Peig Sayers (1873–1958)

A good book for capturing the spirit and vibe of early 20th Century live on the Blaskets and coastal regions of Ireland. If there is any deficiency it a very "old person telling stories" feel about personal rembrances without context, no dates, etc. no coherence or order to the recollections. Still, this works pretty well as a tribute to a ghost: the half-remembered past of a gone, Gaelic culture.

Peig certainly knows how to spin a good yard. I enjoyed the stories and the heartfelt sentiments about struggle and celebration on Blasket Island and Dingle. The writing style was easy to follow and even some of the unknown word meanings could be gleaned from the context. I felt so sad for all of her losses, which I attributed somewhat to the time and lack of proper medical care and facilities in remote areas. The atmosphere was clear and I was transported to an Ireland I couldn't really see show more when I was there. show less

Peig Sayers wanted to capture the old style of Gaelic storytelling before it was gone from the earth forever. She was raised listening to the old men telling their tales around the peat fire, but all the old men were dying, and because Gaelic at the time was not encouraged, it was becoming scarce as well.

I thought this book would be more along the lines of fairy tales, or old tales of Ireland, but instead it reminds me of when I was a little girl helping my grandmother, mother and aunts with show more canning or some such task, and listening to them talk. It has that rhythm and feel to it. Sometimes it is difficult to follow the conversation, with the tense changing, or not being sure who is being referred to.

There are little tidbits of Irish history woven into the stories, but more about the way of life on a remote island around the beginning of the 20th century, or end of the 19th. show less

An interesting collection of stories from an Irish "story-teller" who lived most of her life on an isolated island. It's translated from Gaelic into English, but much of the original lyrical prose is still evident. Worth reading.