セラ＝ジェーン・ウッズのインタヴュー(3) Sarah-Jane Woods interview (3)

　CUMAR のアルバムで演奏を聞かせたフルート奏者セラ＝ジェーン・ウッズ (Sarah-Jane Woods) の Beo におけるインタビュー (Beo, Eagrán 36, Aibreán 2004) の3回目。原文（アイルランド語）のあとに大意を英語で掲げる。

[Sarah-Jane Woods; source]

Antaine Ó Faracháin: Cén post lánaimseartha atá agat?

Sarah-Jane Woods: Is múinteoir bunscoile mé i Scoil Cholmcille Naofa i gCnoc Liamhna, Baile Átha Cliath. D'fhreastail mé féin ar an scoil chéanna mar dhalta!

AÓF: An gceapann tú go leagtar dóthain béime ar an gceol traidisiúnta sa gcuraclam?

SJW: Cé go bhfuil sé mar phríomhaidhm sa churaclam an ceol traidisiúnta a chur chun cinn sa tseomra ranga, sílim go mbeadh sé níos oiriúnaí curaclam ceoil na scoileanna a bheith bunaithe díreach ar an gceol traidisiúnta. Ceapaim go mba chóir deis a thabhairt do gach páiste sa tír taithí a fháil ar ár gceol féin. Nuair a bhí mé sa choláiste oiliúna, ní raibh béim ar chor ar bith ar an gceol traidisiúnta sna léachtaí oideachais cheoil! Tá suim agam i gceolta de shaghsanna eile agus éistimid le agus canaimid gach saghas ceoil i mo rang, ach tá gá cinnte le níos mó béime a chur ar an gceol agus ar na hamhráin Ghaelacha.

AÓF: As Baile Átha Cliath duit. Ceapann daoine áirithe nach mbeadh mórán tuisceana ag pobal cathrach ar an gceol traidisiúnta. Céard a cheapann tú féin? An gceapann tú go mbaineann an ceol traidisiúnta le háiteachaí ar nós Chontae an Chláir mar shampla? Áiteachaí faoin tuath?

SJW: Ceapaim go bhfuil caighdeán an cheoil thraidisiúnta chomh hard i mBaile Átha Cliath leis an an gcuid eile den tír ach ní dóigh liom go bhfuil stíl faoi leith ag ceoltóirí sa chathair. An difríocht is mó a thugaim faoi ndeara ná, faoin tuath in áiteanna cosúil le Contae an Chlair nó i Sligeach, bíonn níos mó suime ag an bpobal, na daoine a bhíonn ag éisteacht. Níl tuiscint ar bith ag an gcuid is mó den phobal i mBaile Átha Cliath ar an gceol traidisiúnta, ach tá feabhas ag teacht ar an scéal le cúpla bliain anuas, buíochas le Dia.

AÓF: An dtéann tú ag taisteal leis an gceol? Céard iad na háiteachaí ar thug tú cuairt orthu agus tú ag seinm?

SJW: Tá roinnt mhaith taistil déanta agam leis an gceol. Chuaigh mé ar thuras le CCÉ go Meiriceá agus go dtí an Bhreatain. Bhí mé san Iodáil agus sa Ghearmáin agus an bhliain seo caite bhí turas álainn agam go Toronto! Ach níos suimiúla ná na turasanna thar lear toisc an cheoil, tá áiteanna iargúlta iontacha in Éirinn feicthe agam. Murach an ceol ní dóigh liom go mbeadh Carna, Clonlaheen nó Mullahoran feicthe agam!

AÓF: Cad a dhéanann tú mar chaitheamh aimsire nuair nach mbíonn tú ag seinm?

SJW: Is maith liom a bheith ag léamh, leabhair stairiúla, go háirithe. Is maith liom an ealaín freisin, péintéireacht agus tarraingt. Is breá liom siúlóidí fada leis an seinnteoir miondioscaí!

AÓF: Céard é an rud is mó gur mhaith leat a bhaint amach fós, ó thaobh an cheoil de?

SJW: Ar leibhéal pearsanta, ba mhaith liom níos mó forbartha a dhéanamh ar an stíl atá agam agus a bheith dílis don traidisiún ag an am céanna. Ar leibhéal níos leithne, ba mhaith liom rud éigin a dhéanamh chun stádas an cheoil thraidisiúnta, na teanga agus an chultúir a fheabhsú.

AÓF: An bhfuil mórán ceoil cumtha agat?

SJW: Píosa nó dhó. Tháinig port beag i ngléas C chugam le déanaí.

AÓF: An éiríonn tú tuirseach den cheol ariamh? An bhfuil tú in ann an saol a shamhlú gan an ceol?

SJW: Ní éirím! Níl mé in ann an saol a shamhlú gan an ceol!

AÓF: Dhá mbeadh do shaol le caitheamh agat arís agus rogha agat teacht ar ais mar a theastaigh uait, an dtiocfá ar ais mar cheoltóir arís nó an bhfuil aon ealaín nó slí bheatha eile ba mhaith leat a thriail?

SJW: Theastaigh uaim i gcónaí a bheith i mo thréidlia, mar is maith liom ainmhithe, ach chun an fhírinne a rá, tá mé breá sásta mar atá mé. Chaithfinn teacht ar ais mar cheoltóir, cinnte. Fidléir, an chéad uair eile!

Is amhránaí, ceoltóir, múinteoir agus fear spraoi é Antaine Ó Faracháin. Is as Baile Átha Cliath ó dhúchas é.

[My rough translation:]
Antaine Ó Faracháin: What full-time job do you have?

Sarah-Jane Woods: I am a primary school teacher in Scoil Cholmcille Naofa in Cnoc Liamhna, Dublin. I attended myself the same school as a pupil!

AÓF: Do you think that enough emphasis is laid on the traditional music in the curriculum?

SJW: Although promoting the traditional music in the classroom is taken as a main aim in the curriculum, I think that it would be more suitable for a music curriculum of the schools to be based directly on the traditional music. I think that every child in the country ought to be given an opportunity to have an experience of our own music. When I was in the training college, there was no emphasis at all on the traditional music in the lectures of music education! I am interested in music of other sorts and we listen to and play every kind of music in my class, but there is a definite need to put more emphasis on the Irish music and on the songs in Irish.

AÓF: You are from Dublin. Certain people think that city people would not have much understanding of the traditional music. What do you think yourself? Do you think that the traditional music is related to places like Co. Clare for example? Places in the country?

SJW: I think that the standard of the traditional music is as high in Dublin as the other part of the country but I don't think there is a separate style in the city. The biggest difference I noticed is, in the country in places like Co. Clare or Sligo, the community, the people who are listening, have more interest. Most people in Dublin don't have understanding of the traditional music, but there is an improvement coming to the state of affairs for the past two years, thank God.

AÓF: Do you go travelling with the music? What are the places that you visited and you playing?

SJW: I have done a good deal of travel with the music. I went on tour with CCÉ to America and to Britain. I was in Italy and in Germany and last year I had a beautiful tour to Toronto! But more interesting than the tours overseas with the purpose of the music, I have seen remote wonderful places in Ireland. If it wasn't for music I don't think I would have seen Carna, Clonlaheen or Mullahoran!

AÓF: What do you do as a pastime when you are not playing?

SJW: I like to read, particularly historical books. I also like the art, painting and drawing. I love long walks with the minidisc player!

AÓF: What is the biggest thing that you would like to gain, as far as the music is concerned?

SJW: On a personal level, I would like to make further development of the style I have and to be loyal to the tradition at the same time. On a broader level, I would like to do something to improve the status of the traditional music, the [Irish] language and the culture.

AÓF: Have you composed a lot of music?

SJW: One piece or two. I thought of a little jig in the key of C lately.

AÓF: Do you ever get tired of the music? Are you able to imagine the life without the music?

SJW: I don't! I'm not able to imagine the life without the music!

AÓF: If you would spend your life again and have a choice of coming back as you need, would you come back as a musician again or is there any art or another career you would like to try?

SJW: I always need to be a vet, as I like animals, but to tell the truth, I am well satisfied as I am. I would have to come back as a musician, certainly. Fiddler, the next time!

Antaine Ó Faracháin is a singer, musician, teacher and fear spraoi. He is a born Dubliner.