Coughlan, Mary

Mary Coughlan is a singer and actor from Galway city.

Blues and jazz singer Mary Coughlan was born in Shantalla, Galway city in 1956.

Her talent for singing went unnoticed at school, and it was not until after she was married with a family that Dutch musician and producer Erik Visser asked to work with her.

The album 'Tired and Emotional’ was released to acclaim in 1985, followed by ‘Under The Influence’ (1987), ‘Uncertain Pleasures’ (1990), with ‘Sentimental Killer’ following in 1992. During that time she toured extensively in Ireland and overseas, with audiences moved by her emotive and honest performances.

Other albums include ‘Live In Galway’ (1996), ‘Mary Coughlan Sings Billie Holiday’ (2000), ‘The House Of Ill Repute’ (2008) 'Live And Kicking (2017).

In 1993 she found sobriety, having previously battled alcohol and drug addiction. This is documented in her memoir ‘Bloody Mary’ (2009) which also covers times when she suffered with her mental health.

Mary Coughlan appeared in two films by Irish director Neil Jordan, ‘High Spirits’ in 1988 and in 2005 alongside Cillian Murphy and Stephen Rea in ‘Breakfast On Pluto’.

A collaboration with the theatre company Brokentalkers and Icelandic music producer and composer Valgeir Sigurdsson culminated in ‘Woman Undone’ (2009), a play based on her early life.

A supporter of the Palestinian people, and women affected by domestic abuse, she has campaigned to raise awareness of women incarcerated in Magdalene laundries, and was vocal in supporting repeal of the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution in 2018.

From 2015 – 2020 she released three albums on her own record label, Hail Mary Records. ‘Repeat Rewind’ was released in 2024 to celebrate her 40th year in music.