Tributes have been paid to renowned singer Maureen Hegarty who has died at the age of 79.
One of Ireland’s most accomplished sopranos, Mrs Hegarty gained an international reputation through her tours as a concert singer, solo albums and through her own television shows and series on BBC, RTE and UTV television.
In a distinguished career spanning more than 60 years, the Derry woman performed with some of the music world’s best known talents, including Josef Locke, Val Doonican, The Chieftains, The Dubliners and Irish-Australian tenor, Patrick O’Hagan. In 1958, while touring the US with the Little Gaelic Singers, she performed on the Ed Sullivan Show and met showbiz legends, Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney.
A stalwart of Feis Dhoire Cholmcille, Mrs Hegarty was one of the most successful soloists in the competition’s history, often winning every award for female voice. In her adult career, she won acclaim for her treatment of Irish ballads and gaelic airs, performing in the world’s top entertainment venues, including the Royal Albert Hall in London, the Chicago Opera House and the Boston Symphony Hall.
In 1974, she was given her own series, Sounds Irish by BBC television.
In a tribute, Feis Dhoire Cholmcille described Mrs Hegarty as “one of the great sopranos” to emerge from Derry.
“She had a wonderful ability to interpret a song, to give it feeling and majesty. It’s a gift that very few people have,” said Feis spokesman Pat McCafferty
