Mary O'Hara - Travels With My Harp

THE SCRIPT OF JOHN MISTO'S 'HARP ON THE WILLOW' IS NOW PUBLISHED BY ORIGIN THEATRICAL

Mary gave Australian playwright John Misto permission to adapt her bestselling 1980 autobiography 'The Scent of the Roses' for the stage. The resulting play 'Harp On The Willow' enjoyed a successful debut in 2003 at the Ensemble Theatre, Sydney and further productions included a season at the Comedy Theatre, Melbourne (2007) and Wyong Drama Group (2010)

'Harp On The Willow' won the Rodney Seaborn Award for best play

John Misto: "I spent six years searching for this extraordinary lady and located her finally in the heart of Africa. One of the world's most beloved and famous singers was literally in the Jungle. She gave me permission to write this play. I had to tell this story before Hollywood beat me to it, a story about those missing years"

"The play is carefully and rewardingly constructed" STEPHEN DUNNE - Sydney Morning Herald

"Mary O'Hara's story is the stuff of great fiction, and the complete storybook plot. But all the major events in this story are true ... Excellent cast and direction ... Moving story" JOHN PIERCE - The Catholic Weekly

TWO RADIO VARIETY SHOWS FROM 1959 STARRING MARY O'HARA ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO LISTEN TO VIA YOUTUBE

'THE FORD SHOW' - Australia 1959

Click here to listen to Mary star in Episode 269
Click here to listen to Mary star in Episode 285

Mary appeared on 'The Ford Show' whilst in Australia on her eight week concert tour which commenced in July 1959 at the Assembly Hall, Sydney. The tour was so successful it was extended for a further six weeks in New Zealand. Mary also filmed her own TV series whilst in Australia (broadcast in 1960 on ATN-7) and a three part radio series of hers was broadcast in August 1959

ABOVE: TOUR FLYER FOR MARY'S 1959 AUSTRALIAN TOUR

The Power Pictures documentary about Mary first shown on TG4 TV in 2014 is still available to view on vimeo. Click on the vimeo logo to view

Pádraig O’Toole : Aran to Africa: An Irishman's Unique Odyssey - Commemorative Edition

Mary O'Hara's husband Pádraig O’Toole died in October 2015, having lived to see the success of his memoir Aran to Africa, first published in 2013. A second tribute edition is now available to further commemorate his life and work. This new edition features additional photos, tributes and a preface by Mary's nephew, the acclaimed writer Sebastian Barry

Aran to Africa traces the steps of Pádraig O' Toole from a barefoot Irish-speaking boy who learns English, to rebellious seminarian, building labourer, celibate residing in an African Emir's harem, teacher of the Qur'an to Muslim students, expert horseman and boatman, priest at loggerheads with church bureaucrats, magazine editor, doctoral student in Canada, teacher in England, international concert promoter, and journalism professor in Tanzania. In this compelling read, we encounter U.S. author Leon Uris, media guru Marshall McLuhan, renowned educationalists Paolo Freire and Ivan lllich, and Irish authors Maeve Binchy, Breandan Ó hEithir and John B. Keane. Pádraig married singer and harpist Mary O'Hara in 1985 and later retiring to his native lnis Mór, Ireland, with Mary, he sums up reflections inspired by his life
Available in both paperback and e-book format. Click here for more details on Amazon

Mary O'Hara's 'This Is Your Life' from 1978 is featured on the 'Big Red Book - celebrating TV's This Is Your Life' website

Mary was filming at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu when Eamonn Andrews surprised her and the ITV programme was broadcast on 8th November 1978

Click here to visit Mary's webpage in the Big Red Book

A short clip from Mary's 'This Is Your Life' can be viewed on YouTube

MARY O'HARA RECEIVES HER LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD AT THE ACHILL INTERNATIONAL HARP FESTIVAL (FOR DETAILS OF THE HARP FESTIVAL SEE BELOW)

ON 30TH OCTOBER 2016 MARY O'HARA IS TO BE HONOURED WITH A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Achill International Harp Festival, in conjunction with Harp Ireland-Fóram Cruite na hÉireann, will present legendary soprano and harpist Mary O’Hara with a lifetime achievement award for her outstanding career and promotion of the Irish harp around the world

Achill Island will be alive and buzzing with the rich and vibrant sounds of harps from around the world over the October 2016 Bank Holiday weekend. The inaugural Achill International Harp Festival aligns itself with ancient harping traditions by gathering harpers at Samhain to explore, develop, and perhaps challenge this beautiful musical form. The festival will not only celebrate the harp as the national instrument and national emblem of Ireland, it will also showcase the instrument in its international context, with harpers from other parts of Europe and South America. Visitors will be able to experience the best of music and be immersed in the culturally rich and beautiful surroundings of the island situated on the Wild Atlantic Way

For full details (including time and venue of Mary's award presentation) visit the official AIHF website by clicking here
View the official festival brochure by clicking here
Read the article about the AIHF in the September 30th 2016 edition of the Mayo Advertiser by clicking here
Read The Journal of Music's article about Mary's lifetime achievement award by clicking here

The kindle edition of Mary's
'Travels With My Harp -
The Complete Autobiography'
is now available from