Going to the Well for Water: The Seamus Ennis Field Diary 1942-1946

7 Carna

7 Carna 5 November to 15 December 19431 Friday 5.11.43 Train and bus to Carna (from Dublin). I had arranged to stay in An Coillín where I had stayed previously but they had no room for me. I stayed the night in Ó Mongáin’s hotel,2 Carna. Saturday 6.11.43 I went to a man in Maínis where I had spent some of the summer but he could not arrange lodgings for me as food and other items were in short supply and he was planning to go to England shortly.3 I tried five other lodging houses without luck and, when I thought there was nowhere else for me there, I was told there was a woman in Roisín na Mainiach who would take me. I visited her and arranged to stay with her from tonight, to arrive about nine.4 Sunday 7.11.43 I went to the second Mass and met Colm Ó Caodháin from Glinsce, my own music man, there. I met Máistir [Seán] Ó Conchúir from An Aird and he invited me to his house tomorrow night. I went with my belongings to [Sorcha] Bean Uí Iarnáin – my lodging house – and stayed there. It is a country house, fine big and quiet, occupied by the widow, her son and two daughters. I will get the chance to do lots of work there, D.V. I spent the afternoon in the lodging house and went to a big céilí in Carna at night – an enjoyable evening. Monday 8.11.43 Got up at 10 (céilí over at 3). I spent some of the morning organising my belongings (clothes and other items) after taking them out of my bag and another while helping Pádraig [Ó hIarnáin] (the son) dig potatoes and then I went in search of a parcel of papers that was to come by post. I got 107 them at 3.30 in the [post] office, and I returned with it and wrote a few days of the diary and a letter home. Then I visited Máistir Seán Ó Conchúir in An Aird [Thiar], as he had invited me yesterday, and had tea with him and his wife [Bríd]. They are a grand couple and I had a very interesting evening talking with them. His wife is too old to teach and has retired. Seán is 63 years of age. I did not feel the evening passing until I discovered that midnight had arrived. Tuesday 9.11.43 I spent the morning with Peait Canavan, An Aird Mhóir – I brought him a new set of pipes from Dublin and I will have to visit him to keep them in tune until he has become accustomed to them. I wrote the diary and a few letters this afternoon and I posted the letters. I went into Maínis to see Dudley Cloherty, the man who has the tunes, and I saw him. He was well and lighthearted as usual and happy to see me. He had no light in the house and, although he lilted some tunes for us (myself and Maidhcil Pheadairín Greene), I had no light by which to do any writing. I arranged with him to come to Maidhcil Pheadairín’s house on Thursday. I went with Maidhcil Pheadairín to his home. A while making conversation and then home. Seán Ó Conchúir (left), his wife, Bríd and ? 108 Going to the Well for Water Wednesday 10.11.43 A bad, wet, stormy morning. I wrote a note to Sorcha Ní Ghuairim (and another one to [Michael] Bowles, on a personal matter). I went out to Glinsce to visit Colm Ó Caodháin. The family was all well and he looked very well. I spent the evening from five until eleven discussing life, songs and lore. He said ‘An Mharthain Phádraig’ [‘St Patrick’s Sustaining Prayer’]5 for me. I made another short list of songs he still had and he sang them for me. I did not write anything down, apart from a few short items of his lore and proverbs. Thursday 11.11.43 I made out some notes on the material I got from Darach Ó Clochartaigh, An Portach, Maínis, in preparation for working with him this evening. I went to visit Peait Canavan, An...