Maureen O’Hara has found peace in Idaho – but still has a place in her heart for Ireland and Hollywood.
After a bitter legal struggle with a former personal assistant back in Cork, O’Hara has settled into a new life in Boise staying with her grandson Conor FitzSimons and as a great-grandmother to his two kids.
Allegations of elder abuse and financial mismanagement by her personal assistant Carolyn Murphy was made which Murphy strongly denied.
In a statement last summer in Glengarrif,Cork where she then lived O’Hara stated “Discoveries give me grave concern regarding the handling of my affairs . . . Carolyn Murphy’s no longer my personal assistant.”
Murphy replied “I have done nothing wrong . . . I didn’t take any money” and she strongly denied allegations of elder abuse. ”
The 92-year-old screen legend has revealed her contentment in her new home in a moving interview with the Idaho Statesman.
And even now, as she relaxes in the company of her great-grandchildren, O’Hara finds time for some self critique as ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ fills the seasonal screens again.
As they watched the 1947 classic, she told Bill Roberts from the paper: “How did I do that? Why didn’t I pay attention? Oh, I did a good job with that scene.”
O’Hara is now living in a purpose built new home in Idaho after her only grandson Conor FitzSimons brought her back from Ireland.
She is reticent to talk about the dispute with her former PA but plans to write a book on the experience.
Her New York based lawyer Ed Fickess explained: “Maureen took steps to discharge the power of attorney, then fended off a second power of attorney and took steps to be reunited with her family, especially her grandson.”
The report says that her recently built Boise home is dotted with memorabilia from her more than a half-century in film including a poster from 1955’s ‘The Magnificent Matador’ co-starring Anthony Quinn, and a photo of John Wayne, with whom she made five movies.
Roberts reports that when O’Hara talks about her new hometown, she sometimes uses both city and state: Boise, Idaho. “Funny thing,” she said, “when you are in the picture business, you don’t learn a thing by the one name.
“Scripts must tell the audience exactly what location you are talking about. People say, ‘Oh, this is my town ... and they tell their neighbors you better go see that movie because we get credit for our town. The most important part of showing a movie is to please the public.”
Recalling her childhood in ‘Dirty’ Dublin, O’Hara admitted she sees similarities between the city of her birth and her new home.
“I see cows and sheep along the roadside in the Treasure Valley and it reminds me of home,” she told Roberts.
She said she is cautious about talking a lot about Boise, lest she offend Dubliners. “Then the dirty Dubs will say, ‘Why the hell didn’t she say anything about Dublin?’” she added.
Roberts reports that O’Hara rises late in the morning, usually about 10 a.m. She has breakfast, reads the newspaper and does about an hour of memory exercises, focusing on items such as the date and the name of the president of the United States.
“It’s terrible when you’re getting old and starting to forget,” O’Hara said. “It will happen to you.”
Most days she will listen to one of the three albums she cut in her career and a favorite features Irish songs.
“Our mother was a beautiful contralto,” O’Hara said, adding that her sister, Peggy, was a soprano. “If she had not entered the convent she would have become an opera singer.”
Not that O’Hara, a soprano, was known for her singing voice in the movies.
“They never wanted me to be singing,” she said of the studios. “They wanted me to be a stuntwoman and do fighting.”
Visited daily by her great-grandchildren, BayLee and Everest, O’Hara is happy in her new surroundings.
The screen goddess also reminisced about her working relationship with John Wayne.
She added: “We were two tough, don’t-give-in, keep-at-it people that enjoyed working together. We enjoyed working together because we knew how to be tough but not hateful.”
The author says that Wayne once called O’Hara the best guy he ever knew, to which she responds, “He was one of the best guys I ever knew.”
The Wayne/O’Hara connection is still alive and vibrant says Roberts, three decades after Wayne’s death.
He reports that O’Hara will travel to Wayne’s hometown of Winterset, Iowa, in May to attend Wayne’s 106th birthday celebration. The gathering will pay tribute to O’Hara by showing movies the two made together.
“It will be as good as having John Wayne here,” said Brian Downes, a former newspaper reporter who is now director of the John Wayne Birthplace Museum.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.RobinForester | Jan 20, 2013, 02:06 PM EST
Is Maureen O'Hara really 92? And if it is true then that means I have been in love with her for 60 years. When I was 12 she was 32, which I agree doesn't look right, meaning a wisp of a boy falling in love with a woman aged 30, but stop there if you will, when she was 62, I was only 42 and that was acceptable then in the sense that people would understand. So I think I'd better write to her and propose, I'll start my letter Dear Mrs O’Hara, Maureen, when I was young it was not unheard off for young boys to dream about what the woman they would one day marry would look like, and when I dreamt of 'her' it was you. You were always my other women, my role model for a wife, so I think it's time to confess, I have loved you all my life. I will end my letter with ‘John Wayne was in love with you as well’, and why he never proposed his for millions one of lives greatest mysteries’. And long may you stay, forever young as you are, Love Bob, England.
tohare9 | Dec 28, 2012, 11:35 AM EST
What happened to the famous Irish sense of Humor? I loved the story over all , I take what I like and leave the rest! I wish there were more Quality in the movies such as The Quiet Man),and I have written one about Galway and the West of Ireland ; where I found graciousness Love and hospitality lke I never expierienced before. It Happened at Galway Bay ,1961 I am opinionated (like the Irish)of course I do Love John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara, Maureen couldn't have been brought into a Love story in a more Dramatic way! My story starts 20 yr's later with a Dance , one dance at Seapoint Ballroom , and we continued to Dance from Galway to Dublin for another quite Man to find Love and Happiness in the west of Ireland! Thomas D. O'Hare, No relation !To the O'Hara's except. American Irish, O'Hare and Mc Kenna's
bobby | Dec 27, 2012, 09:45 AM EST
@michaelidaho, winters in Idaho are alot colder than in Ireland for sure. I travelled through Boise, it was one of the most morbid cold places i ever visited. Glengarriff or Boise, i know where i would want to be. At her time in life it's good she spends time with her grandchildren. The weather for the week ahead in Boise, daytime temperatures are below zero and overcast with snow, and alot colder at night. The daytime temperatures in Glengarriff is 12C and a night 8C, alot milder than in Boise.
michaelidaho | Dec 26, 2012, 04:16 PM EST
Rebelforce, I do not not know where you are from but winters in Boise, Idaho are much more tolerable than Ireland or anywhere north of Virginia on the East Coast.
bobby | Dec 25, 2012, 07:27 PM EST
Norman, Jealous? What's to be Jealous of? How Thick you are. Have a look at yourselves, You lot are laughed at around the world. Your screwed up. And in denial. As i said a sad bunch. It's no surprise you are all armed and killing each other. Sad Crazy people.
anglo-norman | Dec 25, 2012, 05:47 PM EST
bobby- Don't be jealous son..
bobby | Dec 25, 2012, 05:17 PM EST
Norman i just knew you would be first to crawl out of the hole and comment. Fake, Pretense and screwed up, all in the place you live. Happy Christmas, or do you say Happy Holidays..... SAD BUNCH
anglo-norman | Dec 25, 2012, 04:16 PM EST
bobby- wrong..the Irish are fake as hell son.
bobby | Dec 25, 2012, 10:16 AM EST
@Schlomo you sound very Bitter, one thing about the Irish, they are not Fake.
cillowen | Dec 24, 2012, 06:21 PM EST
Wonderful Lady - hope her days there in Boise are glorious making her forget the trauma she was put through - ya'll know where.
anglo-norman | Dec 24, 2012, 06:11 PM EST
schlomo- correct... the stupidity & greed is always behind the facade of "shure aren't we a great people" crap.
Searlit | Dec 24, 2012, 04:56 PM EST
I'm so glad there's been a follow-up article about Maureen O'Hara. I've been wondering how she is. I know the people in Ireland must miss her, although, she is probably happiest being with her grandson & great- grandchildren. I wish them all a Merry Christmas!
Happyhippo | Dec 24, 2012, 03:09 PM EST
We were in Cong Co Mayo last summer to track the trail of the Quit Man,there's not much left of White O'Morn now,the cottage setting for the film but they have plans to rebuild,she has maintained she should have won an oscar for her role but that politics got in the way,i think everybody would agree with her,we wish Maureen every happiness in her new life,she is such a much loved icon for Irish people all over the world.
Smyrnian | Dec 24, 2012, 02:47 PM EST
Excuse me, Croagh, Maureen was no Lindsey Lohan. Maureen was a very classy lady and still is. Get a grip.
JBRAFTREE | Dec 24, 2012, 02:22 PM EST
Bless her heart, she can, and should do whatever the hell she wants. Hell has a special place for those that ubused her.
Springfield9 | Dec 24, 2012, 01:51 PM EST
No matter where Maureen O'Hara travels ........she will always be the Queen of all the Irish.
Helen Ferone | Dec 24, 2012, 11:32 AM EST
Maureen, no matter where you move to your home will always be the beautiful country of Ireland, and I don't agree with Schlomo. Politics are politics, but the people are warm and welcoming.
Rebelforce | Dec 24, 2012, 11:32 AM EST
Did anyone mention to Ms O'Hara how cold the Idaho winters can be?
Rebelforce | Dec 24, 2012, 11:18 AM EST
Can someone explain how the Kennedy Center can honor David Letterman, Dustin Hoffman or Led Zeppelin and yet snub one of the last surviving icons of Hollywood's Golden Age, Maureen O'Hara?
Schlomo | Dec 24, 2012, 10:33 AM EST
Maureen finally realized how the Irish really act. It's none of the smiling, sure-an-begoragh the tourists see. Shallow, greed permeates the Irish society.
Schlomo | Dec 24, 2012, 10:30 AM EST
Better to live near grandchildren, great grandchildren under any circumstances. Good luck to her in her final days.
michaelidaho | Dec 24, 2012, 10:22 AM EST
Welcome to Idaho Maureen O'Hara!
CroughPatrick | Dec 24, 2012, 08:39 AM EST
did you know she was the Lindsay Lohan of her time?