Deirdre O'Connell

Deirdre O'Connell
Born	Eleanore Deirdre O'Connell 16 June 1939(1939-06-16) South Bronx, New York, United States
Died	9 June 2001(2001-06-09) (aged 61) Dublin, Ireland
Other names	Actress, singer, theatre director
Spouse	Luke Kelly

Eleanore Deirdre O'Connell (16 June 1939 – 9 June 2001) was an Irish actress, singer, and theatre director who founded Dublin's Focus Theatre.

Biography

O'Connell was born in the South Bronx district of New York, one of five children whose parents were Irish immigrants. When she finished school, she pursued her interest in theatre studying first at Erwin Piscator's Dramatic Workshop, New York, and later at the Actors' Studio run by Lee Strasberg. In her early twenties, O'Connell moved to Dublin, Ireland, where she set up the Stanislavski Studio at the Pocket Theatre. There she trained a small company of actors in Stanislavski's 'system'. In 1967 she founded the Focus Theatre becoming its manager, artistic director, and fundraiser—as well as acting in many of its productions.^[1]

O'Connell was a noted folk-singer and performed at the Newport Folk Festival. She married the Irish singer Luke Kelly in June 1965.^[1]

Deirdre O'Connell died of cancer at her home in Dublin at the age of 61.^[2] She is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery.

Further reading

• O'Connell Cusack, Geraldine, Children of the Far-flung, The Liffey Press (Oct 2003), ISBN 978-1904148333

References

1. ^ ^{a b} The Irish Times, "Single-minded actor behind Focus Theatre", 16 June 2001
2. ^ Sunday Independent, "Exit, stage left", 17 June 2001,

External links

• Deirdre O'Connell at Irish Playography

Persondata
Name	O'Connell, Deirdre
Alternative names	O'Connell, Eleanore Deirdre
Short description	Actress, singer, theatre director
Date of birth	June 16, 1939
Place of birth	South Bronx, New York, United States
Date of death	June 9, 2001
Place of death	Dublin, Ireland