Cuairt San Nioclás - Clement Clarke Moore

Dán é seo a raibh an-tionchar aige ar an tuiscint atá againn ar an Nollaig. Deirtear gur ann a leagadh béim ar dtús ar Oíche Nollag mar fhéile inti féin, agus gur chuir sé go mór leis an nós féiríní a thabhairt dá chéile faoi Nollaig. Cosúil leis an úrscéal gearr Duan na Nollag le Charles Dickens, chruthaigh ‘Cuairt San Nioclás’ samhail den Nollaig ar ghlac léitheoirí go fonnmhar léi.

Is ón dán seo freisin a thagann ainmneacha na n-ocht réinfhia atá ag San Nioclás, Tintreach, Toirneach, Ruóg, Radaire, Coiméad, Ciúpid, Ruagaire agus Preabaire agus ba ina dhiaidh sin, sa 20ú haois, a cuireadh Rúdolf leo (Rúdolf, réinfhia an smuit dheirg!):

Go deireanach, Oíche Nollag, ó cheann ceann an tí,
Ní raibh cor as aon duine, ná luchóg ’na suí;
Bhí na stocaí ar crochadh faoin matal go beacht
Faoi réir do Shan Nioclás, agus súil lena theacht

 The Night Before Christmas and ‘Twas the Night Before

Christmas has been called “arguably the best-known
verses ever written by an American” and is largely
responsible for some of the conceptions of Santa Claus
from the mid-nineteenth century to today. It has had a
massive effect on the history of Christmas gift-giving.
Before the poem gained wide popularity, American ideas
had varied considerably about Saint Nicholas and other
Christmastide visitors.

Irish-Language translation of the famous Christmas poem.