Mary O'Hara - Travels With My Harp

Five MARY O'HARA albums are now available to listen to in their entirety via Youtube (audio only)

Music Speaks Louder Than Words
In Harmony
Tranquility - 20 Songs of Life
The Scent of the Roses
Colours

Click on album covers to listen

For full details and info on these albums click on image below:

LATEST NEWS -
IF YOU MISSED THE ORIGINAL BROADCAST OF THE MARY O'HARA DOCUMENTARY YOU HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH IT - as TG4 are repeating the documentary on Wednesday 4th March 2015 at 9:30pm
Click on either photo of Mary (left or right) for TG4 listings

NEW ONE HOUR TV DOCUMENTARY ABOUT MARY O'HARA'S LIFE AND WORK:
TG4 - Sunday 28th December 2014 - 8:30pm

On 28th December at 8:30pm Irish language broadcaster TG4 will show a new documentary telling Mary's story and celebrating her singing and harp-playing career. The documentary includes a new interview with Mary and is sprinkled with film clips of her performances from the TV archives. Click on the TG4 logo (below left) for more information

From her early days in Sligo to her current home on the Aran Islands, this one hour documentary tells the remarkable story of harpist and singer, Mary O'Hara who for many years was Ireland's greatest music export. She performed at Carnegie Hall and in the Sydney Opera House, had her own BBC series and appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. And then, with the world at her feet, she gave it all up. 12 years later she returned from obscurity, rose to the top of her game again, and then gave it all up for a second time. This one hour documentary tells Mary's remarkable story, in her own words - from the TG4 guide

The entire documentary is available on the TG4 Player until 1st Feb 2015 - click on the photo (left) to view

MATURE LIVING MAGAZINE : July 2014
Read the magazine's new interview with Mary O'Hara

Mature Living magazine's Catherine Gilmartin recently spoke to Mary O'Hara about her life and work and you can read the resulting feature article 'The Voice of an angel' by clicking on the cover image (left) or by clicking here

The Irish Times - 21st April 2014

"AN IRISHMAN IN AFRICA"
Pádraig O’Toole’s new book tells a moving story of life in Africa and Ireland

Read the new review of Pádraig O’Toole’s book by clicking on the logo (right)

MARY O'HARA'S PUBLIC INTERVIEW AT NUI GALWAY "A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS"

The Centre for Irish Studies-NUI Galway have declared their Public Interview with Mary O'Hara on 8th April 2014 as "a tremendous success... Discussing her life and music-making, Mary made the task of the interviewer, Méabh Ní Fhuartháin, an easy one"

The interview was filmed and recorded as part of an upcoming documentary, so it will be available in due course for all to see

Click on the logo to see the Centre for Irish Studies-NUI Galway's facebook posting/report on Mary's interview

To view photographs taken at the interview click on each image (right)
Photos appear courtesy of the Centre for Irish Studies-NUI Galway

"THE HARPIST AND THE MISSIONARY: A LOVE STORY"
The Irish Times - 7th April 2014
Read the new profile on Mary O'Hara and her husband Pádraig O'Toole by clicking on the logo (right)

"PUBLIC INTERVIEW EXPLORES MARY'S MUSICAL LEGACY" -
Read the article in the 28/03/2014 edition of the Galway City Tribune by clicking on the logo (right)

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, GALWAY. Tuesday 8th April 2014 - 7pm:
A Public interview with Soprano and Harpist Mary O'Hara

Comhrá Ceoil and the Centre for Irish Studies, NUI Galway, have announced details of a public interview with Mary O’Hara, singer and harpist. The interview will take place at 7.00pm, on Tuesday, 8th April 2014 conducted by Dr Méabh Ní Fhuartháin, Acting Director at the Centre for Irish Studies, NUI Galway and chaired by Dr Helen Lawlor (DKIT)

Mary O’Hara, originally from Sligo and now resident on the Aran Islands, is a leading figure in the popularisation and globalisation of Irish music during the latter half of the twentieth century. Beginning in the 1950s, she played a seminal role in the reconfiguration of Irish music performance in the public domain through recordings, radio and TV appearances, and her worldwide concert tours. In a review of two albums of songs with harp accompaniment by Mary O’Hara, the critic Charles Acton advised that "at least one of these records should be in every home" (Irish Times - 1960) and O’Hara’s return to the concert stage in 1977 after twelve and a half years of monastic silence was declared the "folk music event of the year" (The Observer - 1978)

The public interview is part of the Martin Reilly Lecture Series, which is dedicated to Martin Reilly, the celebrated nineteenth century Galway uilleann piper. The interview takes place in the SAC Room (CA110), in St. Anthony’s, NUI Galway (Upper Newcastle Road Entrance) at 7.00pm. Admission is free and everyone is welcome to attend

Click for the National University of Ireland, Galway: Centre for Irish Studies website
To view or download the poster for Mary's public interview please click here

NEW BOOK - PADRAIG O'TOOLE: 'ARAN TO AFRICA - An Irishman's Unique Odyssey'

Mary's husband, Pádraig O'Toole, has just published his autobiography. It is published by Nuascéalta and is available from amazon worldwide in both paperback and e-book editions

Starting with an insider's glimpse of a vanished way of life on the remote Aran Islands, the book then traces the phases of Pádraig's life, from a barefoot Irish-speaking boy who learnt English, building labourer in England, to rebellious seminarian, celibate missionary residing in an African Emir's harem, teacher of the Qur'an to Muslim students, expert horseman and boatman, priest at odds with church bureaucracy, magazine editor, doctoral student in Canada, teacher in England, international concert promoter, and journalism professor in Tanzania. Padraig married the internationally renowned singer and harpist Mary O'Hara in 1985 and, now retired to his native lnis Mór, he sums up and reflects on his life in this unique and compelling new book

MARY O'HARA : TRAVELS WITH MY HARP - A Talk with Video Archives

Princess Grace Irish Library, Monaco.
Tuesday 17th December 2013 at 19:30

Mary will give her latest 'Travels With My Harp' talk with video and music clips at the Princess Grace Irish Library. Copies of her autobiography 'Travels With My Harp - The Complete Autobiography' will be on sale at the event and Mary will be available to sign copies

For the 'Travels With My Harp' talk poster click on the image (left)

Visit the Princess Grace Irish Library website for further information on Mary's talk and to reserve seats by clicking on the Library's logo (right)

MARY O'HARA - 'Travels With My Harp - The Complete Autobiography':
THE PEOPLE'S BOOK PRIZE 2012/13 FINALIST (non-fiction)

Mary's book 'Travels With My Harp' enjoyed success in the Winter 2012 People's Book Prize (see previous news article below) securing enough public votes to become one of the four finalists in the non-fiction category. Click here for the list of finalists

'Travels With My Harp' is now eligible for The People's Book Prize 2012/13 and the public are voting again to decide this year's winners in each of the three categories (fiction, non-fiction and children's). Click here to view the winners of previous years

Voting for the 2012/13 winners takes place from 21st May until 10am on 29th May 2013. The winners will be announced at the 4th People's Book Prize Award Ceremony which takes place in London on the 29th May

FOR DETAILS OF HOW TO VOTE CLICK HERE. Thankyou for your vote!

WATCH MARY'S LATEST TV APPEARANCE:
"WOULD YOU BELIEVE?"
via the RTÉ website

originally broadcast
10TH MARCH 2013 - 10:30PM
RTÉ ONE

To watch the official RTÉ trailer click the play button:

To watch the entire show click on the 'Would You Believe' logo (above)

"Would You Believe?" is an RTÉ documentary series exploring how spirituality, religious beliefs and moral dilemmas have affected people both in Ireland and abroad and investigates the importance of faith in the 21st century

Irish soprano and harpist Mary O’Hara shot to worldwide fame in the 1950s but when her first husband died of cancer in 1957 she became a Benedictine nun. After 12 years in an enclosed monastic order Mary left the convent and re-launched her international music career. Former African missionary Pat O’Toole became her manager and close friend. Pat eventually left the priesthood and he has been married to Mary for 27 years. Pat and Mary spent years living abroad and touring the world, but as they face the last chapter of their lives they have come back to Ireland. Having devoted much of their lives to the work of God, both Pat and Mary still have a strong faith but their relationship with God is very different and constantly searching (taken from the RTÉ press release)

Mary's new book ' Travels With My Harp - The Complete Autobiography' has been nominated for The People's Book Prize (patron Frederick Forsyth) in their Winter 2012/2013 Collection - non-fiction section

The People's Book Prize is a national competition, a truly democratic book prize decided exclusively by the public

Voting is currently taking place

For details of how to vote for Mary's book and add your support for its nomination for The People's Book Prize click on the logo (right)

LOOK OUT FOR MARY'S LATEST TV APPEARANCE!
Mary will appear on TV3's 'The Morning Show' on Thursday 20th December at 11am
Click on the image (right) for the show's website where you can view the live broadcast or catch it for a limited time via TV3's 3player

THE CONNACHT TRIBUNE: 'Harpist who conquered world happy with Aran life'
Check out the 16th Nov 2012 edition of The Connacht Tribune to read this new feature article on Mary
Click logo (right) to read an on-line extract from the article

LISTEN TO MARY'S BRAND NEW RADIO INTERVIEW:
Aled Jones with Good Morning Sunday
Originally broadcast on BBC Radio 2 - 18th November 2012
(available via the internet until 9:07am on Sunday 25th Nov)

Mary O'Hara made a welcome return to the Good Morning Sunday programme on 18th November 2012. Mary made several appearances on the Radio 2 programme during her singing and harp-playing career and she returned to talk with Aled Jones about her life, faith and inspiration.
Mary also discussed recent projects, one of which is her new autobiography entitled 'Travels With My Harp -The Complete Autobiography'. For full details of the book please click here

To listen to Mary's interview via the Good Morning Sunday webpage please click on the Aled Jones image (right). You can also listen to the programme via BBC Radio iplayer. Available until 9:07am on Sunday 25th November

READ THE NEW CLASSICS ON-LINE REVIEW OF MARY'S NEW BOOK 'Travels With My Harp' Click logo (right)

MARY O'HARA will be in-store at Liber Bookshop, Sligo at 4pm on Friday 9th October 2012
All welcome to come along and catch up with Mary
She will be signing copies of her new book ' Travels With My Harp'
Click on the photo (right) for details of Liber Bookshop

MARY O'HARA was interviewed by GALWAY BAY FM on Thurs 25th October 2012 at 11:00am
To listen to Mary's interview with the 'Galway Talks' radio show click here

Mary gave her latest talk at Dubray Bookshop, Galway on 25th October 2012 at 6:00pm and afterwards signed copies of her new book ' Travels With My Harp'
Please click on the Dubray Books logo (right) for full details of Mary's talk

LEFT: Mary O'Hara signing copies of her new autobiography 'Travels With My Harp - The Complete Autobiography' at Dubray Bookshop

PASSION PIT'S 'Sleepyhead' to feature on X Factor USA
The X Factor USA has asked to use Passion Pit's 'Sleepyhead' , an electropop track that samples Mary O'Hara's recording of 'Oro Mo Bhaidin', in the new season of the American talent show.
X Factor USA starts on 12th September 2012 on the Fox TV network.
Click here for information on the 'Sleepyhead' track and to watch the music video. Click on the X Factor logo (right) for the show's website

JUNE 2012 - Newly remastered and now available via digital download: 'Mary O'Hara Sa Ghailearaí Náisiúnta'

Gael Linn have re-issued 'Mary O'Hara Sa Ghailearaí Náisiúnta'. The album is a live recording of a concert Mary gave in the National Gallery of Ireland, in Dublin, on the 7th September 1982. The album contains traditional material and all the songs are sung in Irish or Scots Gaelic. It is the only Mary O'Hara album consisting entirely of Gaelic material and is therefore unique in her discography. The recording was produced by the late Ciaran Mac Mathuna, the renowned Irish producer

'Mary O'Hara Sa Ghailearaí Náisiúnta' is available from digital music retailers including amazon, play.com, hmv and iTunes

The Late Late Show - RTÉ One - Friday 1st June 2012:

A special edition of The Late Late Show celebrated its 50th anniversary. The special celebration, presented by host Ryan Tubridy, saw a large gathering of well-known Irish personalities, including Mary O'Hara, mark this milestone
The night was marked by an eclectic mix of musical acts, comedy and entertainment and the audience comprised people who made the Late Late Show the most successful and watched chat show in Ireland over the last 50 years
Ryan Tubridy was joined by former presenters Gay Byrne and Pat Kenny, and they reminisced about the longest-running chat show in the world

Mary's latest TV interview was on RTÉ One's Nationwide. Click on the RTÉ Player image:

Nationwide's Mary Kennedy visited Mary O'Hara and her husband Padraig O'Toole at their home on the Aran Islands. This episode of Nationwide was first broadcast by RTÉ One on 28th May 2012

(available on RTÉ Player until 18th June)

Listen to Mary's recent interview on RTÉ Radio 1 by clicking on the RTÉ Radio Player image:

Mary joined John Murray on his live radio show on 14th May 2012 and talked about her life, music and her new book Travels With My Harp - The Complete Autobiography