- Mary O'Hara
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For the author of the 'Flicka' books, see Mary O'Hara (author).
Mary O'Hara (born in Sligo on 12th May 1935) is an Irish soprano and harpist from County Sligo. O'Hara achieved fame on both sides of the Atlantic in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Her recordings of that period influenced a generation of Irish female singers who credit O'Hara with influencing their style, among them Carmel Quinn, Mary Black, and Moya Brennan, among others. In his autobiography Memoirs of an Irish Troubadour (2002) Liam Clancy wrote how O'Hara's music inspired and influenced him and others of the Folk Revival period.
Contents
Biography
Mary won her first competitions, Sligo's annual Music and Drama singing competition, at the age of eight [1] and made [2] before she left school at the age of 16.[3] She went on to perform at Edinburgh International Fringe Festival with the Dublin University Players,[4] BBC's Quite Contrary and The Ed Sullivan Show, before she starred in her own BBC television series. Her first recording contract was with Decca Records. Part of her extensive music career included Mary spending a considerable amount of time on the Aran Islands collecting folk music and acquiring fluent Gaelic.
Personal life
She was introduced to American poet Richard Selig by Irish poet Thomas Kinsella[5] and she married Selig in 1956.[6] She moved to America with him where her star continued to grow. When Selig died of Hodgkin's disease only 15 months after their marriage, O'Hara continued to tour and record for four years.
In 1962, she became a nun[7] at Stanbrook Abbey,[8] where she lived for 12 years. Her wedding band was melted down and made into a ring to celebrate her final vows as a nun [9] in 1967.[10]
Her initial speedy rise to fame was repeated in 1974 when she left the order and returned to performing.[11] In a matter of months,[12] she become one of the biggest international recording stars to come out of Ireland.[13][14]
Her autobiography is entitled The Scent of the Roses. The title is taken from one of her favourite songs by the Irish poet Thomas Moore.[15] Her other books include A Celebration of Love [16] and the coffee table book A Song for Ireland [17]
O'Hara continued her singing career for a further 16 years retiring from performing in 1994.[citation needed] In 1985, she re-married, to Dr Pádraig O'Toole,[18] who was instrumental in the development of her career from 1974. They spent six years in Tanzania[19] where Dr O'Toole taught at the Tanzania School of Journalism (University of Dar es Salaam). A musical play about O'Hara's life, Harp on the Willow, was a great success in Australia in early 2007.[20] Mary O'Hara completed 5 volumes of her harp accompaniments. O'Hara still travels giving talks (Travels with My Harp). Some recent talks have been at the Yeats International Summer School, Sligo (2007), the O'Carolan Festival, Knobber (2008), Northern Lights Harp Festival, Ottawa (2009), NYU (2009), Boston College (2009) and elsewhere. The Burns Library at Boston College houses her papers and held a "Mary O'Hara" exhibition ending 30 April 2010.
With her husband, she now resides part of the time in a 17th century thatched cottage in Berkshire, England, and on the Aran Islands overlooking Kilronan harbour.[21]
Relatives
Her nephew is playwright [22] and author Sebastian Barry,[23] the son of her sister, the late actress Joan O'Hara (Eunice in Fair City on RTÉ-TV)[24]
Influence in modern culture
O'Hara's recording of "Óró Mo Bháidín" is sampled in Passion Pit's 2008 single "Sleepyhead".
Discography
- Songs of Erin, Decca-Beltona 1957
- Love Songs of Ireland, Decca-Beltona 1958
- Songs of Ireland, Tradition-Everest 1958
- Songs of Ireland, Decca-Emerald 1967
- The Folk Song Tradition (one track), Tradition-Everest 1960
- Mary O'Hara's Ireland, Decca Emerald-Gem 1973
- Mary O'Hara's Scotland, Decca Emerald-Gem 1974
- Monday Tuesday, Decca Emerald-Gem 1977
- Songs for Children, Decca Emerald 1977
- Mary O'Hara at the Royal Festival Hall, Chrysalis 1977 - UK #37[25]
- Focus on Mary O'Hara, Decca 1978
- Music Speaks Louder Than Words, Chrysalis 1978
- In Harmony, Chrysalis 1979
- Farewell, But Whenever / Reminiscing, Hammer 1979
- Tranquility, Warwick 1979 - UK #12[25]
- The Last Rose Of Summer French Everest Records
- The Scent of Roses, Chrysalis 1980
- Colours, Images 1981
- A Song for Ireland, Valentine 1982
- Recital, Valentine 1983
- Live at Carnegie Hall, Valentine 1983
- Live at National Gallery Dublin, Gael-Linn 1987
- Spread a Little Happiness, Telestar 1985
- Celebration of Love, Word 1989
- World of Music, EMI 1989
- Mary O'Hara Song for Ireland, Shanachie Records 1993
- Down by the Glenside, Rykodisc 1997
- Mary O'Hara at Carnegie Hall, Sanctuary Records 2000
References
- ^ Catholic Weekly biodata on Mary O'Hara
- ^ her first radio broadcast on Radio Éireann
- ^ Sligo Weekender report on O'Hara
- ^ Mary O'Hara's official website
- ^ Meeting Richard Selig, future husband
- ^ Sligo Weekender, ibid.
- ^ Sligo Weekender, ibid.
- ^ Catholic Weekly report on Mary O'Hara becoming a nun
- ^ Chicago Tribune archives
- ^ O'Hara's final vows at Stanbrook Abbey
- ^ Chicago Tribune archives
- ^ Catholic Weekly, ibid.
- ^ Handmusic website
- ^ Handmusic, ibid.
- ^ Handmusic, ibid.
- ^ Celebration of Love
- ^ A Song for Ireland.
- ^ Mary O'Hara's official website, ibid.
- ^ Mary O'Hara's official website, ibid.
- ^ Harp on the Willow
- ^ Catholic Weekly, ibid.
- ^ Catholic Weekly, ibid.
- ^ Sebastian O'Barry
- ^ Internet Movie Database
- ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 405. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
External links
Categories:- 1935 births
- Living people
- Irish female singers
- Irish harpists
- Irish folk singers
- People from County Sligo
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