Leafy Beechwood Avenue in Ranelagh is about to be added to the destination for Irish Americans, tourists, and film buffs alike, following the erection of a commemorative plaque in September to honour Maureen FitzSimons, better known as Maureen O’Hara, at no. 32 Beechwood Avenue Upper, her childhood home.
O’Hara, who was born in 1920, spent many happy years in Dublin 6. Her acting career started at the age of 10 when she became a member of The Rathmines Theatre Company. As a teenager, while studying at the Abbey, she came to the attention of the actor Charles Laughton. Hereafter it was in Hollywood she developed into a world-renowned film star. By 1960 she had received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 2014 she was awarded an Honorary Oscar. She died the next year at the age of 95.
Dublin Award
An application for a permanent marker was made to Dublin City Council’s Commemorative Plaque Scheme, a stipulation being that it must be past the centenary of a nominee’s birth, or in the case of an event that has occurred at least 20 years previously. This is part of Dublin City Council’s ongoing initiative to celebrate and honour notable Dubliners who have contributed to the city’s rich cultural and historical heritage.
Dr Ruth Barton and Cllr Dermot Lacey
O’Hara, a great candidate for the award, starred in many timeless classics. The most renowned being The Quiet Man, in which O’Hara began to establish herself as that fiery redhead, with fierce independence, and captivating performances. Oddly enough, the film was nearly never made. O’Hara noted that it had taken five years to raise the money. For, “Everyone that read the script said it was a silly little Irish film that would sink without a trace.” The only way the film could go ahead was if O’Hara and co-star John Wayne agreed to make a western to recoup the costs, and the rest is history. O’Hara went on to make over fifty films, including such classics like A Miracle on 34th Street and Darby O’ Gill as well as TV movies and documentaries. Her last documentary was the 2010 release Dreaming of the Quiet Man.
of no. 32 Rita Purcell and Padraig Collins
The Beechwood Avenue plaque unveiling was conducted by the Lord Mayor of Dublin and Ranelagh native James Geoghegan, and Dr Ruth Barton, film historian and author of several influential books on Irish cinema. The latter spoke about O’Hara’s pioneering career and her lasting legacy in the world of film. The occasion was finished off with a keynote speech from Cllr. Dermot Lacey, a Shamrock Rovers’ fan, who proposed the plaque be erected, honouring O’Hara not only for her cinematic career, but as a supporter of this team. Her connection to the club can be traced back to her father Charles Stewart Parnell FitzSimons, who had bought into the club.
The event was extensively attended and the unveiling met with rapturous applause. The film icon has finally received due appreciation in the town she loved so well.
