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Maire O'Neill

January 05, 2023

For the academic, see Máire O'Neill.

Maire O'Neill (born Mary Agnes Allgood; 11 January 1886 – 2 November 1952) was an Irish actress of stage and film. She holds a place in theatre history as the first actress to interpret the lead character of Pegeen Mike Flaherty in John Millington Synge's controversial masterpiece The Playboy of the Western World (1907).

Maire O'Neill
ca. 1913
Born
Mary Agnes Allgood

(1886-01-11)11 January 1886
Dublin, Ireland
Died2 November 1952(1952-11-02) (aged 66)
Basingstoke, Hampshire, England
Other namesMolly Allgood
OccupationActress
Years active1905–1952[1]
Spouse(s)
​
(m. 1911⁠–⁠1926)​

Arthur Sinclair
​
​
(m. 1938⁠–⁠1951)​

Life

Born at 40 Middle Abbey Street, Dublin, O'Neill was one of eight children of compositor George and French polisher Margaret (née Harold) Allgood,[2][3] she was known as "Molly". Her father was sternly Protestant and against all music, dancing and entertainment,[4] and her mother a strict Catholic.[5] After her father died in 1896,[6] she was placed in an orphanage.[7] She was apprenticed to a dressmaker. One of Allgood's brothers, Tom, became a Catholic priest.

Maud Gonne set up Inghinidhe na hÉireann (Daughters of Ireland) in 1900 to educate women about Irish history, language and the arts, and Allgood and her sister Sara joined the association's drama classes around 1903. Their acting teacher, Willie Fay, enrolled them in the National Theatre Society, later known as the Abbey Theatre.[8] Maire was part of the Abbey Theatre from 1906 to 1918 where she appeared in many productions.[9] In 1904, she was cast in a play by Irish playwright Teresa Deevy titled Katie Roche,[10] where she played the part of Margaret Drybone; there were 38 performances in this production.

In 1905, Molly met Irish playwright John Millington Synge, and they fell in love, a relationship regarded as scandalous because it crossed the class barriers of the time. In September 1907, he had surgery for the removal of troublesome neck glands, but a later tumour was found to be inoperable. They became engaged before his death in March 1909. Synge wrote the plays The Playboy of the Western World and Deirdre of the Sorrows for Allgood.[1]

She made her American debut in New York in 1914 in the play General John Regan at the Hudson Theatre.[11] Under her professional name Maire O'Neill, she appeared in films from 1930 to 1953, including Alfred Hitchcock's film version of Seán O'Casey's play Juno and the Paycock (1930).[8]

She played a small part in Brian Desmond Hurst’s film of Riders to the Sea (1935)[1] IMDb, which starred her sister Sara. Denis Johnston, who was also in the cast, relates in his biography of Synge a colourful incident during filming that involved Molly: she cunningly and simply managed to spoil the last shot of the week with a wardrobe malfunction so that the actors would get another week's filming - and pay - the next week.[12]

Marriages

In June 1911, she married G. H. Mair, drama critic of the Manchester Guardian, and later assistant secretary of the British Department of Information, assistant director of the League of Nations Information Office in Geneva, and head of the League of Nations office in London, with whom she had two children. He died suddenly on 3 January 1926. Six months later, she married Arthur Sinclair, an Abbey actor. They had two children but divorced.[8]

Her life suffered a full share of tragedies: her fiancé Synge died before they married; she was crushed by her brother Frank's death in World War I in 1915; her beloved husband Sinclair died after 15 years of marriage; and their son died in an air crash in 1942. Her sister Sara's husband and baby died of influenza during the Spanish flu. Sara died two years before her, and they had become estranged.

Death

She died in Park Prewett Hospital, Basingstoke, England on 2 November 1952, aged 66, where she was receiving treatment after being badly burned in a fire at her London home.[4]

In fiction

Joseph O'Connor's 2010 novel Ghost Light loosely is based on Allgood's relationship with Synge.[13][14]

Partial filmography

Playography

  • Katie Roche (1994)

References

  1. ^ a b E.H. Mikhail, ed. (1988). The Abbey Theatre: Interviews and Recollections. Barnes & Noble. p. 82. ISBN 978-0-389-20616-3.
  2. ^ "General Registrar's Office". IrishGenealogy.ie. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  3. ^ "National Archives: Census of Ireland 1911". Census.nationalarchives.ie. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  4. ^ a b . Womensmuseumofireland.ie. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  5. ^ Ruane, Medb (1991). Ten Dublin Women. pp. 15–20.
  6. ^ "General Registrar's Office". IrishGenealogy.ie. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  7. ^ "Molly Allgood profile". Ricorso.net. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  8. ^ a b c Boylan, Henry (1998). A Dictionary of Irish Biography, 3rd Edition. Dublin: Gill and MacMillan. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-7171-2945-4.
  9. ^ "The Abbey Theatre Archive". Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  10. ^ "The Teresa Deevy Archive". Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  11. ^ Madison Wisconsin State Journal p.6 (17 February 1914) Madison, Wisconsin.
  12. ^ Denis Johnston, John Millington Synge, (Columbia Essays on Modern Writing No. 12), (Columbia University Press, New York, 1965) p. 30.
  13. ^ "Ghost Light". Josephoconnorauthor.com. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
  14. ^ "Brimming with sympathy and skill". The Irish Times. 5 May 2010. Retrieved 11 June 2011.

External links

January 05, 2023
maire, neill, academic, máire, neill, born, mary, agnes, allgood, january, 1886, november, 1952, irish, actress, stage, film, holds, place, theatre, history, first, actress, interpret, lead, character, pegeen, mike, flaherty, john, millington, synge, controver. For the academic see Maire O Neill Maire O Neill born Mary Agnes Allgood 11 January 1886 2 November 1952 was an Irish actress of stage and film She holds a place in theatre history as the first actress to interpret the lead character of Pegeen Mike Flaherty in John Millington Synge s controversial masterpiece The Playboy of the Western World 1907 Maire O Neillca 1913BornMary Agnes Allgood 1886 01 11 11 January 1886Dublin IrelandDied2 November 1952 1952 11 02 aged 66 Basingstoke Hampshire EnglandOther namesMolly AllgoodOccupationActressYears active1905 1952 1 Spouse s G H Mair m 1911 1926 wbr Arthur Sinclair m 1938 1951 wbr Contents 1 Life 2 Marriages 3 Death 4 In fiction 5 Partial filmography 6 Playography 7 References 8 External linksLife EditBorn at 40 Middle Abbey Street Dublin O Neill was one of eight children of compositor George and French polisher Margaret nee Harold Allgood 2 3 she was known as Molly Her father was sternly Protestant and against all music dancing and entertainment 4 and her mother a strict Catholic 5 After her father died in 1896 6 she was placed in an orphanage 7 She was apprenticed to a dressmaker One of Allgood s brothers Tom became a Catholic priest Maud Gonne set up Inghinidhe na hEireann Daughters of Ireland in 1900 to educate women about Irish history language and the arts and Allgood and her sister Sara joined the association s drama classes around 1903 Their acting teacher Willie Fay enrolled them in the National Theatre Society later known as the Abbey Theatre 8 Maire was part of the Abbey Theatre from 1906 to 1918 where she appeared in many productions 9 In 1904 she was cast in a play by Irish playwright Teresa Deevy titled Katie Roche 10 where she played the part of Margaret Drybone there were 38 performances in this production In 1905 Molly met Irish playwright John Millington Synge and they fell in love a relationship regarded as scandalous because it crossed the class barriers of the time In September 1907 he had surgery for the removal of troublesome neck glands but a later tumour was found to be inoperable They became engaged before his death in March 1909 Synge wrote the plays The Playboy of the Western World and Deirdre of the Sorrows for Allgood 1 She made her American debut in New York in 1914 in the play General John Regan at the Hudson Theatre 11 Under her professional name Maire O Neill she appeared in films from 1930 to 1953 including Alfred Hitchcock s film version of Sean O Casey s play Juno and the Paycock 1930 8 She played a small part in Brian Desmond Hurst s film of Riders to the Sea 1935 1 IMDb which starred her sister Sara Denis Johnston who was also in the cast relates in his biography of Synge a colourful incident during filming that involved Molly she cunningly and simply managed to spoil the last shot of the week with a wardrobe malfunction so that the actors would get another week s filming and pay the next week 12 Marriages EditIn June 1911 she married G H Mair drama critic of the Manchester Guardian and later assistant secretary of the British Department of Information assistant director of the League of Nations Information Office in Geneva and head of the League of Nations office in London with whom she had two children He died suddenly on 3 January 1926 Six months later she married Arthur Sinclair an Abbey actor They had two children but divorced 8 Her life suffered a full share of tragedies her fiance Synge died before they married she was crushed by her brother Frank s death in World War I in 1915 her beloved husband Sinclair died after 15 years of marriage and their son died in an air crash in 1942 Her sister Sara s husband and baby died of influenza during the Spanish flu Sara died two years before her and they had become estranged Death EditShe died in Park Prewett Hospital Basingstoke England on 2 November 1952 aged 66 where she was receiving treatment after being badly burned in a fire at her London home 4 In fiction EditJoseph O Connor s 2010 novel Ghost Light loosely is based on Allgood s relationship with Synge 13 14 Partial filmography EditJuno and the Paycock 1930 Mrs Maisie Madigan M Blimey 1931 Something Always Happens 1934 Tenement Mother uncredited Sing As We Go 1934 Madame Osiris Irish Hearts 1934 Mrs Moriarty Peg of Old Drury 1935 Mrs Woffington Peg s Mother Come Out of the Pantry 1935 Mrs Gore Riders to the Sea 1935 Short First Woman Fame 1936 Mrs Docker Ourselves Alone 1936 Nanny Bulldog Drummond at Bay 1937 Norah the Housekeeper Glamorous Night 1937 Phoebe Spring Handicap 1937 Meg Clayton Farewell Again 1937 Mrs Brough Oh Boy 1938 Mrs Baggs Penny Paradise 1938 Widow Clegg St Martin s Lane 1938 Mrs Such My Irish Molly 1938 Mrs O Shea Mountains O Mourne 1938 Maura Macree Sword of Honour 1939 Biddy The Missing People 1939 Housekeeper On the Night of the Fire 1939 Neighbour The Arsenal Stadium Mystery 1939 Housekeeper Dr O Dowd 1940 Mrs Mulvanry Convoy 1940 Mary Hogan uncredited You Will Remember 1941 Mrs Barrett Love on the Dole 1941 Mrs Dorbell Penn of Pennsylvania 1942 Cook Let the People Sing 1942 Mrs Mitterley Those Kids from Town 1942 Housekeeper Theatre Royal 1943 Mrs Cope Great Day 1945 Mrs Bridget Walsh Murder in Reverse 1945 Mrs Moore Gaiety George 1946 Mrs Murphy Piccadilly Incident 1946 Mrs Milligan Spring Song 1946 Dresser Send for Paul Temple 1946 Mrs Neddy The Hills of Donegal 1947 Hannah Saints and Sinners 1949 Ma Murnaghan Someone at the Door 1950 uncredited The Clouded Yellow 1950 Nora Stranger at My Door 1950 Clarissa Finnegan Scrooge 1951 Alice s Patient Judgment Deferred 1952 Mrs O Halloran Treasure Hunt 1952 Bridgid The Oracle 1953 Mrs LenhamPlayography EditKatie Roche 1994 References Edit a b E H Mikhail ed 1988 The Abbey Theatre Interviews and Recollections Barnes amp Noble p 82 ISBN 978 0 389 20616 3 General Registrar s Office IrishGenealogy ie Retrieved 12 January 2017 National Archives Census of Ireland 1911 Census nationalarchives ie Retrieved 4 December 2016 a b Women s Museum of Ireland Articles Molly Allgood Maire O Neill Womensmuseumofireland ie Archived from the original on 29 October 2021 Retrieved 4 December 2016 Ruane Medb 1991 Ten Dublin Women pp 15 20 General Registrar s Office IrishGenealogy ie Retrieved 12 January 2017 Molly Allgood profile Ricorso net Retrieved 4 December 2016 a b c Boylan Henry 1998 A Dictionary of Irish Biography 3rd Edition Dublin Gill and MacMillan p 3 ISBN 978 0 7171 2945 4 The Abbey Theatre Archive Retrieved 4 December 2016 The Teresa Deevy Archive Retrieved 4 December 2016 Madison Wisconsin State Journal p 6 17 February 1914 Madison Wisconsin Denis Johnston John Millington Synge Columbia Essays on Modern Writing No 12 Columbia University Press New York 1965 p 30 Ghost Light Josephoconnorauthor com Retrieved 11 June 2011 Brimming with sympathy and skill The Irish Times 5 May 2010 Retrieved 11 June 2011 External links EditMaire O Neill at IMDb Maire O Neill at the Internet Broadway Database Census records at Irish National Archives Maire O Neill at The Teresa Deevy Archive Maire O Neill at The Abbey Theatre Archive O Neill Maire Thom s Irish Who s Who Dublin Alexander Thom and Son Ltd 1923 pp 193 194 via Wikisource Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Maire O 27Neill amp oldid 1125600227, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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