NEW YORK BOSTON |#Popular: Irish Celebrity Gossip Irish in US Politics Irish Festivals Irish Roots Irish Entertainment Offbeat Irish

Home Page > News > Actress Maureen O’Hara a victim of elder abuse family claim

Actress Maureen O’Hara a victim of elder abuse family claim

Social worker visits star of ‘The Quiet Man’ after allegations made

JAMES O'BRIEN,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Wednesday, May 9, 2012, 7:22 AM

Updated Wednesday, May 9, 2012, 10:26 AM

Larger Text

E-mail

30 Comments

Beloved Irish actress Maureen O'Hara

Photo by Google Images

A social worker has visited Maureen O’Hara, the star of “The Quiet Man” after abuse allegations were made concerning her care.

Members of Maureen O’Hara’s family have been threatened with lawsuits after they protested how the 92-year-old screen icon was being treated by her personal assistant, the Sunday World has reported. Her PA, Carolyn Murphy, has power of attorney over O’Hara.

The social worker reported that the frail star was suffering from short-term memory loss but was unharmed.

However, the feud has resulted in three resignations from the Maureen O’Hara foundation.

Among the allegations made were that O’Hara, who has been in poor health, was being forced to make too many public appearances for the foundation, which is seeking to set up a major film school in her name.

Carolyn Murphy meanwhile has threatened to gag family members in a defamation lawsuit she has taken out.

Local elected representative Noel Harrington has stated that he was “disappointed” to hear of the dispute, which has rocked the picturesque town of Glengarriff where O’Hara lives.

Family members are still furious at what they claim are pressures being piled on O’Hara.

O’Hara, who has lived in West Cork for some time, also suffers from Type 2 Diabetes and uses a wheelchair.

Cathy O'Regan, a social worker responsible for protecting the elderly, visited O’Hara and discussed the serious allegations made about her treatment.

O'Regan found her well; "Maureen made it clear that no-one puts pressure on her," she stated categorically in a report last month, which also claimed that Maureen suffers from "short-term memory loss".

Nster.com

E-mail

30 Comments

See all comments

WestCorkLad | May 03, 2013, 05:16 PM EDT

I commented on a previous edition on this Maureen O'Hara story. It's amazing to see that a year of investigations leads to nothing. This Lawyer was one of Ms O'Hara's closest friends and confidants for over 40 years. I understand he was best man at her marriage to Charlie Blair. So where is the truth? . . . Definitely not in these blogs. I can comment anonymously and sway readers but that is not my job. A court is where this should be determined. So readers please remember that there is two sides to any story. Let's not judge. Maureen is the victim in this whether it comes from external or internal influences.

Report abuse

irishcoffeekid | Jun 04, 2012, 01:56 PM EDT

I'd be keeping a close eye on her savings and finances - people have a habit of doing dodgy deals as older people start losing their grip. Will be too late when she's gone so someone needs to check where her money is going right now....

Report abuse

Maer | May 27, 2012, 11:44 PM EDT

Stockholm syndrome. It is easy to understand how an elderly person, possibly with dementia, would do and say anything to protect their abuser because they rely on the abuser for all their needs. My mother survived breast cancer, multiple sclerosis and dementia. It was the elder abuse at the hands of my siblings that finished her. The abuse was reported to the Westborough (MA) police but because one of the abusers, John Revene, was a snitch for them and the state police, I was unable to get anyone to help my mother. Justice for Peggy Revene

Report abuse

kayceedea | May 25, 2012, 08:59 AM EDT

Oh my goodness this is the saddest thing ever! I LOVE Maureen! She is the best actress ever and she can live with me and I would take care of her! Poor lady aww!!!!!

Report abuse

MaryM232 | May 11, 2012, 08:36 PM EDT

Why does that greedy slag have power of attorney, instead of Ms. O'Hara's family? She never should have gone back to Ireland, they're all parasites there, looking to leech off the poor woman.

Report abuse

Dutchexpat | May 10, 2012, 10:59 PM EDT

Interesting thread. I see the Murphy PR machine is firing on all cylinders as expected. They should try and be more discreet.

Report abuse

CBlair | May 10, 2012, 02:17 PM EDT

I'm in agreement with WestCorkLad that the press is not the proper place to pursue such allegations. Such "revelations" only promote uninformed and biased gossip in forums like this. I certainly don't know to what extent "greed" or real "concern" have played a part is all this, and expect that most folks, beyond the principals involved, don't really know either.

Report abuse

WestCorkLad | May 10, 2012, 01:45 PM EDT

So sad to see greed being aired in public. Shame on Irish Central for providing such a platform. Media is not the place to castigate any person. claims of substance would go to the authorities and they would deal with the accusation and report accordingly. Once this is determined and a claim is substantiated then we no longer have an accusation - but a fact. With this process, the wonderful name of Maureen O'Hara would not have been dragged through media. What an awful way to finish off a glorious career. Shame on those who reported it through the media. Shame on all of you who participate in this blog. It gives me little hope in mankind.

Report abuse

CBlair | May 10, 2012, 12:40 PM EDT

As a member of the family and also a member of the Board of the Foundation, frankly this all comes as a bit of a surprise to me. I spoke to Maureen by phone a couple of weeks ago and she was her usual feisty self, not tired or overwhelmed,...or manipulated. We spoke of some of the initiatives I have been pursuing with a University here in the US to help foster program cooperation and develop the future academic offering of the Legacy Centre. Maureen was engaged in the conversation, and exhibited very little of the short-term memory lapses that she sometimes experiences. I hope I would be the first to be troubled if I felt that Maureen was being pushed into doing things beyond her capabilities or even attending too many exhausting events, but, everyone, please realize the Lady does actually enjoy getting out of the house from time to time to meet her friends and fans. The key at her age is balance between rest and activity, and I have no direct evidence that balance is lacking here. One of Maureen's family models in this respect has been my Grandma Blair, who commanded her own Girl Scout Troop in northern Vermont until age 96, actively raised money for the local school until she "retired" from this at 100, and lived to be 102. Maureen, ever competitive, means to beat this record, and will do so, I think, if she remains active.

Report abuse

quietman91 | May 10, 2012, 12:23 PM EDT

Sunday World has circulation of 250000 per week which is a low circulation paper .

Report abuse

Danny976 | May 10, 2012, 11:51 AM EDT

Inc. suits just fine actually. The parties involved are Americans. Yer man knows the facts.

Report abuse

Seamus1921 | May 10, 2012, 10:49 AM EDT

Dromgarriff! C'mere Boy! Where ya going wid yer "INC"? Yeer no more from West Cork boy than I am frum Boston Massivechewsets!!! We have LTD companies here in the Emerald Isle. Dis is only a bit of oul shka frum across the pond me thinks... yer given good Corkmen a bad name...what doya say lads?

Report abuse

mamaginnty | May 10, 2012, 10:47 AM EDT

I just hope this beautiful woman is not being abused in any way, but would like to know more, like how long Ms Murphy has been with her, is Murphy involved in the foundation, are the so called relations close and in America, or distant relations in Cork. I only know that since she came to Ireland this foundation has been her dream for Ireland, only a year ago she was on television talking about it, her mind was all there and she was very excited. I hope someone in authority really looks into this. Money, greed can cause such damage. As for the Sunday World, it is one of Ireland's TOP selling papers, and noted for truthful statements, they will probably dig deeper into this. I hope so.

Report abuse

hermitTalker | May 10, 2012, 10:38 AM EDT

It amazes me that anyone can rely absolutely on any newspaper's or TV's reporting today without checking all the facts. They sure do not we are all aware and many can testify. So glad the first-hand witnesses can testify that there is another side to the published story and the comments here.

Report abuse

IrelandNorth | May 10, 2012, 05:33 AM EDT

In a material world influenced more by image than by substance, it seems one is taken less seriously as ones hair/skin colour fades. One seems to disappear in the percerption of adolescents/early adults as one grows older. Exaggerated self-importance of youngsters prevails.

Report abuse