Catherine Hayes: The Hibernian Prima Donna Book

Catherine Hayes was born in Limerick in 1818 into abject poverty. She rose from total obscurity to great fame in the opera houses and concert halls of Europe, America and elsewhere in the mid-19th century. She competed on the stages of Europe's best opera houses with Jenny Lind and Henrietta Sontag. Queen Victoria thought enough of her to include her in her diaries. Catherine Hayes learned to speak French, wrote and spoke Italian fluently, and of course English, despite the fact that she had no formal education. Her short life (she died from a stroke in London at age 42) was packed with excitement, great success, fame and fortune and phenomenal earnings. She was fiercely Irish, even though she was born in an era when it might have been more prudent to be British. this is a book that tells the story of the achievements of this unique young 19the century Irish woman who embodied all of the spirit, tenacity, and perseverance of her race, and who made a very important contribution to Irish musical history.Read More