TG4 documentary on a rebranding mission to give Peig the mother of all make overs
“Seanabhean is ea mise anois go bhfuil cos léi insan uaigh is an chos eile ar a bruach” a quote that fills many with fear. Peig Sayers – widely considered to be the most hated woman in Irish history has tormented young students across Ireland for decades with her memoir ‘Peig’. Described as boring, unrelenting, and unintelligible, Peig’s autobiography was part of the compulsory Leaving Certificate Irish syllabus until 1995. This new documentary from TG4 will revisit Peig, her personality and her art as a storyteller reclaiming her and portraying her as she has never been before.
Presented by broadcaster Sinéad Ní Uallacháin is on a rebranding mission to give Peig the mother of all make overs – one that will change her memory in our minds forever. She will take the viewer on a fascinating journey to find out about the real Peig, listening to recordings of her, dipping into some comedy sketches about Peig, meeting those who love and loathe her, debunking myths and finally uncovering who the real Peig is and a legacy to be proud of.
“I wonder what Peig would have said, if she knew that we’d still be talking about her, at length, in the year 2021? This woman generously shared not only her life story, but many other stories that she had collected over the years – I don’t believe the abuse she continuously receives is warranted. There are many layers to Peig, as I found out whilst making this programme.” – Sinéad Ní Uallacháin, presenter of PEIG.
‘I would love to speak Irish but I don’t like Irish because of that book‘ ‘ – a common complaint from those who were forced to read Peig at school. Sinéad on her journey reveals that is wasn’t Peig’s intention to be the subject of hatred among Irish teenagers. Peig was in fact one of the greatest Irish storytellers, a born performer and entertainer. Máire Ní Dhálaigh, of the OPW’s Blasket Centre said ‘Peig was the Netflix of the time’. She was a woman full of fun and craic who loved to entertain and drew people to her. Archive recordings revealed in the programme from the National Folklore Collection in UCD reveal a theatrical performer. ‘She took her brief well‘ Sinéad reacts on hearing the recordings.
Some say she was associated with the old world of piety and sainthood, an image which was inflicted upon her by the newly formed Irish state of the 20s and 30s and that the book was carefully edited to reflect one version of Peig’s life. Áine Ní Bhreisleáin, broadcaster and podcaster of Beo ar Éigean said ‘”Peig didn’t know that she would go viral, for many the quote from the book ‘cois léi san uaigh is an chos eile ar a bruach’ is a metaphor for the Gaeltacht and reflects how people perceive Irish as a dead language.”
Sinéad will meet others who want to reclaim Peig as an icon and hero, Sharon Granahan who has a tattoo of Peig and why she is her hero. Renowned poet Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill features reading a newly composed poem for her Peig.
On a more serious note the documentary will question how our relationship with Peig reflects our complex relationship with our heritage, our language and who we are.
PEIG 10 March 9:30pm TG4 or on the TG4 player.