Mary O'Dowd Mary O'Dowd, a featured vocalist at Paddy Noonan's "Musical Taste of Ireland," a stage review to be held at Saint Anne's McCloskey Auditorium at 1:30 P.M. on Sunday, Nov. 30, is a native New Yorker, raised in Phoenix, Arizona. Her parents hail from Sligo and Roscommon Counties. Amid a highly successful singing career, a family tragedy set her on the path to heading The Frances Pope Memorial Foundation which supports families caring for children with cancer.

She's part of a Paddy Noonan all-star cast featuring The Tommy Mulvihill Band, Scotland's funniest comedian; Eddie Devine; vocalist; comedienne Erin Quill; Irish Tenor, Brian Hunter, and the spectacular Irish Championship Step Dancers. McCloskey Auditorium is located at Dartmouth St. and New Hyde Park Road, Garden City The affair will benefit Catholic high school scholarship grants sponsored by "Msgr. John's Knights" (Msgr. John C. Seidenschwang Council Knights of Columbus, Garden City, NY). Tickets are $25 each and may be ordered by calling 516-352-2457. Chairman Jay Lynch and Associate Chairman, Bob Guida coordinate the annual event for the Knights.

It wasn't long after Mary's return to New York from Arizona at 20 that she was guest singer with Paddy Noonan, Jesse Owens, and other stars of the famous John Barleycorn. Mary teamed up with Arnold Felder who had just arrived from County Antrim earning a fine reputation there. Their contributions to the LP "An Irish Party at the John Barleycorn" helped make it a top seller.

Mary launched her career as a single performer at the Irish Pavilion in Manhattan. A two-week engagement was extended to five years during which time she released her first solo album, the highly successful "Portrait of Mary O'Dowd."

Over the years, Mary was guest artist on TV shows in Canada and the U.S with Tommy Makem, The Clancy Brothers, The Irish Rovers, Ryan's Fancy, Mike Douglas and NBC's Inquiry. She also performed in Carnegie Hall, the New Jersey, Garden Arts Center, New York's Town Hall, Westbury Music Fair and Joseph Papp's Public Theater.

She and her husband Tony Pope, owned the famous "Mary O's" restaurant on East 57th St, in Manhattan for several years but sold it after the birth of their first child, Ellen. After the release of her next album, "Close of an Irish Day," she was busy performing again in clubs and private venues around the city.

After the death of their second daughter, Franny, the couple founded the Frances Pope Memorial Foundation. It provides financial and emotional support to families caring for children with cancer. As president of the foundation, Mary coordinates volunteer efforts, oversees two annual fund-raising events and interacts with physicians, social workers and community officials.

For 20 years, Mary also enjoyed a diverse career with major pharmaceutical company, Pfizer from which she recently retired as Manager, Communications.

Mary has a quality that actively appeals to everyone, whether she is singing a popular song or a sentimental ballad. That winning way is in her voice, the lilt of which is distinctively her own.

Remember, tickets to Paddy Noonan's "Musical Taste of Ireland" are $25 each and may be ordered by calling 516-352-2457.