Colum Layton
‘Bhí mé deich blian d'aois agus seoladh mé go Corca Dhuibhne ar feadh trí mhí ag foghlaim Gaeilge. Bhí mé thall i bhFahan le Muintir Luing. D'fhanas sa tig sin ó mí Meán Fómhair go dti mí na Nollaig, 1960.
'Ní raibh aon aibhléis ann, ní raibh aon teilifis, ní raibh aon fón. Chuathas ar scoil i gCill Mhic an Domhnaigh ar feadh trí mhí. Is cuimhin liom a bheith ag dul ar aifreann i gCeann Trá sa trap ar an Domhnach.
‘Níos déanaí agus mé san ollscoil, bhí scéim ag Padaig Tyers in gColaiste na nOllscoille i gCorcaigh ag an am. Scéim scolaireachtai Gaeltachta a ghlaoigh sé air agus chaitheas treimhsí ar ais sa dúthaigh.
'Bhí mé i mBaile an Lochaigh le Tony Ó Muircheartaigh — coicís a bhí ann, tráth a raibh Ryan's Daughter á dhéanamh agus coicís eile le Muintir Ui Laoithe i gCuas an Bhodaigh.’
‘When I was ten years of age I was sent to West Kerry for three months learning Irish. I was over in Fahan with the Long family and I stayed with them from September to Christmas, 1960.
'There was no electricity, there was no television, there was no phone. I went to school for those three months in Cill Mhic an Domhnaigh. I remember we went to mass in Ventry on Sundays in a trap.
‘Later when I was in university there was a scheme at the time that was organised by Pádraig Tyers in University College Cork. He called it a Gaeltacht scholarship and I spent periods back in the area.
'I was with Tony Ó Muircheartaigh in Baile an Lochaigh — that was for two weeks during the time Ryan’s Daughter was being made and there was another two weeks with the Leahy family in Cuas an Bhodaigh.’