Bríd Ní Mhaoilchiaráin (Máire Nic Dhonncha and Meaigí Nic Dhonncha)

Meaigí Sheáinín Choilmín Nic Dhonncha

Fínis. She died in 1975 aged 61. She married Jim Ó Ceoinín, and they had one son. Ennis wrote in his office diary on 11.04.45 that Bríd and Meaigí Nic Dhonncha from Fínis had come to visit that afternoon. He wrote that he spent a while talking to them and a while playing recordings for them. They enjoyed this immensely. (NFC 1296: 342). Ennis wrote in his office diary for 23 January 1946 that Mairéad Nic Dhonncha came to visit that afternoon and that he made arrangements with her about the songs she would sing for the radio programme which Ennis had been requested to prepare (NFC 1297: 250). Meaigí and other singers sang songs as part of a series of radio programmes about traditional music presented by Seán Ó Súilleabháin and Séamus Ennis in 1946. Meaigí took part in the third programme, broadcast on Raidió Éireann on 26 February 1946. 

She wrote about herself that, when she was growing up on the little island in the west, in Conamara, there was no talk of a céilí. People spent part of the night playing music on the accordion or the whistle in someone’s house on Sunday evenings. Old and young were present and everyone there was able to sing a song or dance to a tune. Often, if there was no musician present, they lilted for the dancing and you never tired listening to them. In winter, their work consisted largely of making panniers and baskets in preparation for the fishing season. When there was a spring tide they took sand-eels as fresh fish on moonlit nights. ‘An Rógaire Dubh’ [The Black Scoundrel] was a very popular tune. In summer, they went out in the big boats fishing for a week and came home on Saturday evening. They would go out again on Sunday evening if the fine weather lasted, but, if not, they waited until Monday. A few winters, a piper came around called Creachmhaoil and he spent winter on the island. Anyone who had a few pence gave it to the piper. ‘My father, God rest him, never went to sleep without singing a song.’ 

Máire (Sheáinín Choilmín) Nic Dhonncha

Fínis, Carna (1896–1978). She did not marry and is buried in Maíros graveyard. She wrote to Ennis on 14 March 1945 requesting another copy of ‘An Mharthain Phádraig’ [St Patrick’s Sustaining Prayer] and a Jew’s harp, which he bought for her (See NFC 1296: 322, 334). 

Ennis was very friendly with the family and often visited the island of Fínis. They were fun-loving and full of songs and stories. Ennis wrote of his visit on 7 December 1943, when Máire told his fortune: ‘They are as cheerful as ever – Máire read cards and cups for myself and for Pádraig Ó hIarnáin, who was with me. (Much of what she told Pádraig and me is true)’. Although Máire said once she wasn’t in form for singing she nonetheless might well sing as Ennis described on 10 May 1945 that Máire said:  ‘If you were to give me a hundred pounds I would not sing any song today, I am so out of sorts. I am as prickly as a bush of thorns’, and he continued: ‘then she would sing a song two minutes later, uninvited.’ As he was leaving to return from a field trip he wrote of the family on 25 June 1946: ‘They made me very welcome and, of course, we had a few songs and tea was made. Máire read the tea-leaves for me.’