Máire Ní Chártaigh’ (Molly Coffey) - A life in song

Rugadh Máire Ní Cártaig, in Imleach na Muc ar 22 Meitheamh 1918, agus d’fhás Molly aníos i dteaghlach a bhí tumtha i dtraidisiúin amhránaíochta, ceoil agus scéalaíochta dúchasaí. Bhí an-suim aici freisin i mbéaloideas an cheantair ó bhí sí an-óg. A grá d’amhráin a dhúchais, ina teanga dhúchais, do thraidisiún scéalaíochta an cheantair agus a saibhreas béaloidis, bhíodar ar fad lárnach dá saol fada. Bhí sí ina ball de Chonradh na Gaeilge agus ghlac sí páirt sna ranganna amhránaíochta sna 1930dí. Ba bhreá an scríobhnóireacht a dhein sí, agus dhein sí lámhscríbhinn de 62 amhrán i nGaeilge ó na ranganna sin. I rith a saoil bhailigh sí cnuasach mór amhrán i mBéarla agus i nGaeilge a bhí mar chuid de stór an cheantair. Chum sí féin roinnt amhrán, ‘An cárta glas’ agus ‘Kenneigh dance hall’ ina measc. Is stór luachmhar den traidisiún agus den chultúr áitiúil é a bailiúchán. Chuir a hiníon Sheila Burns a cuid bailiúchán ar fáil do Binneas.

Born Máire Nic Cárthaigh, in mleach na Muc on 22nd June 1918, Molly grew up in a Family immersed in the Irish traditions of song, music and storytelling. She also had a keen interest in the folklore of the area from a very young age. Her love of the song of her native land, in its native tongue, the storytelling tradition of the area and its rich folklore were central to her long life. She was a member of Conradh na Gaeilge and took part in the singing classes during the 1930’s. Her notetaking was meticulous, and she produced a manuscript of sixty-two songs in the Irish language from these classes. During her lifetime she amassed a large collection of songs in English and Irish that were part of the repertoire of the area. She composed a number of songs including ‘An cárta glas’ and ‘Kenneigh dance hall’. Her collection is an invaluable storehouse of a local tradition and culture. Her collection has been made available to the Binneas collection by her daughter Sheila Burns. 

I mí Feabhra 1993, agus í seachtó cúig bliana d’aois, thaifead Molly cuid dá cuid amhrán ar téip agus í ar a compord ag baile. Amhráin a d’fhoghlaim sí ag ranganna Chonradh na Gaeilge ab ea cuid de na hamhráin a thaifead sí ar an téip. Dhigitigh Binneas an téip agus tá na taifeadtaí ar fáil á gcanadh ag Molly ina glór sainiúil binn.

Bhí digitiú an tionscadail téipe agus leabhar páirtmhaoinithe ag Cumas Ceantar Uíbh Ráthaigh agus le tacú ó Bhrí Uíbh Ráthaigh, Plean Teanga Chiarraí Theas. Thug Ealaín na Gaeltachta tacaíocht don tionscnamh meithle a thug an t-am chun eolas a roinnt, a phlé agus a bhailiú ón bpobal ar an ábhar a chuirtear i láthair anseo go bhféadfadh cách úsáid agus taitneamh a bhaint as.

Má tá baint agat leis an ábhar seo agus más mian leat síntiús a thabhairt chun cabhrú le hobair an bhailiúcháin Binneas a chur chun cinn agus chun ábhar eile a chur ar fáil, déan é sin le do thoil tríd an gcnaipe ‘Donate’ ag barr an leathanaigh ar dheis.

In February 1993, at the age of seventy-five, Molly recorded some of her songs on an audio cassette tape in the comfort her own home. Some of the songs she recorded on the tape were songs she had learned at the of Conradh na Gaeilge classes. The tape was digitised by Binneas and the recordings are available sung by Molly in her inimitable sweet voice.

The digitisation of the tape and book project was part funded by ‘Cumas Ceantar Uíbh Ráthaigh’ and supported by the Irish language plan. The meitheal initiative supported by ‘Ealaín na Gaeltachta’ has allowed the time to share, discuss and gather knowledge from the community on the material presented here for the use and enjoyment of all.

If you have engaged with this material and wish to make a donation to help further the work of the ‘Binneas Collection’ and to make other material available, please do so via the ‘Donate’ button near the navigation bar.

Go raibh míle maith agat

Peter Mullarkey