125th anniversary of birth of prima donna maggie from mayo

Tomorrow marks the 125th anniversary of the birth in Castlebar of renowned operatic singer Margaret Burke-Sheridan, who was born at the Mall on October 15, 1889. One of the most illustrious persons to be born in Ireland, she was better known on the continent than in this country, and reigned for years as Prima Donna in Italy where her every move was of public interest.

Known as ‘Maggie from Mayo’, she was born in the residence of Dr. Dermot Ryan, now unoccupied. The house at that time was the local post office where her father was postmaster.

Orphaned at the age of four, the local Sisters of Mercy took her into the convent and cared for her. Later, the parish priest, Canon Lyons, arranged to have her sent as a boarder to the Dominican Convent, Eccles Street, Dublin. Here the lovely quality of her voice was discovered and her training began with Mother Cement, O.P., whose fame as a singing teacher was known throughout the country.

In 1908 Margaret became a Feis Ceoil gold medalist and friends sponsored a concert to provide funds for her further training in London. There T.P. O’Connor, famous Irish politician and journalist, introduced her to Marconi, who was enhanced with the magnificence of her voice. “This is the voice I have been waiting all my life to hear,” he said, and he sponsored to send her to Italy for extra study.

Margaret set off to Rome in 1911. She was not long studying the role of Mimi when on the opening night of the season the soprano who was to have sung the part became ill, and Margaret was called upon to replace her. She triumphed and ‘La Sheridan’ became the darling of all operatic-loving Italians and later Covent Garden.

In 1936 she was stricken by a serious illness and returned to Ireland, never again to sing in public. She died in Dublin in 1958.