MOSSIE
more about mossie
Never a more honourable or gentle man will you meet.
Traditional Community
Looking back on my childhood, it seems that nearly everyone I knew had a song or two or could play a few tunes on the `box’ if called upon. Songs were often strongly identified with a particular singer, I remember Thady Flaherty, an old man and a great singer. I was no more than ten years old when I first heard Thady sing Róisín Dubh, but I will always remember it.
There were some very fine traditional singers, musicians and seanchaithe in the district at that time (and there still is, thankfully) who were known throughout Co Kerry and far beyond it. My own father, Tom Scanlon, was recognised as a fine speaker of Irish and a noted seanchaí. He had that agility or nicety of speech that he inherited from his ancestors and which was highly prized among the old people. It brought frequent visits to our house by Irish scholars and academics from Cork University and other places of learning in those days.
Of course, we had songs in English too, in my boyhood, some traditional and a few modern songs. These later came from ‘the wireless’ which was coming into some houses around that time, but mostly from our own people coming home on holidays from England and America. Raidió Éireann (now RTÉ) and Radio Luxemburg were the two stations we listened to when we had the time, but there was very little Irish to be heard on-air then if I remember correctly. It was only in later years I began to understand the true situation the Gaeltacht people found themselves in – small isolated communities, their young people leaving and under moral pressure from language enthusiasts to hold fast to the language. Yet there was very little practical support from the authorities then in comparison to what is available now, to fight against the influence of creeping Anglicisation.
Today, however, it is everywhere acknowledged that traditional music and singing and especially the language itself, are essential to our self respect and identity as a small nation. And isn’t it great that songs are being written again in Irish? After being ‘uncool’ for so long, the language is fighting back and even recovering lost ground in daily life.
A Migrant Family
In the seventies, when I left school, there was very little opportunity to earn a living at home and, like many more young people at the time I had to bid farewell to my native place. After some time working in various parts of Ireland, I set sail for London to join two of my brothers there. It was in London sometime later that I met and married my wife, Marie. After some years in London the urge to travel came over us again but this time we decided to break with tradition and head for Australia. We arrived in 1981 when our first son Paul, was only five months old, and although we struggled for a while as most migrants do, we soon came to grips with the ways of our new country. Our second son Sean, was born here in 1989.
Shared heritage
There is an obvious Irish influence in Australian traditional music, even if folk music and the bush song tradition seem a bit marginalised these days. This is a pity because it’s from these songs I learned about the penal and colonial days, the life of the pioneers and the sad history of the Aboriginal people. They appealed to me from the start and it was that I think which first sparked the interest in the songs and history of Australia which I still have.
Re-connecting
I wasn’t long settled in Epping on the outskirts of Melbourne when the chance came to re-connect with my beloved Irish language, something I had missed very much. A newly established multicultural radio station was looking to get an Irish language group together and as a native Irish speaker, I was invited to be a part of it. Starting from broadcasting to the Irish speakers and enthusiasts across Australia once a fortnight we were soon having regular weekly gatherings and the group was growing from month to month. Because of the number of new people coming who wished to learn the language we formed The Irish Language Association of Australia – running regular weekly classes at all levels and an annual residential summer school (Daonscoil Victoria as it is called). Upwards of 45 people attend regular classes throughout the year and many more at the summer school from all over the country. Our problem these days is the scarcity of native/fluent speakers to help carry the administrative and teaching load.
Léirmheas Tomás de Bhaldraithe
An Mám ó Dheas le Muiris Mossie Ó Scanláin
Faoi scáth Chnoc ársa Bhréanainn a rugadh agus a tógadh Muiris “ Mossie” Ó Scanláin agus is cuid den sliabhraon céanna é Com an Lochaigh áit a chuirfeadh duine faoi dhraíocht agus faoi gheasa lena áilleacht lá breá grianmhar agus a mhalairt ar fad lá fliuch gaofar i gceantar stairiúil Chorca Dhuibhne. Tá cáil idirnáisiúnta ar an dornán dírbheathaisnéis atá ar fáil againn i nGaeilge, ina measc “Fiche Blian ag Fás” le Muiris Ó Súilleabháin, “An tOileánach” agus “Allagar na hInise” le Tomás Ó Criomhthainn, agus “Machnamh Seana-Mhná” le Peig Sayers a d’eascair ón mBlascaod agus dúiche Chorca Dhuibhne máguaird. Ach cés moite de “Dhialann Deoraí” ó pheann Dhónaill Mhic Amhlaigh agus “Rotha Mór an tSaoil” le Micí Mac Gabhann is beag dírbheathaisnéis atá againn ó pheann an deoraí i nGaeilge. Tá cur síos macánta ag Dónall Mac Amhlaigh ar shaol na mílte Éireannach i Sasana: na fir ag tochailt trinsí agus ag navyáil,ag tochailt tollán le piocóid agus spáid agus ag obair ar an “mbeet” agus na mná ag obair i monarchain, mar chailíní aimsire, mar bhanaltraí ag stracadh leo ó bhliain go bliain agus an fánaíocht shíoraí a bhi i ndán do na mílte Éireannach an tráth sin den chéad seo caite. Tá cuntas Mhic Gabhann ó Chloch Chionnaola i dTír Chonaill go hAlbain mar spailpín agus ansin go Meiriceá agus Montana agus a shaol le linn an “goldrush” i Klondyke agus an Yukon agus ar ais aris go Tir Chonaill fíorspéisiúil ar fad agus mholfainn dhaoibh iad a léamh nó na leagancha i mBéarla atá aistrithe ag Valentin Iremonger “The Hard Road to Klondyke” agus “ An Irish Navvy”.
Ach anois tá seod de leabhar tagtha chugainn ó pheann Mhuiris Mossie Ó Scanláin agus ní ag bréag ná magadh atá mé ach chinn sé orm an leabhar a leagan uaim ó thús deireadh. I dtús báire tá cur síos ar theach a mhuintire agus ar an ngabháltas talún i mBaile an Lochaigh agus na bailte fearainn i bparóiste Múrach, na goirt agus na logainmneacha uilig agus is léir ón tús go bhfuil cion daingean ag Muiris ar a bhaile dhúchais. Trína shúile féin mar naíonán a insíonn Muiris dúinn na heachtraí éagsúla a thiteann amach agus é ina leanbh óg agus éiríonn go geal leis an gcleas sin ach go háirithe mar go gcuireann an leitheoir aithne pearsanta ar Mhuiris agus e ag insint a sceal fein. Tabhair faoi deara freisin go scríobhann Muiris ina chanúint féin, canúint Bhaile an Lochaigh agus sníomhtar tuairisc dhaonna ar na gnéithe uilig a bhain lena óige, lena scolaíocht, lena mhuintir agus na comharsain. Tá cur síos ar na h-oícheanta breá ceoil i dtigh Johnny Frank agus ti’ Bheaglaoigh agus an tsuim a mhúscail siad i Muiris san amhránaíocht.Tá trácht ar na fadhbanna a bhí aige mar scoláire sa “Tech”go dtí gur tháinig lá na cinniúna nuair a ghabh sé an Mám Ó Dheas agus thug a aghaidh ar Haulbowline mar mhairnéalach sa chabhlach, an chéad choismeig ar a aistear go B’leá Cliath ansin thar muir go Londain agus faoi dheireadh thiar thall go Melbourne na hAstráile san áit a bhfuil cónaí anois air i dteannta a bhean chéile Marie agus beirt mhac, Pól agus Seán. Tá cur síos foirfe ar eachtraí éagsúla a bhain de agus é i Londain ag lorg oibre agus an ghreann is an ghruaim fite fuaite trína chéile ag trácht ar a shaol thall i Kilburn, Camden Town agus oicheanta sa Ghaltymore i measc na nÉireannach as chuile cheard den tír. Tuigimse a scéal mar chaitheas féin tréimhí thall ag obair i Londain, fadó an lá.
Faoi dheireadh thiar tar éis dó féin agus Marie pósadh thall i Londain agus leanbh óg ar an saol faoi seo thugadar a n-aghaidh ar Perth in iarthar na hAstráile agus chaith seal ag obair amuigh faoin tír le Alcoa agus Western Mining faoi theas damanta ach i ndeireadh na dála bhogadar trasna an Nullarbor go dtí gur chuireadar fúthu i Melbourne. Ó am go chéile tríd an leabhar déanann Muiris machnamh ar bhuaicphointí an tsaoil agus nochtann sé a dhearcadh pearsanta go lom nocht ar na céimeanna tábhachtacha ina shaol féin agus é ar an aistear ón Mám Ó Dheas go dtí a shaol san Astráil agus i Melbourne ach go háirithe. Tugann sé le fios dúinn go bhfuil ardmheas aige orthu siúd a spreag é chun a chuid amhránaíocht sean-nóis a thaifeadadh go buan agus ceann scríbe a bhaint amach i saol cultúrtha na hAstráile. Is cuimhin liom go maith a bheith sáinnithe sa trácht i lár Sydney lá fíormheirbh agus mé ag éisteacht le Mossie agus é ag casadh “Beir Beannacht ó Rí na hAoine”agus “The Banks of the Condamine” i n-éineacht le Marcia Howard agus bhíos ar neamh sna spéartha i bhfad ó anachain agus strus na cathrach.
Is léir don léitheoir go ndeacha daoine áirithe i Melbourne i bhfeidhm go mór ar Mhuiris agus cuireann sé seo in iúl go beacht. Tá siad uilig luaite aige sa leabhar agus ní luafaidh mise iad ar fhaitíos go bhfágfainn éinne ar lár.
Insint bhríomhar cuimsitheach agus barúil scaití atá ag Muiris ar an saol i Melbourne agus an bhaint a bhí aige i mbunú Chumann Gaeilge na hAstráile agus an sárobair atá déanta acu ó shoin i leith ag na daoine breátha atá páirteach san eagraíocht go dtí an lá atá inniu ann. Ar ndóigh tá cáil ar leith bainte amach ag Muiris san amhranaíocht agus trí dhlúthdhiosca eisithe aige go dtí seo. Tá éacht déanta agat a Mhuiris sa leabhar seo agus tabharfaidh sé ardú meanman agus gliondar croí don té a léifidh é. Fad saoil agat agus ná laga Dia thú a chomrádaí. Mholfainn go hard an leabhar seo a léamh agus tá moladh faoi leith ag dul don Athair Padraig Ó Fiannachta a chloígh go dílis le caint agus litriú Mhuiris i gcanúint a cheantair féin agus sa chás seo bíodh an diabhal ag an gcaighdean!!
Trip Advisor
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Mossie is a perfect tour guide. Knowledgeable, patient and very personable. We can highly recommend him for a tour guide. We were travelling with young children and everyone, adults... read more 
- We can't say enough about Mossie and his tours. Really, the word 'tour' doesn't begin to capture what it's like to spend time with Mossie on his native soil. Yes,... read more
- Our family of five (kids ages 18-23 years old) had a magical day learning about Irish history, the Dingle peninsula, and Ireland today on our half-day tour with Mossie. We... read more
- In a word, Mossie was TREMENDOUS. We so enjoyed and appreciated his knowledge, patience, flexibility, warmth, humor, and sense of adventure. and his obvious love of what he... read more
- We had the most amazing half day with Mossie! His knowledge of the history of Ireland and of Dingle peninsula was incredible. Each and every stop along the way... read more
- We decided to go for the half day because we thought the full day would be to long with our four... read more
- We can't say enough about Mossie and his tours. Really, the word 'tour' doesn't begin to capture what it's like to spend time with Mossie on his native soil. Yes,... read more
- Booked a tour for 4 in advance with Mossie (the price of which is much better than some of the bigger companies). The day of the tour arrived and the... read more