In those early years of the last century, any entertainment was home grown, particularly during the winter. There she developed her talent for storytelling and she became one of the best-known seanchaГвЂ™s in the country. Peig moved out to the island where she lived for the next 40 years and where seven of her 10 children survived infancy. This sojourn was not as happy as before but Peig left Dingle when she married PГЎdraig Г“ GuithГn from the Great Blasket Island. Peig had hoped to emigrate but was disappointed when her friend never sent back the fare as promised, so she went back into service in Dingle. As was the custom at that time, when one person emigrated they often sent back the fare for another to follow them. She was happy in Dingle and treated well but returned home to Dunquin for health reasons. As a young girl, she worked as a servant girl for a Dingle shopkeeper. Peig Sayers was born in Baile an BhiocГЎire near Dunquin in West Kerry. You do not often find a person known simply by their Christian name and while it is common nowadays for married ladies to continue to use their maiden names, it was a rarity in the early years of the last century. Her story is no longer on the curriculum and has been replaced by, among others, IrelandвЂ™s Got Talent star DaithГ Г“ SГ©вЂ™s father, Maidhc DainГn Г“ SГ©, who once roguishly described himself as вЂњPeig without the shawlвЂќ. Her tales of the harsh life of ordinary folk along the west coast and on the islands was a staple diet for generations. Was there ever a woman more cursed upon by generations of schoolchildren? Her life story was a basic part of the school programme for decades.

Peig sayers audio