(le Róislín)

Barely recovered from the news of básanna Frank McCourt and Michael Jackson, there is now another sad tale to tell, the death of Dylan Thomas’s daughter, Aeronwy. She might not have been as well known in the U.S. as McCourt or Jackson, but leaves a strong legacy and an Irish connection on her mother’s side. In 2008, she initiated the Dylan Thomas Walking Tour in Manhattan, where her father died, and participated in a 5-week tribute tour, which I was lucky enough to attend. Her mother, Caitlín MacNa­mara, was from a landed Irish family in County Clare, variously described as “bohe­mian,” “wild” and “colorful.” For more on Caitlín, see her own Leftover Life to Kill (1957) and a beathaisnéis (not “capsúl,” this time!) Caitlin: The Life of Caitlín Thomas (1987).

Do you recognize some of the words thíos from the previous capsúlbheathaisnéisí? 

Rugadh Aeronwy ar an 3ú [tríú] lá de Mhárta, 1943 [naoi déag daichead a trí]

Ba é Dylan Thomas a hathair agus Caitlín MacNamara a máthair.

Rugadh a hathair, an file Breatnach Dylan Thomas, i 1914 [naoi déag ceathair déag]. Fuair sé bás i1953 in Greenwich Village, Nua-Eabhrac. Tá clú mór aige mar údar “Fern Hill” agus Under Milk Wood.  Bhí Aeronwy deich mbliana d’aois nuair a fuair a hathair bás.

Rugadh a máthair, Caitlín MacNamara, i Londain i 1913 [naoi déag trí déag]. Ba iad Francis agus Yvonne ainmneacha tuismitheoirí Chaitlin. B’Éireannach é Francis agus ba Chaecair Fhrancacha muintir Yvonne. Bhí teach ag muintir Francis in Inis Díomáin (Ennistymon), Co. an Chláir. Bhí cónaí ar Chaitlín ansin agus i bPáras sular phós sí Dylan.

Phós Caitlin Dylan i bPenzance, An Corn, i 1937 [naoi déag tríocha a seacht].

Bhí beirt pháistí eile ag Dylan agus Caitlín, beirt mhac, Colm agus Llewelyn.

Tógadh Aeronwy i dTalacharn (Laugharne), sa Bhreatain Bheag, áit a raibh teach bád ag an teaghlach mar theach. Tá an teach bád ina mhúsaem anois.

Bhí Aeronwy agus an file Peter Thabit Jones i Meiriceá ar turas cúig seachtainí i 2008 [dhá mhíle is a hocht]. Chuala mise í ag caint ar an turas sin agus bhí an clár go hiontach. Níor shíl mé ag an am go bhfaigheadh Aeronwy bás chomh luath ina dhiaidh sin. Tá an scéal seo an-bhrónach.

B’údar cuimhní cinn, file, agus aistritheoir filíocht Iodáilise í Aeronwy. Tá a cuimhní cinn, My Father’s Places (Constable & Robinson, 2009) le teacht amach i mí Lúnasa. Is dócha go lainseálfar an leabhar d’ainneoin bhás an údair ach is milis-searbh a bheidh an ócáid.

Fuair Aeronwy bás ar an 27ú lá [seachtú lá is fiche] d’Iúil, 2009 [dhá mhíle is a naoi]. Requiescat in pace.

And no, I won’t try to gaelicize the Welsh name, Aeronwy [ai-RRON-wee, with a full trilled “r,” not a “flapped r” like Irish has], but it is either from Aeron, a war-god, from Afon Aeron, the River Aeron, or from “aeron,” Welsh for “berries” or “drupes.”

It seems that Iúil was full of scéala báis (obituaries). Here’s hoping an mhí seo chugainn, Lúnasa, will be more cheerful.

Gluaisín & fuaimniú: rugadh [rug-uh], clú, reputation; d’aois [deesh]; B’Éireannach X, X was an Irishman; sular, before; tógadh [TOHG-uh], was raised; teach bád, boathouse; teaghlach, family; ina mhúsaem [IN-uh WOOSS-ay-em]; turas, tour; chuala, heard; clár, program; bhfaigheadh [WAI-ukh, the ‘ai” sound as in “my”/“pie,” note silent f, g, d] would get; luath [LOO-uh, silent “t”] soon; cuimhní cinn [KIV-nee kin] memoir; aistritheoir, translator; lainseálfar, will be launched; milis-searbh, sweet-bitter.