Duine de shárscéalaithe na Gaeilge
In Eanáir 1952, sé bliana sula bhfuair Peig Sayers bás, thionscain Coimisiún Béaloideasa Éireann agallaimh léi agus í in ospidéal Naomh Anna, Baile Átha Cliath. Bhí Peig thar a bheith sásta labhairt lena cuairteoirí a raibh Gaeilge Chiarraí ar a dtoil acu agus seanaithne aici orthu.
Foilsítear den chéad uair in Níl Deireadh Ráite na hagallaimh sin mar aon le réamhrá tathagach, tráchtaireacht agus aistriúchán Béarla ar an iomlán. Cuireann Peig i láthair anseo seanscéalta idirnáisiúnta, scéal Fiannaíochta, finscéalta taistealacha, seanchas stairiúil agus sísheanchas, roinnt paidreacha, agus tá cúpla léaráid óna mac, Mícheál Ó Gaoithín, mar anlann leo. Léiríonn na taifeadtaí a bua mar scéalaí oilte, a hacmhainn grinn, a móreolas ar scéalta traidisiúnta agus a cumas máistriúil á gcur i láthair trí shúile mná. Buanaíonn an saothar seo ionad Pheig mar dhuine de shárscéalaithe na Gaeilge agus cinntíonn sé go bhfuil a cuid scéalaíochta le háireamh ar scoth na healaíne béil sa tír seo.
Among the first rank of Irish storytellers
In January 1952, six years before she died, Peig Sayers was interviewed by a team from the Irish Folklore Commission in St Anne’s Hospital, Dublin. She was more than happy to be recorded, and pleased to be visited by old friends, all of whom spoke fluent Kerry Irish.
In Not the Final Word these interviews are published for the first time, in both Irish and English, along with a substantial introduction and detailed annotation. Here Peig tells her versions of international folktales, a Fenian tale, some prayers, migratory legends and historical and supernatural lore, illustrated in paintings by her son, Mícheál Ó Gaoithín. She emerges as a warm and authentic storyteller, with a ready sense of humour, a deep knowledge of traditional narrative and highly skilled in its presentation. This collection reaffirms Peig Sayers’s position in the first rank of Irish storytellers and firmly establishes her tales in the canon of Irish oral literature.
Bo Almqvist was Emeritus Professor and a Former Head of the Department of Irish Folklore, University College Dublin. He specialised in Scandinavian and Irish folk literature and folk beliefs and published widely on these topics. He also carried out much collecting from Blasket Islanders, in particular Peig Sayers' son, Micheál Ó Gaoithin, and other story tellers in Dún Chaoin, e.g. Bab Feiritéar, and he was a co-editor of the publication of her stories,Ó Bhéal an Bhab.
Pádraig O'Héalaí is a recently retired Senior Lecturer in Modern Irish at NUI, Galway. His area of specialisation is Irish folklore and he has published on many aspects of this topic, including religious traition, Blasket heritage, and beliefs and practices associated with the supernatural. He is a former editor of the journal Béaloideas and co-editor of a number of other works.
