Sorcha Ní Ghuairim, 1911-1976

The Cumann Merriman Website
A celebration of the 18th century Irish poet Brian Merriman and all aspects of Irish Language and culture.

Sorcha Ní Ghuairim, 1911–1976

Sorcha Ní Ghuairim was born and reared in Roisín na Mainiach, Carna, Conamara. She studied at University College Galway and went on to be a teacher, lecturer and journalist, all in the field of the Irish language. However, she is best remembered as one of the great sean‑nós (native Irish singing) singers of the 20th century. She died in London in 1976.

Thanks to the Authors

This article was originally published, in Irish, in 1882 – 1982: Beathaisnéis a Ceathair by Diarmuid Breathnach and Máire Ní Mhurchú. Cumann Merriman are grateful to the authors for permission to publish it here.

Sorcha in Roisín na Mainiach

Sorcha Ní Ghuairim was the youngest of eleven children born to Máirtín Gorham, a farmer in Roisín na Mainiach, Carna, Co. Galway, and his wife Catherine Burke, and was a sister of Máire Ní Ghuairim. She was born on 10 October 1911.

Sorcha the Teacher and Journalist

Sorcha Ní Ghuairim gave time in University College Galway studying under Professor Tomás Ó Máille. She got work from Seán Beaumont teaching Irish with Coiste Gairmoideachais Chontae Bhaile Átha Cliath. Éamon Ó Ciosáin gives an account (An t‑Éireannach 1934 – 1937: nuachtán sóisialach Gaeltachta, 1993) of the work she used to do in the office of An t‑Éireannach and of the debt owed to her by that paper.

Originally, she, along with Tomás Ó Flaithearta, would be writing news, composing headlines and writing editorials. She was then appointed as paid editor, a job she held until the paper closed. She used to write the children’s page under the name of ‘Niamh Chinn Óir'. She translated the adventure book Viva Irlanda in association with Pádraig Ó Concheanainn, from the English version by Captain Charles Mc Guinness, for publication in the paper. An Gúm released the translation as the book Ceathrar Comrádaí i 1943.

She went on to work as Irish editor and as a columnist for Scéala Éireann under the name ‘Coisín Siúlach’, and was also appointed as an Irish teacher in Trinity College Dublin. In Gaeilge i gColáiste na Tríonóide, 1992, Ristéard Ó Glaisne gives this account of her: In 1941 a young, dark, beautiful woman who came east from Carna on the Conamara coast, Sorcha Ní Ghuairim, was appointed as a lecturer in spoken Irish in the College; in 1947 she was conferred with an M.A. jure officii. She was of the Gaelic heritage in a way that few others ever were, and had a sweet singing voice. [Translated from the Irish original.]

Douglas Sealy, one of her students, gives us an insight into her beauty, her personality and her ability both as a teacher and as a singer in an article he wrote in Scéala Éireann in January 1977 (published in Éamon Ó Ciosáin’s book, along with a black and white picture of the portrait done by Charles Lamb).

Sorcha the Sean‑nós Singer

It is as a sean‑nós singer that Sorcha Ní Ghuairim is best remembered. In the Folklore Collection of Ireland in University College Dublin there is a manuscript dated 7 February 1942 that contains texts of songs along with information about them, and in which she makes the following statement: I got most of these from my parents. There is the odd verse here and there in some of the songs, that I learnt from hearing them being sung at singing occasions, but not many. Apart from the very odd one, I have these songs since my youth. I didn’t write any of them down until now, I just learned them from the singers on the hearth. When I was growing‑up we used to have big singing nights in our house, and my father and mother, God be good to them, used often to be humming, particularly if they were anxious or upset. [Translated from the Irish original.]

She recorded a share of songs, as well as one story, for Folkways in New York while she was visiting her brothers in 1945. One of them, Máirtín, was a member of the United States Navy, and had given a good while as a prisoner in Japan. Cló Iar‑Chonnachta re‑released the recording on a cassette in 1990 under the title An Chéad Dólas.

Sorcha in London

According to Amarach 15 April 1955 Sorcha took part in a radio programme called Abair mar seo é. She left Ireland a while after that, and would live the rest of her days in London, where her employment was never worthy of her ability.

It is thought that the decline of the Gaeltacht and changes like the imposition of the roman typeface and the Caighdeán Oifigiúil left Sorcha disilliusioned. She is said to have put together a dictionary of idiomatic phrases but that this was lost in London at some point.

It was in London that Sorcha died. In a substantial article on her life, ‘ "Is í an Fhilíocht anam an Cheoil" — Sorcha Ní Ghuairim, Amhránaí Roisín na Mainiach’ (Bliainiris 2002), Ríonach uí Ógáin gives 15 December 1976 as the date of death. She was buried in Carna that Christmas Eve.

According to Éamon Ó Ciosain she was great with Éamonn Mc Grotty, who was killed in the Battle of Jarama in Spain on 23 February 1937.

Sorcha on CD

In 2002 Gael Linn issued Sorcha, a new CD collection of recordings by Sorcha Ní Ghuairim, gathered from various sources and digitally remastered. The album, catalogue number CEFCD182, was produced by Ríonach uí Ógáin, presenter of the 2007 documentary film on Sorcha’s life, Ar Lorg Shorcha, which was premiered at the 2007 Merriman Winter School in Westport. The collection was accompanied by a ninty-six page booklet, in English and in Irish, which included an article on Sorcha’s life, information on the recordings, song‑lyrics (with notes about them by Sorcha herself) and a number of photographs of Sorcha and her family.

Gael Linn

The Gael Linn music label is a hallmark of quality traditional music and song. Among the artists that have recorded on the Gael Linn label are Seán Ó Riada, Aoife Ní Fhearraigh, Áine Uí Cheallaigh, Seosamh Ó hÉanaí and Paddy Glackin. They also have a substantial music distribution business, with over 30 labels covering a wide variety of traditional Irish, modern Irish, ethnic and world music.

Cumann Merriman is grateful to Gael Linn for permission to reproduce images, sound clips from the collection and extracts from Sorcha’s notes on this website. These are all copyright Gael Linn. The album is available to buy through their website or in good record shops. Gael Linn is a non‑governmental organisation that was established in 1953. Its aims are to promote the Irish Language and its heritage throughout the country, through music, song, sport, debating, courses and numerous other activities.

Digeas, Ó Deabhas, Ó

460KB / 0:19s

This is apparently a dance‑song and a matchmaking song. I never heard anyone else sing it apart from my mother who sang it whil she was dandling my sister’s child. I would not have heard it except for the fact that it related to the event.

Caoineadh na dTrí Muire

2.05MB / 1:27s

I heard some of the words of the song from my sister Máire, and a line here and there from other people from time to time. I learned the accompanying lament from my mother.

An Sceilpín Draighneach

1.40MB / 0:58s

This song was so popular when I was a child I could not have avoided knowing it. I could not say from whom I learned it... I am not too sure if the ninth verse is part of it. I never heard this verse in it until last year when I heard my father sing it, but his memory was failing by then.

Amhrán na Trá Báine

1.17MB / 0:49s

This song is very highly thought of in Iorras Aithneach because it was composed by Bríd Ní Mháile, a woman from An Trá Bhán. A woman from An Tullach was telling me that she knew Bríd Ní Mháile in America and when she heard that her brothers had drowned, that she did not shed a tear until she composed this song.

Hó-bha‑in

1.34MB / 0:57s

Everyone had their own version of this lullaby long ago. Like the lament, everyone put their own words with it, as it suited them. But they all had Hó-bha‑in mo leanbh is gabh amach a bhobogha [Hó-bha-in my child and go out bogey‑man] as they rocked the child.

Is Óra a Mhíle Grá

1.47MB / 1:02s

All the young people composed these songs when I was a young girl. They all composed and sang them when they were herding on the hill or drawing turf. Two people, or two groups of people... would sing back and forth to one another.

An Ceannaí Fírinneach is an Ceannaí Bréagach

1.5MB / 1:04s

Sorcha’s version of a well‑documented international folktale... ‘At a gathering of cats a blind man overhears secrets which enable him to recover his sight and cure the King’s daughter. His wicked, untruthful companion, however, attempts to emulate him and has his eyes pulled out.'

An Draighneán Donn

1.90MB / 1:22s

A young man used to visit a fair in a certain place and he met a young girl there and they fell in love. Then the fairs were discontinued and they did not see one another again until the night of his wedding feast. She came to the wedding feast dressed as a travelling woman.