Maura Laverty

She later moved to Spain in November 1924, taking up the position of governess and later secretary to Princess Bibesco and eventually becoming a journalist for the Madrid-based newspaper, El Debate.

In the late 1940s, she was actively committed during her short time as a member of the Irish Republican political party Clann na Poblachta.

She served on the party's executive[4] and wrote the script for Ireland's first political campaign film, Our Country, for the 1948 elections.

As a radio broadcaster, she developed a varied and long career, culminating in a weekly programme sponsored by the Electricity Supply Board from 1955 until her death in 1966.

[7] She then published Kind Cooking in 1946 (illustrated by her friend Louis le Brocquy) and the very popular Full and Plenty in 1960.

It was based in County Kildare, drawing heavily on personal experiences during her time in Derrymore House.

Laverty also wrote numerous children's stories including The Cottage in the Bog (1946) and The Green Orchard (1949).

Tolka Row was the biggest success out of the three: it was revived multiple times and produced by dozens of amateur companies throughout the decades; it is also mainly responsible for keeping the Gate Theatre financially afloat during the 1950s,[11] although Laverty was often forced to chase Edwards and Mac Liammóir for payment for over a year, and she was never paid properly by them for her work, even though her plays were hits.