Ranelagh remembers Maureen

RANELAGH mourned the loss of its most famous daughter last week after Hollywood legend Maureen O’Hara passed away at the age of 95.

The film star was born in the south city suburb in 1920 and always held her birthplace in great affection. The actress made a celebrated return to her old Dublin community when she officially opened the Ranelagh Arts Festival in 2010.

After news of her death broke last week, a book of condolences was opened at Ranelagh Arts Centre for five days to allow locals and visitors to the area the opportunity to express their sympathy and share their memories of the big screen icon.

The board of Ranelagh Arts Festival extended their deepest sympathy to the family of the actress.

“Maureen was undoubtedly the most famous person ever born in Ranelagh,” said Terry Connaughton, festival board chairman. “We believe we are speaking for all the community in Ranelagh Village and its environs when we say that we are all so proud of her wonderful achievements.”

Speaking with Southside People, Mr Connaughton said it was no mean feat for a small organisation such as theirs to get Maureen O’Hara back to Ranelagh to launch their festival five years ago.

“She was 90-years-of-age at the time and living in Glengarriff in County Cork but it took us quite a while to make a link with her,” he explained. 

Mr Connaughton described Maureen as “charming and wonderful” and recalled that she was incredibly generous with her time when she visited Ranelagh.

“There were probably around 500 people there that night as she launched the festival at The Triangle and I’d say she personally met with 200 of them, chatting and signing autographs – she was just so lovely.”

Mr Connaughton said that O’Hara was a very athletic person, which was why she was cast in so many physical roles during her career. Even at the age of 90, he recalls that she was still very energetic and in marvellous health.

“There were concerns about her having to get up onto the stage in Ranelagh that night but when the time came she just flew up,” he added.

Plans have already been hatched by Ranelagh Arts Festival for a Maureen O’Hara tribute concert in the new year.

Tributes were also paid to ‘The Quiet Man’ star by South Dublin based football club Shamrock Rovers. Maureen O’Hara’s father had been involved with the club and she was a lifelong, passionate supporter of The Hoops.

Here’s a video clip of Maureen O’Hara in Ranelagh in 2010.