Maureen Delany

Maureen Barry O'Delany (1 December 1888 – 27 March 1961), professionally known as Maureen Delany and also billed as Maureen Delaney, was an Irish stage and screen actress and singer active primarily in Britain.

Life and career She was born in Kilkenny, Ireland, daughter of Barry Delany, who died when she was three months old. She was educated in Galway and originally intended to train for the opera, as she had a fine singing voice. However, she was accepted into the Abbey Theatre School by Lennox Robinson. She made her debut on the stage in Edward McNulty's comedy The Lord Mayor in 1914.

She quickly gained a reputation as a noted comic actress and singer. She became identified with Maisie Madigan in Juno and the Paycock and Bessie Burgess in The Plough and the Stars (both by Seán O'Casey), as well as the Widow Quin in Synge's Playboy of the Western World.

She also appeared in a number of plays by Irish playwright Teresa Deevy which were staged at the Abbey Theatre, A Disciple in 1931, Temporal Powers in 1932, Katie Roche in 1937, which toured Broadway at the Ambassador Theatre (Broadway), USA, this play also toured to the Arts Theatre, Cambridge, England also in 1937, Temporal Powers in 1937, In Search of Valour in 1947. She died in her room at a London Hotel on 27 March 1961 and was predeceased by her husband Peter O'Neill, whom she married about 1947; there were no children.

Filmography

Playography A Disciple (1931) Temporal Powers (1932) Katie Roche (1937) Temporal Powers (1937) In Search of Valour (1947) ITV Playhouse Theatre (1959)