[1][2] She was born on 8 June 1907 in a house on Rúa Cega in Noia, A Coruña province.

She was the daughter of Xosé Mariño Pais, a shoe maker.

She had to leave school in order to work, because her father used to gamble in the taverns of Noia.

Whilst Emilio found work as a mechanic and Cándido as a carpenter, María and her sisters helped out in domestic tasks.

On 31 May 1939 Mariño Carou married Roberto Pose Carballido and also began to lie about her age.