#irishplays

by Deirdre Swain

2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Mairéad Ní Ghráda, playwright, broadcaster, teacher and Irish language advocate. She is best known for her Irish-language play, An Triail. Mairéad was born in Knockadangan, Kilmaley in Co. Clare on 23 December 1896. She was surrounded by Irish growing up. Her father, a farmer, was a native speaker of Irish, and her love of Irish and her life-long commitment to the revival of the language stemmed from his influence. He was immersed in the oral tradition, and he would often recite the poem, The Midnight Court by Brian Merriman. Mairéad was in despair about the state of the Irish language. She once said that she was happy that she was not in the generation that would lose the Irish language forever.

Her parents wanted her to terminate her education at the end of primary school so that she could work on the farm. This did not happen; instead, she went to secondary school in Ennis. She won several prizes as a student, and she was also awarded a County Council scholarship to University College Dublin (UCD), where she did a BA in Irish, French and English and an MA in Irish. While there, she was in Cumann na mBan and Conradh na Gaeilge. She was once put in prison for selling republican flags on Grafton Street, and she used to joke about this fifty years later. She worked as a teacher and then as private secretary to Ernest Blythe, who was a Cumann na nGael TD in the first Dáil of the new Irish Free State, and she continued to work for him during the Civil War when he was Minister for Finance. She married Richard Kissane, a senior Garda, in 1923, and they had two sons, Séamas and Brian. In 1926, Ireland’s first radio station, 2RN, which later became Radio Éireann, went on air. Ní Ghráda was employed as women’s organiser, compiling programmes for women and children. She became the station’s principal announcer in 1929. She was the first female radio announcer in Ireland, Britain and possibly in Europe, working as a broadcaster for nine years.

Ní Ghráda collaborated with Pádraig Ó Siochrú (better known as An Seabhac) at the Educational Council of Ireland school book section. She wrote many educational texts, including Progress in Irish. She became editor for the school textbooks publisher Brown and Nolan. She reviewed De Bhaldraithe’s Irish dictionary for the benefit of teachers. Such was her dedication that she continued to record work for school books when she was sick in hospital.

She took a great interest in children’s educational needs and had a great understanding of the minds of young people, as is evident from her plays. She wrote school drama texts based on mythology, the Bible, Aesop’s fables and the stories of the Fianna. She translated Peter Pan into Irish (Tír na Deo). She also wrote beautiful Irish versions of Ladybird fairytale stories including Goldilocks and the Three Bears (Na trí Bhéar), Sleeping Beauty (Codladh Céad Bliain), Cinderella (Luaithríona), Beauty and the Beast (Áille agus Brúid), Rapunzel (Rápúnzell) and Jack and the Beanstalk (Seán agus an Gas Pónaire), thereby promoting literacy in the Irish language.

Ní Ghráda’s great passion was theatre. Irish language theatre was in decline when she started producing plays, but she transformed this; her work generated an interest from people who did not even speak much Irish. She was bringing the language to people in an enjoyable way through the theatre. Her enormous contribution to Irish language theatre includes eleven original plays, which is more than that of any other playwright in Irish. Her play, Mícheál, based on Tolstoy’s story, Michael, won an Abbey Theatre award in 1933. She wrote her first original play Uacht for her students while working as a teacher in Kilmacud Cookery College. She never intended for this to be performed in a theatre, but when Mícheál MacLiammóir discovered it, he decided to produce it in the Gate Theatre.

Ní Ghráda wrote powerful plays that spoke the truth about Irish society at the time, discussing modern problems through the medium of Irish. She was very skilled at giving women, particularly young women, main character roles, something which very few playwrights did, apart from Seán O’Casey. Her plays made many people uncomfortable, because they discussed taboo subjects and contained themes that people were afraid to face, such as corrupt politicians and the cruel treatment of unmarried mothers in Ireland. She was completely ahead of her time in this regard.

 Ní Ghráda’s best-known play is An Triail. It ranks with Brendan Behan’s An Giall as one of the most successful plays in the Irish language. This play is very relevant in the year that the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes was published and at a time when the injustices against and rights of adopted people and their natural mothers are being discussed. It is thought to have been based on an incident which happened during Ní Ghráda’s childhood, when a girl who became pregnant was victimised while the father of her child escaped condemnation. Ní Ghráda rewrote part of An Triail, including the ending, under the guidance of Tomás MacAnna, the play’s director.

An Triail chronicles the treatment of a young girl, Máire, who has an affair with a married man, resulting in pregnancy. She is rejected by her mother and her two brothers. Her mother cares more about what the neighbours will think than she does for the welfare of her daughter and grandchild-to-be. Máire is rejected by society at large, and the only two characters who are sympathetic towards her are Mailí, who offers her and her baby refuge, and one of the lawyers at her trial. Everyone else judges and condemns her, and the father of the baby does not even want to meet his newborn daughter. In the end, she kills herself and her baby, whom it is clear she loves dearly. Máire claims that she killed her child because she was a girl; that by releasing her from life, she had freed her from the misery of being a female. The play revolves around this theme; Máire is heard voicing it at the very start of the play and again at the end. The question posed throughout is, “Why do things like this happen in Ireland?” Tomás MacAnna, the play’s director, praised An Triail as the precursor of women’s liberation. In a way, Ní Ghráda was putting Ireland on trial. Harold Hobson from the London Times newspaper gave it a very positive review, even though he did not speak Irish.

An Triail premiered at the Damer Theatre during the 1964 Dublin Theatre Festival. Shortly after this, Ní Ghráda translated it into English, and in 1965, the English version, On Trial, was performed in the Eblana Theatre. An Triail was adapted for TV, and it was entered in the 1965 Berlin TV festival. It was very rare for Irish-language plays to be made into TV programmes. The English version was published in 1966.  

The play received favourable reviews, but it was very controversial when it was first performed. The idea that everyone was guilty of what happened to Máire and her baby because of a lack of Christianity and compassion upset people. Many were shocked by what they saw as an “immoral” play. The first performance of An Triail took place on 22 September 1964, just three days after the final instalment of Michael Viney’s series of articles in the Irish Times, collectively titled “No birthright”. This series was a critical investigation of the treatment of unmarried mothers in Ireland. In one article, Viney quotes an Irish mother who said “Tell my daughter never to set foot in Ireland again and that she has disgraced her family and her country”. In a second article, he mentions another unmarried girl who says that, on telling her mother that she’s pregnant, “it didn’t take long, I’m afraid, to think of what the neighbours would say”. Although it is difficult to imagine in today’s society, these quotes demonstrate that An Triail accurately reflected the prejudiced and cruel attitudes towards unmarried mothers at that time, and people’s preoccupation with neighbours’ opinions.

Mairéad Ní Ghráda spent the last two years of her life in hospital. She died on 13 June 1971.

The Reference Library holds a copy of the English-language version of the play, On Trial. It also houses a book about Mairéad Ní Ghráda and other Irish-language playwrights entitled An underground theatre: major playwrights in the Irish language, 1930-80 by Philip O’Leary. These can be viewed once the Reference Library re-opens.

References

Books

-Breathnach, D. and Ní Mhurchú, M. (1986). 1882-1982: Beathaisnéis a haon. Baile Átha Cliath: An Clóchomhar Tta.

-Ní, Ghráda, M. (c1978). An Triail/Breithiúnas: Dhá Dhráma. Baile Átha Cliath: Oifig an tSoláthair.

-Ní Mhurchú, M. and Breathnach, D. (1999). 1782-1881: Beathaisnéis [Maille le Forlíonadh le 1882-1982 Beathaisnéis agus le hInnéacs (1782-1999)]. Baile Átha Cliath: An Clóchomhar Tta.

-Titley, A. (2010). Scríbhneoirí faoi chaibidil. Baile Átha Cliath: Cois Life Teoranta.

Website articles

-Clare County Library (2021). Mairéad Ní Ghráda (1896-1971). 5 March. Available at: https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/people/nighrada.htm (Accessed: 5 March 2021).

-Irish Theatre Institute (2021). Ócáid Chomórtha: A Celebration of Máiréad Ní Ghráda: Mairéad Ní Ghráda – Biography. 5 March. Available at: https://www.irishtheatreinstitute.ie/event.aspx?t=mir%C3%A9ad_n%C3%AD_ghrda&contentid=9289&subpagecontentid=9297 (Accessed: 5 March 2021).

-Irish Theatre Institute (2021). Ócáid Chomórtha: A Celebration of Máiréad Ní Ghráda: Production History. 5 March. Available at: https://www.irishtheatreinstitute.ie/event.aspx?t=an_triail_|_on_trial___production_history&contentid=9289&subpagecontentid=9302 (Accessed: 5 March 2021).

le Deirdre Swain

Is é 2021 bliain chuimhneacháin céad bliain ó fuair Mairéad Ní Ghráda bás. Drámadóir, craoltóir, múinteoir agus gníomhaí ar son na Gaeilge ab ea í. Is fearr aithne uirthi as a dráma, An Triail. Rugadh Mairéad i gCnoc a’ Daingin i gCill Mháille, Co. an Chláir ar 23 Nollaig 1896. Bhí Gaeilge thart timpeall uirthi i gcónaí agus í ag fás aníos. Feirmeoir agus cainteoir dúchais ab ea a h-athair, agus b’uaidh a fuair sí a grá don Ghaeilge agus a tiomantas ar feadh an tsaoil d’athbheochan na Gaeilge. Bhí sé báite sa traidisiún béil, agus bhíodh sé ag aithris an dáin, Cúirt an Mheánoíche le Brian Merriman go minic. Bhí Mairéad éadócasach i dtaobh na teanga Gaeilge. Dúirt sí uair amháin go raith áthas uirthi nár bhain sí leis an nglúin a chaillfeadh an Ghaeilge go deo.

Theastaigh óna tuismitheoirí go gcuirfeadh sí deireadh lena cuid oideachais tar éis na bunscoile ionas go raghadh sí ag obair ar an bhfeirm. Níor tharla sé seo; ina ionad, chuaigh sí go dtí meánscoil in Inis. Bhuaigh sí roinnt duaiseanna mar scoláire, agus bronnadh scoláireacht Chomhairle Contae uirthi go Coláiste Ollscoile Bhaile Átha Cliath, áit ar ghnóthaigh sí BA sa Ghaeilge, Bhéarla agus Fraincis agus MA sa Ghaeilge. Bhí sí i gCumann na mBan agus i gConradh na Gaeilge fad is a bhí sí ann. Cuireadh i bpríosún í uair amháin mar go raibh sí ag díol bratacha poblachtánacha ar Shráid Grafton, rud a mbíodh sí ag déanamh grinn de caoga bliain ina dhiaidh. D’oibrigh sí mar mhúinteoir agus ansan mar rúnaí príobháideach do Earnán de Blaghd, TD Chumann na nGael i gcéad Dáil an tSaorstáit nua. Lean sí uirthi ag obair dó i rith an Chogaidh Chathartha nuair a bhí sé ina Aire Airgeadais. Phós sí Risteard Ó Cíosáin, garda sinsearach, sa bhliain 1923, agus bhí beirt clainne acu, Séamas agus Brian. I 1926, thosnaigh an chéad stáisiún raidió in Éirinn, 2RN (a dtabharfaí Radio Éireann air níos déanaí), ag craoladh. Fostaíodh Ní Ghráda mar eagarthóir mná ar 2RN, ag cur cláracha do mhná agus do pháistí le chéile. Rinneadh príomh-chraoltóir an stáisiúin di i 1929. B’í an chéad chraoltóir mná in Éirinn agus sa Bhreatain agus b’fhéidir san Eoraip í. D’oibrigh sí mar chraoltóir ar feadh naoi mbliana.

Bhí baint ag Ní Ghráda le téacsleabhair scoile a scríobh do Phádraig Ó Siochrú (An Seabhac, mar a ghlaodh air), a bhí i roinn na leabhar scoile de Chomhairle Oideachais na hÉireann. Scríobh sí alán téacsanna oideachais, Progress in Irish san áireamh. Bhí sí ina h-eagarthóir ag de Brún agus Ó Nualláin, foilsitheoir téacsleabhair scoile. Dhein sí léirmheas ar fhoclóir Gaeilge De Bhaldraithe chun cabhrú le múinteoirí. Bhí sí chomh díograiseach gur lean sí uirthi ag cur leabhair scoile ar téip nuair a bhí sí breoite san ospidéal.

Bhí an-shuim aici i riachtanaisí oideachais leanaí, agus thuig sí aigne daoine óga go han-mhaith. Tá sé seo soiléir óna drámaí. Scríobh sí drámaí scoile a bhí bunaithe ar na scéalta Fiannaíochta, ar an miotaseolaíocht, ar an mBíobla, ar scéalta Aesop. D’aistrigh sí Peter Pan go Gaeilge (Tír na Deo). Scríobh sí leagain Ghaeilge álainne de scéalta sí ón sraith “Bóin Dé” nó na “Ladybird Books”. Chabhraigh sé seo le litearthacht a leathadh sa Ghaeilge. Samplaí dos na leabhair seo do pháistí a scríobh sí as Gaeilge ná: Na trí Bhéar (Goldilocks and the Three Bears), Codladh Céad Bliain (Sleeping Beauty), Luaithríona (Cinderella), Áille agus Brúid (Beauty and the Beast), Rápúnzell (Rapunzel) agus Seán agus an Gas Pónaire (Jack and the Beanstalk).

Bhí grá ar leith ag Ní Ghráda don drámaíocht. Bhí droch-chaoi ar dhrámaíocht na Gaeilge agus í ag tosnú ag scríobh, ach d’athraigh sí é seo; bhí suim ag daoine ina drámaí fiú muna raibh aon Ghaeilge acu. Bhí sí ag cur Gaeilge ar fáil do dhaoine i slí taitneamhach tríd an amharclann. Rinne sí éacht thar na bearta ar son na drámaíochta sa teanga Gaeilge. Scríobh sí aon bhunsaothar drámaíochta déag i rith a saoil – níos mó ná aon dhrámadóir eile sa Ghaeilge. I 1933, bronnadh gradam Amharclann na Mainistreach ar a dráma, Mícheál. Bhí an dráma sin bunaithe ar scéal Tolstoy, Michael. Scríobh sí a céad dráma, Uacht, fad is a bhí sí ag múineadh Gaeilge sa Choláiste Cócaireachta i gCill Mochuda. Dá mic léinn é i ndáiríre, ach léirigh Mícheál Mac Liammóir é in Amharclann an Gheata.

Scríobh Ní Ghráda drámaí cumhachtacha a d’inis an fhírinne faoi ghnéithe de shaol na hÉireann ag an am. Phléigh siad fadhbanna na linne trí Ghaeilge. Bhí ar a cumas páirteanna fiúntacha a cheapadh do mhná ina drámaí, go háirithe do mhná óga, rud annamh i gcás dhrámadóirí na hÉireann, lasmuigh de Sheán O’Casey. Chuir a drámaí míchompórd ar dhaoine, mar phléigh siad ábhair ná raibh ceadaithe. Bhí téamaí iontu go raibh faitíos ar dhaoine aghaidh a thabhairt orthu, téamaí mar cás na mban a raibh leanbh acu lasmuigh de chuing an phósta, agus scéal na bpolaiteoirí lofa. Bhí sí go mór chun tosaigh ar lucht a linne.

Is é An Triail an dráma is iomráití a scríobh Ní Ghráda. Tá sé inchurtha leis An Giall le Breandán Ó Beacháin mar cheann dos na drámaí is rathúla sa teanga Gaeilge. Is dráma é atá an-chuí faoi láthair, i mbliain a foilsíodh Tuarascáil Deiridh an Choimisiúin Imscrúdúcháin ar Árais Máithreacha agus Naíonán. Tá sé tráthúil chomh maith mar go bhfuiltear ag plé cearta pháistí uchtaithe agus cearta a máithreacha faoi láthair, agus an éagóir a deineadh orthu. Cuimhne ar chailín bocht a díbríodh as Cill Mháille fadó agus gur ligeadh don bhfear dul saor ó mhilleán a chuir i gceann Mhairéid An Triail a scríobh. Chreid sí gur chóir go mbeadh comhoibriú idir dhrámadóir agus foireann amharclainne agus nach bhfuil i scríbhinn ach creatlach dráma; go bhfuil feabhsú le déanamh ag an léiritheoir air. Mar shampla, dhein sí athscríobh ar phíosaí de An Triail faoi threoir an léiritheora, Tomás Mac Anna, an deireadh san áireamh.

Is dráma tragóideach é An Triail a thugann cuntas ar an tslí a gcaitear le cailín óg, Máire, a mbíonn caidreamh aici le fear pósta agus a éiríonn torrach dá bharr. Teipeann a máthair agus a beirt dearthár uirthi. Bíonn a máthair buartha faoi thuairimí na gcomharsana, ach ní bhíonn imní uirthi faoi leas a h-iníne ná leas a gar-iníne. Níl trua ag éinne do Mháire ná ní chabhraíonn éinne léi seachas Mailí, a thugann dídean di, agus “Aturnae 2” ag a triail. Tugtar breith uirthi agus cáintear í. Ní theastaíonn ó athair a h-iníne an leanbh a fheiscint fiú. Ar deireadh, maraíonn sí í féin agus a leanbh, go bhfuil an-chion aici uirthi. Deireann Máire gur mharaigh sí a h-iníon mar gur cailín í; gur shaor sí í ó phian na mná nuair a mharaigh sí í. Tá an téama seo ar fud an dráma; cloistear guth Mháire á rá ag an dtús agus ag an deireadh. Is é an cheist a fhiafraítear sa dráma ná, “Cén fáth a dtárlaíonn rudaí mar seo in Éirinn?” Dúirt Tomás Mac Anna, an léiritheoir, go raibh an dráma seo go mór chun tosaigh ag plé ceist “Saoirse na mBan”. I slí, bhí Éire féin á chur faoi thriail ag an drámadóir. Thaitin An Triail go mór le Harold Hobson ón nuachtán an Times i Londain, agus mhol sé go h-ard é, cé nach raibh focal Gaeilge aige.

Léiríodh An Triail don gcéad uair in Amharclann an Damer i rith Féile Drámaíochta Bhaile Átha Cliath i 1964. Go gairid ina dhiaidh sin, d’aistrigh Ní Ghráda an dráma go Béarla, agus i 1965, léiríodh an leagan Béarla, On Trial, in Amharclann an Eblana. Cóiríodh An Triail don teilifís ansan, agus cuireadh isteach é i bhFéile Teilifíse Bheirlin 1965. B’annamh cláracha teilifíse á gcóiriú as drámaí i nGaeilge, ach b’amhlaidh do An Triail. Foilsíodh an t-aistriúchán Béarla i 1966.

Fuair an dráma seo ardmholadh ós na léirmheastóirí, ach bhí sé conspóideach nuair a chuireadh ar stáitse ar dtús é. Chuir an smaoineamh go rabhamar go léir ciontach a bheag nó a mhór san easpa carthanachta, isteach ar roinnt daoine: ionsaíodh an dráma toisc é a bheith “mímhórálta”. Léiríodh An Triail don gcéad uair ar 22 Meán Fomhair 1964, trí lá tar éis do Mhichael Viney an mhír dheireanach dá sraith altanna dar theideal, “No birthright” a fhoilsiú san Irish Times. Fiosrúchán criticeach ab ea an tsraith seo ar an tslí a chaitheadh le máithreacha in Éirinn nach raibh pósta. In alt amháin, deireann Viney go ndúirt máthair Éireannach amháin leis nár theastaigh uaithi go bhfillfeadh a h-iníon ar Éirinn agus go raibh a muintir agus a tír náirithe aici. In alt eile, deineann sé trácht ar chailín nach bhfuil pósta a insíonn dá máthair go bhfuil sí torrach. Dúirt sí nach raibh aon rud ag déanamh tinnis dá máthair ach tuairimí na gcomharsana. Cé go bhfuil sé deacair é seo a shamhlú inniu, taispeánann na cuntais seo go bhfuil léiriú cruinn sa dráma An Triail ar na dearcaí claonta agus cruálacha a bhí ag daoine ag an am sin i dtaobh máithreacha nach raibh pósta, agus ar an mbuairt a bhí orthu faoi thuairimí na gcomharsana.

Chaith Mairéad Ní Ghráda an dá bhliain dheireanacha dá saol san ospidéal. Fuair sí bás ar 13 Meitheamh 1971.

Tá cóip den leagan Béarla den dráma, On Trial, le fáil sa Leabharlann Tagartha. Tá leabhar ann leis faoi Mhairéad Ní Ghráda agus faoi dhrámadóirí eile a scríobh as Gaeilge: an teideal atá ar an leabhar seo ná An underground theatre: major playwrights in the Irish language, 1930-80 le Philip O’Leary. Is féidir breathnú ar na leabhair seo sa Leabharlann Tagartha nuair a ath-osclaíonn sé.

Tagairtí

Leabhair

-Breathnach, D. agus Ní Mhurchú, M. (1986). 1882-1982: Beathaisnéis a haon. Baile Átha Cliath: An Clóchomhar Tta.

-Ní, Ghráda, M. (c1978). An Triail/Breithiúnas: Dhá Dhráma. Baile Átha Cliath: Oifig an tSoláthair.

-Ní Mhurchú, M. agus Breathnach, D. (1999). 1782-1881: Beathaisnéis [Maille le Forlíonadh le 1882-1982 Beathaisnéis agus le hInnéacs (1782-1999)]. Baile Átha Cliath: An Clóchomhar Tta.

-Titley, A. (2010). Scríbhneoirí faoi chaibidil. Baile Átha Cliath: Cois Life Teoranta.

Altanna ón Idirlíon

-Clare County Library (2021). Mairéad Ní Ghráda (1896-1971). 5 March. Available at: https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/people/nighrada.htm (Accessed: 5 March 2021).

-Irish Theatre Institute (2021). Ócáid Chomórtha: A Celebration of Máiréad Ní Ghráda: Mairéad Ní Ghráda – Biography. 5 March. Available at: https://www.irishtheatreinstitute.ie/event.aspx?t=mir%C3%A9ad_n%C3%AD_ghrda&contentid=9289&subpagecontentid=9297 (Accessed: 5 March 2021).

-Irish Theatre Institute (2021). Ócáid Chomórtha: A Celebration of Máiréad Ní Ghráda: Production History. 5 March. Available at: https://www.irishtheatreinstitute.ie/event.aspx?t=an_triail_|_on_trial___production_history&contentid=9289&subpagecontentid=9302 (Accessed: 5 March 2021).