Marvellous Mary of Meath

I spoke to Irish singing artist Miss Mary Duff yesterday, appropriately from Newcastle, or rather, ‘Castle’ is the appropriate word. Mary who hails from the Royal County of Meath in Ireland, is every bit the mythical Irish princess, a princess with the voice of an angel. The latter being the title of Mary’s most recent album.

Mary is a regular visitor to Tasmania, touring both as a special guest of the Daniel O’Donnell tour and in her own solo tours. This year Mary is touring with Daniel and will be performing at two shows in Tassie, on March 13 in Hobart and March 14 in Launceston. Mary tells me her latest album ‘Voice of an Angel’ was a joy to make and features many of the hymns and spiritual songs Mary remembers from her childhood.

It was a very young Mary Duff that entered a local newspaper song contest 25 years ago. The competition culminated in a television show called ‘Search for a Star’, perhaps comparable to today’s X Factor. Mary won the competition and Sean Riley, the manager of Daniel O’Donnell, saw her and recruited her to Daniel’s team. The rest as they say is history. The young Mary has never looked back. Possessing what is truly the voice of an angel the humble Mary reflects upon the contest victory which started her international career and how perhaps a higher power was watching over her that day. Prior to the show a friend had given her a 2 inch statue of St Martin for luck. That statue has been carried by Mary for 25 years to successive performances but Mary’s religious beliefs didn’t start there.

As a six year old after her Grandads passing Mary went to live with her Grandmother who would attend, with Mary and her mother, the church holy hour at 3 o’clock on Sunday afternoons. Mary’s Grandmother also introduced her to the spiritual benefits of holy water. Mary remembers blessing herself with the holy water before bed each night for protection, a practice she continues to this day before her performances. She also carries with her numerous holy medals and miniature statues apart from her St Martin. It may seem superstitious, but Mary believes that without the support of her holy helpers she would not have the success and happiness she does have. Mary is also a believer in guardian angels and how they protect us and give us what we need even if we don’t always realise it!

For many of her fans Mary is seen as an angel herself with her ethereal, otherworldly voice. The Mary Duff appreciation society are a group from the UK who arrange to take other fans to visit places in Ireland meaningful to Mary, such as the schools she attended up to the present country club she now runs with her husband and where Mary puts on some shows at the club for the fans!

Next year Mary is expected to return to Tasmania with her own solo tour and as well as the inspirational, holy and country songs we know from her, Mary will also be showcasing a new album, a real treat for fans, this album will be one of traditional Irish songs. Mary tells me in researching for the album she is amazed at how extensive the catalogue of traditional Irish songs is and already she has 20 songs selected for the album. I suggest we may need to see a volume 2!

Mary has been described as ‘a quiet and powerful force’ in music and those close to her and her fans also know she is a quietly compassionate in her dealings with them just like the angel in her latest album title.

Mary is also a very beautiful and glamorous lady and fans will acknowledge that they love seeing her in all the lovely dresses she wears at her performances. Mary admits to loving those dresses too and because of sentiment dearly hates to part with them, although she does tell me before this tour she did manage to allocate some cases of her beautiful gowns to the charity shops as she is well aware of the difficult times the Irish economy is going through.

To top it off a lovely chat with Mary she told me it was her birthday and an important one at that as it also marks a year of special celebrations as Mary celebrates 25 years of touring with Daniel O‘Donnell.

You can read more about Mary and keep up to date with this delightful Miss of Meath on her website at http://www.maryduff.net/.
Paula Xiberras