Mary O'Hara - where is she now?

Subject: RE: Mary O'Hara - where is she now?
From: keberoxu
Date: 18 Apr 16 - 01:09 PM

Condolences, of course, to Herself: she is now twice a widow. At least, after the tragic romance of her first marriage to her soul-mate, she has been blessed with a re-marriage of lengthy duration, and one in which she could retire and better enjoy her husband's company.

Is it true that she does some tutoring or teaching? I hope so. Encouraging future generations of musicians could put her in a position to receive as much as she gives.

Subject: RE: Mary O'Hara - where is she now?
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Apr 16 - 09:34 AM

I notice with sadness that her husband Pádraig O'Toole, died aged 77 in october last year

Subject: RE: Mary O'Hara - where is she now?
From: keberoxu
Date: 12 Apr 16 - 06:31 PM

There are now digital downloads available of the Gael Linn album which documents a live concert, 7 September 1982, at the National Gallery. (This info available from Mary O'Hara's website.)

For some reason, Gael Linn also saw fit to put two tracks from this album -- "Ard Tí Chuain" and "Róisín Dubh" on their "Amhráin Ghrá" album featuring seven other singers, and released in 2011.

Subject: RE: Mary O'Hara - where is she now?
From: MartinRyan
Date: 27 Feb 16 - 08:13 PM

Yes, GUEST - exactly.

Regards

Subject: RE: Mary O'Hara - where is she now?
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Feb 16 - 06:29 PM

Mellow the moonlight to shine is beginning;
Close by the window young Eileen is spinning;

Subject: RE: Mary O'Hara - where is she now?
From: keberoxu
Date: 27 Feb 16 - 06:23 PM

Ms. O'Hara's schoolmate, Kathleen Watkins, married Gay Byrne whose articles sometimes appear online for the Irish Independent. Here is a reminiscence from one such article.

"....when my present wife Kathleen Watkins and Mary O'Hara and Deirdre O'Callaghan were the queens of the harping circuit, they were doing a gig in the Royal Albert Hall. You're not dealing with rubbish here. They were staying at a posh London hotel from which their posh London agent was collecting them; they waited for him at reception. They were accompanied on the trip by their music teacher, Maire Ni hE, of the distinguished Dublin musical family. "

Note: in her autobiography, Travels With My Harp, Ms. O'Hara identifies the harp teacher as follows: "Máirín Ní Shéa, known to us students as Mrs. Ferriter." (Chapter 2) Elsewhere spelled Feiriteir.

to resume:
"At least, that's the way you'd probably spell it now. Or maybe Ní Shé, or perhaps even O hAodha. But Maire insisted on the full nine yards of the Erse in her nomenclature, and got narky at anything less than Máire Ní Sheaghdha. So, as the girls waited in the foyer of the hotel, this very nice English gentleman approached the desk and said to the receptionist:
'I say -- do you have a Miss Shaggdaw staying here?' "

Dated 21 May 2006.

Subject: Mary O'Hara - where is she now?
From: keberoxu
Date: 27 Feb 16 - 02:20 PM

Here is a term I had never heard before. This opinion is credited to journalist Tony Reidy in Arts West Magazine, circa 1999.


"Kathleen Watkins, Deirdre O'Callaghan and all the dear Spinning Eileens may still be charming the blue-rinse Yanks and mead-swilling Eurotourists in stone castles, but Laoise Kelly....has taken the harp, with a little help from one Maire Ni Chathasaigh, out of the castles and back to its rightful place in Irish trad music."

Well, Kathleen Watkins and Deirdre O'Callaghan, for those to whom those names are new, come from the same generation as Mary O'Hara.

however...."Spinning Eileen" ?!

Subject: RE: Mary O'Hara - where is she now?
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 07:07 PM

MGM Lion might know how to contact her - I think he was helping her to get some gigs and re-establish herself on the scene when she came out of the religious community back in the 70s. I have a Folk Review magazine with a lead article about this somewhere, but may be remembering it wrong (if so, apologies). Michael... any input on this...?

Subject: RE: Mary O'Hara - where is she now?
From: GUEST,Rahere
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 05:57 PM

I got to talk with her for a bit in 1989 after a concert at Catford, when she was starting to think about the direction of her life. She was always very feminine, and with a new man in her life was more interested in supporting him than pursuing a career which had done what she wanted it to do.
Her husband has now retired and they live in England and, as is said here, the Aran Islands: she sometimes teaches at the top clarsach courses. If you want to contact her aboout something concrete, I would suggest asking the London branch of the Commun na Clarsaich.

Subject: RE: Mary O'Hara - where is she now?
From: GUEST,LIZ
Date: 03 Oct 14 - 05:33 PM

3RD OCTOBER 2014    Is there any recent news of Mary? I heard that she is now living on the Aran Islands

Subject: RE: Mary O'Hara - where is she now?
From: GUEST,Afan
Date: 15 May 12 - 10:11 AM

Once again Mary is in the news as she has republished her autobiography. She was on Irish radio on 14 05 12 and interviewed by a typically unsympathetic RTE DJ. Great to hear speak again. She sounded just the same as ever.

Subject: RE: Mary O'Hara - where is she now?
From: GUEST,liz england
Date: 29 Jan 09 - 01:25 PM

Hi Willa, Thanks for help in tracking Marys double CD.

Subject: RE: Mary O'Hara - where is she now?
From: terrier
Date: 29 Jan 09 - 10:15 AM

I suppose anyone interested has found this site by now, but here's the link anyway

Mary O'hara

Subject: RE: Mary O'Hara - where is she now?
From: Willa
Date: 29 Jan 09 - 08:16 AM

Hi, Guest Liz

Amazon have the 2-disc CD.
You may also find this link useful

http://www.maryohara.co.uk/

Subject: RE: Mary O'Hara - where is she now?
From: GUEST,Liz -- England
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 06:41 PM

Hi, for anyone who may be interested, I knew Mary quite well when she left the convent and lived near Andover in Hampshire U.K. I met her at our local church and saw her regularly. With my late husband we went to most of her concerts in U.K. as well as many TV recordings where I was fortunate enough to take many photographs and she patiently signed all of them! She was,and I would think still is,the most beautiful person to know,very gentle natured with a gorgeous sense of humour.When she married Padraig and moved away our letters stopped and how I miss them. Thank goodness for recordings so that we can still enjoy that beautiful voice.I will always think of her with great affection.

Subject: RE: Mary O'Hara - where is she now?
From: GUEST,LIZ --ENGLAND
Date: 28 Jan 09 - 06:18 PM

I would like more info' on the 2 disc -40 songs CD.Was it released ? If so where can I find a copy?

Subject: RE: Mary O'Hara - where is she now?
From: GUEST,Eileen
Date: 21 Mar 08 - 12:41 AM

"The Scent of the Roses" is part of a verse from Thomas Moore's Irish Melodies. The specific song is "Farewell but Whenever..." and the section is:
      Like the vase in which roses have once been distilled...
      You may break, you may shatter, the vase if you will...
      But the scent of the roses will hang 'round it still.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Willa
Date: 23 Feb 08 - 12:15 PM

Hi Ann

Click on the link in the post before yours; it may be helpful

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - Want cd's or old albums
From: GUEST,Ann Ontario Canada
Date: 23 Feb 08 - 11:57 AM

Want music by Mary O'Hara beautiful Irish singer, never heard a voice like her. If you have info. re Mary O'Hara at Royal Festival Hall Please post info. Many thanks

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Willa
Date: 16 Oct 07 - 02:12 PM

This might help open mike

thread.cfm?threadid=72104

Subject: NEW ~ Mary O'Hara OFFICIAL website
From: GUEST,Dallas
Date: 16 Oct 07 - 11:36 AM

Finally, something we have all been waiting for!

Mary O'Hara's OFFICIAL website ~ http://maryohara.co.uk/

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: open mike
Date: 01 Oct 07 - 04:09 PM

i am looking ofr the quote that the "scent of roses" is taken from.
something about a broken vase? I saw it yesterday, now it escapes me.
ethereal and ephemeral like the scent....

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Mr Red
Date: 01 Oct 07 - 08:05 AM

<SNIP>She has found peace, contentment and happiness in her retirement,
~ something we all wish her ~
but we WILL miss hearing her voice!
</SNIP>

I'll echo that
At least there is the legacy of her recordings.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Alice
Date: 30 Sep 07 - 03:56 PM

thanks for posting the Youtube video.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: GUEST,Dallas
Date: 30 Sep 07 - 01:42 PM

Just a word of thanks for someone posting the text from my website - "Mary O'Hara: Musical Voice of Ireland", but it's much better when viewed in its context with photos and background music!

http://www.geocities.com/Wellesley/Garden/1497/maryohara.html

My husband and I had seen Mary perform live in concert in Vancouver BC in the fall of 1983 and were overwhelmed and amazed. We were impressed as well by the graciousness demonstrated later. After a performance in wich she gave so much of herself, she patiently waited until every person lined up to meet her was greeted ~ we noticed all this because were were the last 2 people in a very long line! Not only did she have time to sign our concert program, but she had time to chat :-)

Several years ago when I wondered why no new music was being released, I checked online and was shocked that I could find very little on her or her life.

It just didn't seem right or make any sense so with the little that I knew, I made my simple 2 page site dedicated to Mary so that others searching could at least find something!

As I say on my site, I wish her well in whatever form of retirement she enjoys but will miss her voice and her music! I wish that all her music could be more readily available in stores or online than it is at present and have heard that there is a new 2CD 40 song compilation recently released which I am sure will be enjoyed by all Mary's old fans as well as those just discovering her for the very 1st time!!

Visit this link to hear and watch Mary sing exquisitely, with her voice being her only musical accompaniment!! A truly breathtaking performance and an extremely brief few comments regarding the song at the end of the video ~

http://www.youtube.com/user/padraig1935

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: guitar
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 08:56 AM

this is taken from a website

Mary O'Hara
~ Musical Voice of Ireland ~



circa 1956


"To summarise the life and times of a great artist
in a few paragraphs is often quite difficult.

The life and times of singer-harpist and writer
Mary O'Hara
probably needs the breadth of wide screen cinema
and the intimacy of a close friend
revealing their innermost thoughts
to give some idea of a truly remarkable career."

~ Jed Kearse ~
(his cover notes on CD entitled
'The Beautiful Music of MARY O'HARA')





Mary O'Hara was born in 1935, in Sligo, in the west coast of Ireland.
While still at school, she made her first national broadcast,
singing and accompanying herself on the Celtic harp.
Her reputation as a singer soon spread beyond her native Ireland.


The Edinburgh Festival, the Ed Sullivan Show, BBC television --
an instant public response rewarded her
with her own prime-time BBC television series
and her first recording contract with Decca Records all circa the mid 1950's.


At 21 years of age, she married Richard Selig, the young American poet,
then a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford Univeristy.
They moved to the USA
but he died prematurely
within 15 months of their marriage.


After her husband's death, the zest had gone out of life for Mary.
For 4 years she travelled the globe giving concerts and appearing on radio and TV.
In 1959 she made an extended and highly successful tour
of Australia and New Zealand.
Critics the world over were unanimous in their praise,
but the more success she had,
the more persistently she felt the call to the monastic life
and eventually in 1962
she entered an English Benedictine Monastery
where she remained for 12 years.


While 'away', her recordings continued to sell with great success.
When her health began to give way under the rigours of monastic life,
Mary decided to come out into the world again
and more importantly, to play publicly.


When she again resumed her singing career, after such a long absence,
history repeated itself.
After an appearance on the Russell Harty TV Show,
her impact on the public was such that
the switchboard was swamped with requests for her reappearance.
Soon after,
the first of many concert appearances
at London's Royal Festival Hall was sold out,
a resounding success that became a best-selling record.





Since then c1977, Mary O'Hara truly became an artist of international appeal,
having appeared in most of the world's major venues,
from London's Royal Albert Hall to Toronto's Roy Thompson Hall;
from New York's Carnegie Hall to Sydney's Opera House
and toured the
USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland and Europe.


She recorded 23 long-playing albums, some of them becoming best sellers
and has also written 3 best-selling books.
Her autobiography 'The Scent of the Roses', sold over a million copies!




"I am not, I think, a folk-singer as the purists understand it.
What I try to do is interpret traditional songs with the skill
and respect given to art songs,
simply by singing them with all the understanding I possess.

I still think that folk and traditional songs
are among the most beautiful,
but I also love Elizabethan lyrics and some modern poets' verses
and prose-poems, which sing to me,
so I set them to music."
~~*~~

~Mary O'Hara~





Mary O'Hara retired from performing in the early 1990s.

She says she felt a 'special relief' when she knew she was going to retire!
Being a performer requires one to practice singing and playing the harp on a daily basis,
for most of the day,
leaving little time for anything else.


She married again to a 'kindred spirit'
who happens to be a journalist, teacher and historian of some note.

She has found peace, contentment and happiness in her retirement,
~ something we all wish her ~
but we WILL miss hearing her voice!


Mary gave permission for John Misto to write a wonderful play about her life called Harp on the Willow, but the LINK appears to be no longer working.




Visit MARY O'HARA: Discography

HOME



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 04 Jun 07 - 08:40 AM

Anna - I still have my 2 LPs! However, I no longer have a player, so can't listen to it.

Mary O'Hara at the Royal Festival Hall, 1977, Chrysalis Records, track 4 - 'Among Silence' by Richard Selig

I think I remember her saying it was the last poem he wrote & was unfinished, and she set it to music.

I also have 2 CDs & I'll be playing them when the current CD is finished.

sandra

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Alice
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 08:23 PM

Thank you for that link!

http://harponthewillow.com/the_show.html

If you can't see the play, her incredible autobiography, discussed in an earlier thread
is called "Scent of the Roses".

Alice

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: GUEST,Anna from Dublin
Date: 03 Jun 07 - 05:43 PM

Mary's nephew is the playwright and author Sebastian Barry - he was recently interviewed on RTE Radio 1 and selected a piece of Mary's music to play. It re-ignited my interest in Mary and the wonderful pure voice. She is such a consummate musician - her phrasing and pitch are perfect. Some of her song choices leave a lot to be desired in my opinion but when she gets the song right too, it really is superb. I remember years ago I had an album of hers where 2 of the songs she had written herself using her first husband, Richard Selig's poems as lyrics. I remember thinking they were wonderful, progressive and complex pieces that really demonstrated her musicianship. Unfortunately I don't have those old albums and the stuff available on CD seems to be largely light popular stuff.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: GUEST,xxx
Date: 24 Mar 07 - 06:38 PM

try www.harponthewillow.com

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Willa
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 10:09 AM

Hi Ann

Found these on offer at Amazon uk. Don't know whether you can order from them for delivery in Canada.

Mary O'Hara at Carnegie Hall by Mary O'Hara (Audio CD - 2001)
Always by Mary O'Hara (Audio CD - 2005)

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: GUEST,Ann Canada
Date: 17 Mar 07 - 09:54 AM

Bought a tape at a garage sale { boot sale} 10 yrs ago and have not been able to find anymore. mary has the most crystal clear voice I have ever heard. I found her today on my MSN home page hurrah.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: GUEST,Ian cookieless, formerly Ian HP
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 01:16 PM

Fantastic news! Thanks, Padraig.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: GUEST,Padraig
Date: 09 Mar 07 - 09:59 AM

Tonight in Melbourne Australia we saw "Harp on the Willow", the wonderful play by John Misto based on Mary O'Hara's life. At the end of the performance, Mary herself came on stage and spoke for a few minutes.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: ard mhacha
Date: 19 Dec 05 - 05:32 AM

Andrew, Amazon have 31 Mary O`Hara CDs on offer.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: GUEST,Andrew
Date: 18 Dec 05 - 07:18 AM

Hi there...

Seems to me that Mary O'Hara's CD: The Beautiful Music of Mary O'Hara is so hard to find online. Any ideas where I could still get it? All the online stores I tried so far have come up with no stock sigh!

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Allan C.
Date: 04 Dec 05 - 03:50 PM

Willa, that song is among many others on Mary's "Irish Traditional Folk Songs" CD as well as on what CDNOW lists as an "import" (currently unavailable) called "Mary O'Hara's Ireland."

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Helen
Date: 04 Dec 05 - 03:47 PM

Hi Willa,

I googled "Mary O'Hara" "The Parting"

(with double quotes for phrases) and found this listed on a few sites. Some sites were selling downloads and not the CD:

http://www.musicoutfitter.com/store/item/076637033322/irishtraditionalfolksongs.htmlIrish
            Mary O'Hara
Irish Traditional Folk Songs
n/a
International
Format:        Compact Disc
Released:        n/a
Label Name:        Bescol
Producer:        
Distributor:        n/a
UPC-Code:        076637033322

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Willa
Date: 04 Dec 05 - 03:05 PM

Thanks, Helen. I am trying to find a CD/casette which includes 'The Parting'. I've been told Mary did make one and that the song is traditional, but can't verify that.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Helen
Date: 03 Dec 05 - 03:37 PM

Here is the track list, Willa. It's a good selection of tunes. It is only instrumental, no singing.

Side 1

The Way We Were
Londonderry Air
Skye Boat Song
Pamela Brown
A Bunch of Thyme
Scarborough Fair
For the Good Times
Bright Eyes

Side 2

Walking in the Air
Three times a Lady
Going Home
Greensleeves
In an English Country Garden
Memory from 'Cats'
Annie's Song
One Day at a Time

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: ard mhacha
Date: 03 Dec 05 - 04:59 AM

On the "Songbirds" Programme RTE 1 on Sunday 5th at 7-30 Mary O`Hara`s career is featured on this very good RTE series, also has featured, Ruby Murray, and Margaret Barry. To follow Delia Murphy, and Bridie Gallaher.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Deckman
Date: 02 Dec 05 - 08:46 PM

Helen ... I, for one, appreciate your generosity. Thanks, Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Allan C.
Date: 02 Dec 05 - 08:21 PM

Mary was in Frederick, Maryland just a week or so ago to do the farewell performance of the "Woman's Heart" tour. The show included Maura O'Connell and other wonderfully talented women. To my way of thinking, though, the stars of the show were the backup band. Fantastic! I could have watched and listened to them all night! I'm afraid I can't say the same for those with the top billing. Oh, they were good enough, I suppose. I truly enjoyed some of their tunes and songs. But they were entirely outclassed by each and every member of the band.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Willa
Date: 02 Dec 05 - 03:37 PM

helen

Please put the track list up . I do have two casettes of Mary's music/singing and might be interested if this is different

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Helen
Date: 02 Dec 05 - 02:47 PM

refresh - Auction item, 100% to Mudcat, I'll pay postage.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Helen
Date: 01 Dec 05 - 06:07 AM

I finally, by accident, found where I had put the Mary O'Hara cassette I wanted to put in the Mudcat auction when I first read this thread. {Hidden away in a box on top of the wardrobe - that's one mystery solved! Found while looking for something else.)

anyway I've just put it in the Auctions. If anyone wants the full track list let me know and I'll type it up and put it in the Auction thread.

I want it to go to someone who appreciates it. There is sentimental value in that it belonged to my cousin, now deceased, but Mary O'Hara's music doesn't really appeal to me.

It's as-new, played twice only.

Click on the Auction link near the top of this page or any page in Mudcat.

100% proceeds to Mudcat.

Helen

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 08 Sep 05 - 11:02 AM

she's going to be "in conversation" at a presentation in County Monaghan, Ireland this weekend, others will be playing music but she is "retired" from public music performances. Mary and her husband have returned from Africa (they went there about 10 years ago) and are now living in an old thatched cottage somewhere in England according to a flyer that was on the wall of the Fleadh office in Letterkenny last month.

the article mentioned occasional travel - Australia and Iran in recent years - and a play produced in Australia which was based on Mary's life story.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Megan L
Date: 16 Oct 04 - 01:33 PM

John Misto wrote a play about her life, it hink it was called Harp on the (either willow or bough)

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 16 Oct 04 - 11:47 AM

Apologies for thread creep - but has anybody got a full set of 'Folk Review', and would you consider it worth while trying to put the major articles on the Net? They're hard for me to find over here in Germany, but what I've seen of them there were some very informative articles that I wouldn't mind re-reading!

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 14 Oct 04 - 05:42 PM

Weelittledrummer, sadly Fred Woods has been dead for some years now. Burl

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Mudlark
Date: 14 Oct 04 - 12:36 PM

I remember being stunned by O'Hara's voice back in the '50's. This thread is exactly one of the things that makes me love the Mudcat.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 14 Oct 04 - 05:24 AM

There were long articles about her in folk review in the late 70's early 80's - edited by Fred Woods as I remember. Perhaps he would know something.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: GUEST,banjoman
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 07:39 AM

Don't know if this is useful or not, but I met Mary O'Hara in 1988 at a Mayoral function in Basingstoke where she read a short poem as part of the mayor's annual Carol service. The normal practice was to invite local celebrities to this event., and I think that Majot Ron Ferguson (Fergies Dad) was also there. She was living at the time in North Hampshire,I had the opportunity to have quite a long chat with her (and I presume the guy with her was her husband) afterwards and talked mainly about the problems which a relative (father?) was experiencing as a result of increasing sight problems. I was working at the time with blind & partially sighted people and was able to give her some information and useful addresses. I did ask her briefly about the music and she said she was not doing very much at present and that she may be going to live abroad. This seems to tie in with much of what has been said already in this thread.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Big Tim
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 07:11 AM

Mary and Pat have now retired from Tanzania, and latterly, Iran. They got back to the UK last week and are living quietly in the south of England, where they are "enjoying life".

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: JJ
Date: 10 Sep 02 - 08:00 PM

I bought Mary O'Hara's Royal Festival Hall album when Tower Records here in NYC was disposing of its vinyl maybe eight, ten years ago.

And now I find that someone halfway 'round the world loves it as much as I do.

Thank you, Sandra, and thanks to all who have filled in the blanks above!

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 10 Sep 02 - 10:07 AM

Ive been a fan of Mary O'Hara for about 25 years since I bought several of her records, including the recording of the concert where she sang Lord of the Dance & said this beautiful song got her singing again - the 1977 Royal Festival Hall concert. I have since bought several CDs of hers.

Thanks to all for information on her life since then.

sandra

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: GUEST,Guest, Big Tim
Date: 09 Sep 02 - 04:05 PM

Just received a tape of the show from my brother in Ireland today. Have watched it once. A few impressions:

Mary and her husband, Pat, a former priest, from the Aran islands, a fluent (probably native) Irish speaker, now live in Tanzania, somewhere not too far from Dar, it seemed. Initially on a two year contract, now extended by 18 months. Whe they first met she was so out of touch with the music business that he had to send her out to buy copies of her own albums! They are both still practising Catholics, of the liberal variety, finding the Church in Tanzania "conservative". Mary is happy and relieved to be retired from public performances, glad to be free of the daily grind of voice and harp practice. She now felt "a great sense of peace". They are both "very Irish" but "never experience homesickness". She sang one song, in a boat with local fishermen, sounded OK to me! Pat is a teacher, concentrating on computer skills, journalism and public relations. Mary is also computer literate, at the early stages. Not sure if Pat is the college principal or not but he was obviously in a position of some authority. By her own admission she is not a good teacher though she does try to do a little bit. One of Pat's young students said "apart from a teacher we find him as a friend".

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 03 Sep 02 - 05:47 PM

I have a Mary O'Hara double CD I bought last year. How do I put it up for Mudcat auction? Or should I refer to the help forum?

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: GUEST,Bill Kennedy
Date: 03 Sep 02 - 01:10 PM

ebay has a first edition hardback going currently at 1 Euro.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 03 Sep 02 - 12:56 PM

The blurb in the RTE Guide says "She now lives with her husband Patsy O'Toole in a house in Tanzania which has neither air conditioning nor electrical power for half the day. This is because the couple want to lead lives which are similar to their neighbours in Dar Es Salaam."

One point re the Thursday 5th September broadcast (10 pm Irish time): TG4 is the Gaelic-language station, so I don't know if it will be in English, or sub-titled, or what. The programme is called Na Gaeil i gCein (please excuse lack of fadas, don't know how to do them in plain text).

I found TWO copies of Scent Of The Roses in secondhand bookshops while I was on holiday in California recently, and bought one for a quarter!

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Alice
Date: 03 Sep 02 - 10:58 AM

Philippa, thanks for that update. At the same time you posted this info, someone on another music forum was wondering whatever happened to Mary O'Hara, so I returned to this thread and your message. I only wish I could get Irish tv. - Alice

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 03 Sep 02 - 10:38 AM

The television programme about Mary O'Hara and her husband Patsy O'Toole in Tanzania is scheduled to be broadcast again on TG4 (Ireland)this Thursday 5 Sept 2002 at 10 pm. (see my message of 27 Dec 2000. If you're watching Irish tv that night, you can also see a repeat of "Bringing it all Back Home" on RTE network 2 at 8 pm.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Alice
Date: 11 Feb 01 - 06:48 PM

Today I found a source on the net that has Mary O'Hara's CD, expanded with more songs than what was on the original Tradition album, for $8.99. Click Here

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Alice
Date: 11 Feb 01 - 04:24 PM

Just a note to let people know that Jimmy C. is currently offering a copy of her autobiography in the Mudcat Auction. This is an inspiring story for any musician, whether you know Mary O'Hara's music or not.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: bloozcat
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 03:59 PM

I have several editions of what i believe to be her most recent BBC tv series......on video....recorded at the time.....I seem to remember the series taking place In the early 1990's......

She would have guest performers on the show each week....I havent watched them for many a moon..as I have been too busy recording acoustic musicians myself...Actualy I have qiute a sizeable collection of videos of british television shows.....In amongst them qiute a bit of country blues and other music programmes...

regards...

bloozcat...London...England..

http://communities.msn.co.uk/bluesandfolkmusic

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Jimmy C
Date: 11 Jan 01 - 04:39 PM

Alice,

That particular part of the book struck a chord with me also. I believe Mary said the the Shamrock was her least favourite Irish emblem. I personally like it and the story behind it's use, Shillelaghs were also used in Ireland, and leprauchauns of course are just a spin-off of the mythical fairy people. These are in themselves harmless enough but I do agree with her that Green beer and Delaney's donkey types do "smack of stage Irishism" etc. This week a major greeting card company pulled certain St.Patrick's Day cards from their catalogue due to the offensive nature of some of them. Example - A card showing an arrowed line from a bar to a table to a toilet with the caption " the St.Patrick's day parade route" is only one example.

A few years ago I was performing in an "Irish Pub" owned by a Greek, the place was of course packed for St.Patrick's day, The only people not drinking green beer were native born Irish. All other were swilling it down.

When I was a boy the Feast of St.Patrick consisted of going to mass, with a little sprig of shamrock in your lapel. It was no big celebration, a very dignified affair really.

Mary's book " The Scent of Roses" is a must as you say for anyone who admires this lady.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Alice
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 11:27 PM

Don, you can get CDs of Mary O'Hara's recordings from CDNow. Order through Mudcat, and help support the forum.

There is a photo of Mary O'Hara on the set of a Saint Patrick's Day Ed Sullivan show in her autobiography. The stage set shows the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem in the center by a fake thatched cottage, other performers placed around in different spots, and the caption "The Ed Sullivan Show, New York, 1961. Finale, Mary had bought her own dresses, but she was put into an Irish colleen outfit."
It appears that she was on the show more than once - the first time, they juggled the schedule so there was no time for her to sing. Her description of the experience is very pointed regarding the program filled with "kitsch emblems of pub-culture". "To my horror I saw them carrying on two giant cut out shamrocks and placing them at the back of the stage. I was dumbfounded when I was asked to sit with my harp in one of them while Bob Briscoe was on stage. I envied the beautiful Irish wolfhound standing in the other shamrock, who seemed impervious to the indignity of it all. There's nothing wrong with the shamrock as such, but when it is perenially associated with leprechauns, shillelaghs, green beer and Delaney's donkeys, I feel it is prostituting the true image of our beautiful country and of its ancient culture. It smacks of stage Irishism. It has echoes of Punch's earlier racist caricatures of the Irish as capering troglodites and simian-faced morons."
I really recommend this autobiography.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Don Firth
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 04:47 PM

My one reminiscence of Mary O'Hara:

In the late Fifties on the Ed Sullivan show, Sullivan ran a film-strip that had been shot in Ireland. I believe he introduced it by saying that Mary O'Hara had just won some harpers' competition (or some other award).

The film-strip showed Mary O'Hara seated on a green hillside, flanked by two other young women, all three with harps. They were playing and singing The Castle of Dromore in three-part harmony. That was one of the most beautiful and affecting things I have ever seen or heard.

Although, believe it or not, that was the only time I have ever seen or heard Mary O'Hara (I looked for records at the time, but couln't find any), I have never forgotten it.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Alice
Date: 09 Jan 01 - 06:38 PM

I have it, Ewan. It's wonderful. I got a very good condition copy through a used book website on the internet. It is beautiful, right next to my computer keyboard, and I read it often for the lyrics and her notes about the songs, history, how she learned them, her experiences relating to the songs,etc.

The book came with a newspaper clipping in it about Mary O'Hara that the previous owner must have left between the pages. The clipping is from the Echo, dated 7.5.93, about a benefit concert she gave to help the Sue Ryder Home raise money for the Leckhampton Court home in Church Road, Leckhampton.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: GUEST,Ewan McVicar
Date: 09 Jan 01 - 06:06 PM

I would also recommend A Song For Ireland, written by Mary O'Hra, published by Michael Joseph, copyright date 1982, ISDBN 0 7181 2161 9.

Song lyrics, beautiful photographs, and bits of narrative about the songs and her performing them. There was a 'companion album and cassette on Valentine Records LP VAL 8053 and VL 68053".

My copy is a library discard and cost all of 60p ($1).

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Alice
Date: 28 Dec 00 - 12:58 PM

Philippa, thanks for that update. Wouldn't it be great to have her join on some song discussions? Jean Ritchie and Mary O'Hara at the Mudcat - heaven for me.

Alice

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Jimmy C
Date: 28 Dec 00 - 01:22 AM

I bought a copy of the book " The Scent of Roses" soon after it was published and have treasured it ever since. Here is a brief synopsis of the liner notes
In the 1950's Mary found fame and fortune as a harpist and singer
She met and married an american poet and Rhodes scholar Richard Selig
15 months after the marriage Richard was dead, struck down by cancer
Mary then joined a Benedictine monastery of Stanbrook.
After 12 years in Stanbrook she left to resume her musical career
she was very successful

I don't know where or what she is doing today, This book is a must for anybody who admired Mary O'Hara and her music. It was published by Michael Joseph Limited, 44 bedford Square, London, WC1. in October 1980.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: little john cameron
Date: 27 Dec 00 - 07:49 PM

http://www.cddb.com/xm/search?q=Mary+O%27Hara&f=artist

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: little john cameron
Date: 27 Dec 00 - 07:36 PM

http://songsearch.icorp.net/ss/dir/o/o_hara_mary.htm

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: little john cameron
Date: 27 Dec 00 - 07:34 PM

http://tns-www.lcs.mit.edu/harp/archives/current/2696.html

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 27 Dec 00 - 06:42 PM

I just saw Mary O'Hara on tv, a programme made this year. Apparently she's with a former priest who's teaching journalism and computers and public relations in Tanzania.# They've been in Tanzania for two years, and in Kenya for two years before that. Mary was shown studying computers. Maybe we'll hear from her at the CAt someday.
#(I think this is the husband who managed her second singing career - see Sandy's message above)

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Alice
Date: 31 Jul 99 - 04:43 PM

Barbara, she was ill, and her superior decided her health would improve outside the monastic life. She had been given anti-depressants while in the monastery, and they were causing panic attacks. She went to another doctor after she left the community, and said, "if you think these tablets are the cause, I'm ready to stop taking them."....'I gave them up that very day in Cambridge and have never touched them or their like since. There was no repeat of the stark panic'.

I always wondered why, until I read this book, why she was not better known in the US. But, since she was on contract to DECCA, and they didn't think her traditional songs were commercial enough, they didn't release her recordings here. You can now get her tapes and CD's from CDNow, right here at the Mudcat link.
happy listening

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Barbara
Date: 31 Jul 99 - 02:12 PM

You're right, Alice. I found the book on a shelf at our local moldy old used book store and carted it home. (Now if only I could find her records there, too) I was a little puzzled as to what in the convent stressed her so. Did you understand that?
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Alice
Date: 31 Jul 99 - 10:26 AM

Lorraine, this definitely IS the right forum for Mary O'Hara. If you read my older posts, you will see that I am not only a fan of Mary O'Hara, but I have provided alot of references here regarding vocal technique and voice training. If you can get a copy of Mary O'Hara's "Scent of the Roses" through an inter-library loan, you will read about how at the age of 8, she won the Sligo annual festival of Music and Drama singing competition that drew contestants from all over Ireland. She was born with beautiful sounding vocal cords, had training later in school, and continued to study traditional songs and practice vocal technique. A clear, high voice somehow gets labeled 'operatic' when really it is not opera at all. You'll really enjoy her autobiography.

alice

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Lorraine
Date: 31 Jul 99 - 09:40 AM

I am a relative new comer to folk music- but when I was starting to get interested Bill D was kind enough to share the singing of Mary O'Hara with me. I know some folks feel it's too operatic but to me it was/is pure magic. Thank you Bill D for your intro. (to other stuff too).-Humm maybe this isn't the right forum. Oh well- Lorraine

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 30 Jul 99 - 06:17 PM

I saw a note on the FOLKDJ-L listserv indicating that "she is now managed by her husband" and gave his address as in Dublin. I decided not to pursue it further, being loathe to stir up painful memories of her first hudband's death. I might be able to locate the Dublin address by posting another note to the listserv.

Sandy

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From:
Date: 30 Jul 99 - 01:36 PM

any more news?

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 05 Feb 99 - 09:43 PM

Thank you, Philippa. I'll keep trying. I have discovered that Oxford offers a "Richard Selig Poetry Award" to outstanding poetry students. At least two Americans have been so honored, but I have not yet seen their work. When I find it, I'll let you know.

Sandy

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Philippa
Date: 05 Feb 99 - 05:31 PM

I've dug out the photocopy of the liner-notes of Mary O'Hara's Decca recording " 'Monday Tuesday' and other children's songs", which John Moulden sent me when I was enquiring about the title song (translation of Irish title 'Dia Luain Dia Mairt'). Now I can give you more precise dates than I did on 30 Jan.
According to the album cover, Mary O'Hara married Richard Selig in 1956. She was 21 years old at the time. Richard died of Hodgkin's disease only 15 months after the couple married. His widow spent the next four years actively recording and touring and performing. Then quite suddenly, she left it all for a "strict Benedictine monastery in England" and she "never intended to play and sing again". But before entering the convent, Mary recorded enough material for three albums, subsequently released under the the titles 'Mary O'Hara's Ireland', 'Mary O'Hara's Scotland' and 'Monday Tuesday...'. She spent 13 years in the monasterybefore resuming her career; I gather the years of seclusion would have been around 1962-1975.
An internet search informs me of a chapter profiling Mary O'Hara in "Musicians" by Leslie Strudwick, one of a series of [2oth century] "women in Profile" published by Crabtree Press. The other musicians featured in depth are Liona Boyd, Midori, Ethel Smith, Vanessa-Mae and Mary Lou Williams. There's also some information on Cindy Blackman, Jane Ira Bloom, Laurie Frink, Ofrah Harnoy, Sharon Isbin, Wanda Landowska, Natalie McMaster and Fr‚drique Petrides.
I hope, Sandy, that you succeed in getting in touch with Mary O'Hara again.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: cleod
Date: 04 Feb 99 - 03:02 PM

I happen to have a cd of Mary O'Hara that I found quite by accident (I went into this cd/tape/lcd/vcd store in Hong Kong called KPS Video Express) -- I had absolutely no idea who she was, but the songs in the cd were nice so I gave her a try...it's entitled: "The Beautiful Music of Mary O'Hara", the company that produced this was Music Collection Int'l at Strand VCI House, Caxton Way, Watford, Hertfordshire WD1 8UF...and here's the product code :MCCD070. Oh, and the copyright says 1992.

Songlist 1. Lord of the Dance
2. Danny Boy
3. The Last Rose of Summer
4. In An English Country Garden
5. A Bunch of Thyme
6. The Rose
7. My Lagan Love
8. The Spanish Lady
9. Going Home
10. Perhaps Love
11. She Moved Through The Fair
12. Messenger
13. One Day At A Time 14. Willie's Gone To Melville Castle 15. Roisin Dubh (Dark Rosaleen)
16. The Scent Of The Roses
17. Scarborough Fair
18. Never Saw The Roses
19. Memory
20. The Quiet Land Of Erin

If anyone needs the liner notes, I'll post them tomorrow. I hope this helps!

cleod

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 01 Feb 99 - 05:45 PM

It turns out that Alice and I had ordered the same copy of the book, but we worked it out between us while Max and his cohorts were redesigning the Mudcat. She was kind enough to order a different copy, disguising my ultimate greed!

Sandy

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: katlaughing
Date: 31 Jan 99 - 12:22 PM

Thanks, Alice, for straightening out the one address. Now, I'll have to see if I can get a copy of the book, too!

kat

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Alice
Date: 31 Jan 99 - 10:47 AM

Sandy... please email to me: [e-mail]
we may have ordered the same one. I'll go back and choose a different one if we did. alice

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 31 Jan 99 - 01:38 AM

Alice:

Go to BOOKFINDER and ask for Mary O'Hara's Scent of the Roses. You'll find a bunch of used copies from various book shops, only one of which have I ordered ahead of you. Honest! And thanks for the information.

Sandy

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Alice
Date: 30 Jan 99 - 11:41 PM

Hey, I wasn't dreaming!! I just found "Scent of the Roses" by Mary O'Hara at Amazon.com... but as I saw before, it is out of print.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Alice
Date: 30 Jan 99 - 11:30 PM

Mary O'Hara has been the most inspirational Irish singer of all for me. I thought that at one time I had found a book on the 'net' about her in an out of print book website, called 'The Scent of The Roses', a line from the song 'Farewell, But Whenever'. I have lost my bookmarks a couple of times, and now I have not been able to find that book website again. Maybe I imagined it.

Here is the message about looking for Mary O'Hara in Boston that Kat was referring to: In Search of Mary O'Hara

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 30 Jan 99 - 11:17 PM

I must be even more of a newcomer to HTML than you are, Kat. I can't figure out how to make use of those addresses. They come up "no DNS" for me. Can we call on good ol' Joe?

Sandy

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Jan 99 - 08:36 PM

Hi, don't know if this is the same person you all are talking about, but this is what a search turned up for me:

songsearch.icorp.net/ss/dir/olo_hara_mary.htm

has several recordings listed.

And:

tns.cs.mit.edu/harp/archives/1994/subject.htm

this is apparently linked somehow to a good sounding site for harpists and has a query about Mary from 1994 from someone who wanted to include an article about her.

Don't know if it helps or not. Good luck, she sounds wonderful.

Has anybody seen "Sister Wendy" on BBC America? Maybe she could expand from the classic world of art and search out Mary? ***grin***

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Art Thieme
Date: 30 Jan 99 - 03:43 PM

Mary O'hara did a concert at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago at the end of the 60's or the early 70's.I got to one of them. Also did one for a small Catholic college in Evanston, Illinois. These were after coming out of the convent. I recall her having "Morning Is Breaking" on an in-concert LP done in those latter days. Still was a fine voice but a bit "older & wiser" sounding...

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Philippa
Date: 30 Jan 99 - 08:10 AM

Now you've got me wondering too. I read a message in a harp forum from someone who heard she was living in the US, in the Boston area.

- Sandy - if nothing better comes up, try her publishers (Michael Joseph, London, published "A Song of Ireland")and /or record companies (Shannachie and Tradition. You could also try other harpists and the harp/clársach associations. It sounds like you will have much to talk about together!

- Mary O'Hara did a big recording session before she entered the convent after her husband's death, enough to issue two LPs. Then she stayed silent - must have been at least 15 years? (60s to around 1980) After she emerged from the convent [in England, I think], she toured and recorded and had quite a high profile for a while. On an in-concert recording of "Lord of the Dance", Mary O'Hara introduces the song saying she heard it while in the convent and it influenced her to go out and sing again.

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 30 Jan 99 - 12:47 AM

And so will I, for several reasons. In the very early 1950s, I knew a splendid young poet in Seattle named Richard Selig. We climbed in the Olympics together, and fished in Lake Quinault. Richard won a Rhodes scholarship and went off to Oxford. Let me emphasize, he was a damned fine writer and a brilliant man.

When Caroline and I went to England in 1957, I kept asking those we met who had an obvious interest in poetry if they had ever met or knew what had happened to Richard Selig. No luck.

In September of 1958, as we walked into the School of Scottish Studies in Edinburgh, we met Mary O'Hara coming out and had a nice, long chat. It never occurred to me to ask her about the missing American poet. I learned later that she was married to him at the time we met her, and that he had died of some rare disease shortly after our meeting. I've been told that it was after his death that she entered the nunnery. I've long hoped to see her again and learn if she has copies of his poems that I might read.

If any of you is in touch with her, please let me know how I might reach her. Richard Selig was a very important influence in my life.

Sandy

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From:
Date: 29 Jan 99 - 10:13 PM

Good luck on this, Bill D. I also have a couple of her albums. As beat up as they are, such a pure voice. The latest recorded in 1958 when she was only 23! That would make her only 64 today. I, too, heard she had entered a convent, but I also think I heard she had left that life. I was introduced to her music in the early 60s by Skip Weschner who had a wonderful, nightly folk music program first from NYC and then from Los Angeles...but that's another story. I'll be watching this thread with interest.---John

Subject: RE: MARY O'HARA - where is she know?
From: Bill D
Date: 29 Jan 99 - 08:34 PM

seems to me I heard she had been in a convent for many years, but had 'sort of' come out and sung a couple of times..without recording.I will see if I can trace my sources and be sure of what I am saying..(I have 2 or 3 wonderful vinyls of her)

Subject: MARY O'HARA - where is she now?
From: Ian HP
Date: 29 Jan 99 - 02:47 PM

The title of this thread is self-explanatory. Anyone any news? I haven't heard of her since the early 1980s.