[1][2] Bracken grew up in Nenagh, County Tipperary.
[3][4] She began acting at age four, as a member of local theater group The Nenagh Players.
[4][5] She also began attending speech and drama classes around the same time.
[4] She graduated from the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin.
[5] Bracken pursued being an actor in her early 30s.