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Updated 9.01 pm
IRISH AMERICAN ACTRESS Maureen O’Hara has died at the age of 95.
O’Hara’s manager Johnny Nicoletti says the iconic actress died in her sleep at her home in Boise, Idaho this morning.
Her family have since confirmed the news of her death.
“It is with a sad heart that we share the news that Maureen O’Hara passed away today in her sleep of natural causes,” read the a statement from the FitzSimons family.
“Maureen was our loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend. She passed peacefully surrounded by her loving family as they celebrated her life listening to music from her favourite movie, The Quiet Man.”
The Dublin-born actress’ career began in the 1930s, making her debut The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Her prolific career included roles in The Quiet Man and Miracle on 34th Street, often appearing alongside John Wayne.
During her movie heyday, she became known as the Queen of Technicolor because of the camera’s love affair with her vivid hair, pale complexion and fiery nature.
The actress played little Natalie Wood’s mother in the Christmas classic, Miracle on 34th Street.
President Michael D. Higgins is currently on an official visit to the United States and the former Arts Minister has described O’Hara as “an outstanding and versatile actress”.
“I have learned with great sadness of the death of the actress Maureen O’Hara,” the President said this eveing.
“She will be remembered as an outstanding and versatile actress, whose work especially in film, will endure for many years to come.”
“She received her early training at the Abbey Theatre, and went on to become an artist whose talents were recognised and appreciated all around the world. I especially remember with affection her recent visit to Áras an Uachtaráin, when we discussed among other things her great love of Ireland and her strong family links to Shamrock Rovers.”
O’Hara was born in Ranelagh as Maureen FitzSimons in 1920. Her mother was a well-known opera singer and her father was involved with Shamrock Rovers and other local football teams.
She’s survived by her daughter Bronwyn FitzSimons who lives in Ireland and is also an actress.
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Rip Maureen.. A true legend
above all she was a lady.
my father met her years ago and always remembers her pleasant nature, gorgeous smile and a beautiful lady…just like the rest of Ireland. good night Maureen, good night.
Lived a life many could only ever dream about, a true Legend!! Rest in Peace Maureen, you’ve done Éire proud!!
A women of outstanding natural beauty and talent. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam
R.I.P. Great woman and great actress.
Ah thats sad… R.I.P. Maureen
R.I.P Maureen, A true icon
R.I.P.
Brilliant actress.
She lived in West Cork for a long time too in her later years. She was also a very canny business woman and she considered herself always Irish never Irish American.
Agreed on the Irish and not Irish American she was born in Ranelagh which makes her Irish in my book..
She was an American citizen.
Yea, and usually the term Irish American refers to someone born in the US of Irish lineage.
R.I.P
Legend ,thanks for the memories ( Rip)
Now thats what was a true superstar and legend.
I was watching the Quiet man today on C4, great film.
R.I.P. Maureen.
Loved her as John Candy’s ascerbic mother in Only the Lonely. RIP Maureen, you had a good inning.
RIP, glad to see you corrected her age.
Ar dheis dé go raibh a h-anam.
What a great age to achieve. RIP to a flame haired legend.
Very sad to hear this. she was a great Irish lady, always championed our country wherever she went. The Quiet Man is such a great movie, will be sad to watch it now. “There was a wild colonial boy, Jack Duggan was his name He was born and raised in Ireland, in a place called Castlemaine He was his father’s only son, his mother’s pride and joy And dearly did his parents love the wild colonial boy
Once every now and then a true icon of the movie screen is born and brings so much to the audience, Maureen was one of those….no CGI, no special effects, no over inflated egos. Sadly missed RIP
Sad, even at 95. Could the Journal not publish a few really good photos of her in her prime; she was such a beautiful woman and actress. If you toddle over to the telegraph.co.uk you will see two stunning shots of her in her youthful prime.
you were a great lady maureen r.I.p
Here’s a nice stick to bate the lovely girl with. ……
rip maureen
pity the white o morn cottage wasnt saved while you were around to see it
While they were making the film “The Quiet Man” in 1952 the already well known film stars Maureen O’Hara and John Wayne walked into Mannion’s pub in Clifden . Maureen said “Drinks for the house”.
One guy said “who are they” but he enjoyed the pint Maureen ordered for him.
What a story!
born in Ranelagh..near Dublin Ireland…where was this copied and pasted from?
Maureen makes us proud to be from Ranelagh. RIP.
Maureen was Irish, NOT Irish-American.
She was an American citizen – by definition (and choice) she was Irish-American.
My definition of an Irish American is someone born in America who has Irish ancestry.
We have so few major film stars we shouldn’t be letting anyone else claim them.
RIP Maulden O’Hara, a true legend and one of the last of Hollywood’s golden era stars to pass away. I recall seeing her on the Late Late in recent years and she seemed to be a feisty old dear in real life as well as in the role of Mary Kate Danaher in The Quite Man. Am I right in saying that one of her earliest movie role was playing Esmeralda in the original Hunchback of Notre Dame (or was that Maulden O’Sullivan?
Maureen O’Hara was a great credit to Ireland. May she rest in peace.
RTE should show her greatest film, The Quiet Man, in tribute to her soon.
Miracle on 34th Street, on Christmas Day would be a nice touch.
It was sad to hear of the death of Maureen O’Hara today. A cousin of mine, David Murphy from Loughrea in Galway bought the house where she was born – No.13, Lower Churchtown Road, Ranelagh, Dublin & I got to stay there when I visited him in the 1980s. A few years later I was on duty in Blarney Garda Station when a lady called in looking for directions. I said to her you look very like Maureen O’Hara & she said I am her sister & Maureen is outside in the car. I got into the patrol car & escorted them to the house which they were looking for with the blue light & siren on. Another star has gone out today. I am so glad to have met her. May she Rest in Peace.
Great story Jim.
The Irish Liz Taylor .
Can someone tell me how she was Irish-American? If she was born in Ranelagh, just wondering as I don’t know much about her life.
What are you called after you become a citizen of the USA?
she decided to leave Ireland only a few years ago following a dispute and said she’d never return to Ireland again , it was a sad thing to happen at such a late stage in her life .
Irish-American? No hyphen for Maureen she’s FBI – full blood Irish! May she rest in peace…
Again, she was an American citizen, very easy concept for most people to get their heads around.
As one I must point out hyphenated Americans refer to their heritage. My father, born here, would bristle at being called Irish-American even as an American. He was first, last, and always Irish!
may you rest in peace mary kate danaher or Maureen ohara never forgotten
Ar dheis De go raibh a hainim dilis
r.i.p. maureen an irsih legend
I bet you didn’t know she played camogie as a young woman
Another legend gone RIP
Word.Edna is re-writing her obituary..apparently she was from Mayo and a life long Fine Gael supporter….
Sad news. My favourite was always Rio Grande, again with John Wayne. I think Maureen’s partnerships with Wayne, did more to raise his profile than his own competence as an actor.
@Joachim Stay classy there, lad.
R.I.P she will always be remembered as a legend.
A class lady …
Indeed she visited Dingle Co Kerry for the Dingle Film Festival a couple of years ago..
https://www.facebook.com/TheDinglePeninsula/posts/1145149912180206
RIP beautiful lady Maureen, a legend of your time.
So sad when someone like Maureen passes away that red thumbs appear. Makes you wonder
RIP, Classy Dame.
RIP. Such a shame and so young.
Legendary actress
Don’t think she was born in Dublin though. R.I.P. A great lady.
Beechwood avenue in Ranelagh is in Dublin right?
She was also 95 not 85.. The father was worried he’d just lost a decade..At his age that ain’t good… Anyway, A true legend RIP.. The Quite Man for Sunday afternoon RTE??
Damn! I was only watching ‘The Quiet Man’ yesterday, another link to the golden days of Hollywood to pass. RIP
She had her whole life ahead of her .
Fantastic women
She was a real feminist, not like the barking mad feminazis we have today.
Was she actually Irish or one of these yanks whose great great grandparents were Irish and think that they’re Irish too?
G’WAAAAY YA TRAITOR! Have you not read the actual article…dublin born n bred.
RIP Maureen. Legend.
A true legend
Was she not from Kells, Co. Meath. Her father certainly was.
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