[1] Maher was born in Chicago to Irish American parents, whose ancestors hailed mainly from County Tipperary.

[2] Conscious of the changes and obstacles in Irish society at the time, Maher's pages covered topics such as corporal punishment, equal pay and housing slums.

[4][2][5][6][7] Maher was one of a group of feminist Irish journalists including Maeve Donnellan, Nell McCafferty, Geraldine Kennedy, Gabrielle Williams, Renagh Holohan, Christina Murphy, Mary Cummins, and Caroline Walsh.

[8][9][10] She made history by becoming the first female staff member to return to work in the Irish Times after marriage as well as negotiating paid maternity leave, another first.

[2] During her time as a reporter Maher discovered a family secret, that one of her ancestors had possibly been one of the murderers of Patrick Henry Cronin.