Peig left this world in 1958 and was buried in the Dún Chaoin Burial Ground, Corca Dhuibhne in Ireland, carrying many blessings from all whose lives she touched with her. Peig’s health began to fade, along with her vision, and she was admitted into a hospital in An Daingean, Co. In 1953, the Great Blasket Island was evacuated due to dwindling population (Wikipedia article, pg. Peig continued on with this tradition well into her old age. News spread quickly of her ability to host a fine céili, and soon everyone would gather around her, seated at the center of the hearth, eloquently weaving magnificent tales and magically suspending time and their sense of reality in that moment. To fill these lonely nights, Peig began chatting, as the men did, about the weather, the crops and life in general, until these chats grew into story-telling and reciting poetry and songs. She eventually moved in with her brother-in-law, and then her son Michael. Her husband died after a long illness and all her children gone to America.

Through the course of this marriage, Peig had 10 children, though only 5 survived to adulthood those that survived later emigrated to America (except for Michael, who later returned).Īfter many years of a difficult, tumultuous life, Peig found herself alone in her home. Together, they moved back to the island, and celebrated their wedding (though the festivities were dampened by the joint wake of her beautiful niece). This turned out to be one of the wisest decisions she had made, for she fell madly in love with her husband, Peats Guinean, at first sight. She trusted her brother whole-heartedly, and when he advised her to marry this man from the Great Blasket Island, she put her apprehensions and fears of isolated and dangerous island life aside and accepted the proposal without even seeing her future husband ( Peig, pg. Once this obligation had been completed, Peig received news from her beloved brother that a match was to be made. Being the strong woman that Peig was, she accepted this fate, and worked hard to fulfill her one-year contract with this family. 127-130) This time, however, she wasn’t as fortunate, for her new employers were not as generous and kind to her as her previous family. Again, Peig was not thrilled with the idea of going back, “into slavery,” but followed her good friend’s advice. Cáit-Jim had promised to send her passage fare so that Peig would be able to join her, but advised Peig to go back into service to earn some of the fare herself. It was at this time that she learned her closest childhood friend, Cáit-Jim, would be moving to America. Peig stayed with Séamas and Nell for several years, until she fell ill and went back to live with her family. As much spite as she may have felt towards her situation, she was always grateful to her new “family” as they treated her very well, and took on the responsibilities assigned to her dutifully.

Peig was not thrilled with the work, often referred to her time in service as being in slavery, and dreamed of owning her own home and making her own way through life. In order to maintain peace and manageability within the household, Peig’s father decided to send her into the service of a family he knew in Dingle: Séamas and Nell Curran and their two sons. At the age of 14, her family met with difficulties, both financially and with the new daughter-in-law. Peig’s educational bliss did not last long. Books, and thus words, became her greatest treasure. This was her doorway to learning reading and writing, both in English and in Irish ( Peig, pg 35).

That very same day, she insisted that her parents allow her to start school that week, and reluctantly they obliged ( Peig, pg 15). At the age of four, Peig discovered the world of literature after visiting her friend, Cáit -Jim, who was already enrolled in school. Her love of language did not stop with the oral traditions however. Throughout her childhood, she would leap at any opportunity to listen to the stories of the old people in her nearby villages and towns ( Peig, pg 19, 33). Her father had a flare for storytelling and poetry, as did her mother, and she relished every moment she could of these tales and lyrics that her elders spun. Peig Sayers was born in 1873 to Tomás Sayers and Peig Brosnan in the parish of Dunquin on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. A natural performer, “Salt of the Earth” woman, and an oral enchantress, she quickly became dearly loved by her neighbors, countrymen, and folklorists around the world. She was often visited by students of universities and scholars wishing to record a portion of her vast collection of folklore knowledge. Peig Sayers was a legend in her own time. Peig Mhór, Saol Mhór: Biography of Peig Sayers

Peig sayers children