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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Irish Language => Topic started by: Gene2Bear on Tuesday 13 October 15 07:00 BST (UK)

Title: Please help in Translating a possible Gaelic Family Gravestone
Post by: Gene2Bear on Tuesday 13 October 15 07:00 BST (UK)
Hi there,

I have finally tracked down my Co Clare ancestors' burial site in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, and am amazed at the intricate plaque on it.

It was most likely manufactured by Austin CARLEY, a stonemason in the Geelong area and the brother of the deceased Peter CARLEY.

Can anyone help out here? I suspect it's in Gaelic, and have been unable to get far with translating, though I suspect PHADER AGUS MHARGIE C means Peter and Margaret C (AGUS does mean AND!)

It would appear to contain a prayer that ends in AMEN, but  And the last line of course says 'AD 1884 A CARLEY GEELONG’

Here's a transcription of the full headstone (which is written in English), and I'll attach a picture of the Gaelic plaque

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO

Erected By
MARGARET
IN MEMORY OF HER BELOVED HUSBAND
PETER CARLEY
WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE 19 OF MAY 1882
AGED 55 YEARS
BOTH NATIVES OF COUNTY CLARE IRELAND
ALSO OF THEIR CHILDREN
MARY BORN 9TH (?) JULY 1853  DIED FEBRUARY 28 1859
BRIDGET DIED 13TH APRIL 1853  AGED 3 MONTHS
ANN DIED 26TH (?) MAY 1855 AGED 2 MONTHS

ALSO MARGARET DIED OCT THE 28TH 1873 AGED 17 YEARS
AND THEIR DAUGHTER
BEDELIA ANN CARLEY
DIED 27 JUNE 1895
AGED 27 YEARS

ALSO
MARGARET CARLEY
BELOVED WIFE OF
PETER CARLEY
DIED 20 SEPT 1922
AGED 86 YEARS

MAY THEIR SOULS REST IN PEACE, AMEN

A CARLEY


Thanks and best wishes

Gene in Oz
Title: Re: Please help in Translating Family Gravestone
Post by: taramcdsmall on Tuesday 13 October 15 07:53 BST (UK)
The first line in my schoolgirl Irish

beannacht de le anam

Bless The Souls Of

Tara
Title: Re: Please help in Translating Family Gravestone
Post by: taramcdsmall on Tuesday 13 October 15 07:54 BST (UK)
Second Line

Peter and Margaret

Tara
Title: Re: Please help in Translating Family Gravestone
Post by: taramcdsmall on Tuesday 13 October 15 08:02 BST (UK)
Start of line three

agus le annam gach

and the souls of all

Tara
Title: Re: Please help in Translating Family Gravestone
Post by: taramcdsmall on Tuesday 13 October 15 08:10 BST (UK)
HA I give up and it's too important for me to mess up.

Please ask for it to be moved to this section where it will be translated properly !

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/irish-language/

Tara
Title: Re: Please help in Translating Family Gravestone
Post by: conahy calling on Tuesday 13 October 15 08:56 BST (UK)
Banacht Deuies
(Deus is Latin for God) God bless

a wil
(a bhfuil)  that are

woun
(bhuan) forever

Er na maribh Amen
(ar na marbh Amen)  ...the dead
Title: Re: Please help in Translating a possible Gaelic Family Gravestone
Post by: Sinann on Tuesday 13 October 15 10:42 BST (UK)
Banacht Deuies
(Deus is Latin for God) God bless

a wil
(a bhfuil)  that are

woun
(bhuan) forever

Er na maribh Amen
(ar na marbh Amen)  ...the dead

Ah phonetic spelling, no wonder it looked weird.
Well done.
Title: Re: Please help in Translating a possible Gaelic Family Gravestone
Post by: Gene2Bear on Tuesday 13 October 15 12:15 BST (UK)
Thanks so much for moving the post, Sarah!!

And thanks to all the brave hearts who made an effort for me! No wonder I had little luck with online dictionaries if Austin the mason has spelled it phonetically!!

What a nice thing for Austin to add to the memorial, and in the 'old country' language.

Very proud to have these people in my ancestry!

Thanks all,

Gene
Title: Re: Please help in Translating a possible Gaelic Family Gravestone
Post by: taramcdsmall on Tuesday 13 October 15 12:26 BST (UK)
God Bless The Souls Of

Peter and Margaret C

And The Souls Of All That Are And

(A MEIC CURHA EN BOCH) And The Souls

Of All (A NEIC) Forever The Dead Amen

Capital words are the ones that I can't work out !

As Sinann said it was written phonetically ~

I'm Struggling  ;D

Tara
Title: Re: Please help in Translating a possible Gaelic Family Gravestone
Post by: taramcdsmall on Tuesday 13 October 15 12:29 BST (UK)
I think Eadaoin is online ~

She's the expert and hopefully can work it out for sure  ;D

Tara
Title: Re: Please help in Translating a possible Gaelic Family Gravestone
Post by: eadaoin on Tuesday 13 October 15 21:54 BST (UK)
I think Eadaoin is online ~
She's the expert and hopefully can work it out for sure  ;D

GRMA as ucht an "bouquet", Tara

A MEIC CURHA EN BOCH =?A MEIC CURHA EN SOCH .. A mbeidh curtha anseo ?? who will be buried here

NEACH is a being, a person
GACH A NEIC = ?Gach neach = everybody

(I'd never have thought of "buan"!  ) maith thú, conahy!
Title: Re: Please help in Translating a possible Gaelic Family Gravestone
Post by: taramcdsmall on Tuesday 13 October 15 22:02 BST (UK)
God Bless The Souls Of

Peter and Margaret C

And The Souls Of All That Are

And Who Will Be Buried Here

And The Souls Of All (A NEIC) Forever The Dead Amen

** Just the last line to be worked out **

Tara

GRMA Right Back At Ya Eadaoin  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Please help in Translating a possible Gaelic Family Gravestone
Post by: eadaoin on Tuesday 13 October 15 22:38 BST (UK)
on 1884? a gar (car?) ?? Geelong

a gar . . near
so, maybe . . in 1884 near Geelong

1884 - níl mé cinte - I think it's MDCCCLXXXIV
Title: Re: Please help in Translating a possible Gaelic Family Gravestone
Post by: Gene2Bear on Thursday 15 October 15 01:05 BST (UK)
What a great lot of people you all are! Thanks so much!
I think the last line refers to the stonemason himself - he was Austin Carley, brother of the Peter mentioned. So I think the last line is:
1884 A CARLEY GEELONG
Best wishes to all
Gene
Title: Re: Please help in Translating a possible Gaelic Family Gravestone
Post by: conahy calling on Thursday 15 October 15 08:38 BST (UK)
And the souls of all the dead forever  Amen

Cad a cheapann tu?  (what do you think)

Conahy
Title: Re: Please help in Translating a possible Gaelic Family Gravestone
Post by: eadaoin on Friday 16 October 15 18:07 BST (UK)
Here's my final try - modern Irish and English - dear knows what DECIES is . .

Inscription

Banacht decies de le annam
Phader agus Mhargie C
agus le annam gach a wil  agus 
a meic curtha en soch  agus le annam
gach a neic woun er na maribh. Amen

1884 A CARLEY GEELONG
-----------------------------------------

Modern Irish (can’t guarantee the grammar!)

Beannacht (decies??) Dé le anam  (I don’t think DECIES is God – I think Dé is God, DECIES =??
Pheadar agus Mhargie C
Agus le anam gach a bhuil agus
A mbeidh curtha anseo agus le anam
Gach neach buan ar na marbh.Amen

1884 A CARLEY GEELONG
-------------------------------------.

Blessing (decies??) of God on the souls
Of Peter and Margaret C
And the soul of everyone who is and
Who will be buried here and  the soul
of every person forever of the dead (lit: on the dead). Amen

1884 A CARLEY GEELONG
Title: Re: Please help in Translating a possible Gaelic Family Gravestone
Post by: hallmark on Friday 16 October 15 18:54 BST (UK)
Beannacht De leis de le ainm ?

Blessings of God on the names of...
Title: Re: Please help in Translating a possible Gaelic Family Gravestone
Post by: eadaoin on Friday 16 October 15 19:45 BST (UK)
Beannacht Dé leis . . looks good (didn't think of "leis" there)

but ANAM (soul) more likely than AINM (name) in that context, I think
Title: Re: Please help in Translating a possible Gaelic Family Gravestone
Post by: hallmark on Friday 16 October 15 19:57 BST (UK)
Yes, Ainm not annam which is what it looks like
Title: Re: Please help in Translating a possible Gaelic Family Gravestone
Post by: Gene2Bear on Friday 23 October 15 13:22 BST (UK)
Many thanks to you all for your efforts!
I've been AFK on holidays, so a bit late with the thanks!
Best wishes
Gene