Máire Ní Ghuairim was an Irish teacher, author and Sean-nós

Sean-nós song

Sean-nós is a highly ornamented style of unaccompanied traditional Irish singing. It is a sean-nós activity, which also includes sean-nós dancing...

 singer.

Born in Roisin na Manach, Carna, County Galway

County Galway

County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...

, the eldest daughter of Mairtin Gorham and Catherine Burke. Her younger sister was Sorcha Ní Ghuairim

Sorcha Ní Ghuairim

Sorcha Ní Ghuairim was a teacher, author, and Sean-nós singer.There was nothing out of the ordinary about the Ó Guairim family. There were 11 children in the family. Sorcha was the youngest. Sorcha was particularly well-known as a singer. She joined her sister Máire Ní Ghuairim, in Dublin in...

. She was educated locally, at Clifden

Clifden

Clifden is a town on the coast of County Galway, Ireland and being Connemara's largest town, it is often referred to as "the Capital of Connemara". It is located on the Owenglen River where it flows into Clifden Bay...

 and Tuam

Tuam

Tuam is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city.-History:...

, moving to Dublin to teach Irish at Carysfort teacher training college in Blackrock. While in Dublin she became active in the Irish language movement, joining both Conradh na Gaeilge

Conradh na Gaeilge

Conradh na Gaeilge is a non-governmental organisation that promotes the Irish language in Ireland and abroad. The motto of the League is Sinn Féin, Sinn Féin amháin .-Origins:...

 and Comhairle an Fhainne about 1924.

From 1919 she published stories and essays in publications such as Stoc, Fainne an Lae, An Lochrann, An tEireannach, An Scuab and An Chearnog. She broadcast as a singer on 2RN

2RN

2RN was the first radio broadcasting station in the Irish Free State. It began broadcasting on 1 January 1926 and continued until 1933, when it was succeeded by Radio Athlone...

 and Radio Eireann, recording an Irish language course for Linguaphone

Linguaphone (company)

Linguaphone is a global language training provider, and has over 108 years in providing self-study language courses.Part of the Linguaphone Group, Linguaphone’s portfolio of self-study language products are sold in over 60 countries worldwide...

.

She married Sean Mac Bradaigh

Seán Mac Brádaigh

-Biography:The eldest of eight children, Mac Brádaigh is a native of Ringsend, County Dublin. He served with the Irish Defense Forces and An Garda Síochána, married in 1960, and is the father of four daughters and a son....

, TD

Teachta Dála

A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...

, on 12 September 1929, and had two daughters and two sons. She died at her home in Ranelagh

Ranelagh

Ranelagh is a residential area and urban village on the south side of Dublin, Ireland. It is in the postal district of Dublin 6. It is in the local government electoral area of Rathmines and the Dáil Constituency of Dublin South-East.-History:...

.