Maria Doyle-Cuche facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maria Doyle-Cuche
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Maria Doyle-Cuche (Paris, 2019).
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Maria McCabe |
| Also known as | Maria Christian Maria Doyle Maria Cuche |
| Born | 6 May 1965 |
| Origin | Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1985, 2016–present |
Maria Doyle-Cuche, born on May 6, 1965, is an amazing singer from Ireland. She became famous when she represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest 1985. Later, she joined TV singing shows like The Voice of Ireland in 2016 and The Voice France in 2020, where she made it to the semi-finals! Maria has been 95% legally blind since she was nine years old. She even wrote a book about her life called "On ne voit bien qu’avec le cœur," which means One Can Only Truly See with the Heart.
Contents
Maria Doyle-Cuche's Life Story
Early Life and Dreams
Maria was born in 1965 in Dundalk, Ireland. When she was nine, she started to lose her eyesight because of a condition called Stargardt's genetic disease. Even though she couldn't see well, she still dreamed of becoming a singer. When she was thirteen, an American lady heard her sing. This lady helped Maria raise money to travel to the United States for special music training.
Starting Her Singing Career
In 1985, when Maria was 19, she represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest. She used the name Maria Christian for the contest. She sang a song called "Wait Until The Weekend Comes," written by Brendan Graham. She did very well, earning 91 points and finishing in 6th place. Her song "Wait Until The Weekend Comes" also became popular in Ireland.
Family Life and Return to Music
Maria later married a Frenchman named Emmanuel Cuche. They moved to France in the early 1990s and settled near Lunéville. They have seven children: Emmanuel, Shannon, Brian, Stéphanie, Tara, Molly, and Emma. All of their children are musicians too! They play different instruments like the piano, violin, cello, flute, and guitar.
After spending many years raising her family, Maria decided to return to singing. In 2016, she joined The Voice of Ireland using her married name, Maria Cuche. She then tried out for the French version of the show, The Voice France, in 2020. On The Voice France, she sang many famous songs. For her first audition, she sang the Irish song "Danny Boy" with all her children playing instruments. She also sang "You Raise Me Up" and "Memory". She made it all the way to the semi-finals! There, she sang "Hymne à l'amour" by Edith Piaf with her two oldest children, Emmanuel and Shannon.
Author and Speaker
Maria is also a speaker. She gave a special talk at a TEDx event. This talk inspired her to write her autobiography, "On ne voit bien qu’avec le cœur." The book was published by Plon under the name Maria Doyle.
In 2021, Maria was invited to sing at a special online event for the Irish Embassy in Paris. She sang "You Raise Me Up" with her son Emmanuel playing the piano. In 2024, she received a very special award called the Presidential Distinguished Service Award from the Irish President. This made her the first French woman to receive such an honor!
