Eileen Donaghy facts for kids

Eileen Donaghy (born Mary Josephine McNally, 16 July 1930 – 26 October 2008) was a famous Irish traditional singer. She was well known for her beautiful voice and for singing popular ballads. Some of her most famous songs were The Oul Lammas Fair and My Lagan Love. People often called her the "First Lady of the Moy" because of her connection to the town of Moy.

Eileen's Early Life

Eileen Donaghy was born Mary Josephine McNally in Brackaville, near Coalisland in County Tyrone. Her family always called her "Maisie." She was the second of three children in her family. Her parents were Hugh Patrick and Brigid McNally. Eileen left school when she was 14 years old. She then worked as a darner in a weaving factory called Derryvale. She also joined a local group that performed in halls.

A Star on the Rise

Eileen Donaghy married Tyrone footballer Pat Donaghy in 1956. They lived in Coalisland for a while. Later, they moved to Moy. Eileen's big moment came in 1958. She sang "The Boys from the County Armagh" at the Ulster Football Final. This was at Clones to a stadium full of people. It was a huge success!

Touring the World

In the early 1960s, Eileen toured the world. She was part of the traditional folk music scene. She became very popular in many countries. These included Ireland, the UK, New Zealand, Australia, the US, and Canada. One of her albums was called Let's Sing with the Irish. It was released at the same time in the UK and the US.

In 1971, during a difficult time in Northern Ireland, she recorded an album of rebel songs. This album was released using her grandmother's name, Brigid Corey. The album was later reissued on CD.

Her Family

Eileen's husband, Pat Donaghy, passed away in 1991. Eileen and Pat had nine children together. Some of their children, like Colm and Plunkett, also became famous. They played football for County Tyrone.