Moira Deady
Encyclopedia
Moira Deady was an Irish actress. She starred as Mary Riordan in The Riordans
from 1965 until it was axed in 1979, before appearing as Nellie Connors in Glenroe
. Mary Riordan was considered "the quintessential Irish mammy" - Irish Independent/The Irish Times. She played Mrs Coffey in The Irish R.M.
She had roles in such films as This Is My Father
and Angela's Ashes
(as moneylender Mrs. Purcell).
Raised in Kinsale
, County Cork
, she later resided in Greystones
, County Wicklow
. She began acting by travelling around Ireland as part of fit-ups (travelling theatre troupes).
She married fellow actor Johnny Hoey ("Francie Maher", The Riordans). He predeceased her, though three daughters and one son were still alive at the time of her own death in 2010. Fans often thought she was married in real life to actor John Cowley
who played "Tom Riordan", her husband in The Riordans and were sometimes upset seeing her with her real-life husband.
In 2009, she reunited with other cast members of The Riordans for an RTÉ documentary on the programme. rural drama series, The Riordans
. She was one of a small number of Riordans actors to work on both its successor series Bracken
and Glenroe
.
commented on her part in Irish history: "In her role as the matriarch of The Riordans homestead, she was ever present, each Sunday, on our television screens dealing with the changing landscape and domestic issues that Ireland as a country was experiencing".
John Boland, writing in the Irish Independent
, called her "everyone's mammy and the conscience of a nation" while reflecting that this meant all the senior cast members of The Riordans were now dead. Hundreds of people attended her funeral on 18 November at Holy Rosary Church, Greystones.
The Riordans
The Riordans was the second Irish soap opera made by Raidio Telefís Éireann . It ran from 1965 to 1979 and was set in the fictional townland of Leestown in County Kilkenny...
from 1965 until it was axed in 1979, before appearing as Nellie Connors in Glenroe
Glenroe
Glenroe was an Irish television drama series broadcast between September 1983 and May 2001 on RTÉ One. The programme was a spin-off from Bracken, a short-lived RTÉ drama itself spun off from The Riordans. Glenroe was broadcast on Sunday nights at 20.30, generally from September to May. The show was...
. Mary Riordan was considered "the quintessential Irish mammy" - Irish Independent/The Irish Times. She played Mrs Coffey in The Irish R.M.
The Irish R.M.
The Irish R.M. refers to a series of books by the Anglo-Irish novelists Somerville and Ross, and the television comedy-drama series based on them...
She had roles in such films as This Is My Father
This Is My Father
This Is My Father is a 1998 Irish-American film directed by Paul Quinn.- Plot :The film portrays a tragic love story set in late 1930s Ireland, focusing on the relationship between Fiona Flynn , a beautiful, feisty seventeen-year-old from a middle class family, and Kieran O'Dea , a shy labourer in...
and Angela's Ashes
Angela's Ashes (film)
Angela's Ashes is a 1999 Irish-American drama film based on the memoir of the same title by Frank McCourt. It was directed by Alan Parker and starred Emily Watson, Robert Carlyle, Joe Breen, Ciaran Owens, and Michael Legge .-Plot:Angela's Ashes tells the story of Frank McCourt and his childhood...
(as moneylender Mrs. Purcell).
Raised in Kinsale
Kinsale
Kinsale is a town in County Cork, Ireland. Located some 25 km south of Cork City on the coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon and has a population of 2,257 which increases substantially during the summer months when the tourist season is at its peak and...
, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, she later resided in Greystones
Greystones
Greystones is a coastal town and small seaside resort in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is located on Ireland’s east coast, south of Bray and south of Dublin , with a population in the region of 15,000....
, County Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
. She began acting by travelling around Ireland as part of fit-ups (travelling theatre troupes).
She married fellow actor Johnny Hoey ("Francie Maher", The Riordans). He predeceased her, though three daughters and one son were still alive at the time of her own death in 2010. Fans often thought she was married in real life to actor John Cowley
John Cowley (actor)
John Cowley was an Irish actor, best known for his role as paterfamilias, Tom Riordan, in the long-running RTÉ Television drama series, The Riordans....
who played "Tom Riordan", her husband in The Riordans and were sometimes upset seeing her with her real-life husband.
In 2009, she reunited with other cast members of The Riordans for an RTÉ documentary on the programme. rural drama series, The Riordans
The Riordans
The Riordans was the second Irish soap opera made by Raidio Telefís Éireann . It ran from 1965 to 1979 and was set in the fictional townland of Leestown in County Kilkenny...
. She was one of a small number of Riordans actors to work on both its successor series Bracken
Bracken (TV series)
Bracken was an Irish television soap opera broadcast from 1978 to 1982 on RTÉ One in Ireland. It mainly centred about rural life in and around County Wicklow in the Republic of Ireland. The main stars of the show were Gabriel Byrne and Niall Tóibín...
and Glenroe
Glenroe
Glenroe was an Irish television drama series broadcast between September 1983 and May 2001 on RTÉ One. The programme was a spin-off from Bracken, a short-lived RTÉ drama itself spun off from The Riordans. Glenroe was broadcast on Sunday nights at 20.30, generally from September to May. The show was...
.
Death
She died, aged 88, on 15 November 2010 in Loughlinstown Hospital, County Dublin. Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport Mary HanafinMary Hanafin
Mary Hanafin is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who was a Teachta Dála for Dún Laoghaire from 1997 to 2011. She served as Government Chief Whip , Minister for Education and Science , Minister for Social and Family Affairs , Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport and Minister for Enterprise,...
commented on her part in Irish history: "In her role as the matriarch of The Riordans homestead, she was ever present, each Sunday, on our television screens dealing with the changing landscape and domestic issues that Ireland as a country was experiencing".
John Boland, writing in the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
, called her "everyone's mammy and the conscience of a nation" while reflecting that this meant all the senior cast members of The Riordans were now dead. Hundreds of people attended her funeral on 18 November at Holy Rosary Church, Greystones.
Television
- The RiordansThe RiordansThe Riordans was the second Irish soap opera made by Raidio Telefís Éireann . It ran from 1965 to 1979 and was set in the fictional townland of Leestown in County Kilkenny...
- Mary Riordan - BrackenBracken (TV series)Bracken was an Irish television soap opera broadcast from 1978 to 1982 on RTÉ One in Ireland. It mainly centred about rural life in and around County Wicklow in the Republic of Ireland. The main stars of the show were Gabriel Byrne and Niall Tóibín...
- GlenroeGlenroeGlenroe was an Irish television drama series broadcast between September 1983 and May 2001 on RTÉ One. The programme was a spin-off from Bracken, a short-lived RTÉ drama itself spun off from The Riordans. Glenroe was broadcast on Sunday nights at 20.30, generally from September to May. The show was...
- Nellie Connors - The Irish R.M.The Irish R.M.The Irish R.M. refers to a series of books by the Anglo-Irish novelists Somerville and Ross, and the television comedy-drama series based on them...
- Mrs. Coffey - Legend - herself
Film
- This Is My FatherThis Is My FatherThis Is My Father is a 1998 Irish-American film directed by Paul Quinn.- Plot :The film portrays a tragic love story set in late 1930s Ireland, focusing on the relationship between Fiona Flynn , a beautiful, feisty seventeen-year-old from a middle class family, and Kieran O'Dea , a shy labourer in...
- Mrs. Kearney - Angela's AshesAngela's Ashes (film)Angela's Ashes is a 1999 Irish-American drama film based on the memoir of the same title by Frank McCourt. It was directed by Alan Parker and starred Emily Watson, Robert Carlyle, Joe Breen, Ciaran Owens, and Michael Legge .-Plot:Angela's Ashes tells the story of Frank McCourt and his childhood...
- Mrs. Purcell - HeadrushHeadrush (film)Headrush is a 2003 Irish crime comedy, written and directed by Shimmy Marcus about two young guys, Charlie and T-Bag, who hope to solve all their problems by working for a notorious Underworld Criminal, The Uncle....
- Mrs. Macroom - The Tiger's TailThe Tiger's TailThe Tiger's Tail is a 2006 Irish film directed by John Boorman. It stars Brendan Gleeson and Kim Cattrall. The story focuses on the modern Celtic Tiger Irish economy of the late 20th century.-Plot:...
- Liam's mother, Maeve