Aimsir Eachainn, 26th June 1981

Friday

I happened to meet a man from Aird Tong a little while ago and we got talking about the dangers involved in bringing women back from the city. They are difficult to control and are truly dangerous at peat-cutting time if they get above you in the ditch - a man has to be quick of movement [dorgh - handline] if he is going to keep his fingers. I was telling him about the accidents that happen in the Lochs connected with the tairsgeir [peat-cutting iron]. Apparently, if it is indeed true, a man from the far side of the Loch lost an ear. The Aird Tong lad said that things are just as bad in their village but that they have a new way to control women who don't understand the Gaelic - a yellow card for a small cut and a red card if you lose a digit. Anyway, it must have been a brother [actually Eachann writes bruadar - dream, vision] of him that I was speaking to that I got a letter from: "Hector, the idea has been circulating that the following got their injuries cutting the peats in the Lochs - Van Gogh, Dave Allen, and Moshe Dayan. Is there any substance to these rumours? Alec."
I am sure that there is, Alec.