She was educated in Galway and originally intended to train for the opera, as she had a fine singing voice.

She made her debut on the stage in Edward McNulty's comedy The Lord Mayor in 1914.

She became identified with Maisie Madigan in Juno and the Paycock and Bessie Burgess in The Plough and the Stars (both by Seán O'Casey), as well as the Widow Quin in Synge's Playboy of the Western World.

[3] In 1959 she was nominated for a Tony Award for her part in the play God and Kate Murphy.

She died in her room at a London Hotel on 27 March 1961 and was predeceased by her husband Peter O'Neill, whom she married about 1947; there were no children.