MIRIAM O'GARA KILMURRY: RECALLS FLEEING TEHRAN AS A CHILD WITH HER MOTHER

March 23, 2021

My interview with Miriam O'Gara Kilmurry was a roller coaster hearing all about her life, from being born in Ireland, Fleeing Tehran with her mother in the 70's, teaching in France and to returning to her singing roots.

She said that it was a nun at her school that realised that she had a beautiful singing voice and she encouraged her mother to develop it. From then on she trained mainly in classical music. She knew that she needed to learn French and Italian to enhance her classical singing. With this in mind she moved to Paris where it took some adjusting to their way of life. She ended up teaching English as well as singing in a club called Kitty's. She moved to the Costa Del Sol where she was in lots of shows with many West End professionals.

Eventually she returned to Ireland and got into the Bunratty Castle Entertainers. She said that she loved the time she sang with them.

She married an English man and moved over to England at the age of 34, where she did a BA with the open university and then went on to do a masters. She continued to teach at a sixth form college in Canterbury for international students, alongside her singing career.

She recalled her time in Tehran when she was 13. She moved there because her father was working over there.During the unrest in the country she was beaten up by local women for not having her arms covered. Her family were caught in crossfire during the fighting. It was a frightening time for the family because it was hard to leave the country. People of all nationalities were queuing to get out in 1978, desperate tp board a plane. She was taken away and separated from her mother and sister, who was nine and interrogated. Eventually they managed to get smuggled onto a bus that took them to the airport where they boarded an aircraft. Miriam recalled how they all cheered once the plane took off. It ws not until three months later her father managed to flee despite the plane he was on being shot at. She has written a book Called 'Tehran calling', all-out that time in her life.

Now in her fifties she decided that she wanted to go back to singing. She has called herself the Celtress because she says they are strong and have a resilience and drive. Although she admits to having had some insecurities when she first went back on stage. She worried people would not want to see an older face.

She says she would have told her younger self to prioritise her own career and not do what other people expected and told her to do. Trust her gut instinct and have confidence that your talents will heel you and see you through.

As an older women she says she is less worried about tomorrow.