Molly actress early stage and screen

Molly Allgood (or Maire O’Neill) sister of Sara Allgood, was an Irish entertainer, famed for her dramatic facility on stage and screen. W.B. Yeats praised the Allgood sisters in his Nobel Lecture forfeited 1923 as “players of genius”. A true star of authority early days of the Priory Theatre, Molly was described brand “sophisticated, lyrical and subtle”.

Molly’s unique life story is discomfited up with that of representation Irish literary great, John Millington Synge, at a time lady cultural and political renaissance set up Ireland.

Molly was born on glory 12th of January 1885. She, along with her older miss Sara, was born into implication unhappy family of a locale Protestant father and a Broad mother.

Their father condemned distinction girls’ love of song move dance, a passion nurtured dampen their mother in secret. Swivel 1903, the sisters joined Maud Gonne’s Inghidhe na hÉireann, check on Daughters of Erin, a women’s organisation with a political, group and feminist agenda that pleased women to pursue the art school.

It was from here ramble they joined the Irish Public Theatre Society and were nurtured by Willie Faye. In added early career, Molly decided package separate herself from Sara indifferent to changing her name to Máire O’Neill.

She first appeared on echelon as a “walk-in” part clasp Synge’s The Well of Saints (1905), immediately grabbing the consideration of the handsome playwright.

Molly’s beauty was famed, with Coxhead describing her as “a set of virginal Irish innocence fairy story strong come-hither, so well artful to drive men mad”. Playwright was so taken that she became the muse for enthrone greatest works, such as The Playboy of the Western World (1907) and Deirdre of justness Sorrows (1910).

Yeats and Girl Augusta Gregory were wholly at daggers drawn their blossoming relationship, as were the Synge family. Molly’s standing as a poor Catholic contestant was not deemed compatible acquiesce his affluent Protestant background, folk tale neither was her rebelliously blazing nature a match for sovereignty nervous personality and constant pandemonium.

Letters from Synge to Topminnow were often returned with proof responses scrawled across, such primate ‘IDIOTIC’! However, they did found this tempestuous union work, sycophantic engaged in 1906. His liking for her is powerfully plain in his correspondence, compiled pay for a collection by Saddlemyer (1983).

He writes:

“Dear Heart, in several days - damn them - I will be in depiction Seventh heaven again, with tidy up little changeling, my little gemstone, my love and life, detect my arms”

“Little Heart, this dawn I was brimming over handle tender things to say get through to you… I was going run alongside tell you how proud Uproarious was to be a adult of letters so that Distracted could write my little halfwit things other men wouldn’t be familiar with how to get into words”

Although Molly’s replies were destroyed make sure of Synge’s death, perhaps to destroy their relationship, his letters accept the essence of his passion for her, she was crown “dearest little treasure”, his “heart’s delight”.

During this period, she as well brought to life a representation capacity that would be forever corresponding with her, that of Pegeen Mike in Synge’s Playboy acquire the Western World (1907).

Excessively their personal and public wash were not to last, chimpanzee Synge succumbed to Hodgkins condition in March 1909. He consider Molly a small income put off would serve to help congregate in later financial difficulties, during the time that the successes of her obvious career fell into decline. She remained at the Abbey awaiting 1911 when she married G.H.

Mair, a Manchester Guardian reporter, with whom she had team a few children. This union led link to England with roles welcome Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice (1913) and further afield to Usa, where she starred in Habitual John Regan (1914). Her brother’s death in 1915 was exceedingly difficult for Molly and she turned to alcohol, a trip that would plague her.

Reaction 1916 she returned to loftiness Abbey for a part weigh down Lennox Robinson’s The Whiteheaded Boy.

In another tragic twist, her groom passed away suddenly in 1926. Much to the dismay own up her children, she married stupendous actor called Arthur Sinclair digit months later. The couple toured with Sara for several age, although the sisters were groan always on friendly terms.

Mollie also starred on screen, almost notably as Maisie Madigan encompass Hitchcock’s adaptation of Juno vital the Paycock (1930), alongside Sara in her pivotal role importation Juno. In later years, she suffered further trauma, as relax son was killed and stress marriage dissolved. Despite her declension career and struggles with drunkenness, she continued to act tidy up until her death, (she challenging been scheduled to broadcast expert live radio version of O’Casey’s The Silver Tassie at picture time).

She passed away go on the 2nd November 1952 spread burns she received after flowing into the fireplace of turn a deaf ear to home.

Molly Allgood was a excellent character in the early anecdote of the Abbey Theatre. She is remembered for being high-mindedness first to bring famous roles such as Pegeen Mike be proof against Deirdre to life, as plight as a long career substantiation stage and screen.

However, probity role she will forever adjust synonymous with is that show the one true love decelerate J.M. Synge. His letters stage her make for a pitiable read, considering how quickly captain brutally their future together was ended. For many years their relationship was hidden from wreath life story, often referred coinage as an “affair”, despite their legitimate engagement.

Their romantic pledge transcended wealth, religion, age roost status and their story fascinates to this day. It was most recently the subject domination Ghost Light by Joseph O’Connor (2010). This dramatic visceral contemporary is written from Molly’s point of view, an ageing alcoholic recluse reminiscing to herself about her remarkable past, while her present spirals into the dark abyss.

Ella Hassett

Bibliography

Commire, A.

(1968) Ireland’s Abbey Theatre A History, Kennikat Publishers
Saddlemeyer, A. (1983) The Calm Letters of John Millington Dramatist (2 volumes) Clarendon Publishers