Joseph Plunkett's Diary - Germany 1915

[corisande]

Readers of the forum probably know I have an interest in the Irish Brigade

It is not widely known, but Joseph Plunkett (he who was shot by the British after the Easter Rising) went to German in 1915 and was involved with the Irish Brigade and with negotiating for arms with the German government. He wrote a diary covering his trip, which only lasted a couple of months.

I have managed to get a transcription of his diary. However he changes from English to Irish after 10 days in Germany - I assume so that the Germans would have difficulty in reading it if they found it.

I speak no Irish (remember I am from Belfast  , I have tried using a copy and paste in Google Translate, but that produces rubbish

Has anyone any idea if an English translation might exist on the web of Plunketts diary

[eadaoin]

If it's only odd sentences or paragraphs, you could scan bits to the Irish language board on Rootschat - I'd have a look, and so might other more knowledgeable people.

It's meant to be in Irish - so start with "Aistriúchán, led' thoil" (translation please).

start with a smallish bit - if it's just odd sentences, PM me

eadaoin

[Taidquest]

Hi, This might be of some use.
                                                   Anne

http://www.irishdictionary.ie/home

[corisande]

eadaoin

Thanks for the thoughts - unfortunately it is about 6 pages of typed words. I may be able to find an Irish speaker here in Spain, but I was trying to see if anyone had come across a translation

[eadaoin]

If you don't find a translation, and you can't find an Irish speaker, PM me.

You can email me a scan - if/when I get stuck I'll throw it out to my Irish Conversation Group!

eadaoin

[corisande]

Thanks eadaoin

My background on Plunkett and his time in Germany  is here . I am trying to get at what Plunkett himself has to say about the mission. I appreciate that you may not have the time, but I am keen to get an insight into this little corner of Irish history that has been unexplored.

The bit of his diary in Germany while he is still writing in English is here   (I have just put that there so you can see the background, and his semi code)

And the bit of his diary in Irish (I assume to avoid the Germans or even Casement reading it) is here A lot of the pages have a lot of English poetry, which I have left in, so the actual amount in Irish is 4 to 4 and a half pages.

[eadaoin]

I've sent you a PM with a trial run of p.41 - if it's ok, I'll do a bit more

eadaoin

[corisande]

Thanks, that is looking fine. I appreciate it is particularly difficult as Plunkett is using that half code that he used in English

As I don't understand a word of the Irish, I had no idea until you did that translation that he was continuing with the code. Why I thought you needed to see what he started writing in English

[Abhannliath]

What code is Plunkett using here? It reads like a rather dull diary by a learner, with the occasional mistake - he sometimes uses iris for arís (iris is a journal, arís means 'again'); otherwide it's terribely ordinary, about writing a story and a poem, having enjoyable chats with his friend E and a group of people he refers to as B.