McKenna, Siobhán (1922–1986)

Irish actor who made her reputation on the stage of the Abbey Theatre, Dublin. McKenna gave memorable performances in such works as George Bernard Shaw's St Joan and J M Synge's The Playboy of the Western World. Bailegangaire, a play written especially for her by Tom Murphy (1935– ), was her last stage production, at the Druid Theatre, Galway, in 1986.

McKenna was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Reared in an Irish-speaking family in Galway, she made her acting debut in the Irish language, in An Taibhdhearc. In 1944 she joined the Abbey company and in 1946 she married a fellow actor, Denis O'Dea. She received several honorary degrees at Irish and US universities, was granted life membership of the Royal Dublin Society, and in 1975 was appointed president of the Council of State of Ireland.