
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Leinster Leader, Saturday 25 July 1903 - Page 7
(written in Irish and translated into English)
IRISH SONG AND STORY.
WITH TRANSLATIONS FOR STUDENTS
SPECIALLY WRITTEN FOR THIS JOURNAL.
MOTORS IN IRELAND.
BY MICHAEL CLEARY.
Thomas – Whisper me, Paudheen. Were you at this big race that was
in Kildare a few weeks ago?
Paudheen – Aroo! what race? The Motor race, is it?
Thomas – Yes, indeed.
Paudheen – Indeed I was not. Do you think had I anything else to
do, but going looking at Motors. My turf is in the bog in little
heaps yet, without I having one to give me a helping hand. My potatoes
and oats are smothered up with wild mustard and dirt (weeds). It’s
easy for you talk about your Motors. There is in it now but Motors here
and Motors there. Faith there are other things troubling the poor people
besides Motors – trying
to be struggling and to earn a living. Thomas – See, Paudheen, it
would have been worth your while to be there. I didn’t care for potatoes
or oats or anything else. I would go in it again if they were
rotting in the ground. What good is it to be alive at all, unless you have
a good day now and again.
Paudheen – O! that’s right enough. I know that very well; but business
first and pleasure after. The Motors will not give me bread and butter. And
another thing, Thomas, I didn’t know what business they had here at all.
Tearing through the country, and going as if they were mad. The poor country
was bad enough as it was; but it’s my opinion that it will be nine times
worse when the Motors are done with it.
Thomas – What are you saying like that, Paudheen. Nine times worse! Now
don’t you know that whatever good they’ll do, they cannot do any
harm anyhow. I think they are a good sign – a sign that we are going
ahead; that we are every inch as good as any other country on the face on the
earth; that we are able to keep up with either of them. O, indeed, we are going
ahead Paudheen!
Paudheen – Ugh! we are you think. We are going ahead finely in poverty
and want. Did you ever put yourself this question, Thomas, “Is there
any one of those Motors made in Ireland?” I think it makes not matter
to you. It makes no difference to you but to have a good sign. That’s
the same sign that is on the people who are ruining this country – making
fools of themselves letting on (pretending). Will the Motors be able to keep
the people at home, do you think? Will they be able in any way to give work
to Irishmen, boys and girls? If they were, I would have one and twenty welcomes
for them.
Thomas – Now doesn’t any one know that it would be right for us
to welcome anything that brings in money to us. You know that this country
is poor. A couple of hundred pounds would do her no harm. The big race brought
in any amount of money. The country is so much richer now. And again, Paudheen,
we were here half asleep and awake. We wanted something to put life into the
people. The Motors are coming to turn the wind, and to awaken the people from
that heavy sleep that was on them for a long time.
Paudheen – Stop, Tomeen, don’t be bleathering like that, or you
will disgust me with your raimeis (nonsensical talk). You say the country is
richer than it was before. If it is where is the money gone? You nor I didn’t
get a red halfpenny of it. The little money that was brought in is in the rich
men’s pockets, who had too much already. We must be satisfied with potatoes
and gruel, as we were evermore. I think its cold comfort to be picking bones,
and looking at a man eating beef at the same time. Just like that we are; that
is, anyone that is satisfied.
Thomas – Well, perhaps that race didn’t do much good to the majority
of people; but you know it was the first one. The next race will be better,
and the next better again, and so on – getting better from year to year.
It is short till Motors are as plentiful in this country as donkey carts. Then
the country will be jumping with business and pleasure.
Paudheen – Ah! Before you see that day I’m afraid there will not
be many people in Ireland for business or pleasure, or anything else. See the
number of people who are leaving the country each year. Young people, too,
who would be able to keep the breath of life in the country. But alas! they
must go, and their country dying.
Thomas – And sure that’s it. The Irish manufactures cannot go ahead
without the Motors. Are they not thinking of bringing out Motors in place of
the railways?
Paudheen – But where are the manufactures? We must set manufactures on
foot at first, and give them attention and help. And as for putting life and
energy into the people by Motors, there’s nothing in that but bleather.
We must educate the people so that they will be anxious to do their own work.
So that they will not be waiting for their neighbour, and asking a helping
hand form him; and the neighbour perhaps humbugging him. That is how we worked
for a long time; but it is time for us to be annoyed with this way now. As
you said already about the motors we must turn the wind, and then, welcome
to motors or anything else that will be able to improve our work.