By Paddy Walsh
“Cad é mar atá tú?” – a greeting echoed more than once to the man who has undertaken an Irish language journey and written the book to prove it.
It’s Saturday afternoon in the Letterkenny Shopping Centre and Joe McHugh is busy signing copies of that book in the Bookmark outlet.
And while the former Government Minister is pleasantly surprised to hear that familiar greeting as Gaeilge, he is even more so when one particular customer airs it. “Cad é mar atá tú?”
Two years ago, Vamsi Krishna, arrived on these shores from his native India. And it was while he worked at the checkout in the nearby Tesco supermarket that he felt obliged to learn at least some words of the native language.
“I wanted to be able to say ‘how are you’ in the language of the country.” And he learned it through the Google translation service and is now able to distinguish between Munster and Ulster Irish.
And when he takes his leave of Joe, armed with a signed copy of ‘Beidh Tú Alright’, he acknowledges: “Go raibh maith agat’.
The greetings continue, both in Irish and English, as the customers queue up – or McHugh up! – to engage with the newly hatched author.
Ciara McHugh – no relation – recalls her school days in the Convent where Joe was her maths teacher.
“He was a phenomenal teacher – I credit him for getting me my Honours maths.”
She herself teaches, and has done for the past 20 years, Irish and French at the same school and therefore conversing with him as Gaeilge proved no difficulty!
Unlike for some. As Ann Marie McCormick (née McHugh and yes, a relation) spoke to the man of the moment, her husband, Gerard, admitted he was far from fluent – as far as can be in fact!
“Aw, I didn’t like Irish at school at all. I came out of Scoil Colmcille when they beat it into you and I beat it out of myself!.”
But he does intend to read the book.
Another book purchaser, Marty Carlin has been a long time friend of the former T.D. “He asked me if I was ever in Dublin to contact him and he’d show me around Dáil Éireann. It was the only time I’ve ever been in it and that day, about a year and a half ago, he also took me into the Seanad and we had lunch in Leinster House to round it off.”
Paddy Gildea doesn’t say whether or not he butchered Irish at school but he has known Joe for many years due to their dual political affiliations as members of the Fine Gael party.
“I first got to know him in 1999 when he ran in the County Council elections. I remember his slogan was ‘Go with the flow, and vote for Joe!.”
Lexie Diver from Kilmacrennan can credit himself with encouraging Joe McHugh to run in that very election and with his decision to run for the Dáil. Lexie is present with his son, William, and daughter-in-law, Eleanor Diver. “He’s a true gentleman,” she says.
Another former councillor, who also served in the County Council chambers along with Joe, though not on the same political benches, Noel McGinley enjoys a few moments of banter with him.
Meanwhile, Letterkenny native, Kathleen O’Doherty had sought Joe McHugh’s political backing during the long running campaign which she led locally for equal rights for school secretaries.
“He worked hard on our behalf and I’ll always be grateful for that. He always supported the School Secretaries campaign for respect and parity – unfortunately the Government and Civil Servants did not have the same view.
“Sadly, the secretaries are not there yet in regard to what they are due and the fight goes on,” says Kathleen who is now retired.
Retired Garda, Tina Fowley, has also come along to the book signing and recalls when she first arrived in Donegal, she had a Gold Fáinne awarded to those who were fluent in Irish.
“But after six weeks here, I had to put it away because I had learned Connemara Irish and I couldn’t understand the Donegal Irish!.”
But she does understand the popularity of the former T.D. and councillor and is keenly looking forward to reading his newly published book.
“He has been very supportive to Donegal and has been a valuable asset in his roles as County Councillor and Minister,” Tina insists.
Inishowen arrives in tandem in the form of Frank Dorrian and John McColgan. “Ah, the big Fahan connection is here now,” Joe declares. And two more copies of the book take leave of the stacks in front of him.
His two hour signing session in Letterkenny Shopping Centre saw 65 books sold in total – added to the 30 advance copies ordered.
Afterwards, he reflects on the journey to writing the book – he started on it four years ago – and the journey that led him to write it.
“There’s an assumption on the part of many people that because it’s an Irish book that it’s written in Irish. For some people there’s a barrier there straightaway. I’m not going to be able to understand it, they’ll say.
“But I deliberately wrote it in English because I can relate to those people who spoke it years and years ago and lost it.”
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