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Máire Ní Ghuairim — beathaisnéis ghearr
Réamhrá
I Roisín na Maithníoch a rugadh Máire Ní Ghuairim — Máire Mháirtín Bheairtle Mháirtín — ar an 6 Iúil 1896, ceantar ar leithinis Iorras Aithneach i gContae na Gaillimhe, ar chósta thiar na hÉireann.
Go dtí an lá inniu féin, tá Iorras Aithneach ar cheann de na ceantair is láidre Gaeilge sa tír. Amhránaí sean-nóis fíor-oilte, scéalaí agus múinteoir a bhí báite sa dúchas ab ea Máire. Ar theacht in inmhe di le linn luath-bhlianta an stáit nua Éireannaigh, bhog sí go Baile Átha Cliath, áit ar ghlac sí páirt ghníomhach in Athbheochan na Gaeilge.
Ar an talamh, mar mhúinteoir Gaeilge a dhein sí go leor dá cuid oibre ina leith seo ach scríbhneoir ab ea í leis. Chuir sí ábhar ar fáil do riar páipéar Gaeilge agus do pháipéir dhátheangacha. Láithreoir raidió ab ea í, a bhíodh ag craoladh ar na chéad stáisiúin raidió a bhí in Éirinn sular bunaíodh RTÉ.
Foilsíodh an láithreán seo, Ceol na Mara, chun ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar an méid a chuir Máire le cultúr agus le saíocht na hÉireann agus d’fhonn samplaí dá saothar a chur ar fáil, roinnt mhaith de nach raibh fáil air le fada, fada an lá.
Glaodh Ceol na Mara go ceanúil ar an láithreán, i gcuimhne ar an gcnuasach gearrscéalta dá cuid a foilsíodh i mbliain a 1938.
Muintir ⁊ óige Mháire
Is cuid de cheantar Gaeltachta Iarthar na Gaillimhe é Iorras Aithneach; an ceantar Gaeltachta is mó ó thaobh na tíreolaíochta agus na teangeolaíochta de ina maireann an Ghaeilge i gcónaí mar theanga pobail. Dálta gach ceantar Gaeltachta eile a mhaireann, tá sé iarghúlta go maith agus tá Roisín na Mainiach suite suas le leathchéad míle siar ó Chathair na Gaillimhe; trí mhíle soir ó shráidbhaile Charna.
Seans maith go míníonn an iargúltacht seo de bheagán an fíor-shaibhreas cultúrtha a bhfuil cáil in airde ar an gceantar ina thaobh le fada riamh.
Ní haon áibhéil é seo. In Folktales of Ireland (Ó Súilleabháin, 1966), dúirt an béaloideasóir Seán Ó Súilleabháin It is generally conceded that the parish of Carna, in West Galway, had more unrecorded folktales in 1935 than did all the rest of western Europe
.
I gcroílár an phobail sin is ea a d’éirigh Máire Ní Ghuairim aníos.

B’é Máirtín Bheairtle Mháirtín Ó Guairim athair Mháire agus b’í Ceaití Stiofáin Mhóir de Búrca a máthair. Aonar déag a bhí sa chlann:
- Peadar
- Rugadh: 1890.
- Cailleadh: 1970; 80 bliana d’aois.
- I SAM a cailleadh.
- Bairtliméad
- Rugadh: 1892.
- Cailleadh: Mí na Samhna 1955; 63 bliana d’aois.
- I SAM a cailleadh.
- Cóilín
- Rugadh: 1894.
- Cailleadh: 1981; 87 mbliana d’aois.
- Máire
- Rugadh: 1896.
- Cailleadh: Mí Deireadh Fómhair 1964; 68 bliana d’aois.
- I mBaile Átha Cliath a cailleadh.
- Bríd
- Rugadh: 1899.
- Cailleadh: ????.
- John
- Rugadh: 1901.
- Cailleadh: 1914; 13 mbliana d’aois.
- Máirtín Seosamh
- Rugadh: 1903.
- Cailleadh: Mí na Lúnasa 1974; 71 bliana d’aois.
- I SAM a cailleadh.
- Cáit
- Rugadh: 1906.
- Cailleadh: Mí an Mhárta 1980; 74 bliana d’aois.
- I SAM a cailleadh.
- Pádraic
- Rugadh: 1908.
- Cailleadh: Mí an Mheithimh 1987; 79 mbliana d’aois.
- Mícheál
- Rugadh: 1909.
- Cailleadh: ????.
- Sorcha
- Rugadh: 1911.
- Cailleadh: Mí na Nollag 1976; 65 bliana d’aois.
- I Londain Shasana a cailleadh.
Príomh-fhoinse: Ó Loċlainn (2024a).
B’í Sorcha an t‑amhránaí sean-nóis, an t‑iriseoir, léachtóir agus craoltóir, Sorcha Ní Ghuairim. In imeacht aimsire, mar a dhein Máire roimpi, chuaigh Sorcha féin go Baile Átha Cliath agus ghlac an pháirt ghníomhach chéanna san Athbheochan.

Áras Shorcha Ní Ghuairim
I 1997, b’í Sorcha an chéad bhean riamh gur ainmnigh Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, mar atá anois uirthi, foirgneamh ina homós (Ó Concheanainn, 2020).
Dátaí suntasacha i saol Mháire Ní Ghuairim
6 Mí Iúil 1896
Rugadh Máire.
18 Mí Iúil 1896
Baisteadh í i dTeampall Mhuire i gCarna.
Cólman agus Caite Ó hIarnáin a chuaigh chun baiste léi (Nolan, 2022). Bhí triúr Cólman Ó hIarnáin sa cheantar an uair sin — nú ceathrar, seans. Ní fheadair sinn cé acu Cólman, ná cé acu Caite, a chuaigh chun baiste le Máire. Ní fheadair sinn ach an oiread an rabhadar pósta nó an deartháir is deirfiúr a bhí iontu. D’fhéadfadh sé a bheith amhlaidh, fiú, nach rabhadar pósta ná gaolta in aon chor.
Séipéal Mhuire atá air anois.
31 Mí an Mhárta 1901
Cláraíodh Máire sa bhfoirm do theaghlach Mháirtín do Dhaonáireamh na hÉireann (Chartlann Náisúnta, An, gd‑a) mar iníon feirmeora a bhí ceithre bliana d’aois. Cláraíodh triúr deartháireacha níos sine (Peadar, Bairtliméad agus Cóilín) agus deirfiúr amháin níos óige (Bríd) ná í. Níor tuairiscíodh go raibh Béarla ag Máire ná ag Bríd.

Timpeall ar 1902
Chuaigh Máire ar scoil i gClochar na Trócaire i Roisín na Mainiach.
2 Aibreán 1911
Cláraíodh dáireág i dteaghlach Mháirtín i nDaonáireamh 1911, iad go léir dhátheangach, le Gaeilge agus Béarla (Chartlann Náisúnta, An, gd‑b).

Timpeall ar 1915
Tugadh an iontráil seo chun dáta: 19ú Mí Abráin 2025.
Bhog Máire go Baile Átha Cliath.
Tá an dátú seo bunaithe ar ráiteas in Ar Lorg Shorcha (2007), gur [f]aoin am a ndeachaigh Sorcha ar scoil, bhí Máire ina múinteoir i mBaile Átha Cliath
.
Bhí sí fostaithe mar mhúinteoir Gaeilge i gColáiste Oiliúna Dhún Charúin ar an gCarraig Dhubh i gContae Átha Cliath. Bhí cónaí uirthi láimh leis an gColáiste ag an tráth sin, cúpla neomat an bóthar síos ar Ascaill Dhún Charúin,.
Dúiche Sheoigheach!
Dár le roinnt foinsí, is ag Uimhir 25 a bhí sí. Más amhlaidh atá, tá dhá chomhtharla beag ag baint leis.
An chéad cheann acu. Nár chónaigh clann James Joyce áirithe béal dorais, ag Uimhir 23, ó 1892–1893, tímpeall ar fhiche bliain ní ba thúisce? (Leabharlann Chomhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath, 2022.)
‘Leoville’ a bhí ar Uimhir 23 agus is í an ainm atá air i gcónaí. Dár le Bradley, (2009), [f]or about a year, when the Joyces were living in ‘Leoville’… [James] was permitted to study by himself, while his younger siblings went to the local convent school
— Coláiste Dhún Charúin, gach seans.
Tá grianghraf de ‘Leoville’, a tógadh i mbliain a 1963, i gCartlann Edward Quinn (Edward Quinn Archive, The., g.d.). Is féidir cuid den tigh a bhíodh ar thaobh na láimhe deise dhe (Uimhir 21?) a fheiscint ann. I mbliain a 2025, tá an tigh seo imithe, gan fágtha dhe ach cuid dá thús ⁊ é sin mar chrann taca do bhínn Uimhir 23. (Féach ar an ngrianghraf den chomhartha bóthair gorm, thuas.) Leagadh an tigh seo, seans, nuair a bhíothas ag glanadh na slí don N31.
Agus an tarna comhtharla? Dar le Diffley (2004), [As a] small boy [Joyce] left Clongowes [Wood Collage] because his father could no longer pay the fees. The family moved to 23, Carysfort Avenue, ‘Leoville’, just off Blackrock’s main street.
. Nár fhreastail Ciarán, an mac ba shine le Mháire, ar an gcoláiste céanna sna 1940idí? (Féach ar an iontráil do bhliain a 1936, thíos.)
Bliain anaithnid
Chuaigh Máire isteach i gConradh na Gaeilge (Breathnach agus Ní Mhurchú, gd‑b).
Ba thríd an gConradh a bhuail sí um Sheán Brady (28 Mí na Bealtaine 1890 – 24 Mí na Feabhra 1969), an fear a phós sí.
Timpeall ar 1919
Dar le Breathnach agus Ní Mhurchú (gd‑b), ba ag an am seo a thosaigh Máire ar scéalta agus ailt a scríobh do riar páipéar Gaeilge. Ní móide go bhféadfaí páipéir nuachta a ghlaoch ar gach ceann acu ach, chun an ceart a thabhairt, níorbh í sin an aidhm a bhí le gach ceann acu.
- An Stoc. Páipéar míosúil Gaeilge. D’fhoilsigh Coláiste na hOllscoile Gaillimh é idir na blianta 1917 agus 1920 agus arís ó 1923 go dtí 1931.
- Fáinne an Lae. Nuachtán seachtainiúil, dhátheangach. An chéad cheann a d’fhoilsigh ábhar i nGaeilge. I mBaile Átha Cliath a foilsíodh é. Dálta roinnt eile a luaitear anseo, is iomaí leagan a chuir an foilseachán air féin. Scríobh Máire don dara leagan de.
- An Lóchrann. Páipéar míosúil dhátheangach. I dTrá Lí a foilsíodh é idir 1907 agus 1913 agus i gCorcaigh ó 1916 amach.
- An t‑Éireannach. Nuachtán seachtainiúil Gaeilge. Foilsíodh i mBaile Átha Cliath é idir 1934 agus 1937.
- An Scuab. Páipéar Gaeilge. I gCorcaigh agus sna Déise a foilsíodh é idir 1920 agus 1925.
- An Chearnóg. Páipear Gaeilge. Sa Ghaillimh a foilsíodh é idir 1923 agus 1925.
1923
Ceapadh Seán Beaumont (21 Mí na Samhna 1893 – 11 Mí na Nollag 1959) mar Rúnaí ar Choiste Gairm Oideachais Átha Cliath (CDVEC). (Ó Cíosáin, 1993:69). Thiocfadh Beaumont chun cinn mar phearsa suntasach i saolta Mháire agus Shorcha níos sia anonn.
1924
Ghlac Máire le ballraíocht i gComhairle an Fháinne. Tuairiscíodh é seo in Fáinne an Lae san eagrán dár dáta 5 Mí na Feabhra. (Breathnach agus Ní Mhurchú, gd‑b).
Eagras ab ea An Fáinne a bhunaigh baill de Chonradh na Gaeilge i 1916 le dul i ngleic le cúlú na Gaeilge. (Ó Coimín, 2016). Cé go raibh sé neamhspleách go leor ar dtús, súadh isteach sa Chonradh é níos sia anonn. Cuid den bhFáinne ab ea Comhairle an Fháinne.
1925
Ceapadh Seán Beaumont mar Phríomhfheidhmeannach ar Choiste Ghairm Oideachais Chontae Átha Cliath (CDVEC) (Breathnach agus Ní Mhurchú, gd‑a) agus bhunaigh sé an scéim scoláireachtaí dá chuid daltaí. D’fhostaigh sé roinnt cainteoirí dúchais Gaeilge, Máire agus Sorcha Ní Ghuairim ina measc (blianta anaithnid), mar mhúinteoirí.
1926 nó ina dhiaidh sin
Chuir Máire tús lena cuid oibre raidió, láithreoireacht san áireamh, ar aerthonnta náisiúnta na hÉireann. Luann Breathnach agus Ní Mhurchú (gd‑b) 2RN agus Radio Éireann. Ag glacadh leis gur luadar ainmneacha na stáisiún seo go beacht — agus is cinnte gur dhein — tugann sin le tusicint gur cuireadh tús le gairm chraoltóireachta Mháire timpeall ar 1926 agus gur lean sé go dtí 1938 ar a laghad.
B’é 2RN an chéad stáisiún raidió Éireannach. Bunaíodh é i mBaile Átha Cliath ar Lá Caille 1926. Bunaíodh 6CK, an dara ceann, i gCorcaigh ar an 26 Aibreán 1927 — in iar-Phríosún Ban Thobar Rí an Domhnaigh! Cónascadh an péire acu mar aon stáisiún amháin, Radio Athlone, i mbliain a 1933. Glaodh Radio Éireann ar Radio Athlone ag deireadh na bliana 1937…
…cé go raibh ‘Athlone’ fós le feiscint ar dhiaileanna fhearas raidió a bhí á dtáirgeadh fiche bliain níos sia anonn!
Léiríonn cóipeanna de nuachtáin an lae sin atá fós ar fáil gur chraol Máire ar Radio Athlone uair amháin ar a laghad. (Irish Press, 1936a 1936b).
Is cuimhin lena cuid iníonacha, Martha agus an tSiúir Eileen, a n‑athair á gcruinniú timpeall ar raidió cófra (sa bhaile in 21 Bóthar Oakley) agus iad ina bpáistí le n‑éisteacht lena máthair agus le Sorcha. (Ar Lorg Shorcha, 2007; Ó Loċlainn, 2023).
1927, is ró‑dhócha
Bhí baint ag Máire le The Linguaphone Irish Course mar ealaíontóir gutha. Eisíodh an cúrsa i mbliain a 1928, ath-eisíodh mar dara eagrán i mbliain a 1929 é agus eisíodh arís eile é i mbliain a 1931 (faoin teideal Linguaphone Conversational Course — Irish) mar thríú ceann.



15 Mí Meáin Fhómhair 1927
Toghadh Seán Brady mar Theachta Dála de chuid Fhianna Fáil do Chontae Átha Cliath. Choimeád sé an suíochán go dtí 1948, tráth ar sheas sé mar iarrathóir Fhianna Fáil i dtoghcheantar Dhún Laoghaire agus Rath an Dúin. Choimeád sé an suíochán sin an chuid eile dá shaol mar Theachta Dála dò, b’shin go dtí 1965
17 go 20 Mí Meáin Fhómhair 1927
Bhuail Máire um Ole Mørk Sandvik as Helgøya san Iorua cúpla uair i mBaile Átha Cliath. (Ó Catháin, 2014:77–84).
Féach ar an iontráil ar Shandvik faoi ‘The Nordic Connection’ chun tuilleadh eolais a fháil ar an ábhar seo.
1928
Thug Máire Sorcha go Baile Átha Cliath chun a cuid meánscolaíochta a chríochnú i gClochar na Toirbhirte i gCnoc Sheoirse (uí Ógáin, 2002a; Ar Lorg Shorcha, 2007). Ag pointe éigin idir é sin agus Deireadh Fómhair 1930, fuair Máire obair múinteoireachta faoi Chonradh na Gaeilge i mBaile Átha Cliath di leis.
Chomhbhunaigh Seán Beaumont Coláiste an Phiarsaigh, coláiste samhraidh Gaeilge ar an Tulach i gCois Fharraige. (Breathnach agus Ní Mhurchú, gd‑a). Bhíodh Máire and Sorcha ag múineadh ann (Breathnach agus Ní Mhurchú, gd‑a).
Do léitheoirí gur beag é a gcuid eolais ar an ábhar, glaodh ‘Coláiste an Phiarsaigh’ ar roinnt mhaith institiúidí dara leibhéal ó 1928 ach ní ann anois don cheann a bhunaigh Beaumont. Agus an t‑alt seo á scríobh (2024), tá coláiste samhraidh Gaeilge fad-bhunaithe ar an Tulach ach níl aon bhaint aige leis an gceann a bhunaigh Seán Beaumont.
Earrach 1929

An Cháisc 1929
Thug Máire cuairt ar Theach a’ Phiarsaigh ar an nGort Mór, Ros Muc.

Ní gá gurbh í seo a céad chuairt ná a ceann deiridh! Tá Teach a’ Phiarsaigh suite cúpla míle soir ó Roisín na Mainiach ar an bpríomhbhóthar go dtí an Ghaillimh. Tarlaíonn gurb é seo an t‑aon phictiúr atá againn a bhfuil dáta air; cé nach dáta cruinn é. ‘Easter 1929’ atá i nóta a scrígh Máire féin ar a chúl.
Seans maith gur tógadh an pictiúr seo agus an ceann roimhe seo nuair a chuaigh Máire and Seán siar go Roisín na Mainiach leis an ngealltanas pósta a fhógairt / a cheiliúradh lena muintir.
Do léitheoirí ar spéis leo comh-tharluithe.
Thit an Cháisc ar na dátaí céanna i 1929 agus i 2024. Dá réir sin, ar an 25 Mí an Mhárta a bhí an Luan a bhí ann roimpi sa dá bhliain. Oíche lán-ghealaí a bhí ann ar an dá Luan seo, gan dabht.
Ní fheadraíos gurb amhlaidh a bhí nuair a shocraíos ar an láithreán seo a fhoilsiú ar an 25 Mí an Mhárta 2024. Tharla go raibh sé ullamh chun cur os comhair an phobail cothrom 95 bliain ó gealladh Máire agus Seán — ach níor pleanáladh é.
Nár bhuaigh sé glan?
12 Mí Meáin Fhómhair 1929
NB: Tógadh an iontráil seo ó Ó Loċlainn (2023) agus ní thagann sé le Nolan (2022), Breathnach agus Ní Mhurchú (gd‑b) et‑c… i gcás fo‑mhionphointe
Pósadh Máire agus Seán Brady i Seipéal Naomh Eoin Baiste, ar an gCarraig Dhubh.

Cuirtear síos ar Sheán mar ‘Thaistealaí Tráchtála” sa teastas pósta agus luaitear gurbh iad William Brady agus Sarah Guairim [sic] a sheas leo. B’shin í Sorcha, Sarah Mháirtín Bheairtle Mháirtín, ar glaodh ‘Sarah Mháirtín’ uirthi de ghnáth.

Bhí cónaí ar Sheán sa teach Qui‑Si‑Sana (‘kee-see-sanna’) ar an gCarraig Dhubh nuair a phósadar.
Ar feadh bliain nó dhó tar éis an phósta, chónaigh Seán agus Máire i dteaichín tuaithe in Áth na Sceire i gContae Chill Mantáin. Is cuimhin le Martha, iníon Mháire, comhartha do ‘Parknasilla’ — agus í cinnte den litriú sin — ach is dealraitheach nach bhfuil aon áit go bhfuil an t‑ainm sin uirthi in Áth na Sceire i mbliain a 2024. Tá Páirc na Saileog ann, ceart go leor, i gCúirt an Phaoraigh, ach níor ghá gurb í an ball céanna. B’fhéidir gur i bPáirc na Saileach éigin a tógadh an teaichín? Nó b’fhéidir gur ainm cheantair logánta atá scaoilte i ndearmad anois de bharr uirbiú na dúichí í Páirc na Saileach? Nó b’fhéidir gur ‘Parknasilla’ an t‑ainm a bhí ar an teaichín féin?
Timpeall ar 1931
Bhog Máire agus Seán go Teach Fhiodh Cuillinn ar Bhóthar Oakley i mBaile Átha Cliath.
I dTeach Fhiodh Cuillinn is ea a bhunaigh an Piarsach Scoil Éanna an chéad lá, gan dabht. Gaelscoil Lios na nÓg atá ann i mbliain a 2024. Is féidir stair chuimsitheach an fhoirgnimh a léamh ar a láithreán gréasán siúd.
Timpeall ar 1933
Bhog Máire agus Seán béal dorais díreach go 21 Bóthar Oakley. Ní raibh ach an pasáiste is lú idir Teach Fhiodh Cuillinn agus uimhir 21.
1944
Bhog Máire agus Seán go Summerville ar an mBóthar Trasna, áit a rabhadar trasna an bhóthair ó Éamon de Valera is a theaghlach. Nuair a d’fhágadar Summerville, bhog Kevin Dixon, an t‑Ard Aighne, isteach ann ina ndiaidh.
1945
Bhog Máire agus Seán ar ais go 21 Bóthar Oakley, áit ar fhanadar an chuid eile dá saol.
19 Mí na Lúnasa 1931
Rugadh Ciarán, mac Mháire agus Sheáin.


1933
Rugadh Martha Máire, iníon Mháire agus Sheáin.

Mionphointe eolais: Is cuimhin le Martha go mbíodh Máire ag múineadh do na Siúracha Doiminiceánacha i gCabrach uair éigin ach ní cuimhin léi an bhliain / na blianta. Sí sin an chúis gur cuireadh isteach anseo é.
1934
Rugadh Eileen Bláthnaid, iníon Mháire agus Sheáin.
Chuaigh Eileen isteach in ord rialta Chuallacht an Chroí Rónaofa ar fhágaint na scoile di.
Is í an tSiúir Eileen a dhein cuid mhaith den bhuntaighde ar an teaghlach atá curtha ar fáil i saothar Nolan (2022).

27 Deireadh Fómhair 1934 go 2 Feabhra 1937
D’fhoilsigh An t‑Éireannach chúig ghearrscéal déag agus dán amháin de chuid Mháire, iad go léir scríofa do pháistí.
Is finscéalta a bheag nó a mhór atá iontu agus is óid cheanúil do pháiste óg atá sa dán.
Féach ar Ceol na Mara — Gearrscéalta do Pháistí chun teacht ar bhreis eolais agus chun teacht ar liosta iomlán de dhátaí a bhfoilsithe.
11 Mí Aibreáin1934
Cailleadh Ceaití, máthair Mháire. Tuairiscíodh é seo sa cholún ‘Recent Deaths’ san Irish Independent:
Mrs. Catherine Guairim, Rusheenamanagh, Carna, Co. Galway, who has died. Was the mother of Máire Ní Ghuairim (wife of Mr. Seán Brady, T.D.), and of Sorcha Ní Ghuairim, both of whom are well known in Dublin Gaelic and broadcasting circles. Deceased was a traditional singer, and was sought after by many well-known collectors, who obtained from her many unpublished airs.
Irish Independent, 1934
1936
Rugadh Fiachra Lawrence, mac Mháire agus Sheáin.

3 Mí an Mhárta 1936; 5.30 i.n.
Bhí Máire i bhfochair Shorcha ar chlár raidió Uair i dTír na nÓg, a craoladh ar Radio Athlone. (Irish Press, 1936a 1936b).
1938
D’fhill Máire ar ghearrscéalta léi a céadfoilsíodh in An t‑Éireannach agus in áiteanna eile agus d’eisigh iad mar leabhar (Ní Ghuairim, 1938) faoin teideal Ceol na Mara.
Tá trí ghearrscéal ar fhichid agus dhá dhán sa gcnuasach. Marion King a dhein na léaráidí. Brún ⁊ Ó Nualláin Teoranta a d’fhoilsigh.
Féach ar Ceol na Mara — Sraith Gearrscéalta do Pháistí — chun teacht ar eolas breise.
2 Mí na Nollag 1941
Cailleadh Máirtín, athair Mháire. (Nolan, 2022).
1944
Feachtas toghchánaíochta Sheáin Brady don 12ú Dáil Éireann.
Dúirt Martha agus an tSiúir Eileen gur tógadh an pictiúr seo thíos sna daichidí. (Ó Loċlainn, 2023). Ciallaíonn sé sin gur tógadh é sna seachtainí roimh an toghchán ar an 23 Mí an Mheithimh 1943 nó sna seachtainí roimh an gceann ar an 30 Mí na Bealtaine 1944.

Seacht ndócha gurb é an dara dáta an ceann ceart, os rud é go bhfuil an postaer ag spreagadh tromlach d’Fhianna Fáil. Chaill an páirtí sin an tromlach a bhí acu i dtoghchán na bliana 1943. Iarracht, a raibh rath air, a bhí i dtoghchán 1944 an tromlach sin a fháil ar ais. Is féidir toghchán 4 Mí na Feabhra 1948 a chur as an áireamh mar gur cailleadh P.J. Fogarty i Mí na Bealtaine 1947 agus mar gur cuimhin le Martha agus Eileen gurbh éigean cairt capaill a úsáid de dheasca na teirce díosail a bhí ann le linn an chogaidh.
Ní fios an gramafón nó córas fógairt phoiblí a bhí san adharc fuaime. Is cuimhin le Martha agus le hEileen gur bhain a n‑athair úsáid as an dá rud le linn toghchánaíochta. Maidir leis an ngramafón, is cuimhin leo, leis, gur bhain a n‑athair úsáid as leagan Come Along, Come Along de Null do dh’Uidhist ar na feachtais seo.
An Nollaig 1947

D’ainneoin gur léir an aimsir a bheith bog agus d’ainneoin an t‑easpa cótaí móra, is cinnte gur tógadh an pictiúr seo um Nollaig 1947 mar tá an dáta sin ar a chúl i lámh Mhartha. Codarsnacht mhór leis an bplúchadh sneachta fíochmhar, a bhuail an tír i dtús na bliana sin.
1949 nó 1950
Thug an Dochtúir Olle Lagerlöf as Stócólm cuairt gan choinne ar Mháire.
Féach ar chuimhní cinn Chiarán Brady ar chuairt Lagerlöf (Brady, 2019) faoi ‘The Nordic Connection’ chun teacht ar an scéal ina iomláine.
1952

15 Mí Deireadh Fómhair 1964
Cailleadh Máire sa bhaile de dhroim rith fola ceirbeach. Tá sí curtha i bplota Naomh Bhríde i Reilig Ghráinseach an Déin, Contae Átha Cliath. (Brady, gd).
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.
Tagairtí
Is féidir teacht ar na tagairtí a luaitear sa bheathaisnéis seo ar an leathanach Tagairtí.
Buíochas
Táim fé chomaoin ag muintir Bhrady agus muintir Ghuairim as an mbeathaisnéis seo a sheiceáil is a phrofáil agus as cuid mhaith den ábhar a chur ar fáil. Is orm‑sa atá an locht má tá earráidí nó míchruinneas fós ann.
Máire Ní Ghuairim — a short biography
Introduction
Máire Ní Ghuairim — Máire Mháirtín Bheairtle Mháirtín — was born on 6th July 1896 in Roisín na Maithníoch, a district on the Iorras Aithneach peninsula of County Galway on the west coast of Ireland.
Iorras Aithneach is, to this day, one of the country’s strongest Irish speaking areas. Steeped in the native tradition, Máire was a highly accomplished sean‑nós singer, story teller and teacher. Coming into her prime during the nascent years of the newly-independent Irish state, she moved to Dublin, where she took an active part in Athbheochan na Gaeilge — the Irish language revival.
Much of her work in this regard was done ‘on the ground’ as a teacher of Irish but she was also a writer, contributing to several Irish language and bilingual newspapers, and a radio presenter, broadcasting on the early national radio stations that were ultimately to become RTÉ.
This web site, Ceol na Mara, has been published to both celebrate Máire’s contribution to Irish culture and society and to showcase examples of her work; much of which has, until now, been unavailable for decades.
Ceol na Mara is affectionately named after the short story collection she released in 1938.
Máire’s family and childhood
Iorras Aithneach is part of the West-Galway Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking area); geographically, the largest and linguistically the strongest region in which Irish is still spoken as a community language. As with all surviving Gaeltacht areas, it’s fairly remote, with Roisín na Mainiach being located some fifty miles west of Galway City; three miles east of the village of Carna.
Inevitably, that very remoteness goes some way to explaining the deep cultural wealth for which the area has historically been famed.
This isn’t overstatement. In Folktales of Ireland (Ó Súilleabháin, 1966), folklorist Seán Ó Súilleabháin observed that It is generally conceded that the parish of Carna, in West Galway, had more unrecorded folktales in 1935 than did all the rest of western Europe
.
Máire Ní Ghuairim grew up at the very heart of that tapestry.

Máire’s father was Máirtín Bheairtle Mháirtín Ó Guairim (anglicised Martin Gorham) and her mother Ceaití Stiofáin Mhóir de Búrca (anglicised Catherine Burke). There were eleven in the family:
- Peadar
- Born: 1890.
- Died: 1970; aged 80.
- Died in USA.
- Bairtliméad
- Born: 1892.
- Died: November 1955; aged 63.
- Died in USA.
- Cóilín
- Born: 1894.
- Died: 1981; aged 87.
- Máire
- Born: 1896.
- Died: October 1964; aged 68.
- Died in Dublin.
- Bríd
- Born: 1899.
- Died: ????.
- John
- Born: 1901.
- Died: 1914; aged 13.
- Máirtín Seosamh
- Born: 1903.
- Died: August 1974; aged 71.
- Died in USA.
- Cáit
- Born: 1906.
- Died: March 1980; aged 74.
- Died in USA.
- Pádraic
- Born: 1908.
- Died: June 1987; aged 79.
- Mícheál
- Born: 1909.
- Died: ????.
- Sorcha
- Born: 1911.
- Died: December 1976; aged 65.
- Died in London, England.
Primary source: Ó Loċlainn (2024a).
Sorcha was, of course, the renowned sean‑nós singer, journalist, lecturer and broadcaster, Sorcha Ní Ghuairim. In due course, she joined Máire in Dublin and took a similarly active part in the athbheochan.

Áras Shorcha Ní Ghuairim
In 1997, Sorcha became the very first woman to have a building named in her honour by what is now University of Galway (Ó Concheanainn, 2020).
Significant dates in Máire Ní Ghuairim’s life
6th July 1896
Máire was born.
18th July 1896
Máire was baptised in Teampall Mhuire, the church in Carna.
Her Godparents were Cólman agus Caite Ó hIarnáin (anglicised Coleman and Catherine Hernon) (Nolan, 2022). There were three, possibly four Cólman Ó hIarnáins in the area at that time and it’s unknown which of these was this Cólman. Neither do we know who this particular Caite was. Despite the shared surname it can’t safely be assumed that Cólman and Caite were husband and wife or brother and sister — nor even that they were related at all, by marriage or blood. (Their names were recorded in English on the baptism certificate, making it impossible to determine if Iarnáin was Caite’s maiden or married name. Had they been entered in Irish, this information would have been obvious from the spelling.)
The church is known now as Séipéal Mhuire.
31st March 1901
In the Census of Ireland (Chartlann Náisúnta, An, gd‑a) Máire was recorded in the return from Máirtín’s household as a farmer’s daughter of four years’ old. Also recorded were three older brothers (Peadar, Bairtliméad and Cóilín) and one younger sister (Bríd). Neither Máire nor Bríd were recorded as having English.

Circa 1902
Máire attended national school in the Clochar na Trócaire convent in Roisín na Mainiach.
2nd April 1911
In the Census of Ireland for this year, Máirtín’s household was now recorded as comprising twelve people; all bilingual in Irish and English (Chartlann Náisúnta, An, gd‑b).

Circa 1915
Entry updated: 19th April 2025.
Máire moved to Dublin.
This dating is based on the statement in Ar Lorg Shorcha (2007), that [f]aoin am a ndeachaigh Sorcha ar scoil, bhí Máire ina múinteoir i mBaile Átha Cliath
.
Her employment was as an Irish teacher in Carysfort Teachers Training College in Blackrock, County Dublin. At that time she lived in Carysfort Avenue, literally just down the road from the college.
Joyce’s Country!
According to some sources, she lived at Number 25. Now, if that’s the case, it leaves us with two small co-incidences.
The first of these is that the family of one James Joyce had lived next-door at Number 23 from 1892–1893, just over twenty years earlier. (Leabharlann Chomhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath, 2022).
Number 23 was, and indeed still is, named ‘Leoville’. According to Bradley, (2009), [f]or about a year, when the Joyces were living in ‘Leoville’… [James] was permitted to study by himself, while his younger siblings went to the local convent school
—Carysfort College, quite possibly.
There’s a photograph of ‘Leoville’, taken in 1963, in the Edward Quinn Archive (Edward Quinn Archive, The., g.d.). You can see a little of the house that used to be on the right hand side (Number 21?) in this. It’s gone in 2025, with nothing remaining of it but an angled section of what appears to be its front wall, left to support the gable end of number 23. (See the photo of the blue road sign, above.) The house may well have been knocked when they were clearing the way for the N31.
And the second co-incidence? According to Diffley (2004), [As a] small boy [Joyce] left Clongowes [Wood Collage] because his father could no longer pay the fees. The family moved to 23, Carysfort Avenue, ‘Leoville’, just off Blackrock’s main street.
. In the 1940s, Máire’s eldest son Ciarán would attend the very same college. (See the entry on 1936, below.)
Year unknown
Máire Joined Conradh na Gaeilge (Breathnach agus Ní Mhurchú, gd‑b).
It was through an Conradh that she was to meet Seán Brady (28th May 1890 – 24th February 1969), her future husband.
Circa 1919
According to Breathnach agus Ní Mhurchú (gd‑b), it was at this point that Máire began writing stories and articles for several Irish language papers. Not all of these can rightly be considered newspapers but to be fair, not all of them were intended to be.
- An Stoc. An Irish language monthly paper. Published by University College, Galway from 1917 to 1920 and again from 1923 until 1931.
- Fáinne an Lae. A bilingual weekly newspaper and the first to include copy in Irish. Published in Dublin. Like some of the others listed here, this title went through a number of incarnations. Máire wrote for the second of these.
- An Lóchrann. A bilingual monthly paper. Published in Tralee from 1907 to 1913 and later in Cork, from 1916.
- An t‑Éireannach. An Irish language weekly newspaper. Published in Dublin from 1934 to 1937.
- An Scuab. An Irish language paper. Published in Cork and Na Déise from 1920 to 1925.
- An Chearnóg. An Irish language paper. Published in Galway from 1923 to 1925.
1923
Seán Beaumont (21st November 1893 – 11th December 1959) was appointed Secretary of the County Dublin Vocational Education Committee (CDVEC). (Ó Cíosáin, 1993:69). Beaumont was to become a significant figure in the lives of both Máire and Sorcha.
1924
Máire became a member of Comhairle an Fháinne. This was reported in Fáinne an Lae in its edition of 5th February. (Breathnach agus Ní Mhurchú, gd‑b).
Comhairle an Fháinne was part of An Fáinne, an organisation set up by members of Conradh na Gaeilge in 1916 to tackle the decline of the Irish language (Ó Coimín, 2016). Whilst initially somewhat independent, An Fáinne was later absorbed by An Conradh.
1925
Seán Beaumont was appointed Chief Executive of the County Dublin Vocational Education Committee (CDVEC) (Breathnach agus Ní Mhurchú, gd‑a) and established the Gaeltacht scholarship scheme for his students. He employed a number of native Irish speakers, including Máire and Sorcha Ní Ghuairim (years unknown) as teachers.
1926 or after
Máire started to make appearances, including as a presenter, on Irish national radio. Breathnach agus Ní Mhurchú (gd‑b) mention 2RN and Radio Éireann. Provided they cited these station names rigorously — and they almost certainly did — this implies that her broadcasting career on the wireless started in or after 1926 and continued until at least 1938.
2RN was the first Irish radio station and was established in Dublin on New year’s Day 1926. The second, 6CK, was established in Cork on 26th April 1927 — in the former Sunday’s Well Women’s Gaol! These were combined into a single station named Radio Athlone in 1933. Radio Athlone was itself renamed Radio Éireann at the end of 1937…
…although ‘Athlone’ was still to be seen on the dials of wireless sets coming off the production line twenty or more years later!
Extant copies of contemporary newspapers show that Máire made at least one broadcast on Radio Athlone. (Irish Press, 1936a 1936b).
Her daughters Martha and Sister Eileen remember their father gathering them around a cabinet radio as children (in the family home at 21 Oakley Road) to hear their mother and Sorcha. (Ar Lorg Shorcha, 2007; Ó Loċlainn, 2023).
1927, most probably
Máire contributed to The Linguaphone Irish Course as a voice artist. The course was released in 1928, re-released in 1929 in a second edition and released again in 1931 (under the title Linguaphone Conversational Course — Irish) in a third.



15th September 1927
Seán Brady was elected Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin County. He held this seat until 1948, when he stood as the Fianna Fáil candidate in Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown. He was to hold that seat for the remainder of his time as a TD, until 1965.
17th to 20th September 1927
Máire met a number of times in Dublin with Ole Mørk Sandvik, from Helgøya in Norway (Ó Catháin, 2014:77–84).
See the entry on Sandvik under ‘The Nordic Connection’ for further information.
1928
Máire brought Sorcha to Dublin to complete her secondary education at George’s Hill Presentation Convent (uí Ógáin, 2002a; Ar Lorg Shorcha, 2007). At some point between then and October 1930, Máire also got her teaching work in Dublin with Conradh na Gaeilge.
Seán Beaumont co-founded Coláiste an Phiarsaigh, an Irish language summer college in An Tulach, Conamara (Breathnach agus Ní Mhurchú, gd‑a). Máire and Sorcha both taught there (Breathnach agus Ní Mhurchú, gd‑a).
For readers unfamiliar with the subject, quite a few Irish second-level educational institutions have been named ‘Coláiste an Phiarsaigh’ in the decades since 1928 but the one established by Beaumont is no longer in existence. At time of writing (2024), an Irish language summer college is in operation in An Tulach, and has been for many years, but it’s an entirely separate entity from Beaumont’s Coláiste.
Spring 1929

Easter 1929
Máire visited Pádraig Mac Piarais’ cottage, Teach a’ Phiarsaigh in Gort Mór, Ros Muc.

Not that this would have been her first or only visit. Teach a’ Phiarsaigh’s just a couple of miles east of Roisín na Mainiach, on the main road to Galway City. It just happens that this is the occasion we have a dated photograph for; albeit not exactly dated. A note on the back, in Máire’s own hand, just mentions ‘Easter 1929’.
It’s a fairly safe bet that this photo and the previous one were taken when Maire and Seán went back to Roisín na Mainiach to announce/celebrate their engagement with her family.
For readers interested in co-incidence.
Easter fell on the same dates in 1929 as it did in 2024. So in both years, the preceding Monday fell on the 25th March. Naturally, there was a full moon on both those nights.
The decision to publish this web site on the 25th March 2024 had already been made when I realised just how exactly the dates aligned and it just happened that it was ready to go live in time for the 95th anniversary of the engagement.
Nár bhuaigh sé glan?
12th September 1929
Entry updated: 19th April 2025.
NB: This entry is taken from Ó Loċlainn (2023), and differs on some minor points to Nolan (2022), Breathnach agus Ní Mhurchú (gd‑b) et‑c…
Máire and Seán Brady were married in the church of St John the Baptist, Blackrock.

Their marriage certificate describes Seán as a ‘Commercial Traveller’ and gives the witnesses as William Brady and Sarah Guairim [sic]. This would have been Sorcha, whose ainm na muintire was Sarah Mháirtín Bheairtle Mháirtín — often shortened to just ‘Sarah Mháirtín’.

At the time of their marriage, Seán’s address was Qui‑Si‑Sana (pronounced ‘kee-see-sanna’) in Blackrock.
In the first year or two after their marriage Máire and Seán lived in a cottage in Enniskerry, County Wicklow. Máire’s daughter Martha remembers a sign for ‘Parknasilla’ and is certain of this spelling but there doesn’t seem to be any place of that name in Enniskerry now and although Parknasilla may be Parknasilloge, in Powerscourt, this can’t safely be assumed. It may be that it was the name of the field in which the cottage was built (Páirc na Sailleach?) or a larger but still local district that’s since been lost to conurbation. Or perhaps ‘Parknasilla’ was just the name of the cottage itself?
Circa 1931
Máire and Seán moved to Cullenswood House, Oakley Road.
It was here, of course, that Pádraig MacPiarais originally established Scoil Éanna. In 2024 it’s home to Gaelscoil Lios na nÓg, which has an exhaustive history of the building (in Irish) on its web site.
Circa 1933
Máire and Seán moved next door — right next door in fact, to 21 Oakley Road. Only the narrowest of passageways separated Cullenswood House and number 21!
1944
Máire and Seán moved to Summerville, Cross Avenue, where they were across the road from Éamon de Valera and family. When they left Summerville, Kevin Dixon, the Attorney General of Ireland, moved in after them.
1945
Máire and Seán moved back to 21 Oakley Road, where they remained for the rest of their lives.
19th August 1931
Máire and Seán’s son Ciarán was born.


1933
Máire and Seán’s daughter Martha Máire was born.

A minor point of information: Martha recalls that Máire also taught for the Dominican Sisters in Cabra at some point but doesn’t remember in which year(s), which is why it’s been placed here.
1934
Máire and Seán’s daughter Eileen Bláthnaid was born. In adult life, Eileen joined the Society of the Sacred Heart.
Much of the family history presented in Nolan (2022) was originally researched by her.

27th October 1934 to 2nd February 1937
Máire had a total of fifteen short stories and one poem, all for children, published in An t‑Éireannach.
The stories are generally fairy stories and the poem is an affectionate ode to a young child.
See Ceol na Mara — Gearrscéalta do Pháistí for further discussion and for full publication dates.
11th April 1934
Ceaití, Máire’s mother, died. This was reported in the ‘Recent Deaths’ column of the Irish Independent:
Mrs. Catherine Guairim, Rusheenamanagh, Carna, Co. Galway, who has died. Was the mother of Máire Ní Ghuairim (wife of Mr. Seán Brady, T.D.), and of Sorcha Ní Ghuairim, both of whom are well known in Dublin Gaelic and broadcasting circles. Deceased was a traditional singer, and was sought after by many well-known collectors, who obtained from her many unpublished airs.
Irish Independent, 1934
1936
Máire and Seán’s son Fiachra Lawrence born.

3rd March 1936; 5.30 p.m.
Máire appeared with Sorcha on the radio programme Uair i dTír na nÓg, broadcast on Radio Athlone. (Irish Press, 1936a 1936b).
1938
Máire revisited short stories she’d originally had published in An t‑Éireannach and elsewhere and released them in book form (Ní Ghuairim, 1938) under the title Ceol na Mara.
This compilation comprised twenty-three stories and two poems. Illustrations were provided by Marion King. The publisher was Brún ⁊ Ó Nualláin Teoranta.
See Ceol na Mara — Sraith Gearrscéalta do Pháistí — for a detailed discussion of these stories.
2nd December 1941
Máirtín, Máire’s father, died. (Nolan, 2022).
1944
Seán Brady’s election campaign for the 12th Dáil Éireann.
Máire and Seán’s daughters, Martha and Sister Eileen, inform us that the following photograph was taken in the 1940s (Ó Loċlainn, 2023). This would mean either in the weeks leading up to the election of 23rd June 1943 or the weeks leading up to that of 30th May 1944.

It’s a virtual certainly it was the latter, given the poster calling for a Fianna Fáil majority. That party had lost its majority in the election of 1943 and the 1944 election was an ultimately successful attempt to regain it. The election of 4th February 1948 may be eliminated as a possibility as P.J. Fogarty died in May 1947 and Martha and Eileen recall the horse-drawn cart being necessitated by wartime diesel shortages.
It’s unknown if the acoustic horn was part of a gramophone (record player) or of a PA system but Martha and Eileen recall their father using both during election campaigns. Regarding the gramophone, they also recall their father’s use of the Come Along, Come Along version of Null do dh’Uidhist on these excursions.
Christmas 1947

Despite the obviously mild weather and absence of great coats, this photo was definitely taken over Christmas 1947 and is dated as such, in Martha’s hand, on the back. Quite the difference from the vicious blizzard of ’47 that had hit the country at the start of that year.
1949 or 1950
Máire was unexpectedly visited at her home by Doctor Olle Lagerlöf of Stockholm.
For the full story, see Ciarán Brady’s recollections of Lagerlöf’s visit (Brady, 2019) under ‘The Nordic Connection’.
1952

15th October 1964
Máire died at home of a cerebral haemorrhage. She is buried in Saint Brigid’s plot at Deansgrange Cemetary, County Dublin. (Brady, gd).
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.
References
The references cited in this biography may be found on the Tagairtí page.
Thanks
Especial thanks are due to muintir Bhrady and muintir Ghuairim for checking and proofing this biography, and for providing much of its content. Any remaining errors or inaccuracies are my own.





















