Irish-Language

Perks for pensioners often take the over-65s all over the country

<b>The UN-ROCKY ROAD TO DUBLIN:</b> People of a certain age are showing a lot of Enterprise now that free travel throughout Ireland is available to over-65s&nbsp;<address>&nbsp;
The UN-ROCKY ROAD TO DUBLIN: People of a certain age are showing a lot of Enterprise now that free travel throughout Ireland is available to over-65s 
  The UN-ROCKY ROAD TO DUBLIN: People of a certain age are showing a lot of Enterprise now that free travel throughout Ireland is available to over-65s 
 

How’s it going there, young’uns, ould wans and everybody in between, you are all guests to the Bluffer’s Guide to Irish.

“Growing old is like being increasingly penalized for a crime you haven’t committed,” said the Íosánach - Jesuit philosopher, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin but nowadays, older people are refusing to follow the stereotypes of the past.

Tá sé/sí ag dul in aois means he/she is getting old as, let’s face it, we all are but there are more buntáistí - advantages available now than there were 50 years ago.

(Ó shin is how you say “ago” in Irish so seachtain ó shin is a week ago, caoga bliain ó shin is 50 years ago,)

The main benefit of being a pinsinéir - a pensioner that everyone knows about is the pas bus - bus pass.

It works throughout the north for those over 60 and throughout the whole of Ireland for ould wans over 65.

With older people more healthy and fitter than they have ever been, this can lead to trains, buses, the Glider, the Luas being chocabloc with people who remember Andy Pandy, Dixon of Dock Green, The Lone Ranger and Peyton Place all on their way to a Last of the Summer Wine convention.

The Bluffer knew an elderly couple who got the free train to Dublin, ansin bhí lón acu - then they had lunch followed by a free ceadal - a recital of classical music, before heading home.

What a pleasant way to spend a day!

Or you could head to Páirc an Chrócaigh - Croke Park for a big game; to Amharclann na Mainistreach - the Abbbey Theatre for a play or visit the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann - the All-Ireland Fleadh which is running in Droichead Átha - Drogheda all this week.

But of course, you don’t have to go that far and many people will have more practical reasons for using the free travel than to go to a gig or a game.

Not everyone over 60 or 65 is well off despite their state pension so they can take journeys they might not have been able to afford otherwise.

Some people live ar an iargúltacht - in the back of beyond and – providing they can get to a bus-stop – a free bus can let them catch up with seanchairde - old friends or with gaolta - relatives.

This is vitally important for people who are in ísle brí - at a low ebb or are scoite - isolated. It adds to their physical and mental welfare and keeps them out of hospital.

Then there are lacaistí - discounts for everything from going to the pictiúrlann - the cinema, tourist sites, iarsmalanna - museums sports grounds and so on.

You can get your tástáil súl - an eye test done and other medical procedures are free or discounted but you will have to ask about those.

So while 60s kids sang “I hope I die before I get old” along with The Who, now that they are actually old and wearing pork pie hats to hide the baldness, they are finding that it isn’t too bad at all.

Society has become a little less agest and as I keep telling people, you’re only old once, so get out and enjoy it – a lot of it is free! 

CÚPLA FOCAL

Íosánach(eesaanakh) - a Jesuit 

Tá sé/sí ag dul in aois(taa shay/shee eg gul in eesh) - he/she is getting old 

buntáistí(buntaashtee) - advantages 

seachtain ó shin(shakhtin o hin) - a week ago 

caoga bliain ó shin(cayga bleean o hin) - 50 years ago

pinsinéir(pinshinayr) - a pensioner 

pas bus(pass bus) - bus pass

ansin bhí lón acu(unshin vee lone acoo) - then they had lunch

ceadal(kyadal) - a recital

Páirc an Chrócaigh (park a khroekee) - Croke Park

Amharclann na Mainistreach(aowerclan na manishtrakh) - the Abbbey Theatre

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann(flaow kyoil na herin) - the All-Ireland Fleadh

Droichead Átha(drihind aha) - Drogheda 

seanchairde(shankharja)- old friends

gaolta(gaylta)- relatives

in ísle brí(in eeshla bree) - at a low ebb

scoite(scitcha)- isolated

lacáistí(lacaashtee) - discounts

pictiúrlann(pictoorlaan)- a cinema

iarsmalanna(eersmalaana) - museums 

tástáil súl(taastal sool)- eye tests