Máire went to the Holy Faith, Iona Road and Eccles Street schools. She was an actress and played with in the Gate Theatre, Irish National Theatre Company (Abbey and touring), Gas Company Theatre, Dun Laoghaire and Town Hall, Killarney amongst others. She had parts in Tolka Row, an early TV soap-opera. Her early work was secretarial with Irish Printers and in Aer Lingus. She gave up steady secretarial work for the stage and did temporary work of this type when "resting". She died of cancer having had a mastectomy and contracting lung cancer some years afterwards.